Although Celtic created the overwhelming majority of chances last night, they were punished for unforced errors. This is why Malmo are still in the tie.
Lots of positives were evident. Malmo could only foul James Forrest. He is fit and simply unstoppable. Celtic’s least effective periods of the game coincided with when they failed to get James on the ball. When he did get the ball, he often attracted three defenders, which curtailed his options but opened up space for others.
Next week James should find more space. Malmo’s main concern for the return leg will be how to cope with him.
Leigh Griffiths is on fire. He had no right to score his second goal, it was never his ball. The timing of his leap, combined with his reach and finish, were first class. He’ll fancy himself for a goal out there.
Our passing early on was as good as it has been all season but something went wrong, I think Scott Brown and Stefan Johansen’s roles changed. Scott bossed the opening 20 minutes but towards the end of the first half, a tension had crept in.
When our defenders had the ball at their feet, the options they had earlier simply weren’t there. Think back to the early moments when Scott dropped deeper than the two central defenders to give them options in possession. There was one occasion when Brown dropped to collect a forward pass from Boyata, before passing onto Forrest and then Armstrong, who carved an opening, all achieved without resistance. Our movement made Malmo look pedestrian. We lost our way when those options dried up.
We know what we will get from Forrest and Griffiths but the key three Celtic players next week will be Brown, Bitton and Johansen. Hareide criticised Celtic’s fitness, it’s certainly clear that the early pace we set was not maintained, although it could be argued that pace was impossible to maintain. If Brown, Bitton and Johansen have the stamina to cover the acreage they did for parts of the game last night, we will be comfortable in Sweden.
The major concern is the likely absence of Mikael Lustig. Efe and Dedryck both need immediately-available options in possession. It will be absolutely critical that they are not left to play long clearing balls forward. If this happens, we will invariably lose possession and Malmo will be able to build sustained attacks.
Ronny may decide to deploy Saidy Janko instead of Efe. Efe got the nod for the bench last night as we needed cover for both central defence and right back (he’s also convered left on occasion). None of us have enough information on Saidy to offer an informed opinion on this option yet, but he may be asked to step forward.
Malmo got as much out of last night’s game as was possible. They scored two goals and didn’t pass up a good chance. We have the lead and there’s nothing too worrying in what we saw from the visitors. They will play a different game at home, have more possession and create more chances, but Celtic will create lots of chances of their own.
There’s a hard 90 minutes ahead, but it’s in our own hands, and Ronny’s right, we can win out there. This tie has a Blackburn feel about it.
One for the golfers…….
Taggsybhoy is raffling a Round of Golf for 4 at the magnificent Aberdour Golf Course, where our annual CQN Golf Open takes place, to support his Great Scottish Run campaign in aid of the Celtic Foundation. The auction ends next week and you can bid on it here on ebay. Check it out, and check out what YOUR Foundation does as well.
This is a brilliant way to get involved and achieve something significant, well done to Taggsy for taking the initiative.
Thanks to everyone who donated as part of yesterday’s competition to win a Celtic Euro shirt, courtesy of Magners. Special thanks to the winner, Glasgowdave, for allowing us to auction the shirt at a later date. You’re not a bad lot.
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!!Bada Bing!!
I agree BUT next weeks match is totally different and we go for experience. He will also be needed off the bench unless we get an injury to one of the areas we have little cover for.
LB
I thought JF played well last night.
Albeit in a defensive and harrier sense more than his expected attacking sense.
He put a lot of effort into his defensive game last night, closing down, tackling, chasing back etc.
That’s all I have to say about that.
MWD said AYE
I’d love to see us proving everyone, including me, wrong, and win this tie, but I just see it.
If they, with 40% of the game, and with virtually no worked chances, score twice away from home, in a packed, wonderfully partisan, stadium – why would they not be able to at least repeat the feat, in their own cauldron of a stadium?
We have talent, but unfortuately, we do not posess the mind-set to ‘kill a game’ when we are in a winning position.
This sort of thing is instinctive in really good teams and is driven by three or four influential players – we don’t have those numbers.
LiviBhoy-Armstrong starts every game for me,he is playing too wide just now,Johansen needs to do a lot more IMO,great pass for first goal though.HH
Mr Puff
Don’t refer to Celtic as “we”. You are a hun troll. Beat it!
!!Bada Bing!!
Personally I go for experience over there. Only exceptions is areas where we dont have it. Have we ever had less options up front? Frightening. We are an injury to Griffiths away from a crisis.
LB
GER57 on 20TH AUGUST 2015 4:22 PM
Mr Puff
Don’t refer to Celtic as “we”. You are a hun troll. Beat it!
===============================================
…AND YOU ARE A PUERILE EMPTY-HEADED FOOL!!!!
Bhoypeter,
I mentioned the fact that Malmo were established into their season, but I suppose that doesn’t count!
Árd Macha,
Every family needs a Cross Dog. I guess in our family, I’m it!!
Sorry to miss you, again!
ger57 on 20th August 2015 3:44 pm
I don’t like Malmo .I don’t like their fans and I definitely do not like Mr. Hareide. I didn’t know you could get Scandinavian huns.
