The big decision of the day was to move Callum McGregor from central mid to left back, leaving Celtic with a Scott Brown – Olivier Ntcham central midfield partnership. This was the central mid pairing we started the season with, when form was at its poorest for years. Due to injury, the side changed at halftime at Murrayfield in the League Cup semi-final against Hearts, infusing the season with fresh impetus. Without that change in October the league table would look significantly different right now.
Jonny Hayes could have started at left back, as he did at Pittodrie on Wednesday, allowing McGregor to partner either Brown or Ntcham, but Brendan Rodgers’ gamble did not pay off and Celtic did not compete throughout the 90 minutes.
We hoped for tactical changes at halftime but injuries to Filip Benkovic and Mikael Lustig limited what the manager was able to do. Odsonne Edouard replaced Mikey Johnston on the hour, which improved things, especially when Callum McGregor was able to get into the box in support, but Newco had control of the game throughout. It was a one goal victory that could easily have been four. Special mention goes to Craig Gordon, who repeatedly got his teammates out of trouble.
Although we got little from James Forrest, Scott Sinclair, Ryan Christie and Mikey Johnstone, we were forward so seldom, it is difficult to be too harsh on any of them. Dedryck Boyata’s chances of a big money offer next month were not enhanced as he repeatedly mis-controlled and mis-passed.
We had two late chances to equalise, McGregor put the ball in the net but was marginally offside, and Ntcham had a great chance blocked, but a draw would have flattered the champions.
I seldom complain about officiating, but Morelos kicked, punched and stamped on Celtic players off the ball, without caution. I assume referee John Beaton missed each incident but we should see retrospective action.
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The day after,and still not changed my mind on that total clusterfek.To have Eddy on the bench was a disgrace.Calmac at LB,a bigger one.If KT was not fit,why take a place on the bench.Hayes ,what was wrong with Hayes.
Yesterday,due to various reasons,we started the game minus 4 of our best players.Rogic,Calmac,KT,and Eddy.With Rogic out,it was glaringly obvious we needed Calmac in midfield.With no games for 3 weeks,then Airdrie at CP,why were Eddy and KT not used,not as if we had any big games coming up.I have no idea what Brendan was thinking.I see Broony being retired by many.All game he was having to try and cover for a couple of missing players,Ntcham,and Christie.No out ball to our two missing wingers.Forrest was so bad,his opponent got MOTM.And that was not for defending.Sinky,cowardly performance,harsh,but true.
The panic about getting players in,what.We have almost certainly got another Eddy in,and are trying for a RB Castagna,the window has not even opened yet.Brendan has to get a fekin grip of himself.His line ups are becoming baffling.Do the right thing yesterday,it could have been all so different.To those saying ,its just 3 points.No,it was a 6 pointer.Seemed our manager was not aware of the fact.
s
My biggest fear is that games are being played within the club.
BR lost a huge bonus for failing to make the CL.
PL is awarded a huge bonus for breathing.
As noted throughout history — a house divided will fall.
We have a number of cracks / fissures at the moment.
Huge rebuilding job needs to be done.
Starting at the very top.
Too many believe that we are destined to win the league this season and next …
They will keep believing that no matter the evidence right up until we don’t.
Blind ignorance, sense of entitlement, baseless optimism — not sure what is the worst.
Huge change needed now.
In fact it has been needed since the 2017 CL debacle.
We have been playing stodge for 18 months.
We might have won cups but we have not been developing.
Very lazy attitude — only turning up when it suits.
Now we can’t turn up.
Just one more thing.Gordon had 3 or 4 great saves yesterday but his distribution was adding to the chaos happening in front of him.Surely by now its apparent to Brendan,the big guy is anything but comfortable with this.If not,why not.Everyone else can see it.
MADMITCH on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 10:33 AM
So.
The sky`s definitely falling in then ?
All that happened yesterday was that we got bullied . On and off the field.
imho with the collusion of the smiling with the huns Beaton.
Before anything , fishel complaint about his performance.
The huns have stuck it to Collum.
Our turn .
A bloody good lesson yesteday .
Assuming Brendan learns it.
And he will.
If the players selected had played well and we were outclassed, then it would be fair to be critical of the Management team. As that was patently not the case, then surely that criticism is unfair?
It might be argued that being played out of position was the reason for poor, individual performances but, from what I gather, Calmac still had a good game and it was players in their normal positions who were off form.
