It was Brugge who showed the way in our Champions League game in November last year. They pressed Celtic in the middle third which was enough to inhibit our ability to progress the ball into advanced areas. Other managers watched.
Five weeks later, Phillippe Clement copied these tactics in a 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox. Barry Ferguson followed this up in March, winning at Celtic Park, then again in a draw at Ibrox. Already-eliminated Young Boys came to Celtic Park, went man-for-man in the middle and lost to a late own-goal.
We watched the same show in the Scottish Cup Final in May: 120 minutes of midfield suffocation before a penalty loss to weaker opposition. It was no different over 210 painful minutes against Kairat. Yesterday’s failure to land a glove on the most nervous defenders in Scottish football follows a well-established pattern. Russell Martin changed every tactic he has used in Glasgow and reverted to the play we all know succeeds against Celtic.
Games with against lesser sides and without Kyogo, Jota and Kuhn have floundered in the middle of the park. We seem to be focussed on adding attacking options today. This is necessary but attacking players are blunt if you cannot break a soft press in the middle of the park.
We got draws at Ibrox, against Kairat and in the Cup Final because we can defend well – Liam Scales was well worth his Man of the Match accolade. That will probably be enough to win the league while Newco beat themselves and the Hearts project is too new. But we are at a tactical cul-de-sac. Chris Davies did more than put the cones out.
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BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 12:03 PM
I listened recently to a Celtic Underground pod and Harry Brady was commenting on the fact his 80 something year old dad had to wait in line for up to 30 mins to use the lift to access his seat – the lift only accommodates 4 people. It’s been this way for decades.
This Celtic board simply do not care about fan experience. Among many other things.
The guy from Everton has played 22 games since 2023 and scored 0 goals he is 6 ft 4 right enough.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 12:36 PM
bournesouprecipe on 1st September 2025 12:03 pm
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Larsson could fix the radio 👍
bournesouprecipe on 1st September 2025 12:03 pm
Why are we so good?
Your post is a very good summation of the problems we have – and boy we have a lot. It is the conundrum of that against our success of the last 20 years (by and large). We are achieving a lot, but could achieve so much more – especially against European opposition. I debate with friends about what good would look like in terms of Europe. I don’t actually believe we will ever be good enough to actually win ECL. But could/should we be in the group stage every year – and if not how often should we – every other year, 2 from 3, 3 from 4? Could we/should we be regular qualifiers from the groups? Again, what would constitute “regular”. When we compete in Europa league ( i do believe we definitely should at least make that every year that we don’t make the ECL groups), what should we expect there? Should we look to always qualify for the knockout stage? You get the picture.
If we could continue to have the Scottish domination, achieve what we define as our European expectations and move the needle in all the things you mention, then we would be improving. I honestly believe all that is possible.
We do need to acknowledge we are doing well in some respects (we are not , for example a loss making club that has only won 3 things in 13 years), we are sitting top of the table, we are in the Europa league. But a really good management team – plc, club and team could actually achieve so much more. We are achieving what we should – not what we could.
Yes we need wingers ,but we need to look at our defence, especially seemingly CCV being injury prone,
If Yang goes …that’s Khun, Yang and Jota out or away …if Idah goes that’s..Idah and Kyogo away
FIVE forwards Needing replaced…1 in so far ..we getting 4 today ???…😂
I’m hearing Herald Brattbakk is flying in to Glasgow…
Oh wait …he’s the pilot 😜😘
GlassTwoThirdsFull @ 12:32 pm,
Yes, Abada was a big miss, as was the goals and assists from Matt O’Riley.
The recruitment “model” isnt just flawed, it is broken.
Hail Hail
We have got to get the new players through the door…
Before the window closes!
Paul’s
“Beale did more than put out the cones for Gerrard” moment.
TT
bournesouprecipe on 1st September 2025 12:46 pm
The KoK could fix anything telepathically . No screwdriver or soldering iron required .
Heck, ……he could even fix our board of directors .
glendalystonsils
You’ve taken that to far …😁😜
If we do bring in new players, will our manager make them play the same system as we have to endure. Surely, that has had its effects on the personnel who are already here. Every team knows how to nullify us and we don’t seem able to vary in any way our game plan.
I think we are overlooking that Yamada is the backfill for ‘somebody’ – Kyogo presumably?
our play appears to be stuck in a time warp .
TBB
Spot on.
And the wedding went really well on Saturday.
Even the speeches !
Guaranteed if we don’t bring in a new striker by close of window, Jamie Vardy will be signed tomorrow.
Jamie Vardy is joining Cremonese.
We have missed our big chance!
Brendan Rodgers managed Celtic to a 5-1 win at Ibrox in April 2017.
The team were
Gordon
Lustig; Tierney; Boyata; Simunovic
Armstrong; Brown
Sinclair; McGregor; Roberts
Griffiths
The question is, what has changed since?
BASHI-BAZOUKS
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Good reply 👏👏👏
the only surprise is that Celtic supporters are surprised
Dolberg reportedly going to Ajax…
And so it contiunues….
August scorecard :-
P7 W4 D3 L0 F10 A1
McCowan 1
Nygren 3
Hatate 1
Maeda 1
Johnston 1
Murray 1
Henderson (OG) 1
Kenny 1
Would bite your hand off to win the league at this point. We’re there for the taking. I thought our midfield would be our strong suit but CalMac looks depleted and Reo unengaged. Engels continues to disappoint and Nygren doesn’t look the player he was hyped to be. McCowan will do us a turn and God knows what Bernardo has done to deserve this treatment.