To say I was despondent at the loss of the second goal would be an understatement. However, in the cold light of day some perspective has crept back into my mindset.
I thought for 30 minutes last night we were as good as we’ve been under Ronny.
I thought Griffiths was superb and was a constant threat with his pace and willingness to run into space. Like Paul I also said that he’d absolutely no right to score the goal he did.
I was delighted to see the performance of Forrest who continued where he left off against Kilmarnock last week. I’ve often seen him hide particularly when things aren’t coming off for him. Last night I saw him lose the ball but have a desire to win it back. It was the best team performance I’ve seen from him.
This tie isn’t over but our naivety in losing possession and ultimately a goal when we should be passing and moving to run down the clock makes the second leg much more difficult than it coul have been.
As long as we dont go over there with the intention of holding them to a goalless draw I think we still have a good chance of progressing. I know it worked in the last round but this is a different proposition. I dont think theyre a particularly good team though much better than anything we face here. It’s not over yet
HH
BT if you’re lurking thanks for the “pint” of wine yesterday. Hail Hail Hebcelt
HT could have written that post myself ,my sentiments entirely. Hail Hail Hebcelt
HT
Griff’s 2nd goal was about hunger and desire. More of that in the team would be lovely.
Hope you are well mate.
LB
I think we will probably have to score twice to be sure of going through gainst malmo, im sure that Ronny will play Efe at right back, its gonna be a had night, theyre last goal changed things bigtime,
saint stivs
I’m with you on the JF exchange and disagree with Paul. Malmo did so much more that only foul JF. They neutralized him.
They also stood off him too much in the first half but in the second played tighter on him, and then tried force him inside where they crowded him out. He has no shot with his left foot and usually only attempts any kind of one-two when he has run out of a dribbling option. He saw a great deal of the ball but produced little from that. No goal scoring chances, no incisive defence splitting passes and by my count only one cross from the wing having beaten his man. That cross overshot the danger zone and might even have gone out for a throw on the other side.
The Qarabag away chance he had late in the second half there sums up his performances for me.
So much potential but infrequently makes the impact he should. Lots of one v one when he has the ball excites the fans but I associate groans from the stands with James’ play and not roars.
Score in Malmo James and hat eating will become my least favourite compulsion.
HH
Hebcelt
Fools seldom….:-)
Livibhoy
Indeed and the incredible leap the guy has!
I’m grand but mentally busy. I hope things are going well for you. I’m only a call away sir.
Right off to 5s.
HEBCELT
My pleasure for the use of the tickets
LIVIBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2015 4:23 PM!!Bada Bing!! Personally I go for experience over there. Only exceptions is areas where we dont have it. Have we ever had less options up front? Frightening. We are an injury to Griffiths away from a crisis. LB-
Stokes is by far a better option than Ciftci right now.HH
Going by the comments about our players being pigs and their manager commenting on our capabilities and fitness,has introduced needle and bad feeling to this tie, I hope Celtic are prepared for a battle out there they will try everything to get through sporting and unsporting, really dont like Malmo after this, more akin to Huns and Hamburg
EA time is up should be shipped out, unreliable, never a defender.
EI his agent has been told to get him another club.
Boyatta not convinced, looks a nervous wreck.
VVD bye bye.
JF no end product, flatters to deceive.
HT do’nt sell us short we see what we see ,still optimistic. BT no problemo. Hail Hail Hebcelt
RON67 on 20TH AUGUST 2015 5:20 PM
EA time is up should be shipped out, unreliable, never a defender.
EI his agent has been told to get him another club.
Boyatta not convinced, looks a nervous wreck.
VVD bye bye.
JF no end product, flatters to deceive.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/result-but-with-a-few-unforced-errors/comment-page-4/#comments
Other than that I take it your well pleased then?
RWE – ( from ages ago
I agree any number of players could face the personal recriminations, and they all have, by now on CQN
RD went for ‘experience’ and in came Ambrose , who scandalously very nearly gets boo’ed on never mind boo’ed off. He had one bad pass, yet copped it on the internet for failing to ‘beat a winger half his size’ leading to VVD howking it out for the corner, and second goal. Mikael Lustig however, escapes most of the criticism, but was clearly at fault for the first goal, both in the air, and the system
– Berget must be his man at the back post?
It was pandemonium when the ball came over and Bitton (hobbling) collided with VVD. ( who droppped millions in valuation tonight because of that according to Celtic fans )
In one game we’ve so many whipping boys Ambrose nearly got the night off, Izzy copped it, Stadium M.O.M James Forrest copped it, Johansen copped it, blah blah blah. For Boyata now ( see Ambrose )
By the time it comes next Tuesday, – it’ll all have been said on CQN……………..everything
Hail Hail
I’ll keep my powder dry till after the game on Tuesday, but should we go through there’s a number of out of order items I’ll be dredging up after yesterday’s hilarious outbursts from the fearties, the entitled and the green huns.
Some of the things said were worse than anything I’ve read from the obvious hunterlopers.
As time goes by I’m coming around more and more to TD67’s thinking.
Malmo are on Hun websites getting all this crap, if that’s their game fine, bring F,.,.,. On.
