The principle problem in the first half is the same Celtic have had for a year – they are unable to pass through a press. Roma are simply better at the press than Dundee, so the consequences last night were more acute. In the opening minutes, the visitors had six players in their forward third when Celtic attempted to play out from the back. It worked.
A team’s ability to play out is determined by shape and ball control. Wilfried Nancy learned lots during the opening 45+ minutes on his new side’s capacity in these areas.
Mercifully, Roma dropped the pace in the second half, however, Nancy changed several things which suggests he learned from that opening period. As you and I discussed earlier this week, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales should be moved one place to the left of where they were against Hearts and in the opening period against Roma. Trusty in the middle, Scales left and Kieran Tierney hooked for Colby Donovan. I expect a lesson has been learned and that’s the last we will see of Auston on the right of a back three.
Wilfried must be wondering what all the fuss is about Daizen Maeda. He now knows Daizen is not a striker (you and I discussed this on Tuesday). Our MVP from last season was also hooked at halftime for the return of Kelechi Iheanacho. I hadn’t hoped we would see 45 minutes from Kelechi for a few weeks yet, but from his first to last touch, you could see what a difference playing with an actual striker makes. Another lesson was learned and fitness issues aside, I doubt we will see Daizen through the middle again.
Benjamin Nygren’s goal contributions have been a big part of our story so far this season but he clearly put his boots on the wrong feet last night. The introduction of the correctly attired Paulo Bernardo improved our ball control enormously. He played deeper than Nygren. This subtle change of shape gave Callum McGregor more options and freed Reo Hatate to have a good second half. The Portuguese did very well considering he was parachuted into such an environment from the wilderness.
Improvements to shape and ball control happened sooner than expected. Napoleon, who 200 years ago conquered Rome, said, “I would rather have a lucky general than a good one.” Better still to have a general who learns fast.
Yesterday we spoke about Roma being a free hit with low expectations and the lesser game of our week. Tomorrow we will talk about the cup final, and a chance to write history.
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paul has been so punctual lately
Micro analysis (let’s ignore the macro, too awkward) and lots of mention of ‘you and I’ was always a likely approach today.
Our problems are far more wide ranging than Benjis inverted feet
Roma streets ahead.Just not good enough.
…..and not even Champions league, heaven help us.
If anyone is wanting rid of the manager, you need to look a bit deeper….
I enjoy listening to Bro Wilfried talking. He’s a thoughtful guy and comes over very well in his second language.
Football though is a practical pursuit where pragmatism is more important than the conceptual and the abstract.
We played a system of football last night that exposed our players’ shortcomings and got pumped as a consequence. We weren’t beaten in the abstract. This wasn’t a nuanced defeat.
Scottish football life is coming very fast at the new Celtic manager. Let’s hope Bro Wilfried has now learned enough to put a winning team on the pitch. The ghosts of 1994 are rattling their chains.
The fastest Nygren moved all night, was when he ran from the bench at FT,to try and get Dybala’s jersey,somebody have a word with him…..
Lots to unpick from last night. So many moving parts.
I really hope the new manager isn’t used as a proxy battle ground for any preexisting arguments. He should be judged on his merits alone. Jury is out, though early signs not positive.
Our managerial appointment process is unclear. A significant shareholder came through like a tornado, offloading the previous perm manager and bringing in temp cover. This time, the appointment seems to have been decided via a more exec driven route? A panel of an accountant, a lawyer and a candlestick maker perhaps.
The standing section have a role to play in creating an atmosphere and supporting the team in play. Thuggery and threats can not and should not be tolerated. Cool heads and adult discussions needed from all sides.
The playing squad is very poor. Default position is to support anyone who pulls on the hoops. However, it was heartbreaking to watch last night. We are so poor in some areas, its criminal. A real negligence over the past year or two. We read that ‘mistakes were made’ though what they were and how we’ve overcome them is not clear.
My main concern, both on here and from within the club, is a failure to acknowledge our true position. A target was identified and guns were trained on an individual. This took focus away from other areas of real concern. Well, he’s away and we’re 0 for 2 in our last 2 games.
Where do we go from here, Celtic?
Iheanacho Bernardo, Donovan, need to start on Sunday
Hands up who would have wanted Maloney sitting next to the manager last night, rather than Strachan? And we all know why……
It’s reassuring that we’re paying large to help Wilf accumulate learnings about his new squad.
