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Remarkable transformation due to brave tactical variations

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Amid the enormous events of the season it is easy to overlook the remarkable transformation in Celtic from a team which was bumping along in third place in October.  The 3-3 draw at Rugby Park, when Celtic recovered from a 3 goal deficit in the final 20 minutes to grab a point, is often referred to as a turning point but I don’t subscribe to this, Celtic drew 0-0 at home to Hibs two weeks later as the deficit from the top of the league headed towards 15 points, albeit with two games in hand.

It’s not often I’m told “get a grip of yourself” but that’s exactly what was said when I suggested to our chief executive that if we lost the next game away to Motherwell we were in danger of finishing third.

He then went on to quote me the points gained/lost ratio Neil Lennon enjoyed between becoming Celtic caretaker manager until his team lost at home to St Johnstone in August – a remarkably successful period.  He knew the same ratio between that St Johnstone game and the 0-0 against Hibs, which he said was a problem that would be fixed.  For good measure adding that we would beat Rangers on 28 December and go on to win the league.

Refreshing, though it was, to hear such utter conviction in The Plan, I wasn’t convinced.  Rangers were on a roll and we just couldn’t put a series of wins together.  The change came against Rennes on 3 November.  Celtic came from behind to win the game 3-1, playing a tactically different game than we had all season.

Since then Neil Lennon has bravely changed tactics with more regularity than any Celtic manager I have known, even during games we have often seen three different strategies deployed.  Not all have worked but he has shown a willingness to take chances and has learned plenty about his squad in doing so.

This willingness to take chances and to learn has delivered the league title.

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  2. Big Nan on

    Estadio on 8 April, 2012 at 20:34 said:

     

     

    great word ‘lambasted;.

     

    ………………..

     

    Funny how some words just sound right Esatdio……lam basted.

     

     

    Better word liquid ation…just rolls off the tongue…liquid ation

  3. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    SFTB

     

     

    No you turn into an Australian tourist ;-)

     

     

    HH

  7. Stairheedrammy on

    Estadio- having dropped my boy off at the station for him to head off to Killie yesterday I thought I’d watch the game in Sharkeys- had a good time, obviously, talking to 2 older Irish guys and recognised a few faces from what would have been the Clelland bar- before they bombed and finally closed it. It worried me that the few faces I recognised seemed to be ageing better than me- is it something in the beer there?

  9. Estadio on

    Big Nan

     

     

    great line in the ‘long kiss goodnight’

     

     

    ‘don’t make assumption, cos that makes an ass of u and umption’

     

     

    I know ‘sad;.

     

     

    Hail hail

     

     

    Estadio

  11. jackie mac on

    I hope yesterday was enough to convince Commons to stay, he lost killie players a couple of times and like to be back, I think he will add to us hugely next year if he gets back to last year’s form but as jock stein’s celtic said earlier , who goes is a dfiicult question.

     

     

    Me ma got me ESPN for the match yesterday at home in Ireland, the phone operator said he was a big celtic fan but would be sorry to see Rangers go completely – ha she must have got straight through to Burley himself !

  12. tommytwiststommyturns on

    Humility, modesty, magnanimity….amazing words. Words that would apply to the late Tommy Burns, God bless him.

     

    Something for us all to aspire to as Celts…..

     

     

    T4

  13. praecepta on

    Ken Brown commentating on golfer Nick Faldo and his caddie Fanny Sunneson lining-up shots at the Scottish Open:

     

     

    ‘Some weeks Nick likes to use Fanny; other weeks he prefers to do it by himself.’

     

     

    :-)

  14. Estadio on

    Stairheed

     

     

    We go in the young man’s lounge on match days.

     

     

    You must have missed the youthful crowd!

     

     

    hail hail

     

     

    Estadio

  15. Paddy Gallagher on

    Thanks for the response bhoys, I would love it if just one of the critics had the balls to say sorry.

     

    I also have a copy of of all the ‘supporters'(?) who slagged the signing of Charlie Mulgrew, the most inspired signing I have witnessed for many a year.

