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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Proudbhoy,
That’s what I was asking! Hahaha.
Cross wires..
Ger57
The whole thing would be much more palatable if it progressed in that fashion
We have to play them …..let’s hope the club give them the recognition they’re due not the recognition they crave and we skelp them thereafter
Afternoon,
I couldn’t care less what Celtic call the new huns, makes zero difference to me.
What I know and have had the most unbelievable joy out of was watching them die. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it was a possibility and I will let no one spoil my enjoyment.
I have yet to meet a hun that can look me in the eye and say they are the same club, every person of sound mind knows the truth.
As frustrating as it is listening to the msm trying to re-write history, don’t let it get in the road of enjoying the misery they brought on themselves that has now followed to the new club.
I’m far more annoyed at not being able to gain access to CP for a cup game where only 16k were in attendance.
HailHaill
tricoloured ribbon
16:34 on 2 November, 2014
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As luke kelly would say
The gargle dims me brain.. Ring a ring a rosie
Gearoid, sorry for the confusion. The chap Jimmynotpaul and I are talking about has the surname, Melrose and his knickname is Melly.
I use Melli for him as after an ex Parma & Milan player from the early nineties Alessandro Melli.
If any of our players or backroom team are asked about the league cup semi final, they should say we concentrate on our next opponents not one in three months time.
Goal St Pat’s
Aaahh
Melli as in short for Melrose. Serves me right for butting in.
BRTH great post.
HH
St.Pats one up against Derry
Doc 15:49 of 2 November, 2014
We as a club should ignore all the return of the O…F…hype and focus on all the other fixtures we have to play between now and then on a game by game basis. We have no control over what the media or SPFL/SFA have to say about the match so should not waste our time with it. The club should adopt “radio silence” over this till it’s actually our next match and the club website, management, players and spokespersons (including and especially Dermot Desmond) should follow this policy. Even then we should limit our comments to “our the players are looking forward to the match” and leave it at that.
The zombies and the succulent lamb mob are deperate to build this up some sort of sporting equivalent of the Battle of Kursk in the hope that they can use it to bring together their warring factions. Let’s not fall into their trap. We should turn down the heat and let them continue their Bear on Bear action whilst we concentrate on the league and Europe.
The real big test for us as a club is the first time we play them at CP. It’s years since I bought a match programme but I understand that it’s still traditional to include a profile on the visiting team with their history and honours. That’s the time to stand up for truth.
Dallas, Dallas,
Your last sentence says it all for me.
We will deal with it in 3 months.
Dallas
Was right about the Smelli though.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oGF3VMwtV-8
a wee laugh for a Sunday…
:-(
Bad defending i hear
Extra time i reckon.. We will score
Too late to get Liam coyle kitted out sadly… Proper footballer
Anyone who was sitting on their supporters bus yesterday when the semi-final draw was made, what was the general reaction? There was one muffled cheer from the back of our bus but the general consensus seemed to range from not wanting to play them ever, to being resigned to having to play them sometime. Nobody seemed desperate to get them in the semi final.
Personally I don’t want to play them ever. Had some humility and admission of wrongdoing happened two years it may be different, but I suspect neither our fans or our players will be safe when this game happens, such is the desperate sense of entitlement that exists.
The media are really circling the wagons round McCoist as well. It’s all just sickening.
Gearoid, ha ha. Don’t worry about it. My mind works in many weird ways when it comes to knicknames.
There was a guy I was at school with whose surname was Bianchi. His knickname was Cinzano.
Jimmynotpaul, Fiona’s brother worked with me for a number of years. Brian is a brilliant laugh & real character. He’s now a MOD plod.
Dundee Utd beat the huns 3 nil at Ibrox in the early nineties. The PID we used for computer access was orange (tangerine) white and black. The Monday after that game, Brian went up to a hun and said to him, these PID’s are cracking colours aren’t they. An ‘Airdrie’ fan said to him you’re awfy happy for a Clydebank fan to which Brian replied, aye you’re sick even though you are an ‘Airdrie’ fan.
Derry playing a bit better,but nearly caught on the break.
Fagan misses a great chance.
Proudbhoy,
I have a feeling Patterson will score
Old Firm, Sevco, Newco, hunman is not dead bla bla bla
We all know they are dead, SFa and the msm know that as well.
