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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tricoloured ribbon
17:45 on 2 November, 2014
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Usual when missus goes to bed.. The drinks get stronger and the songs get sadder.
Bed now.. Cheers for updates
One last tune
Schoooooldays over
Good decision Keano
VP @17.47
Don’t be writing me off just yet mhate or do you know my Mrs?
Either way we will definitely get that pint at an away Champions league game next year.
Still think Liam Henderson would have a big part to play in our team.
Did somebody post that Ronny didn’t rate him or something?
dallas dallas where the heck is dallas
17:52 on 2 November, 2014
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Liam deserves bit of first team action
Wonder if lennon will come asking for him
Or as you say knock out stages of Europa VP.
here’s one for a mass debate
2 games today and our game on wednesday
all effectively spoiled as contests by a sending off
should the punishment be something other than making a team play with 1 man less?
Sleep well proudbhoy.
I’ll be on the usual Sunday night tour in Waterloo St. tonight..
God Bless pal.
The Beach Boys latest hit…………… http://www.safeshare.tv/w/eUqDmyBbir
gearoid1998
17:34 on
2 November, 2014
I accept all the facts surrounding the death of the deid club as you do
There will be a huge demand for these semi final tickets with thousands of Celtic supporters looking forward to an old firm game and describing it as such, the club management players past and present will join in on the old firm narrative
Proudbhoy, I definitely think Liam should be on our bench at least.
In the second half of the Reykjavik game at Murrayfield, even though we were 4 nil up, Efe was the only outfield player in our half, Liam noticed this and moved back to cover in case Reykjavik broke. It showed me he had an awareness of cover being required. Admittedly we weren’t going to lose that game but for such a young player to know we were short at the back, was impressive.
Don’t see many youths getting a chance this year despite Ronny’s reputation for developing them. Early doors though
The craziest 3 foot putt you will ever see……….
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/this-is-probably-the-craziest-3-foot-putt-you-ll-ever-see-230837561.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons
overseasbhoy,
There will be suspensions and injuries so there will be places available.
I feel for Henderson as he never let us down when he was in the side.
tricoloured ribbon
17:58 on 2 November, 2014
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Enjoy buddy
Finest street in ireland
blantyretim is praying for the knox family
17:48 on 2 November, 2014
And as a result of the flukey deflection, a wee double for me on the back of my treble yesterday…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Hope so
dallas dallas where the heck is dallas
18:03 on 2 November, 2014
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Hes a footballer.. The fact that mulgrew gets into our centre mid before him and biton worries me.
I love charlie cause he loves us but hes not a centre midfielder.
Lennybhoy…Supporting the DAM 5 and CFC until I die
Your we lift lightened my shouting “Ya spawny *&^%$£” towards spurs :)))))
Well done Lennybhoy. Beating the bookie is always good..
leftclicktic
18:10 on 2 November, 2014
:):)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Prestonpans, its a pity Villareal lost but Valencia have been doing ok this season and I exoected a tough game.
Villareal are a good club and I hope they thrive.
It was nice to see Bilbao winning today. We saw five Bilbao fans at our first game at Murrayfield enjoying watching us.
Thirty years on I can now realise how good a team United were then despite one of the Scottish version of the Brothers Grimm being in charge.
Lionsroar@18.02
And more will buy into that lie if we continue to peddle it.
Much better to confront the lie at every opportunity.
At the moment it may be akin to pushing a pea uphill with your nose but if we had undertaken this course of action from the outset we would not be in the predicament that we are currently in ie living in a parallel Universe where liquidation didn’t happen.
The alternative is to lie down like a carpet and get walked all over( a la the 5 way “agreement”.
HH Lionsroar.
foghorn leghorn
17:57 on 2 November, 2014
here’s one for a mass debate
2 games today and our game on wednesday
all effectively spoiled as contests by a sending off
should the punishment be something other than making a team play with 1 man less?
