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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Yesterday’s was the kind of result that some on here can only dream of. Essentially, a minority of the regulars on this blog don’t like Celtic, this blog or the blog’s host. Yesterday was a vindication of all the bile the have accumulated over 30, 40 or 50 years.
That said, Sevco gave us a real doing yesterday. You can rationalise it but they still deserved their win. This is worrying because they are not particularly good.
The icing on the cake for Sevco was the appointment of Mr Beaton to officiate. He displayed a tolerance above and beyond the rules of the game. He was there to ensure that, when necessary, injustice would be done.
Terrible team formation again,Hibs,Motherwell,and yesterday.
I do not understand BR’s thinking at all.
I said last night that these formations may work on a white board but not on the Park,at worst we should have started with the team which finished at Pittodrie as Benkovic was not fully fit.
In effect we had 4 players missing,Sinclair,Ncham,Johnson and Forrest, in fact JF apart from not tracking the goal, was so insipid that Halliday was man of the match,a disgraceful contribution.
Dont know if anyone noticed but Rogic did not make the bench in Australia,for the opening friendly,but Boyle did.
Just a thought is Ian Ferguson still involved with them as No 2.!!
Cannytakeitness and melodramy off the radar after that defeat yesterday.
Spoiled support so raised on success that they can’t take a reverse, and only post during impending doom, and rarely when Celtic win.
Mucho evidence that there is indeed an an ‘old firm’, so much hurt at being beaten by a brand new club? seems a lot worse than the defeats to Hearts and Hibs
We’re top of the league, winners of the first domestic trophy and are in Europe after Christmas, these are the good times. Arsenne Wenger must have made perceived selection, personnel mistakes for nearly 20 years at Arsenal?
Transfer window opens about now, lets see how we can redistribute the wage bill and bring in some quality with the mountain of money that seperates us from Andy Halliday and the crewe, jettison the bad buys that no successful manager avoids.
We are the course and distance club, the champions not just for Christmas where second is as good as it gets for Sevco.
Hail Hail
Aff oot
morning after the day before and still seething at our poor attitude/performance yesterday.
still think what happened during the half time break at aberdeen caused the issue with our team selection v thems , EI should have played yesterday if KT was unfit end off, he was the only fit proper lb who was brought back to the club for that purpose , if BR left out EI for that silly challenge then what will he do with ML after that schoolboy attempt on kent.
Why have KT and EO on the bench when you have a 3 week rest period coming up, playing our most influential player at lb , what a masterstroke that was.
Play your best/strongest team from the start , get into a winning lead then make the sub’s , ON cannot play in a defensive set up he has to be moving forward, oh and by the way SB is done, finished if we want to play with a high tempo forward moving team.
still raging.
did anyone complain 20 years ago when goalkeepers would virtually always just punt the ball over the half way line and let the midfielders and forwards challenge for the header and loose ball?
so have managers now invented a solution to a problem that didnt exist?
just launch it up the park, and if you dont win the initial header you will have an even chance of winning the 2nd ball
better than embarrassing yourself trying to play a system that you arent equipped for
For me, this is more than just about yesterday’s loss
We have lost, playing the same way in away games against Hearts, Kilmarnock, Hibs and now Sevco
We have been unable this season to beat St Mirren, Livingston and Motherwell away from home
Is it just me then who is really concerned with our team and our current away form, the tactics we play ?
Still hurting down here in England after yesterdays nightmare….Only watched on tele but I had a strong feeling that we were going to lose which is unlike me.Watched the game playing my guitar on the sofa as i was really nervous…My major gripe is the continued nonsense we get from Scott Sinclair…Yes he got a tidy hatrick last week but his general play is pathetic and he is a playing style luxury we cannot afford any more…People are being very harsh on Scott Brown.Yes he had a bad game but he was never far from the action unlike others [Ncham?]……Clearly Lustigs best days were years ago and even the normally excellent Benkovic played like Boyata before he got injured…Not playing with a striker up front when you are getting dominated in a match is suicidal…But you know what this might sound silly but Rangers for all the plaudits only won with a deflected goal.We defended pretty well at times considering the amount of pressure….Brendan will sort this out I hope and If he is seriously backed in January it might turn out to be a good thing…Remember folks only the deluded did not see this coming.It was a carbon copy of the ‘doing’ we got a couple of weeks ago by Hibs who are a very similar level team to Rangers if truth be told…We now have to start playing the away games against the top 6 teams with a stronger defensive mentality as the passing from the back game has been worked out and exposed.