I thought Saracchi did really well when he came on but I’m disappointed Inamura is going out on loan. At least he knows how to play a forward pass.
I’ll say again, well done to Scales and Ralston for their performances yesterday. Big Scales is the player of the season so far.
we scored 3 goals a game last season.
ARNE, CALLUM, REO – 10, 11, 100 GOALS.
Luke scored 7.
I was never bored at celtic games, i like possiession football. I like to play keep ball, i like the opposition having to chase the game,
however, this “entertainment” demand, always puzzled me, even more so in modern times, we see celtic winning by 3,4,, 5 and people not turinging up, leaving early, and filling the blogs with complaints.
taylor was a whipping bhoy for many complainers, now itt is kieran,
dearie me.
RC on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 12:59 PM
our play appears to be stuck in a time warp .
—
Alongside our transfer bids.
CHAIRBHOY
“The recruitment “model” isnt just flawed, it is broken.”
There isn’t a recruitment model anymore. Your man broke it up.
Chairboy
He wouldn’t have been conned. That’s what contracts are for.
Chairbhoy
Indeed. The good thing is that we have regressed so far that we at least don’t have to worry about losing our top players now!
ONENIGHTINLISBON on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 1:07 PM
Dolberg reportedly going to Ajax…
And so it contiunues….
—-
I’ll not be in the least bit surprised to see Idah back in Glasgow this evening.
According to Videocelts the fee for Dolberg has now risen to 13m as Anderlecht seem to know we have no other irons in the fire, tomorrow I hope to see the removal of ALL those responsible for this disaster of a transfer window, which now if the Club does buy, is going to cost it much much more than it should have, an utter shambles it is like we are stumbling in the dark trying to find the light switch. Nicholson and several more OUT.
Looks like a forward line of Johnny Kenny and Shin. Right Brendan, time to get the best oot of them for the remaining time you’re here and put your petted lip away. We know Nicholson is a prize dud and should be sacked tomorrow but he won’t be. He’ll get a pay rise for the transfer profits he’s generated.
We need to stop deluding ourselves that Daizen of last year will be the Daizen of this year too. I’d say he’s reverted to the mean but I’m afraid he’s currently below the mean in an attacking sense. Though still excelling defensively.
So Brendan signs Idah, let’s him go to Swansea and agree personal terms, then tells him he’s not going until we sign a replacement?
So we’ll be left with a guy who was a record signing who doesn’t want to be here playing for a manager that doesn’t want him in front of fans who don’t want him
Brendan has burned him.
No argument that we pass back and sideways way too much – anyone that sits near me in main stand knows my views on this, however i am not sure its just that easy to change it and some credit has to go to teams/coaches who are able to get so called inferior players to work so hard in a system that stymies the “better teams”
In a daft sort of NFL type way how good would Stephen Robinson be as a defensive coach on some Euro away days?
Since Ange and Kyogo in his pomp for us we fail to see forward runners. The wee man was amazing at it and you could see how scunnered he was as another great position and dart forward was taken only to be unseen my the middies again. It happen under Ange and its the same now except there is not nearly as many of those runs being made as we don’t have the same type or quality of player as Kyogo. The runs are still made and Engels and McCowan are good at from midfield but its rarely seen which is why we try to play constantly to full backs and wingers that are closed now by 2/3 opponents so invariably the ball goes backwards.
For info P67 it was not Bruge that learned how to stop us it happened half way through Anges second season and it was the Stephen Robinson types that did it. The swashbuckling style was thwarted by the low block. No room in behind and almost zero space to play in from 30 yards out and guess what – it went back and sideways.
We lack energy and drive right now as despite people blaming the manager for this I blame the people in charge of recruitment. I think that players are very used to transfer talk and speculation as they are their colleagues are involved in it every day of their football life – to say they are upset by it and it effects performance makes no sense. It is part of the business and players will spend time agitating for the next move and TBH what player would want to be part of a club that didn’t want to get better, that didn’t aspire to better quality and show ambition? It is far more likely that some players are irritated that their club shows no ambition and doesn’t seek to get better or even stand still.
I am firmly of the view that our senior players are a little disillusioned but because of the lack of desire and energy shown by the club in efforts to improve.
I am also of the view that we do need to change our style but not sure how – the low block is a game killer and not just as easy to beat with a flick of the switch.
On another matter can people stop trashing our players – the witch hunt Engels is tragic and is it any wonder he looks like he’s seen a ghost. This guy came to us at 21 and had strong impact Aug-March including CL when he did seem to tire but he has been hammered by some support and the press – not clear to me where or how this started but i have my suspicions.
The brains behind Rodgers! Dearie me
Paul’s part of the laptop Lawell
Ten Men Won The League on 1st September 2025 12:21 pm
Tomorrows blog headline
‘Managers tactics prevented club buying players’
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Brilliant……….
Once we, the club, accept a fee – everything else is placed in motion – terms agreed, medical booked.
Accepting a fee then refusing access to the player would be a new one on me.
bournesouprecipe on 1st September 2025 1:06 pm
BASHI-BAZOUKS
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Good reply 👏👏👏
Cheers – correct about us being surprised again, (repeated story so many times)
the only surprise is that Celtic supporters are surprised