JJ
“….. all around us is disaster, nothing and nobody is left standing and we must pull down the Gods above us with great haste. Nothing that is green is good and no-one in a tie should be trusted. Fear anything that is not of immediate benefit and FIGHT everything that is financial. Our best days are behind us and tomorrow we face utter devastation. the Great Clock is Ticking and Downfall is our destination. We are not worthy ( and never have been) and all our achievements mean nothing. As we stand here, now in front of St Peter’s Pearly Gates Of Paradise we smell the glove of rabid rainjurz men (an’ weemin) at our throats.
Soon, not even our memories will keep us warm at night as the nuclear winter of Stevieeeees greatness envelopes us. We will not be re-assured – no, nay, never – no more! We are undone and Day is Night.”
Against my better judgement (albeit with the fast forward button on overdrive) I watched a recording of the game. At the end the Sky cameras focus on a middle-aged, bald headed, Sevco fan who – clear as a bell – is seen to utter ” f the Pope and the Vatican”, and does so with great gusto.
King , Gerrard, politicians , the police all quite comfortable with that display of sectarian hate, are they ?
BANKIEBHOY1 on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 10:50 AM
Retiring to my nuclear bunker as we speak.
NORRIEM @ 10:06 AM,
It’s very true, when it comes to team building, that lack of a properly thought out and funded strategy has ensured we’ve lost two Seasons development. We are now no better than the squad BR inherited from Ronny…
Now, the 4-2-3-1 formation and resultant tactics are not universally accepted on CQN…
Yet within Celtic, that is our agreed way forward and has been for 5 Seasons now. We should be in a position to play this system to a very high level.
It’s a give that the agricultural nature of Scottish Football, the irractic and partial officiating of games that culminates in the fact that Sevco Players can boot our players in front of the referee without a qualm, is a huge problem in this regard. However, I believe we have the talent (within the Club as a whole) and the resources to make it work and we must.
Sevco made £14M in losses to put their side on the field ((and thats only one year) so much for financial fair play), Celtic have three times this much in the BANK.
“We and our squad is nowhere need as good as many claim or believe, for the money we spend.
And I accept we have won the last 7 trophies” ?????????
This is very true, we won those trophies despite a strategy, Not because of one – we need a particular type of quality player and we need a squad full of them…
Great technique
Professional and Committed
Athletic and fit
Understand our Club ethos
We have what, half a dozen!! Why?
To keep franchises worth more in the NFL, I believe there are certain rules put into place to make the League more competitive. Wage caps, poorer teams given first choice of top players etc…
This levelling is happening in Scotland, to stop Celtic, though it is of course not part of any rules, it’s gerrymandering and cheating. Of course one gets the feeling that if Sevco were dominant, like Rangers were in the nineties there would be no great desire to “level the playing field,”.
Hail Hail
Zimmerman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXn9ZKPx6CY
We lost a football match against a shite team, just like when We lost against other shite teams like killie and hearts. Only difference was that it was sevco that beat us so people more annoyed.
we spend about 10 million a year on 15 or so fringe players that are clearly not good enough.
Lustig’s legs are gone and Brown is heading there. Losing kt, rogic and playing calmac out of position cost us, oh and having no fit striker costs us dear.
Playing from the back is only as good as the players doing it, gordon cant, boyata cant, Lustig cant.
Hope the players are hurting as much as the supporters.
Hope BR and the board do the right thing and address the issues within the squad.
Ps nothing is won in december
HH
I don’t think it would have mattered who played at left back yesterday. Our problems came down the right, out from our own goalkeeper and the bottom of the midfield.
Rangers aren’t good enough to keep possession from us applying a similar press they applied to us but we kept chipping away with our blunt instrument plan to start attacks from short passes into dangerous areas from Craig Gordon.
I would love to see other teams positions on the park and movement when they get themselves in these positions when the goalkeeper plays the short pass. The principle of football being about exploiting space is sound but you need players that are able to exploit it.
PSG last season were the best I have seen at using possession from the goalkeeper but that was done at one touch pace with the ball moved from left to right the full width of the park when their defender was pressed.