We have 29 outfield payers in our squad, we have 2 long term injuries Arzani & Kouassi, Bitton just returning but unlikely to play any significant role this season & of course Griff so make that 25. Compper, Benyu & Allan might as well not be there so make it 22. Izzy, Mulumbu & Gamboa are not going to make it so now we are down to 19.
Whilst I wouldn’t write off any of Hendry,Hayes,Ralston & Morgan in the longer term, they are not at this stage front line picks so we are talking about a panel of 15 players where you would ideally want your 10 outfield players to come from.
Looks like KT, Eduoard & Jozo were not fully fit for yesterday and we shipped 2 injuries during the game, so we were down to the bare bones.
I love Brendan but he must take some responsibility for a squad bloated by players who add zero to the cause.
We most certainly need 5 or 6 first squad players in but we need to shed twice that amount of players who will never make it at Celtic.
Bed wetting continues at a pace.
Get over yourselves and your need for validation, I wouldn’t let half of you manage at subutteo
Watched the debacle (game) again this morning and it is just as painful. One thing I did ponder was how did the oh so impartial match officials miss the continual fouling by Morelos and Co which more often than not were committed right under their noses yet the same eagle eyed officials could spot and instantly flag a marginally offside Calmac?
Oh and Scott Sincliar is (imho) one of the biggest fearties to ever wear a Celtic Jersey.
Hello again all you young rebels.
Nope ! not a one, thought the huns would be out in force today
after that electrifying display of pure silky soccer they are known
for, but Oz is funny that way and maybe they thought ” better
keep my head down that was surreal ”
Bad days happen, that was ours, good players doing things that
they don’t normally do, i’m old enough to have seen it many times
in my lifetime and i include the finest football team ever, yes the
Lisbon Lions.
Don’t think for a minute they didn’t have days like Saturdays, and
yes i think Brendan made tactical errors but so did big Jock and
even though it’s maddening to witness nomarks like Halliday
prancing about like a world beater i’m confident Brendan will fix
it given the backing of the board…. wait and see.
And it’s sad to read good bloggers turning on one another on here
because of one defeat in thirteen from a finacially doped team of
bigots, come on ghuys, they will be laughing at you on FF, have a wee
hauf and relax, your all Celtic supporters ffs.
H.H Mick
Our system of playing can be lovely to watch when it comes off.
But it’s inherently vulnerable, especially to a high press.
We have no plan b in terms of tactics. And our plan b in terms of personnel yesterday was nonsensical.
It is possible to move the call forward dynamically and in the air and still play beautiful football. That’s not the same as aimlessly lobbing the ball up in the air towards a 19 year old being used as cannon fodder.
Like most empires, ours is built on sand…..and a bloated squad of also rans.
Sevco played precisely as we knew they would. They snapped at our heels as we would have wanted our Bhoys to do. And largely fairly so, Morelos apart. The team that wanted it, won it. Mibbery wasn’t even required.
This was a poorer performance than the one that cost RD his job.
HH jg
OGLACH on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 12:10 PM
Watched the debacle (game) again this morning and it is just as painful. One thing I did ponder was how did the oh so impartial match officials miss the continual fouling by Morelos and Co which more often than not were committed right under their noses yet the same eagle eyed officials could spot and instantly flag a marginally offside Calmac?
Oh and Scott Sincliar is (imho) one of the biggest fearties to ever wear a Celtic Jersey.
OGLACH said the exact same re offside decision after the game and was shot down in flames , agree re SS does a lot of running beside opponents to look like he’s interested but does nothing.
NorrieM,
No bad wi the heid:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NP8gTZJUzXQ
mullet and co 2 on 30th December 2018 11:00 am
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.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________-
Correct.
Sevco should have pumped us yesterday on the chances they had. End of.
