Congratulations to Brendan and the players, last night’s results makes it virtually certain we will qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League. This tournament will give us peer-level competition into next year, Uefa coefficient points and could see income hit (drumroll) NINE figures for the first time.
While the wider context of last night was positive, the performance in Paris was tactically abject. In successive seasons we have conceded seven goals away to the top seed in our Champions League group. The total of 12 conceded to PSG this season contributed to them achieving a new record of all-time top scorers in a group stage, despite having only played five games.
I love the football we are watching under Brendan as much as you, but we are singularly unprepared to face opponents who perform at a higher level than us. This issue has nothing to do with our lowly league, or the calibre of players we are able to recruit, or even their endeavours during the game, it is about tactical choices.
Last week I watched Sweden resist Italy for 90 minutes at the San Siro. Sweden were awful, they couldn’t string two passes together. It was an exercise of attack v defence, but whenever the Italians turned one man in a yellow jersey, another two would descend upon him. There was no space inside the box, no overload of unmarked strikers fighting each other to latch onto a loose ball.
The contrast to the acres of space we allowed PSG last night is stark. While this is a great PSG team, one who have a good chance of going all the way in the tournament, this result is exceptional, even for them. No one in French football has conceded as many as seven to them this season, nor did a poor Anderlecht side.
The reason for this is not that the weaker French sides are all better than Celtic, it’s that they pack their penalty box, as we used to do, when facing top teams in the Champions League.
Think back to how Neil Lennon’s team pulled narrow at the back to deny Barcelona, with Lustig, Ambrose, K Wilson and Matthews in defence. Or how Gordon Strachan’s teams twice kept Milan, out for 90 minutes, with defences of M Wilson McManus, O’Dea, Naylor at home, and Caldwell, Pressley, McManus and O’Dea at the San Siro.
None of the defenders Strachan used would get into this Celtic team, nor would Efe, Kelvin or Adam Matthews. The key difference between the respective outcomes is not personnel, but tactics.
I loved the confident way we played for the opening 8 minutes but I also knew what we were in for as soon as PSG started making passes. We are, by a magnitude, not good enough to take the game to PSG in this manner. They found it very easy to carve us open and score, and as soon as the goals started raining in, that early confidence evaporated.
Instead, we played most of the match looking unsure and exposed. Any development opportunities had to be crammed into an 8-minute period, after that, it was just brutal. It wasn’t even down to poor individual performances. In fact, several players did very well, they were just tactically abandoned.
After Gordon Strachan took Cafu, Maldini, Gattuso, Seedorf, Pirlo, Kaka, Inzaghi & Co. all the way, Milan went on to beat Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Liverpool in the final. Don’t pretend this PSG team are significantly better than that Milan team, because it is just not true (I could argue the opposite). Nor are they better than the Barcelona team Neil Lennon beat 2-1 and lost by the same score.
The key difference between now and then, is that Gordon remained haunted by his first dreadful result as Celtic manager, as was Neil, who was schooled 4-0 by Utrecht in his first season qualifiers, whereas Brendan’s equally dreadful debut result did not impose the same need to learn a lesson.
There is beauty in defending, so let’s learn to do it well.
FRIDAY EVENING ON CQN…
Friday night’s @CQNMagazine Podcast
A CELTIC STATE OF MIND
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— Paul John Dykes (@PaulDykes) November 23, 2017
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SANDMAN & BT
Something very good about your unconnected posts tonight.
We all need to take a look at the big picture, Football has changed: the way the moneyed people treat the small guys has just crept into what was once the people’s game.
Sorry, but it is not going to change.
Stuck in Manchester all week whilst my new grandson recovers in hospital. The good news is that he should/ could be home on Saturday. He is receiving excellent care in Wishaw General and the outlook is positive all round.
I was hoping to source a ticket for the final on Sunday however ICGAF what happens on Sunday or the “humiliation “ of last night.
Here’s to a positive outcome to both big events in my little world this weekend. I know which one is the more important.