We had the familiar situation yesterday with Gordon playing a short bumbling pass to Boyata who was then pressed by two Rangers players. They left space behind them but Boyata only had options to control and pass back to Gordon. Lustig was 20 yards away and now blocked by a pressing Rangers player. Rather than spotting what was happening Lustig offered no out for Boyata. Brown arrives on the scene but instinctively to stop the damage about to occur.
There needs to be serious practice at passing from the back with players instructed where they should be in these situations.
The other issue I have is that Gordon never seems to have fully invested in the philosophy of playing out from the back despite the massive improvements in his overall game as a result of Rodgers insistence on it. Ironically I don’t think Chelsea would have been interested in Gordon had he not made the change. Still I think Gordon’s reticence transmits to half arsed attempts at passes which arrive at their destination with no pace. The result is a bunch of players looking vacant. You look at other teams playing this ultimate possession game at they are all on their toes moving for a team mate.
We are static and insipid and every other coach in Scotland knows how to cause the problem.
We had the first 10 mins then drew back into the now familiar pattern of playing five aside football 20 yards in front of our goal. We caused that malaise.
STEPHBHOY
Except the League Cup
@ CHAIRBHOY on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 10:53 AM
Yep, the ‘well run club’ mantra gets another nail in the coffin. We are now level on points with Sevco at new year (albeit with a game in hand) and this follows a season in which they made a £14m loss and we had our most successful financial year.
Our directors are amazingly inept and their hubris will come back to bite us.
Of course this does not get BR off the hook for some strange tactical/selection decisions throughout the season- Motherwell and Hibs away and Sevco yesterday. I’m not sure if he is attempting to send a message to the powers that be at Celtic park concerning the squad quality (or lack thereof) or whether he legitimately believed the systems would work.
SN@KEPLISSKEN67 on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 11:00 AM
:-)
I`ll give the hun its Pyrrhic victory.
Mazzy:
Hard to fathom how low in esteem or decency these people are.One thing’s for certain they will never darken my door.Dregs of society.
MJ @ 10.36
Things are not looking good.
Still have nightmares about 75 and 80.
We are not in a good place and things are getting worse.
SN@KEPLISSKEN67 on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 11:00 AM
Joke of a cup but did get a double treble watch for christmas ;-)
HH
As noted earlier — it is the lack of movement and the lack of energy that is killing us.
When we bring the ball out from the back the lack of movement up front is shameful. Too many want someone else to do their running.
Warnings from the past — 2005 and our fitness issues.
The squad was setting the tone at training so they all got fat and happy.
The issue grew slowly until we could play for 60 minutes at most.
We are now in a similar position — very lazy, low energy, low ambition.
Starts from the senior players and then becomes the norm.
I thought the rule now about offside was that there had to be daylight between the attacker and the defender – not the case with CMcG even if he was 50 cm at most nearer the goal.
After all, they’ve relaxed the rule so much now with keepers unsighted by strikers in offside positions and the goal allowed to stand.
We are lazy — we seem to be phoning it in regarding throw ins, free kicks, corners and penalties.
Coaching and the attitude at training has to be an issue.
We are nowhere near the standards that we need to have.
It has nothing to do with talent it has everything to do with attitude and set up.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE @ 11:05 AM,
In total agreement with that, RB Salzburg gave us a lesson in what a well run Club of our peers looks like…
On the BR thing while your point is accepted, I listen a lot to Brendan and what he says, he isn’t achieving what he wants. No doubt he is a great coach but I hope he sticks around and finally gets backed.
Then we can really judge how good he is as a Manager…
TURKEYBHOY @ 10:27 AM,
To put on a not fully fit KT and OE on that pitch from the start knowing the hand picked officials that had been placed would have been nothing short of irresponsible IMO…
We put out the most physical team available (excluding the forwards) to soak up the initial pressure. This failed by the end of the first half we were one down, going on three and had to make two substitutions because of injuries.
What would have happened if our team had turned up..?
…And HOT SMOKED @ 10:43 AM… Totally agree…
What IF!! We contained them first half, started the second half in the same vein… after 15 minutes of the second half, we take N’tcham off (he’s exhausted by his excertions) we move Calmac into the middle we take young Mikey (whose run himself into the ground) off and we bring KT and OE on and win the match…
Tactical genius EH!
It didn’t work out that way… We have no God given right go to to Ibrox and win… that’s football – Scottish stylee.
Hail Hail
Turkeybhoy.
Gordon did have 3/ 4 good saves yesterday.
