Celtic’s system of play, which seems to have been figured out by several opponents in recent months, is an adaptation of the system Ange Postecoglou first implemented here in 2021. Since then, we have used inverted fullbacks. Central defenders go wide, Callum McGregor drops deep, and one of both fullbacks move into central midfield.
Ange used this at Yokahama, indeed, it has been used at all City Football Group clubs since Pepe Guardiola arrived at City in 2016. It is worth noting that Manchester City’s remarkable run of poor results started against Postecoglou’s Tottenham, on 30 October.
City won their five games going into that match, but won only one of their next 13 (something has been fixed, as they have won their last two games). Ange knows City’s system better than anyone else in the EPL. It makes sense that he saw a vulnerability which was subsequently copied by others.
Celtic’s form pivoted far less than Manchester City’s (although opponents are not at the same level). Form was breathtaking up to and including the win against Leipzig on 5 November – one week after Ange defeated Man City. Our next game was at Kilmarnock, where Derek McInnes’ side gave us a torrid time, before losing 0-2.
The history of football tactics has regular phases. A successful innovation becomes widely adopted. Then someone figures out an exploit, which is adopted by others until the original innovation is removed from the game by evolution. We may be witnessing the sun setting on the inverted fullback.
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Too old for this.
Happy Wednesday eve!
Happy New Year from Spain Aipple, you are in your customary position.
We’re doomed I tell,…….. you doomed
Happy New Year DENIABHOY!
I think BR is trying to make sure the ‘groans’ are away for the Young Boys game, as we have a couple of home games before it.He’s a smart guy,and i think there is more behind his rant than GT,it came totally left field, and IMO there is another reason for it
Begs the question, what is the new system that replaces the inverted fullback one?
What are the best teams using at the moment?
We could easily play 343 in 90 percent of our games and, if we have the personnel, I’d prefer 442 in Europe and against the r2ngers where midfield dominance looks like being key.
We’re gonna need a bigger system .
RobertShaw csc
P.S: I think Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have mostly played 343 this seaon. Not sure about Man City.
Not sure why we are wedded to 433 when we are facing teams that leave one man up front.
Bada Bing,
100% agree.
Leipzig the fans were 100% behind team; Brugges we expected to win and the “fans” getting on the players backs was loud.
YB game is our biggest game of the season so far and will require a momentous effort by all to win.
In the meantime we have some tricky fixtures to negotiate and the fans need to accept the patient game is helpful at times. Jock Stein regularly asked for the fans patience before big European ties. Need players & fans operating in unison.
Couldn’t agree more, Bada, there is more to that rant than meets the eye.
Whether it has anything to do with the Young Boys game remains to be seen, but I’m sure at some point we’ll all look back and say “ah, so that’s what it was about”.
I think Brendan is always planning for a couple of weeks in advance re team selection etc,he’s looking at the Young Boys game when he came out with that,in an attempt to get the crowd going again.
One play, from the full back position that used to be effective was the long diagonal forward pass. Charlie Mulgrew, once of the Parish, and once also of the left back fraternity, was an expert for us and on occasion, playing for the Dons, agin us. Kieran Tierney too, (who unlike James Forrest who still playes for Celtic, has the Green Brigade singing about him), was also more than proficient at the cross field pass.
The advantage to be gained? It cuts out the middleman.
!!Bada Bing!! on 7th January 2025 1:04 pm
I think Brendan is always planning for a couple of weeks in advance re team selection etc,he’s looking at the Young Boys game when he came out with that,in an attempt to get the crowd going again.
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I think you may be right that there is ‘method in the madness’, however I don’t think Brendan was too pleased to have to explain in detail what is usually kept on the training ground, e.g. the precise moving of the ball to create angles for a new attack, and how that can at times involve the ball going backwards.
With the results and success that he and this group have delivered perhaps expected patience/understanding and more “trust and respect” from all of the support .
It was plain to see that he was disappointed and disappointment can make you angry. There were some in the stands finding it hard to forget the Ibrox ‘chasing’ and also still harbouring real disappointment – that’s probably where the impatience and dissent came from – it was very noticably vented to the manager’s dismay prompting a marked response. HH
Celtic Mac on 7th January 2025 1:15 pm
One play, from the full back position that used to be effective was the long diagonal forward pass. Charlie Mulgrew, once of the Parish, and once also of the left back fraternity, was an expert for us and on occasion, playing for the Dons, agin us. Kieran Tierney too, (who unlike James Forrest who still playes for Celtic, has the Green Brigade singing about him), was also more than proficient at the cross field pass.
The advantage to be gained? It cuts out the middleman.
Celtic Mac, it also totally negates the high press, so beloved recently of our sooside neebors. One (good) pass leaves at least three opposing players adrift, chasing back and wasting energy. The ball Kaspar played out at Hampden recently, leading to our third goal, and the pass he replicated against St Mirren on Sunday is an example of what can be done.