No disrespect Ron67, but your knowledge of football lacks any shred of insight, or depth.
In fact, I’d say you have an agenda. Other than that you just blether mince mostly.
Have a Hoopy day.
Malmö are good at talking to the media.
I didn’t see much physicality in their game, however.
Their gemme smacked of the Scandanavian chill tunes you hear in fashionable bars- all style and no substance.
Celtic in Europe 2015
Played 5
Won 4
Drawn 1
Lost 0
Any draw, any win * even a 4-3 defeat * and we’re in csc
GER57 on 20TH AUGUST 2015 3:44 PM
Did anyone hear the chant by the Malmo fans on their march from Merchant City to CP? From the Pink Floyd song Another Brick in The Wall, they chanted, “Hey, Celtic! Leave the kids alone.”
Disgusting
…………………………………….
Let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story.
What they actually sang was, “Hey Celtic, leave those sheeps (sic) alone”.
There’s a video link to them on Celticnewsnow, “Malmo fans taunt Celtic fans with “sheep” song
If we are going to critique how some things go wrong – then that elusive level playing field looms. More than the usual whipping bhoys had a hand in us losing both goals last night. Ronny knows this.
Mikael Lustig has been blamed for the first goal – leaving Berget unmarked. Yet the reality is that this is what he is supposed to do when both centre backs are in the middle marking no one and there is a Malmo player beyond them both – but in front of Mikael. He did enough to put that player off getting in an unopposed header on goal, and then he ran out to close down Berget who had picked up the loose ball.
The errors were with Scott Brown primarily (as we all saw) and to a lesser extent both centre backs. Once Scott elected to head the ball instead of clearing his lines, with all of our defenders out of position for our corner, we were in trouble and needed luck or bad play from Malmo to survive the situation. Nir Bitton actually damaged his knee (that would later force him off) in trying to rectify that mistake and then VVD and Dedryck both ball watched as they ran back trying to get back into position. Lustig did nothing wrong and indeed would have been pilloried if he had stood off the guy behind VVD and Dedryck and he had got his header in on goal.
We like passion in our players, but too much passion obscures the focus that a cool head brings. Both Scott Brown and Stefan Johansen are passionate guys but we need cool heads and clear thinking from our captain(s) when they are under pressure.
A team game means team responsibility for winning and losing. We made poor use of our own corner and then had several other chances to stop them moving upfield. Our tactics failed on multiple levels all in the one move: failed to exploit our corner, failed to retain possession at our corner, failed to make use of the secondary ball when Izzy passed it to them, failed to clear when our last man had the ball and then failed to recover and mark their players when the cross came in.
The second goal showed a tired and injured Bitton trying to compete with their big Uruguayan centre back sub at the corner, and in the process he blocked VVD from making his header. But frankly, if you leave three of their players unmarked inside the six yard box with a loose ball pinging around..you are probably knackered, not focused and asking for trouble. That’s what we did and that’s what we got.
In his media interview Ronny conceded all these things – pretty much – without naming names. As usual he handled the media really well.
We won 3-2 and will score over there. I expect Ronny and his coaches are working on another Qarabag tactical performance.
COYBIG
Tonydonnelly67
Ron67 only criticised 5 players out of 14 used, so he’s fine with the other 9.
That means his glass is more than half-full.
Yet you’ve attacked him with your sarcastic remark, suggesting you must be a glass half-empty man.
So, in accordance with advice on how to deal with such people, proffered in your own earlier post today, GIRFUY, Tonybhoy!
Moonbeams,
Kinda my thoughts too neebs.
I have found myself saying quite often in the past that jamesy is worse than a man short when we don’t have the ball.
Last night he was making 50 yard runs to challenge guys in the middle of our half. Defend from the front.
As brucie would say….good game good game :)
HH
I wish Mikael Lustig’s fitness was as good as Efe’s.
We are a far better team with a fit Mikael in it.
We had players injured during the second half and had to stay on which didn’t help matters.
Too many fans are wanting Efe to go now which I think will happen either in January or next summer.
I would like to know, apart from the Rubentus game, how many goals he has directly caused.
I’ve already given my views on last night’s match but forgot to state one important fact. It’s a mighty long time since Celtic scored three goals in a Champion s League game, not since the night we beat Benfica 3-1 at Celtic Park.
BeatBhoy-
Seeing we’re defending oor pals, I’ll wade in an awe.
Ron67’s critique is exactly just that- endless criticism and negativity. . For that reason it lacks any balance and as a result any credibility.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
Correct! The huns on twitter were happy to change ‘sheeps’ to ‘kids’ for their own very obvious reasons.
It warmed the cockles of me ‘art to see young James in such good form last night. Going forward he was excellent, torturing the right back outside and inside.
For the first time that I’ve seen he had fire in his belly and made some terrific tackles – one of which was incorrectly given as a foul.
No flinging of hands in the air in a flouncing, aff oot sort of way (hope things are going OK KEVJ). No lying about on the turf waiting for sympathy, except when genuinely injured.
No – last night I though wee Jamesy was not longer wee. He has grown up. Please let it continue.