At least 2 of them wouldn’t have been needed if his distribution was even marginally better than it is every week.
The short term availability of success depends on Rodgers ability to coach the team out of these passing difficulties. I haven’t seen a tangible long term solution in his tenure. When teams first cottoned on to pressing us Rodgers had Gordon vary it by going for a longer lobbed pass out to Lustig on the shy line about 10 yards short off the half way. That has disappeared and there has been no variation or change since just the same lackadaisical return to bumbled passing.
Anyway, aside from that we have the money to change the personnel. It’s glaringly obvious that we need a right back. It’s glaringly obvious we need a solution to Boyatas contract situation. The choice to replace Brown looks as though it has come earlier and easier than we thought 6 months ago. Boyata, Brown, Lustig and Ntcham ( who I would let go) must represent a fair percentage of the wage bill. Surely we can replace these 4 with 3 players on much less with more hunger and longer term hunger.
I am sure Celtic aren’t as complacent as some Celtic bloggers. They will know that Rangers could wipe out their money issues with the sale of Morelos. Their turnover will go into the 40 millionish area. They will probably get Shankland and Jordan Jones on the cheap.
That game in hand and easy games on paper after the break will make a difference but the incomings and outgoings are absolutely key.
Tierney? What is the story there? Another high value player injured in the run up to the transfer window? Remember Dembele?
Will we get through the window without bids for McGregor and Forrest?
Would McKenna cope any better than Boyata with those hospital balls from Gordon?
Looks as though we are signing the lad from PSG and offers and options on a number of other forwards. Bodes well but I hope one of them is a big bustling brute of a forward who can hold the ball up.
If Tierney goes I am sure the Rosenberg left back would do a job!
PTB @ 11.17
The flag went up by instinct not reasoned analysis.
He saw danger and did what he could to alleviate the issue.
Sky did their part by offering some post event rationalisation.
As little as they could get away with — during the game it was two re-runs at most.
I can only remember one but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.
BR may have got the tactics wrong but it wasn’t tactics that caused the shoddy play.
More that the entire team completely froze – understandable against PSG or Barca – but Sevco ?
Madmitch, phoning it in is a great analogy re throw ins. Tierney in particular has become more and more frustrated with teammates not moving for him. That lack of conviction and movement at throw ins goes all over the park until it gets to forward areas. There are basic coaching pieces that are missing or not getting translated into on pitch movements.
Lot of guff posted on here since yesterday. Anyone would think we had been beaten by Rangers!
Let them have their celebrations, like all wee teams when they beat a big team. Did everyone think we would keep on beating them for twenty years? Let’s see who is celebrating at the end of the season.
Don’t get caught up in the whole MSM Stevie G the greatest manager since “next England manager” Warburton of the magic hat genius.
For all the hype they are one point ahead of Steve Clarke’s Kilmarnock, with the same number of games played. And Clarke hasn’t brought in 15 new players.
Let’s focus on ourselves. The reality is we have underperformed in the league so far. We have dropped points we shouldn’t have and should have a bigger lead.
If we perform to our potential in the second half of the season we should get a points total in the high eighties or even nineties. No other team will come close to that. The only team that can stop Celtic is Celtic.
If we play like we did against Hearts, Kilmarnock and Leipzig at home or St Johnstone and Dundee away nobody will touch us.
We have all seen where our problems lie – being pressed high and breaking down a packed defence. Regardless of recruitment issues, surely we have the players and coaching staff to fix this. It has happened often enough. Do we train for this? Can’t understand why we keep stumbling on the same blocks.
Work to be done at all levels within the club in the next month. It will tell us a lot about where we are headed.
CB @ 11.22
RBS are now the benchmark.
There is no reason why we cannot be better than them.
Consequently game on.
MADMITCH on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 11:10 AM
Panic ye not.
The challenge is in Europe , not in Jockland.
A wee minor teeny weeny setback yesterday .
M+C2 @ 11.27
The situation with throw ins tells you everything you need to know regarding the state of the squad and the footballing department.
We are not bringing the right attitudes into the pitch.
We are not being set up the correct way at training and given the correct attitude for the game.
We look very under prepared at the moment.
Not sure how much time BR spends on the training field.
Whatever it is it doesn’t look like anywhere near enough.
Does he have enough coaching talent / experience around him?
