Newco won 3-0, hit the woodwork twice, had an incredible 24 shots on goal and 9 on target. Their stand-in goalkeeper’s only job of the day was the parry a shot from Reo Hatate that was hit into the ground.
Before we get into what went wrong, let’s put some boundaries on it. Cameron Carter-Vickers was outstanding. Kasper Schmeichel was faultless throughout. None of the forwards contributed anything to the game against a defence who scarcely knew each other, but Celtic so seldom got the ball into advanced areas, we need to conclude the substantive issue lies elsewhere.
Just as in the League Cup Final, and in the Champions League against Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic were allowed plenty of the ball. In the 12 games since beating Leipzig, we have had at least 60% possession, which is both remarkable and informative, considering the battering we took yesterday.
We have been figured out. Allow Celtic possession in their own half, man-mark in the middle of the park and press when they approach halfway. Get the ball forward early and if Carter-Vickers cannot shut you down, you are in with a chance.
Brugge, Zagreb, Newco (twice), Dundee United clearly understood this. The 0-2 win at Kilmarnock and the 3-0 over Hibs were bizarre results against weaker teams who played the same tactics as Newco. Comfortable home wins over Ross County, Motherwell and St Johnstone flattered Celtic. The wins over Hearts (1-4) and Aberdeen (0-1) I’ll leave open to interpretation.
Newco’s first goal yesterday came from the same source as their second at Hampden (intercepting a Liam Scales pass). Their second yesterday and third at Hampden came from corners – the only two goals Newco have scored from corners in over 200 attempts. Their third goal yesterday was a copy of their opener at Hampden – anticipate a pass, break quickly and score with the second ball. They can successfully replicate plays against us.
It is all about the system.
Man-for-man, yesterday’s full strength Celtic are significantly stronger than Newco’s makeshift lineup. The system is making good players look bad. Watch great teams. 99% of what they do looks easy, because it is easy. It is easy because their system ensures that players in possession have a low risk/reward ratio when choosing a pass. We have substantial evidence that Celtic players’ risk/reward ratio is high. In possession, teammates offer few safe options.
This has two consequences:
1. We face a high volume of dangerous turnovers against better teams.
2. We find it difficult to progress the ball to the front line against almost everyone.
“Individual errors”, “lack of composure”, “poor passing” can happen in any game. When these things are persistent, as they now are at Celtic, and does not reflect players recent ability, the issue is systemic. “It is all about the system.”
On Tuesday I wrote that Brendan is a “master tactician” as he got the job done on tight occasions last year. His system has been exposed repeatedly over the last two months and needs urgent revision. Best of luck to those who want to have a chat to him about it.
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6 mins added at Easter Road.
we’ll have to come up with a new time unit for injury time involving the champions elect
FT 3-3 hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
The Ranjurz are comin’.
No they urnae.
A win for us today, almost cancels out their win on Thursday.
It’s the hope that kills them. 😂⚽️👍🍀🇮🇪🏆
Hibs while pretty poor at least showed the desire we lacked on Thursday. Win today please.
Well done on de-Hibsing it Hibs.
Clement must stay ! Hee hee.
COYBIG
Good start to the day.
Let`s hope we add to the pleasure by beating the Saints of Paisley,
Come on Celtic, over to you.
A win today would crush der hun.
10 Points clear with a game in hand….
Lets get back on track with a good victory
And THAT’S how you out-fight rangers.
Credit to our fellow Celts in green.
BBC headline will be ‘ The Rrrrrrrrrangers cut Celtics lead to 10 points’
It was 4 mins added at end. Huns had a glorious chance to win it and hit the post. Looks like they have found a decent goal scorer though.
Best comment I read in years here the other day from a poster I canny remember. To paraphrase:
………’I will worry about Sevco when they can consistently beat Aberdeen, Hib’s, Hearts and the rest’……
Spot on!
Watched some of that. One does wonder why we couldn’t get up and at them like that.
Oh well.
I almost expected another rangers blip today, as Hibs had the best record over the last 5 games of all the SPL teams. As such they were the form team, the only team undefeated in 5.
The other thing the media has failed to comment on is the fact that either side of the rangers v Celtic game, Celtic had 2 home games both before and after whilst rangers had 4 away games. So whatever the outcome of the game last week against the only team that would actually afford them some space to exploit in the attacking third, they were always going to face a few potential banana skins in this period. And boy have they managed to slip on them, shipping 7 of the available 9 points either side of their big chance (!) to show that the title race is still on!
Another 4-0 from Celtic today will send a strong message to both the media and everyone of a blue persuasion. Just do it Celtic. 👊
When you see how crap that Sevco defence was under pressure , it was criminal that we didn’t test it on Thursday . I can only put it down to the toxic atmosphere of wall to wall hatred in the stadium …….something we’re going to have to figure out a way to handle.
Anyhow … a wee present from Hibs today , let’s take full advantage with 3 points .
Aw shame hafekinha!
https://x.com/ski19640/status/1875905195613507771?t=DWJZSESPaN5FBfW1dt3g2w&s=07
criminal GDS – learn from it
-if scales steps up, run and give him options, if it doesn’t work, press the shi* out of them
-start Idah first, he can stop and pass the ball, make triangles with GT DM
– KS is great on the ball, he’s well able to chip over the first line
– if calmac’s man marked, go to engels, he’s well up to the hussle
-let that shower of ship have the ball
-just for the next derby, hatate may be a luxury we can’t afford
as always its the hope that kills them
Clement on a shoogly peg to go with his shoogly eyes
We need to take advantage of this today, no excuses get it done .
no Scales
payment made to celtic tv
wont watch on a stream when its PPV
Minus 21 C here in Ottawa, as I bundle up for my walk to our CSC.
Just saw a clip from Edinburgh. Looks like really heavy rain. What’s Glasgow’s weather?
Weeron
live updates is up