But brother Cheatin Beaton was in fine form, make no mistake about it….Moreloss should have been sent off twice. But he continued to barge, foul and kick out at the bhoys in green.
Cheatin Beaton also gave fouls to Sevco that no one else on this planet seen. All the while laughing and joking with Sevco players. Then again I would be laughing at the state of the attempt by our team yesterday if I wasn’t a supporter.
We lost the game ourselves make no mistake about that, but Beaton was cheating yesterday.
Brendan has to earn his coin now.
I hope he has a book full of targets raring and ready to be got.
Hail Hail
D. :)
Clickbait rumour has it we have tabled a bid of £1.7 mill for Ivorian striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo who currently ply’s his trade with Slovakian team DAC.
Now a wee bit of a fan perspective on this. PL will receive a £2 mill bonus in the near future for feck knows what???. It is defo not for making good on his promise to us that we will come out of each transfer window stronger. Now we all know our 1st team is in dire need of an experienced proven striker to lead the line and add some much needed competition for that spot. So, and this is all conjecture mind you, we may be spending less on a striker this transfer window than PL receives as a massive bonus on top of his already massive salary. And I am including young master Weah along with the Ivorian player.
I truly hope that we have an experienced quality player targeted for this crucial and understaffed position and not just another project and loanee.
Time will tell fellow Tims, time will tell.
FRITZSONG
Respect your opinion of the match play, but… but really
think Calmac’s quick incisiving passing was badly missed
in the midfield.
H,H Mick
@ CORKCELT on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 12:08 PM
Good post.
You can easily see why our wage bill is so large. We have so many average squad players taking circa £10k and not contributing anything.
Why BR has sanctioned these signings (lack of other options?) I don’t know. Since he has arrived BR has only spent £2m+ on four players: Eddy, Sinclair, Ntcham and Kouassi. Of those, I would only label one, Kouassi, as a failure thus far (although he certainly hasn’t had huge amounts of game time). The others have been success and proved (although maybe not consistently at times) that they are quality players.
BR’s other signings have been for circa £1m or less and invariably uninspiring in nature; we need to move away from theses signings as, frankly, these signings are meeting their expectations- back up players of poorer quality who in all likelihood will play a negligible role; Hayes, Hendry and Mulumbu have contributed about as much as I expected them to.
A week ago we knew Rogic wouldn’t be in the midfield. At that time, who would have suggested we weaken it further by removing Calmac. Watch Ntcham at their goal, he literally stops and watches, lazy,lazy,lazy
I wouldn’t take ONE of their best 10 outfield players against ours.
Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.
yesterday was all self inflicted.
@NOTTHEBUS on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 12:59 PM
I’d take Tavernier over Lustig (as he is now), aside from that we are better man for man.
OGLACH on 30TH DECEMBER 2018 12:10 PM
I too, just finished watching the re-run and, in days light, now see I over-reacted to yesterdays disappointment.
We were well off wur game but Tic fan assasinations on our players are OTT. In particular, the guff about Broony being finished – he was laxed but put in a shift. And I for one want him to stay and help lift our eighth.
BUT seeing the re-run, the two most important men on the park yesterday were Arfield and Beaton; the former was given a license to niggle and hack without rebuke by the latter (Morelos has a similar license from JB).
Analysing the foul count, Beaton largely doesnt punish their persistent fouling (esp Arfields’) but with three exceptions, punishes all of ours (even the 50/50s). Expectations, they say, are the parents of resentments.
We are patently not as bad as the bedwetters, bhuns and trolls are trying to make out. KTF
BR said he didn’t want Tierney to play RB or CB for Scotland, as he would be out of position, yet plays McGregor at left back? Baffling stuff
My impression was that Ntcham was not as bad as a lot of people thought but grew worse as the game went on.
Boyata started out well but began to look like a bomb scare at the end.
Small mercies and Ajer wasn’t too bad.
I suspect come mid February we’ll be at least 6 points to the better of the deady bears. They will drop points on the road with 3 of their next 4 league games away.
Strip away the hype and Kilmarnock are more of threat than Sevco. They’ve accumulated most points in the last calander year and have lost once against us in 5 outings under Clarke.