  16. jock steins celtic on

    There was a joke about Faldo’s caddie and Vijay. I can’t remember the joke but the punchline was : he wanted to make her fanny singh !

  18. Fantasma is Neil Lennon on

    Lennybhoy,

     

    No. If CM67 is not the one I know from the OFFF, then I’m barking up the wrong tree. If he’s one and the same, then he might want to think of an Island off the west coast which you can drive across a bridge to…….ha ha ha.

  21. Estadio on

    The ridiculous epitome of impatience is going to the toilet and shouting at a pish ….’hurry up…the golf’s on’.

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Estadio

  22. voguepunter on

    Paddy Gallagher on 8 April, 2012 at 20:47 said:

     

     

    C’mon Paddy,name and shame them:O)

     

    Saving pages ,yir a saddo but I like you.

  23. feedthebhear on

    Any bhoys or ghirls know how many assists Charlie Mulgrew provided this season?

     

     

    Added to his goals tally think it will be impressive for a defender.

     

     

    HAIL HAIL

  24. jock steins celtic on

    Estadio

     

     

    Flushing the toilet while having a pish speeds the whole process up.

  25. Bundoran Bhoy - Standing with Neil Lennon against victimisation and injustice!!!!! on

    Paddy G

     

     

    I was wanting rid of Lenny at half time in Killie game (3-0 down)

     

     

    I put on this site and in texts to fellow CQNers how I was eating humble pie when we went top of the league.

     

     

    I have no problem admitting I was oh so wrong

     

     

    I love Lenny to bits and was proud to see him shed tears at final whistle yesterday

     

     

    Once again I eat humble pie and hope n pray Lenny stays with us fur a long time!!!

     

     

    humblepiecsc

  26. Estadio on

    When Nick won the US open he said to his missus…..’Choose a present’

     

     

    She said ‘I wan’t a divorce’.

     

     

    “I wasn’t thinking of something that expensive'” he said

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Estadio

  29. ernie lynch on

    Paddy Gallagher on 8 April, 2012 at 20:47 said:

     

    ‘Thanks for the response bhoys, I would love it if just one of the critics had the balls to say sorry’

     

     

     

    At the time I thought Neil Lennon shouldn’t have been appointed because he had no experience and that Celtic was no place for a manager to cut his teeth.

     

     

    I haven’t changed my opinion.

  30. tommytwiststommyturns on

    Paddy – I criticised the re-signing of Charlie and questioned Neil’s future at 3-0 during the Rugby Park game…as did he. Anyone watching the farcical first half was justified in asking what the hell was going on at the club.

     

     

    I pay my season card money and I’m entitled to my opinion, like every other fan.

     

    I don’t boo the team or individual players and I desperately wanted Neil Lennon to win the league last season, but he got his team selection wrong at Inverness and blew it.

     

     

    Who the feck are you to come on here tonight acting like some sort of Uber-Tim, having a go at your fellow supporters on a weekend when we’ve witnessed amazing scenes in Kilmarnock and Glasgow. Why not just enjoy the moment and rejoice in the fact that Neil has won his first title?

     

     

    Jog On

     

    TTTT

  31. setting free the bears on

    Paddy G

     

     

    I am on the list for slagging Chico Mulgrew but will not be on the Lenny list.

     

     

    I have apologised umpteen times this year for under valuing Charlie’s assets. I really thought his defensive tackling would be exposed by tricky forwards but no-one in the SPL or in our Europa opponents managed to do so.

     

     

    I find it difficult to separate Charlie and Joe for my POTY nomination

  36. Fantasma is Neil Lennon on

    Lennybhoy,

     

    Apologies for wasting your time.

     

    Nice chatting with you. I really should stick to lurking ;-)

  42. Enrico Dandolo nicked my Crusade on

    Anyone who saw a Celtic class player in Charlie Mulgrew before he signed was on drugs. :))))

     

    As for Lenny, who knew how it would work out?

     

     

    Eric

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