Outsider looking in — we are in a poorer state than 2005.
That is attitude, appetite and pre game conditioning.
Something is badly wrong.
And then there is the youths — 2 years of decline.
MULLET AND CO 2, et al, some good insightful posts this morning…
Think our problems have been highlighted and hope theyll be addressed…
Hope KT stays…
Have A Great Day bhoys and Ghirls…
Oft Lot
Hail Hail
Good morning from a sad Garngad
Sad- because that was an utter disgraceful performance from every single player on that park wearing hoops. I have seen better commitment/endeavour and passion at James McGrory park (home of St Rochs juniors).. An utter, utter shambolic disgrace.. It starts I’m afraid with BR his tactics, his team, his players, and bhoy did he fail miserably . As he did against Hibs and a few other teams were he made wholesale changes.
Someone said they hope the players all feel it this morning…. Not a hope in hells chance that they will give 2 flying fecks about any of this. If they had any passion, you would have seen it yesterday on the park.
January is never a great time to recruit, but we need to as a matter of urgency.
We need ready made first team players (NOT PROJECTS) that are of a decent standard, that will cost a lot of cash, we better spend or we are fecked. Oh and BR better have a look at his tactics board again after yesterday’s arse feeling by a 6 month old manager ffs.
Apart from all the above its still good to be a tim??
Everyone enjoy your Sunday?
Hail Hail
D. :)
MADMITCH @ 11:27 AM – Totally Agree!!
Aff Oot… this time:)
Hail Hail
Today is one of those selfish days where you hope to see a snippet from Lennybhoy confirmed by Catman just to lighten the mood.
Upon reflection yesterday was a perfect storm for sevco, most of our ills a result of our own poor and tired play and as Hot Smoked said players playing poorly all ably abetted by Beaton and his band of bigots
Well once again this game highlighted the glaring problems at Celtic after a most insipid performance. Huge questions must be asked of Rodgers who continues quite unbelievably to allow the same poor players to make the same mistakes game after game after game. It is beyond belief that the self inflicted disastrous game plan of allowing players who are not good enough to attempt to fulfill the role of playing out from the back. It is painful to watch. If this is Rodgers fantasy to be able to play this way then surely by now he might realise that these players are not good enough to do it, flogging a dead horse. The throw ins, the corners, the free kicks are all “off the cuff” weak areas of the play, this (again) is so basic training ground routine. If Rodgers fails to see this area needs work then what are the other coaches doing and how do they earn their money?
I am not a great Hayes fan but I put him forward to start because it was a game that was always going to require bravery and he is one of very few at Celtic who are brave players, instead we got the predictable “no show” from Forrest and Sinclair whilst Johnson was asked to play a role that he was predictably not suited for “the lone striker”. If we exclude Tierney, the club have no full backs at all, this is unforgivable when there is a huge over supply of midfielders. Currently they do not have 1 fit striker to lead the line. Celtic have 2 well paid defensive coaches, what do they do ? There are massive question marks over Rodgers and not only based on this poor performance. Poor signings, many signings who just don’t play, imbalanced squad, tactically unresponsive and naive, stubborn loyalty to non performing players, repeating same mistakes every single game. Within the huge squad at his disposal, he does not have players who are suited to “mix it” when the going gets tough like yesterday, no leadership on the field, no battlers who are needed particularly for tough away games against likes of Livingston, Kilmarnock, Motherwell etc.etc. and in that same topic away games in Europe he treats as if it is Hamilton at home, no difference to team selection or tactics. Based on Rodgers record at Celtic some would say that he is untouchable, well more and more I am thinking he got lucky with a weak Rangers, a bloated squad and greater wealth than all other clubs. As I said previously he has certain qualities but the overall package of what he brings is absolutely not good enough and I stress I am not overreacting to yesterday’s performance but repeat failings over the period which mindblowingly we watch every single game. The frustration for us as fans is that despite the continued domestic success , it is so easy to improve that team/squad by identifying obvious weaknesses and shortcomings and get it fixed, even before investing in better players. It is sad to watch Celtic opening the door for Rangers when they should have been blown out of site forever.
I wonder if that is accountants pulling the strings and valuing a competitive league as opposed to real fans and supporters who want to leave them behind forever.
It’s all looking like under Deila – great at home against mediocre opposition but failure to stand up in tougher situations.