But, let them have their pathetic wee dream , so I suggest we just humour them, and then when the time comes to play them, do them , big time. Simples
HH
KINGLuBO
M6Bhoy, I do agree Celtic should not make comment about the forthcoming Cup tie until it is our next game.
Good point about he first game at CP.
Ashley firm had financial control of Rangers Retail 2 FFin’ years ago:
“So almost £4 million that could have went to the club has went to Ashley !”
——
“The basic maths has never sat right from the big share issue.”
——
“A calculated, sophisticated and sinister plan to run [Sevco] into the ground.”
——
“Is this all part of “nailing Rangers to the floor”?”
——
“When does this become crime?”
——
“Don’t get me wrong here, but I am 100% against Mike Ashley’s involvement with Rangers. However what many people on here seem to state, such as milk us like a cow, just doesn’t add up.
How can he milk us like a cow? We are small potatoes”
——
“This news has staggered me and left me full of contempt and near blind rage”
——
“Ever and ever closer to the final act of The Con…
Can you liaise with the Union of [Auntie Annies] to put out a press release?
Ashley and Easdale need to know that we are on to their thieving.”
——
“Finance is a complicated world and simple logic can often be trumped by those complications, technicalities, unknown contract clauses, legalspeak, etc. So what sometimes appears as X may in fact be X lite or Y. There are also the vital things you don’t know and without, can’t actually ‘act’ as such. It could really have done with an expert to do it.
However, awareness is positive and this angle(s) brings up important questions as to the ‘Ashely plan’, ones that can be hopefully pushed and highlighted.
Whether it or the basic theme merits any type of public release is still to be determined.”
——
“Just as important is letting them know we as [Sevco] supporters are scutinising everything they do.”
Bada bing
Hilarious ..illiteracy ..a problem …a serious one while on countdown
tricoloured ribbon
16:56 on 2 November, 2014
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If it falls for him he will rattle the net. No doubt about that
Tricoloured Ribbon, we could also say every team we play gets the respect they deserve and say hee haw else about them.
I hope Derry turn it round v St Pat’s
Any fun loving Tim who goes up to a bunch of huns and tells them Glasgow Rangers are dead better have a gun else he’ll be dead! quick and grotesquely! pal.
McNamee misses great chance for Derry
McCoist will have to remain in situ up to the semi
A good thumping may be the final nail in his managerial coffin…three months is a long time for him to feck up their league effort tho
Gearoid at 16 45, ha ha
Dallas,
I think it’s futile talking about it anyway.
Who knows who will be on the books of both sides in 3 months time?
We will deal with it when the time comes pal.
IMO both halfs of the old firm will join in on the hype over this game, hoping the hyperbole puts bums on seats, ……………follow the money always
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29870984
Rangers ‘the draw Celtic wanted’, says Stefan Johansen
Celtic players roared for joy as they were paired with Rangers in the Scottish League Cup because it was the draw they wanted, says Stefan Johansen.
St Pat’s sitting back, they might pay for this.
Noticed our Spanish friends Villarreal have the Celtic banners on show, they should be winning but 1-0 down
There is no Old Firm
He wore it when he marched out with the rest
And the best ✊
Blarney pilgrims blasting on youtube here.. Sound decent band .. I take it they finished good few yrs ago ?
Gearoid at 17 12, exactly
margaret mcgill
17:02 on 2 November, 2014
Any fun loving Tim who goes up to a bunch of huns and tells them Glasgow Rangers are dead better have a gun else he’ll be dead! quick and grotesquely! pal.
______________
I must have a death wish then…used a bit of rolled up cardboard and played “the last post” in front of a crowd them in work on liquidation day, I did have a tim on each side of me saluting as well though.
Now that I think of it, i haven’t had much overtime since…worth it:))
Lionroars
They must fancy beating them…they better or they can GTF to a man
I think a more robust standard of news management needs to be employed at CFC
St Pat’s defending desperately.
Anothervvery dangerous free kick
upthehoops
16:52 on 2 November, 2014
It certainly is disgustingly sickening ……..they have no shame whatsoever, and I include the smsm in that……they are going to stir up the hunhoards to ‘foam at the mouth’ …… and all to save their mediocre media jobs etc…