With Celtic a goal up midway through the second half yesterday, we tried something new. The back four became a back three, with three sitting in front of them. Adam Matthews pushed into right midfield leaving Izaguirre, Denayer and van Dijk across the back. To the left of Matthews was Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew. It was a useful game to experiment tactically as Inverness asked questions throughout.
The most striking feature of this three at the back with three sitters was that Matthews didn’t bomb forward when Celtic were in possession, as he usually does. He kept in line with Brown and Mulgrew. On occasion, they were 25 yards behind their nearest team-mate, which was a bit jarring to see, as it’s so rare.
This was almost certainly a dry-run for Astra on Thursday. Getting it right defensively in Romania is going to be key to the outcome. On their showing at Celtic Park, Astra are a decent passing team who enjoy being on the ball. They were less impressive in attack, as the Celtic defence and Craig Gordon did enjoy to stifle them, apart from one slip, and when we asked questions of their keeper and defence, they looked vulnerable.
I’m not sure Ronny Deila will be overly convinced that his experiments yesterday should be repeated on Thursday. Inverness carved us open several times late in the game, but at least we’ll hopefully not be trying something out there for the first time.
You can get copies of Caesar & the Assassin, Billy McNeill and Davie Hay’s accounts of managing Celtic from Jock Stein’s departure until the appointment of Liam Brady, signed by both Billy and Davie here. I’d a great chat with Billy today, he’s a man who knows how to enjoy his football.
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I know this is old hat now but just having a squint through the Huns creditor list.
‘Celtic FC…£40,337’.
Is this ticket money, which I always thought was up front, or the bill for smashing up toilets?
eddieinkirkmichael, I totally accept your point about the very real danger to life & limb that these over hyped thugs pose and indeed my greatest wish for that week-end is not that we hammer them but that nobody is seriously injured or worse as a result of the game.
However the reality of life is that you cannot allow yourself to be intimidated by bullies & yobs. Whether you are in Derry, Belfast or Glasgow, you have to face them down. I’m absolutely sure that there will be a major police operation in place and any trouble is likely to be in outlying areas with fans coming out of pubs after watching games. Its definitely a week-end for taking maximum precautions, common sense but no fear.
My wife won’t let my son use the word hun when he sings the Guidetti song. Did I miss something? When did this word become so offensive? I brush off taig tarrier and that awful b word. I know that things changed but calling people huns reflects on behaviour?
winning captains
Good that the idea of an alternative matchday publication is on the agenda.
I think any mention of the demise of the former club would be missing the point. It should only document their 2 and a bit seasons.
Maybe that’s where the Livingston editor went wrong.
Hen1rik
21.12
You are so right
Mc Call resigns
FourGreenFields
21:15 on
2 November, 2014
hen1rik
Cheers mate.
Doc,
There’s a lot of posturing and bravado but, like Donald Findlay, deep down they know the truth.For a start, you don’t get relegated down three leagues.
Also, whenever I hear the “fact” that the SFA and SFL recognise them as the same club I always ask why then,if they have retained their history, are they playing in the early rounds of the cups as they were at the weekend. I maintain that the fact that they enter every cup competition in the first round as an unseeded team and then get drawn against ICT, St J etc proves that they are being treated as a new club.
They’ve yet to come up with an answer to that riddle.
Marrakesh Express
21:33 on
2 November, 2014
Thanks..
the best reason i can find for not going to a hmpden semi final is simply the gate money is 50/50.
If our end is empty. they get nothing from us.
but the zombies turning up with give us half their gate.
know what i mean ?
Gene’s a Bhoy’s name
Saving what’s left of his reputation while he can. In fairness it was miraculous getting them to 2nd last season.
Saint Stivs
Less policing/stewarding costs there will be no money left !
martybhoy59,
I think most are young at heart, that’s what counts.
I’ll definitely make it the next game, even if I need to camp out with a shotgun.
Elmerfudcfc.
Billy Bhoy, from the knuckle draggers I expect nothing else, it’s incidental.
I could care less about the media
It is the fact no one from the SFA or SPFL have made it clear they are what they are.
Celtic, I hope, make it clear we are playing a new club for the first time.
If they have to do it subtely, so be it.
Being ruled by a corrupt organisation grates hugely.
I long for a time when we can leave this Association behind.
