Tactical experimentation ahead of Romania

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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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709 Comments

  1. There is only Wan Ronny Deila.

     

     

    I saw amazing stuff this Weekend.

     

     

    Ronny ‘Real’ Deila. I thought Broonie was looking a bit slow compared to Stefan.

     

     

    VVD will have to go, I thought he was a bit of a w*nker when he strolled through the middle with a step over.

     

     

    Efe Ambrose is God Given to Celtic.

  2. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Cowiebhoy

     

     

    Your parish priest starts some good rumours :)

  3. BIG-CUP-WINNERS

     

     

    23:14 on 2 November, 2014

     

     

    Petec

     

     

    Have to own up and admit, yesterday, when DD intreduced you, I misheard him. And thought he said this is “HC”, I can be a bit deaf and slow at times

     

    :-). so I was thinking who is HC?

     

     

    I’ve just pieced that together mate

     

    :-))))

     

     

    Good to meet you.

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    I wisnae arguing with the GIANT alongside ye.

     

     

    HH man. I’m actually an OK person really.

     

     

    I just want Everyone to be Free, impossible I know.

  4. BIG-CUP-WINNERS

     

     

    23:21 on 2 November, 2014

     

     

    Petec

     

     

    I’m feeling kinda daft now.

     

     

     

    ___________________________________

     

     

    A CQN classic and I am this, mos def……

     

     

    I’m a Womble

     

     

    Ronny Deila is the Man, ably assisted by Johnny C and JK.

     

     

    We are progressive so much it is Spooky.

  5. Right far too much time (mine anyway) spent on blog exercising what little grey matter I have left on how our board calls this.

     

    Match with new team 3 months away and if truth be told could be trumphed by Scottish Cup draw or hopefully a new team liquidation event (preferable).

     

    Night,night Timdom. Sleep tight and tomorrow we will wake up still handsome.

     

    May The Lord make us truly thankful. HH

  6. Our semi final game against Sevco is 3 months away.

     

     

    That’s 3 months of media spin ……..

     

     

    Old Firm game, ancient rivalry, first Old Firm game in 3 years etc

     

     

    Only way to stop this nonsense is for our club to come out and announce this game as us being drawn against Scotland’s newest club.

     

     

    Put an end to this lie now Celtic.

     

     

    Sevco is a new club and our board need to make sure this message gets across.

  7. moravcik

     

     

    23:44 on 2 November, 2014

     

     

    Our semi final game against Sevco is 3 months away.

     

     

    That’s 3 months of media spin ……..

     

     

    Old Firm game, ancient rivalry, first Old Firm game in 3 years etc

     

     

    Only way to stop this nonsense is for our club to come out and announce this game as us being drawn against Scotland’s newest club.

     

     

    Put an end to this lie now Celtic.

     

     

    Sevco is a new club and our board need to make sure this message gets across.

     

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

     

     

    When the forces of Darkness come to Celtic Park, that is when the dagger will, I really hope so, be plunged right in there.

     

     

    plungemcnugget.csc?

  8. BIG-CUP-WINNERS

     

     

    23:49 on 2 November, 2014

     

     

    Goodnight and God bless all Tims.

     

    ===========================

     

     

    nn big chap. God Bless.

  9. There is absolutely no chance of Celtic ever putting anything in a programme to suggest that Sevco are a new team.

     

     

    It would be considered provocative and likely to cause a riot at the game.

     

     

    Even if they did do it, an apology would be demanded afterwards and someone would get sacked.

     

     

    Sadly, that’s the situation we are in. The big lie has become accepted truth by the world and his brother.

  10. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on

    Petec

     

     

    I have watched that Klammer video hundreds of times and I still expect him to fall.

     

     

    He once said that there were only two rules in Downhill skiing and that was:

     

     

    1. Don’t die

     

    2. Don’t shit yourself

     

     

    and of those he said that you could only afford to ignore one.

     

     

    WC

     

     

    Thankyou for that – however I doubt I will be anywhere near Ashton lane today or tonight even.

  11. BRTH

     

    Breithla Shona duit.

     

    Winning captains/BRTH

     

    Hopefully the drafts of a factual alternative programme re their cheating and deception which culminated in their liquidation is under consideration as I write. Hopefully it will never need to be used as the tribute act will have gone the way of the original.

     

    Defo away to bed.

     

    KTF Tim’s

  12. Fred C. Dobbs

     

     

    Wouldn’t it be seen as just their old rivals stirring it up?

     

     

    Too many people have swallowed the lie. It should have been nailed right at the start.

     

     

    The best we can do now is just stuff them every time we play them.

  13. Syd Negakev,

     

     

    Maybe, but if it has to be done do it now. A piece in next weeks programme looking forward to the game. Gets it out in the open and over with…agree with stuffing them mind :O).

     

     

    Hail Hail.

  14. to BRTH….have a braw braw Birthday…………may the words from your Smithie never run dry………….

     

     

    Bankies rule ok …..

     

     

    braw

  15. new poster

     

    just to wade into the debate about getting THEMS.

     

    i was of the opinion we should do everything to not play them again.

     

    thats not worked.

     

    then i thought, ok, when we get them we shouldnt go…the world press etc would stand up and take notice…

     

    no they wont.

     

    theres no mileage in a half arsed boycott .

     

    Fact is…Celtic fans will be there.and with that in mind,

     

    we cannot let Celtic take on these reprobates, without our biggest weapon..

     

    the Fans, the GB if you want…

     

    doesn’t matter, outnumber, outsing, outdo these people.

     

    but most of all..be safe..

     

    this tie has bloodbath written all over it.

     

    there is months before this tie take place.

     

    Be careful, but dont shy away from this

  16. not sure about how to put links on, but type in

     

    accidentallyinlove4 in your youtube,

     

    great voice, great songs