Surely wee Shaun, Fozzy and – ffs – Gavin could have briefed him Daizen, Benji et al have the touch of a you-know-what. More accurately, they have the touch of players who are confused about this game plan and, so, lack confidence in what they’re supposed to execute esp when trying to master these new plays vs strong and well-organised outfits like Roma (and Hearts ;)) Some might not be arsed learning a new plan when they have one foot out the door anyway.
Not writing anyone off on-field or off (although a few in the big corpy box may want to be more conciliatory given the ‘toxic atmosphere’ (yep, that ole chestnut) swirling around even with BR long gone.
PS; the principal problem above is actually the principle (sic) deployed in the article.
BTW Can I just say how pleased I was to see Stevie Woods taking his place on the bench last night after he had been cleared out/sacked earlier in the week. Quite the surprise, that.
Do we think Maeda can play wing back? I know! It’s like asking Santa if he can deliver presents all over the world in one night! por cierto
I wondered if Luke McCowan might not make for a usable wing back.
Yes he’s slower than Colby or Yang but positionally quite well aware.
Por Cierto – Maeda is the archetypal wingback athlete. No question.
With the game gone I’m hoping Tierney and Maeda were hooked with Sunday in mind.
Playing long balls up to the latter was crazy given the guy marking him was literally head and shoulders bigger than him.
Maybe they’ll announce Stevie Woods’ departure and the appointment of Simon Donnelly as assistant manager in the one press release?
So many things to ‘learn from’, many seemingly not learned after Hearts.
So for Sunday;
Scales and Tounetki on the left side on Sunday will spell trouble. Go down that route then you own the consequences.
Combining Donovan and Yang down the right side of defence, spells trouble. You own that decision too.
Defending set pieces on Sunday with Scales, Trusty and Donovan as our only defenders, spells trouble. You own the consequences.
I think there might be a footballer hiding behind Balikwisha, central mind, not wide.
Just as a hint of something interesting catches the eye, he’s off to the AfCON tourney with Tounekti.
Happily I gather that Iheanacho wasn’t selected for Nigeria so we can look forward to Maeda playing wide left of an actual striker in the coming matches.
The upcoming transfer window opens on January 1st. We do not have an opt-out to begin our work from 28th January, and thereafter be scurrying around like amateurs. Lessons of past windows need to be learned.
Well, you reap what you sow.
Thank goodness we have a team of Ferraris, otherwise last night could have been embarrassing.
Anyway, still ahead in the old firm championship, so absolutely no need to try to improve. Enjoy the ride!
The Battered Bunnet on 12th December 2025 12:14 pm
BTW Can I just say how pleased I was to see Stevie Woods taking his place on the bench last night after he had been cleared out/sacked earlier in the week. Quite the surprise, that.
Give it time…….
Last season,Maeda told us all,he preferred wing back,to left wing.Anyway,I am not buying the Roma took their foot of the gas,they were never in flat out mode,for the simple reason goal difference can make a massive difference in this format,with the likes of 6 teams all sitting on same points.We improved a lot after the break,Iheanacho,Bernardo,made a great difference.
Everything is a learning curve,guy hast to see just who can play.
No panic from me.We were in a state and we don’t walk out straight away from that.Win on Sunday,new lease of life.Keep the faith.
Now I know what Nancy football is, a game for nancys.
Certain Wilf will turn it round, but clearly he need massive help, just wonder if he’ll get it !!!
Starting to think re Brendan. I am well aware he has a massive ego and any team success will reflect well on him, but feel certain he wanted to take us forward in Europe but was prevented from doing so by our pals in the boardroom.
Sunday will be a tough gig for sure.
kingLUBO
Daizen Maeda has many strengths, he loves to attack the ball behind defenders, loves attacking space in front of him with pace, he is unpredictable for defenders popping up on blindside to score or set up a goal, harasses the best of defenders his pressing is par excellence, his defensive qualities particularly back tracking again excellent, brave as we seen against Dundee when he got his face kicked off
He isn’t a Chris Sutton tall target type to hold the ball up, surely any detailed analysis before taking the job would have confirmed the above, very concerning the baffling time being taken experimenting with positions and game plan totally unsuited to match players ability talents, it will erode confidence
Bit harsh on Daizen, Paul … IMHO.
Sure he wasn’t great last night … but I find myself cutting the guy some pretty big slack.
I think there are parallels with Brendan.
Both delivered a fine body of work for Celtic
Both are seeing their fine bodies of work and tenures at Celtic ending badly … which is a real shame.
Both Daizen and Brendan left the building mentally, emotionally and psychologically … a good bit before leaving it physically.
I half expect Daizen to go in January 2026
If he does (big IF) .. he’ll have given us four years of his life.
3½ of 4 in the “satisfactory to brilliant” range.