Re the game against the undeid, I’ll not be going, the hatred they have for us will spill out, and Hampdump will be back to the 70 & 80’s, not for me, but I’ll not say a bad word about the bhoys who do go. Interesting, on our bus yesterday, a massive grown when the draw was announced. On a positive note, was glad to welcome back Connaire12 to his first game since we found out he had a heart in August, he travelled with the Greenock Celtic, bus 2, glad to have you back, first time I have travelled to a game with him in a long number of years, welcome back Faither…………
Bma
A Light Insanity
It was Whitabootery at its most basic.
When they got done for their foul racist sectarian songbook…
…aye but whitaboot them? They fenian bas****s ur ca’in us Huns! Thons racist, thon!
Bless. x
hen1rik, Gordon Duffield Smith getting the CEO job at the SFA was an absolute farce. A total incompetent and sticky bun apologist, was a disaster for Scottish football but a godsend for the huns.
Him & Peat trying to rearrange the 2008 cup final and not asking Queen of the South if they agreed it showed where their loyalties lay.
Bobby Murdochs Ankle supportin Oscar Knox
21:44 on
2 November, 2014
connaire has a heart attack and then he has to travel with the holy willies of the greenock celtic.
has he no suffered enough.
They went into administration , if they are the same club when did they exit the administration process ?
That usually steps them in their tracks .
i am jesting before tom comes on and looks for a fight
Steps = stops
Gordon Duffield Smith getting the CEO job
at
Apple
Tesco
British AA
Mullet
chopped?
david147
21:19 on 2 November, 2014
Disagree with most of that. Yes we were poor v Astra. We dominated Killie game and should have won by more. Other than the first 10-15 minutes played well v Thistle and even without the sending off would have gone on to win by 3 or 4. First half yesterday was as good as we have played at home this season (DU apart) and could /should have been a few up by half time.
Definite improvement in performance, players getting used to system/style of play the manager is introducing, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets. What’s not to like?. We even seem to have a talismanic striker we have been crying out for years.
10289 LifeCycleMiles @VonSchiehallion · 10h 10 hours ago
I love this picture.
BRTH, Vanessa and the bloke off that Bike thing…
#LifeCycleForNeuroblastoma
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B1b2Hp3IAAE5QyJ.jpg:large
i just convinced myself not to go to the semi.
£40 ticket = £20 donation to sevco zombie associates internation clumpany.
give it a miss tims, give it a miss,
they need it more than us,
starve them
St Stivs, to late, just txt Tommy, he’s preparing a speech as we speak………….
As I said, surprised to find he had a heart………….
An in the spirit of unity, feck the port……………..
Bma
PFayr
He resides in Embra noo,the day when I’m scared of anyone from there(exc. Burke n Hare)
I’ll chuck it….HH :o)
Saint stivs,
Did you here that on the tom toms?
Looks like this game has quelled the poppy debate, pity, I enjoyed them…:)
Acker Bilk’s finest moment
The clarinet mimicking the human voice at the end is sublime. Good solo too.
Sandy & Acker
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
21:52 on
2 November, 2014
10289 LifeCycleMiles @VonSchiehallion · 10h 10 hours ago
I love this picture.
BRTH, Vanessa and the bloke off that Bike thing…
great picture bud, some smile on vanessa,
dont know about the old bloke in the green jaskit, is he going yachting
Think Strachan gonna find himself losing some support after his latest nonsensical statement….
Some Celtic supporters will choose to attend the game against the new team and some will not.
Does it make one side better Celtic supporters than the other side?
Of course not.
Sadly, there will be many, many Tim’s desperate for a ticket because they’ll see it as a Celtic v Rangers game
sipsini
21:54 on
2 November, 2014
you posted something really good on the previous blog, and i was going to comment on it, now for the life of me cant remember what it was.
anyways,
keep it lit.
henr1k
I posted earlier today, our board need to come out now and make a statement about the cup draw.
New club or same club, we need to announce this game as the first meeting between the 2 clubs.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Doc,
Agreed. The litmus test will, of course, be if our club lists their “history” as the mythical unbroken history – or just gives them the couple of lines that their actual history merits.
Mind you, you risk an outbreak of civil unrest (C) Stuart Reagan by being too factual. So, while we may feel they might be chuffed to record that they finally made a Ramsden Cup Final at the third attempt they might feel that one is taking the Michael !
NB I won’t be anywhere near Hampden on the night.
Bada Bing
Settling in well big man.Treating as a two year holiday at the moment.
Remember to keep sending the tips.
That’s good about big Bill tell him I was asking for him.
As for the Deidco game prawn sandwiches again big man! HH