Take care everyone and remember the good times. HH
JMCCORMICK
Great news about the wee fella!
Wee prayer said for him and his Mum and Dad too!
Can not believe some of the Brendan bashing tbh.
Would you rather have a manager who gets us through the league campaign with a few losses and a handful of great performances, including one or two backs to the wall narrow defeats in CL or would you take Brendan’s record breaking Celts who go for it against the big teams in CL and get taught a lesson in a few games?
I’d take Brendan’s team every day of the week. We would’ve bitten someone’s hand off to make the Europa knock out stages from any CL group this season.
So not sure where all this sense of entitlement and criticising of Brendan is coming from.
PSG for me are favourites to win this competition. They are a phenomenal team.
Get a grip folks!
MU
GORDYBHOY64
Sad news about your SiL
HH
MELVIN UDALL
Don’t be so sensible!
Great post!
Ps reading posts from Gordybhoy etc makes you realise it is only a game after all. Much more important things going on in people’s lives.
Prayers and thoughts with you and your family buddy.
MU
If Brendan knew how to beat “big” clubs, then he himself would be at a big club!
Hence the reason he is at a club that’s big, at least associated wi the Cellic Park atmosphere, at least three times a season.
Big clubs are driven by proactive directors, not by directors who will only react to 30,000 empty seats!
No Celtic View brainwashing in the Jungle CSC
….oot.
Goooood evening CQN
Jobo, agree, a lot of very good and debated posts today.
For me I want Brendan here for the next 10 years,
But
We should be prepared to debate the merits of how we see the game
For me
Gordon frightens me with ball at his feet and a player closing him down
Lustig getting injured was a huge blow, even though he had already been skinned for equaliser
( Gordon should have done better, and Broonie gave ball away), Mikael is our most experienced defender
KT – I thought was caught out for 4 of their goals, goal 3 he played both players on, and was at RHS a mile out of position, goal 4 posted missing, goal 6 skinned by Mbappe ( not for the first time, as gave him far too much space full game)
Simonuvic – huge gamble by Brendan, after 6 weeks out, clearly not match fit, but in my view our best defender when fit.
Boyata, not a great game, and who I would replace if buying new
Bitton, not a right back or natural defender, done ok in my view
Remember the 3 these Bhoys were facing
Neyclass, Cavani & Mbappe, best front 3 in world football
Midfield in my view drew PSG on top of us, although any midfield will struggle when Veratti and Rabiot – awesome
Brown & Ntcham, get pass marks
Rogic did ok at times, but posted missing too often – he needs to play consistently to get into a rhythm, this is impacting on his current performance ( not being helped by international football)
McGregor – I am not a fan, SPFL level for us only, not at this level – watch 4th goal and you’ll see that he does not see where danger is coming
Forrest, hugely frustrating to me, the easiest dispossed player ( softest or weakest ?) we have, with little heart, he has the skill and pace required – in 2nd half he dropped back to cover right back and did ok though
I think we need to decide on who will play the No10 role for us in Brendan’s system, I would like to see Christie given a run in the team in this position when he returns- for me he is more talented than McGregor
No comment on Moussa, difficult task taking on 2 class CH on his own
Eboiu done ok when he came on
Don’t remember seeing Griffiths touching the ball ?
Anyway onto Sunday, and a different game
And for info – we don’t see many 7 goal wins from Celtic, hoping for one on Sunday
Hail Hail
PHILBHOY
Thank you.
JMCCORMICK
You’re welcome buddy!
Please keep us posted re the wee one’s progress.
Take care.
JMcCormick
Hope young Nicholas is coming along fine, and awaiting your home return
We need to exchange contacts, I’m in the premier inn at old Trafford, generally do 2 or 3 days a week down here
7-1 last night. Clueless and gormless solutions on CQN.
So far on reading back I’m pretty sure I read someone suggesting we need a “good solid centre back”; another incredibly flirted with the opinion , idea, of a change of manager.
Jesus wept.