Ave Ave
Jim Goodwin played one game for Celtic.
HeLivedTheDream CSC
Liverpool and Real Madrid are not afraid of a long pass these days…
Aberdeen suffering from super systemic failure – with 3 points from 30.
AberdeenQuickNews CSC
Bada Bing. Very insightful. Wish I was that bright.
Brendan Rogers may make mistakes; this wasn’t one.
T
DeniaBhoy on 7th January 2025 12:49 pm
P.S: I think Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have mostly played 343 this seaon. Not sure about Man City.
Not sure why we are wedded to 433 when we are facing teams that leave one man up front.
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Liverpool, Arsenal and City (usually) play 4-3-3. If you are pushing the full-backs forward it’s quite an attacking system. I like it because it gives you three players in the wide areas. When you are up against a low block you have to try and disrupt their shape so the more combinations the better.
meansong
Though not the greatest defender Trent Alexander-Arnold great exponent of the cross field forward pass
Celtic Mac at 1.15 pm
It also cuts out the muddleman 🤪
How is the weather in Glasgow, will the game go ahead tomorrow night ?
If the inverted full back role is redundant then we simply can’t offer a new contract to GT.
Interesting view of the inverted fullback – Man City’s recent form has been a head scratcher, if anyone is going to come out with an effective, revised, strategy – it’s Pep…
Once Celtic have the left fullback position sorted, it will be interesting to see what BR&Co do going forward.
CELTIC MAC @ 10:38 AM,
“I’m seeing some good posts about our left back situation but I am not seeing any mention of our own young full backs, namely Matthew Anderson and Adam Montgomery. Not sure what is happening with the latter other than he returned from Motherwell after a bad injury. The former though, best I know, is spending his second season out in Austria and hopefully will be able to return to Celtic at the end of the season. Hope we do not lose him as we did with Doak, (Middlesborough now) Kelly (Millwall) and Vata who is getting some games at Watford. Lets see if Anderson has a future with us, hope so.”
Matthew Anderson is back out with – Admira Wacker, Ben Summers is there this season too.
Thought Matthew looked good while on tour in the summer, also seen him a few times for Scotland U21 and he’s looking good.
Mitchel Frame is playing for the B team and the U19s who did so well in the UCL – so another youngster with potential.
Unfortunately, they are not options to replace Greg at present. imo.
Hail Hail
CelticMac 1:15
The ultimate diagonal pass from left back…
https://youtube.com/shorts/5-dkYKXdxuE?si=sfKPzzpE5csIdoo4
, where Derek McInnes’ side gave us a torrid time, before losing 0-2
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Torrid time? lol .
Desperate stuff.
See you in May.
Good afternoon all.
There shall be a gathering at the 20:10 pub 80 High Street, Johnstone on Thursday 30th January 12pm onwards. Live music and buffet provided by Mr and Mrs Saltires en Sevilla. Hope to see a good turnout folks. 👍
Brendan setting up the support for the YBs game.Really ?.Or maybe he just still raging that he never subbed Scales,Hatate at HT at Ibrox,and just lashed out in anger.
fred colon
i had forgotten about him….
21 championship appearances, 2 goals 6 assists.
liverpool will reluctantly accept £25m for ben doak.
chairbhoy
Had forgotten Mitch as well. But now that I think about it seem to remember him playing against Arnie Slot’s Feyonoord late 2023. When are we going to bring another one of our own players through? That is the question.
Arne Engels presser
https://youtu.be/6K2hZlHkXZ0?si=aRtbUJPXEiA9NrxU
Brendans
https://youtu.be/9fAAZ8lMyps?si=tooWDNsPP8G234UD
HH
bigchipsuk
Thats what we want to see more of!
Never mind the inverted full back, how about the extrovert left winger?
Diagonal balls from left back?
https://youtu.be/XsZkCFoqSBs?si=NAA0tJUeYbd9do4F
TurkeyBhoy 3:11
If the MIB had applied the rules and shown a red card to Jefte for assaulting Kuhn two minutes before half time in BOTH the recent games against rangers, it is likely that the second halves of both games would have played out very differently against 10 men.
A few years ago Jefte wouldn’t have completed either of those games after those challenges. Broony would have seen to that! Perhaps we should be in the market for an enforcer/protector to take over that role again…
Chavez 3:25, I’m of the opinion that Adam Idah should be providing those sort of finishes for Celtic. But we need to provide the pass in the first place.
https://youtu.be/9fAAZ8lMyps?si=Z-XM7lnOrvmVjOPU
Brendan presser
Still tickets available in the general sale for the Utd game. £34.00 Adult
or you can PPV from £9.99
How does that work?