So he’ll leave with my profound gratitude.
My biggest concern is how much the second half improvement was merely down to Roma.
Kelechi’s offside goal was a microcosm of the issue – their defence just did their job and stepped up in unison. They made defending look very easy while we toiled all night.
I doubt our complacent execs took any comfort from that performance – I’m starting to feel relieved that Kairat was the shit show that it was.
I like Wilfried but wonder if he is the right guy at the wrong time.
TBB,
Really hope I never see Maeda again.One season wonder.Not being nasty,I just have never though he had anything except pace.His season of goals was great,but now back to normal.
Cash in on him.
You can dress that up anyway you want, a Manager of Celtic needs to get results,this guy is out of his depth the Head of Football is a failure and spending money in January on his recommendations with be money burned in Million pound bundles, I wouldnt even say right now we would be favourites to win on Sunday, and no I don’t bet against Celtic
It was only my pride in (almost – 2 time in 55 years I can remember) never leaving a Celtic game before full time that made me stay for the second half, so much out of it were we in the first half.
I cannot recollect many times when Celtic players didn’t know what they wanted to do, never mind being able to do it, as the first half last night.
Drilling long balls aimed at Daizen to collect on the centre line was bizarre. It’s not his game and he had no-one moving either side to bring into play.
At least that improved a bit in the second half when we made changes and Roma went down two gears.
I want to support the new manager and let him bring in his preferred style of player to give him the chance to make his system work. If we see signs of it working he will get the support but he must impart his instructions very clearly the players and they must buy in the them to avoid another shambles like last night.
Please remember my colleague and friend Linda Tandy Campbell, a nurse from Florida who died yesterday following an illness. One of the best people I have ever worked with.
It may be of interest to some readers on here that she was a descendent of James Napper Tandy, Irish revolutionary and founder of United Irishmen.
He certainly had an interesting life:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Napper_Tandy
Nine times out of ten, the best team in Italy or one of them will beat the best team in Scotland.
For me, last night wasn’t about tactics or formation. It was about ability and mental attitude.
Take a few key examples of ability: Daizen Maeda is an athlete first, and an average footballer second. Asking him to control a pass with his back to goals and bring oter in to play with quick passes is beyond his skill set. Put him out on the wing, though, he will chase a bit of paper blown by the wind . At least you’ll get tracking back out of him.
As for Scales, he could probably head a brick if you threw it at him. But against top-quality opposition, he’s exposed for what he is an honest journeyman.
When it comes to mental attitude, Tierneys frustrations with his ailing physique shows a complete lack of confidence which leads to over trying or over cautious .I also give you our record signing. He looked terrified. A guy so lacking in confidence that he would rather hide behind other players or play a simple pass, rather than step up and express himself.”
We need an influx of top quality signings all over the park.
Already all eyes are beginning to drift towards January, and already a few snippets from the usual messengers have been leaked: Celtic looking….., Celtic interested in……, wonder kid here/there.
Surely even this Board, after waiting five weeks to appoint Nancy, will not stiff him in the first window.
The current players can’t, or at best will take a while, to get their heads around the new tactics. It took Ange a preseason and two months to get his vision across.
That is a luxury that we do not have this season.
I would suggest January is the point of no return for many. I don’t want to be reading, come the first of February, “You and I have spoke how difficult it is to get quality in January”
An utter shambles on all levels. Hard to find the words to do justice to how bad it was
Roma downed gears in the second half. Nobody should be fooled by anything that occurred after the break.
This is a train wreck.
Evan Ferguson saying our players didn’t know what they were doing.
What a disaster.
7 of the starting 11 last night started for us against Atalanta last season.
While we have squad problems, that match should not be dead before HT.
The Battered Bunnet on 12th December 2025 12:20 pm
Por Cierto – Maeda is the archetypal wingback athlete. No question.
—–
Agreed. Definitely start him there on Sunday. Iheanacho and Bernardo surely start. Looks like we don’t have a need for any of our current wingers, who look to be purely wingers (albeit Yang has a wee bit of physicality). Of course, Maeda will be going soon perhaps and more true wingbacks required.
Maeda chucked it last night.
He’s not interested in what Wilfried wants him to do and clearly doesn’t believe in it.
He’s one of our best players and biggest assets.
Some start for a new gaffer this.
Trying to think back when we play the three CBs, Bobo, Johan and Joos. Nine of them really tried it had to make the play (Mjalby not too bad a passer).
This ‘disaster’ lies firmly at the feet of Lawwell, Nicholson, DD and the rest of the freeloaders.