After the reciprocal defeat in Glasgow someone posted a Focus can’t be expected to beat a Porsche, solely based on the fact it’s painted in green and white hoops.
It’s in the Guardian and L’equipe
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/23/football-transfer-rumours-celtics-moussa-dembele-to-manchester-united
Hang on in there Leigh
COWIEBHOY
Thanks also. I am stationed in Northern Quarter for 2-3 nights for next few weeks.
My e mail is available from the CQN headquarters , I think. Don’t want to post phone numbers on here due to obvious reasons. A real pint beats a cyber pint anytime.
Can I add a repeat post from home game with PSG
UEFA through clubs pressure really need to and create a new competition
The So called Elite countries, can keep the Elite Champions ?? League, the top 5 or 6 countries (England, Spain, Germany, France, Italy & ?) get 24 clubs in competition next season, there is 8 clubs fighting to qualify.
I put up before
Let’s create a League Winners Champions Cup – there will be at 40 countries with League winners and no representation in the Elite competition,
Create a 32 League Winners Champions Cup – each year the 8 teams reaching quarter finals qualify for following seasons Elite Cup
I recognise the gap following year for the 8 teams, need some thought around this, but if they win their league they can drop back into league winners cup
The final UEFA competition is for non league winners on current grounds
Everyone’s a winner :-))
Hail Hail, and think ooot the box UEFA, your there for all clubs, allegedly
Depends who is driving the Focus and who is driving the Porsche, when it comes to the more difficult manoeuvres, when the track gets a bit more complicated to what you are used too
Anyway last night was more like a Ferrari Portofino assembled and finely tuned by the best mechanics versus my wee schoolboy bogey that was assembled by weebits and pieces picked up from all over the shop in the hope it was going to be the sleekest bit of machinery in the scheme
SAINT STIVS on 23RD NOVEMBER 2017 8:44 PM
does anyone remember ali visiting ? why was he in glasgow ?
right bhoys here is the story of THE GREAT MAN in GLASGOW.he had just won the title and was touring BRITAIN and arrived in GLASGOW.IN INGRAM st here was a CORPY building that housed THE GREEN LADIES.they helped with newly born babies and their mothers.so one of THE GREEN LADIES was from his neighbourhood and new him well.she told everyone and nobody believed her.
okay,so she writes to CAS and asks him to visit her at work.he turned up and all the ladies were delighted.he walked down the stairs and out the building right past my sister who said he was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. i remember my sister telling me that story at the time .just spoke to her and she confirmed it.
neverlostmytemperneverbeeninafight.CSC.
JMcC
I am down next 2 weeks Wed / Thurs night
Will need to check following 2 weeks
Phylisbhoy.
I have no doubts that young mr tierney will eventually be sold for £50m in the future. Celtic will no doubt get a percentage of it.
MODERATOR
Did you delete one of my posts there?
MODERATOR
Did you delete 2 of my posts?
No insults, bad words.
Why?
Tut tut…….
There’s Everton pumped 1-5 at home by the 12th placed team in Serie A.
That’s English Premiership wonder-league Everton, who spent £169 million in the summer transfer window.
Perspective CSC.
The personnel and the set up were poor last night.
We seemed to be playing 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 with JF the outcast trying to patrol the Right wing and offer some support to whoever was in the RB position at any particular point in time.
The MF seemed to be over coached to the point of brainwashing to provide a line in the Middle of the park where one person was tasked to face up to PSG as they came forward while the other tried to hold their original positions.
Cue carnage as we were picked apart time after time as heads went down and the energy levels evaporated not through tiredness but through a lack of self belief.
We were missing a RB — ML looked on edge throughout his 20 minutes on the park.
We were missing a proper VW style DM — SB and our tactics were not at the races.
We were carrying two locals with full blown Scottish Cringe — CMcG and JF who looked like they couldn’t keep weans out a close as long as said weans were wearing a PSG strip.
TR looked like a huff on legs — his Scottish Cringe is coming along nicely.