Regardless though we’ve brought this on and now most pay our dues. We need to listen to all they hype and all the hot air. I hope Brendan sat in silence for an extended time yesterday to let them hear the celebrating in the home dressing room.
This is all on us, Bhoys. Now go out and fix it and put this league to bed before Easter.
BR AND THE BOARD CAN ADDRESS OUR PROBLEMS IN THE TRANSFER MARKET AND ON THE TRAINING PITCH.
Dont offer out anymore contracts to fringe players AND the old guard. Clearly these guys are not good enough.
Recruit a gk who CAN pass out from back a rightback who has legs AND a forward who CAN link up play.
ON the TRAINING PITCH work ON moving ball up the field when pressed i.e. pick out striker AND wide players 30/ 40 yards from opponents goal AND engage in battle there.
Football is not rocket science, teams will then have choice to make i.e. pressed AND leave gap or stand off AND give us space, right now every teams knows how to play us. We are easy to play against because teams already know our plan and approach
Nitchams a dud,punt him in this transfer window, Bitton is a far better player,and thanks Brendan Rodgers for putting young Mikey Johnson,as a lone striker, terrible decision,just hope the young fella confidence isn’t to much affected.
Jeez we handed that game to them yesterday; learn our lesson, play front foot footie and our best players in their best positions. We missed TR big time. Once we don’t have quality on the pitch we can be susceptible to yesterday. Keep trying to play the roulette conveyor belt in the Jan window, They will drop points.
Punts up the park fae the keeper is it.
Imagine the ” tackles @ tactics ” fae the zombies IF yir punting its up tae Mikey.
And whilst I am on about Mikey, thats a bloody stupid nickname for someone called Michael, its either Michael or Mick, unless he is actually a Mikey ?.
Cheers fae Mick.
hi bhoys, completely baffled at calmac playing full back, but Brendan picks the team, but what irks me the most is getting beat by a team with a rookie manager and no money, message to peter for feck sake spend some money in the transfer window.hh.
Keep hearing about getting a goalie who can pass out from the back.
To Who?
A bunch of guys running around aimlessly with no idea of their position?
Bain has better distribution than Gordon but yesterday but even Pirlo would have struggled to find a Celtic player yesterday.
It’s a positive idea to play out from the back but it needs proper implementation from coach rather than a verbal desire.
This was not a newly discovered weakness yesterday.
Those saying it was a bad day at the office yesterday are ignoring the evidence of us being under pressure by this flawed tactic in many games over this and last season.
Opposition teams gain confidence ,from our inability to play the ball out fluently from the back.They close us down,and gain possession in attacking areas,therefore we’re putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure.
If Odsonne & Kieran were “fit” for the bench they should be starting … Goldson & Worral got a massive boost when they realised who they had to contend with …. no slight on Mikey/Mick/Michael … we played into the Sevs hands and gave them the confidence before a baw was kicked, think it’s going to be a long few weeks on here … if only we were top of the league and a chance to extend that in January :-)
Has Lubo been scouting for us in Slovakia- hence our ‘alleged’ interest in Vakoun Issouf Bayo?
“Boom Boom Boom let me hear you say BAYO”
He has his own song already :-)
I don’t get it. We spent almost the entire first half of the season off the top of the league and nobody panicked. Now we are top and everybody is panicking!
Yes, there are issues to be addressed. Recruitment, playing style, squad refreshing. But surely we have enough quality people at the club to address this?
Flaffing about with John McGinn over a million but then wasting a million on Mulumbu is peak Lawwell. The Transfer strategy is a busted flush. We need to sign a couple of first team players in the next week or so as a statement of intent, a response to recent form, and an indication the Board are backing the Manager. The time for messing about is over. As I said yesterday, if we are flaffing about in the final days of the window then we have failed.
MULLET AND CO 2 @11-00AM
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.
A succinct summation of where we are.
Yesterday’s problems are not new.
OGLACH
My money is on Kolo Toure knowing about Bayo. He has been a key part of Dunajska Streda’s rise this season. Not a big club in Slovakia but there are a few teams over here spending money and for them to be doing as well is kind of like Kilmarnock doing well in Scotland.