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a) You shouldn’t be talking during Mass
b). No
HellMendThemCSC!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Proudbhoy, agreed about Charlie in midfield. He’s better in central defence.
Nir Bitton knows what a Celtic jersey looks like when he passes and keeps the ball moving. Some older guys round me think he’s a sideways passer but if he doesn’t have the movement or space in front to pass to, its difficult to pass more positively.
Liam likes to drive on and had more good than bad games when he played last season.
Liam is only eighteen I believe but some of our support don’t take this into account when younger players play.
To warm you up for Mr Roy Croppie here’s a fine old tune.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xaltv_mory-kante-yeke-yeke_music
Used to go to a reggae disco in Glasgow late 80s and early 90s.
This wee number used to get played too. Loved it.
Only problem was all yon DD types smoking forest’s worth of Ganga which left wee clean living me with some explaining to do when I got home reeking of the stuff!
HH jamesgang
And for any CQNers struggling with how to secure spousal permission for attending the Belfast hootenanny
http://youtu.be/W91vfdRnF9c
Do this wee serenading number and he or she will be a quivering jelly in your control.
Mind and don’t pop your back out in the process!!!
CaribbeanIsGreenNwhiteCSC
HH jamesgang
overseasbhoy
Don’t see many youths getting a chance this year despite Ronny’s reputation for developing them. Early doors though
——————–
I read that our team against PT had an average age of 25, we are a young team and young squad.
I think Biton’s a very tidy player.
Like a wee road sweeper scooping up the ball and moving it along. He’s no Messi ( I said he’s tidy! Boom boom!) or Ronaldo but I’d like to see him get some 45 min spells alongside Henderson as the season develops
HH jamesgang
Delighted Pat’s won the cup today.
A bunch of my mates were at the game, all Pat’s supporters, especially pleased for Billy Wright, hasn’t seen them win the cup for long enough.
HH
Whatever happened to Darnell Fisher?
Best football show bar none now starting on BT sports 1… European Football Show…
Jamesgang@18.29
Back in the day maybe. Liked the Celtics top though lol.
gearoid1998
18:16 on
2 November, 2014
25,000 Celtic fans at Hampdump will sing their hearts out, celebrate Celtic goals like no other Celtic goals this season, the big UK TV audience will be told by all the pundits and players alike this is what the old firm is all about,, to me its a bigot fest whose time has gone, its the 21st century……………………………
I will personally make other plans that day
gearoid1998
Go on, go on, go on….
There’s bound to be an osteopath on CQN somewhere!!!
HH jamesgang
Dallas Dallas
Liam Henderson had heart and dig about him, he wasn’t bullied, could tackle, is mobile, can pass and shoot. All of which McGregor can’t do. A different kind of player but Mcgregor gets a game no matter his form.
Celtic need someone like Henderson.
Johansen has had one good game this season lacks strength.Mulgrew is a centre half. Someone to play ahead of Brown and another to sit deep is required if RD insists on playing his fairly rigid system.
Lionsroar
Same feelings but different tactics. Every Celtic goal should be cherished and the ones against the new team should too.
Jamesgang
Osteopath??? Defibrillator expert more like.
Lionsroar –
As season ticket holders, my two sons and I will be applying for tickets for the League Cup semi-final. We will do so because we are Celtic supporters who attend as many games as possible, regardless of the opposition. We would have been chasing tickets if we had been drawn against Aberdeen or Dundee United.
We are all fully aware of the fact that Rangers are a new club. We know the old club were liquidated and died. We don’t need anyone, whether it be Celtic FC or the media, to tell us they died. We will go to the game, or watch it on TV, and rejoice in beating them, because they are the same shower of huns who support the new team. It is the same snivelling rat McCoist who manages the new team. Their pain will be my children’s laughter.
It matters not a jot if they call themselves the same club. We know differently and I won’t be apologising to you or anyone else on here for going to a Celtic game and supporting my team.
Stick your sanctimonious claptrap where the sun don’t shine.
Signed: Tom, Kevin and Stuart McLaughlin.