The only fighters on the park were ON and MD who have to face their NT compatriots now and again and so had something to play for — comely known as personal pride and reputation.
CG is on his way out — he has been milked dry and is now a caricature.
JS was only there to fill a jersey.
DB looked totally lost and all at sea — good player but not in a bad team.
KT is hen toed and needs to learn to take a pass without his second touch being a tackle.
Interesting that ON got a game before SA.
If he had not then we would have taken the field with a team that was available to us on the 1st Sept 2016.
Not a great advert for the efforts of the board to support BR and his plans to take the club forward.
Not sure if games are getting played over who calls the shots but we are a diminished unit at the moment and there are only so many CL humiliations a team, a manager and a support can take.
Good evening CQN, if anybody has an ALDI near them then I suggest they go out and purchase some of their fine Schwaben Bräu Weihnachts Bier (Christmas Beer) at £1.59 a bottle. It is brewed in Stuttgart by Dinkelacker and has an abv of 5.5% and is very easy to drink.
It may not take away the pain of last night’s result but will certainly help you ignore some of the pish that is posted about BR and transfer links of our players to other teams. It will also help you get through the next transfer window without being mentally scarred.
My only regret is that I didn’t purchase more tonight but a wee trip down to the Elgin ALDI tomorrow will soon rectify that.
JMCCORMICK – you have your priorities spot on – family are fare more important:
“Amongst all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important.“ (Apart from the ‘Tic)
Pope John Paul II
Its been a blast!
Philbhoy, Just popped in a few minutes ago. I could be wrong but I’d guess the Moderator deleted a conversation between you & Mickbhoy.
A couple of innocent posts may have disappeared as part of the deletion.
Ohhh and before i go . Just loved Broonie showing off with his cute back heel when we were a couple of goals doon, quite sure I saw some of the PSG players standing back and applauding his ingenuity
FT Everton 1 Atalanta 5
No parking the bus in Goodison Park either EPL cannon fodder to the mighty Atalanta!
CB @ 9.44
Sounds like an idea worth pursuing.
Big 5 leagues — Up to 8 teams each.
Russia / Turkey / Portugal might want to get involved.
No matter who gets in the rest of us could have our own proper CL.
Champions only — 16 teams / 4 groups with QF’s in March — real old school EC.
SAINT STIVS on 23RD NOVEMBER 2017 8:44 PM
does anyone remember ali visiting ? why was he in glasgow ? tontine tim or garcia lorca about ?
*he flew in for an exhibition fight at Paisley Ice Rink, he was still Cassius Clay then
SFTB
Just reading back. What a great post you wrote.
HH
https://stv.tv/sport/football/1402943-moussa-dembele-nominated-for-best-young-french-player-2017/
Just watching show about the great Christy Dignam of Aslan on RTE,
They finish with one of his latest gigs and there is Christy belting it out resplendent in his Celtic jersey.
Corkcelt
Hope to meet you and Mick again pre Anderlecht match. They are our level. PSG and BM we canny compete wi sadly.
HH
P67
Parking the bus last night might have kept the score down to 4 or 5. PSG are the best team i have ever seen in front of my own eyes. They would have destroyed the Millan side of 07 and the Barca team of 2012, which incidentally was a team on the way down with a poorly Manager, rest his soul. It was only after the signings of Neymar and Suarez that they came back up again in 14/15. Brendan will need to have a think about it for next season. At the end of the day it’s a damage limitation exercise whatever way you look at it. Being selective in pointing back at positive results or performances in the past proves nothing. Football has moved on, as have Celtic, to the extent that we no longer struggle to see off the likes of Gretna and Morton.
We conceded more goals in one match last night (7) than we have in 13 League matches this season (6). Therin lies the moral of the story. Let that sink in for a minute, more goals conceded in 90 odd minutes than in 13 domestic League matches. An astonishing statistic. The step up to the UCL elite Clubs is gargantuan.
TTR
Glad I wisnae in Parc de Princes to witness it.
Hope you are not too down.