Liverpool’s domestic invincibility contrasted with their result away to off-form Atletico Madrid last night. Domestically imperious PSG fared no better in Dortmund. In Europe, even for the reigning champions, away ties are difficult.
Copenhagen manager, Stale Solbakken, sounded far from confident this week when discussing his team’s chances against Celtic, but tomorrow night, 38,000 people will make the Parken Stadium as intimidating an environment as we have visited this season.
Solbakken noted the success Celtic are having with playing three at the back. His game plan will be based on exploiting this formation. The tactical hierarchy is not absolute. Better systems emerge, are nullified and decline. Neil Lennon changed formation a back four at Pittodrie on Sunday when we were unable to play through Aberdeen. We could see the same change mid-game tomorrow.
Some of us will remember a 2001 visit to Scandanavia, when Rosenborg knew a front three would beat Celtic’s 3-5-2 formation. Martin O’Neill was not one for varying tactics.
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Breithlá sona, Ryan.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 19TH FEBRUARY 2020 2:30 PM
Siempre
I’m enjoying this extended chat on the topic.
You say “the extra body in the centre, where most goals are ultimately scored” but I’d make two observations.
Firstly, my experience is that most goals from open play are scored at the back post 6 yard line. I don’t have any hard data to back that up, but I’m pretty confident. See Taylor on Sunday for example. (Maybe CBN can lob in some stats)
Secondly, in a shuffle and block system, you’re a man down in the box as soon as the back 3 shuffle, not a man up, and the man is short at the back post. Generally on the six yard line…
Of course we can point to the wing back as cover, but equally we know the shape of the game moves quickly, and unless you’re playing a strict 5-3-2 or 5-4-1 it’s inevitable that the space will go unoccupied repeatedly throughout the match, notwithstanding the huge athletic strain on the player.
I do hope you’re right about Copenhagen, mind.
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At the back post 6 yard line, interesting observation – but I’d still include that in the ‘zone’ of one of the CB’s if you’re playing 3 at the back…
But yes good point about the shuffling, its a fluid situation and gaps can always appear.
As someone pointed out earlier the key to success of 3 at the back against trickier oppostion may just be the intelligence, anticipation and fitness of the wing backs. In this way your back 3 can quickly become a back 4 or 5 and mitigating the risk of large gaps at the back post.
You don’t have to keep it symetrical either, one can have freedom to push up more than the other if hes a better crosser… or if the opposition attacker on one side is particularly threatening keep the wing back on that side a bit tighter… close enough to be on the scene of any danger along with the nearest CB…leaving 2 CB’s, the other wing back (an option) and returning defensive midfielders as cover in the centre.
Anyway, with Leigh out it looks like our mind will be made up to go with 4 at the back anyway!
Little caveat about my Copenhagen comments – I haven’t seen them and am purely going on their domestic stats – they don’t have an impressive goal tally – it could be that other defences in Denmark are particularly strong but I wouldnt have guessed there were too many world class defences there. They also concede over a goal per game so defensively not the best, though most of their European games are tight enough apparently.
Its possible they set up differently in Europe…so certainly not writing them off but we should be excited about the possibilities going into this tie, shall we say.
The thought of tempting them into playing 3 up front hasn’t left me as I keep imagining the space that would leave for our attackers, who are in brilliant form right now. Copenhagen will know this and will, in all likelihood, play to keep it tight and hope to nick a 1-0 win.
HH
Sorry for delayed response btw!
HH
After reading about AS Roma’s missing children campaigns and how they’d like to get other clubs involved I think it would be fitting that since they wish to coordinate it on international missing children’s day which just happens to be on the 25th of May that this is so something we should embrace. There is so many positive things that football can do, as witnessed and driven by so many in here and in the Celtic diaspora.
May your God bless you all
All the best Ryan67.
Hoopy Birthday
Mornin all
Happy Birthday Ryan🎂
Happy birthday Ryan although I’m sure you don’t look in otherwise you’ll read some very unkind remarks about your dad.
Good timing Siempre!
“You don’t have to keep it symetrical either”
Spot on. We like to think that the game is played with an even distribution across all areas and positions and that the team is set up accordingly, but the reality is quite different.
The trick is to get your players involved in the game in the area of the pitch that they’re most effective. Equally, to prevent the opposition’s most effective players from getting involved at all. Accordingly, while players may appear to have mirror image positions – left & right back, for example – their roles in a given match will likely be quite distinct. Same goes for virtually every position.
One of the benefits of match analysis nowadays for the likes of us fans is being able to ‘see’ this effect in heat maps and the likes. Of course these are retrospective, and the problem for the manager is that he has to be able to see it happening in real time, figure out why it’s happening, and adjust accordingly. The top guys are absolute masters of this, while the rest of us just scratch our heads and wonder what on earth is going on.
good morning from sunny spain think the bhoys will win tonight with a bit to spare the huns will lose to braga tonight also after that mob play braga in portugal they a have a trip to swinecastle think if they lose in both tournys the mob will turn on slippy g as they will know there time is up here we go 10 in a row h h
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 20TH FEBRUARY 2020 9:39 AM
One of the benefits of match analysis nowadays for the likes of us fans is being able to ‘see’ this effect in heat maps and the likes. Of course these are retrospective, and the problem for the manager is that he has to be able to see it happening in real time, figure out why it’s happening, and adjust accordingly. The top guys are absolute masters of this, while the rest of us just scratch our heads and wonder what on earth is going on.
========
Perfect example – our kick off at Ibrox – how many of us in the pub looked at each other absolutely bewildered when Edouard launched the ball deep into Rangers half and straight out of play, yet Lenny knew exactly what he was doing.
Its extremely tough to change the momentum of a tight match during it but if you get in there first you set a tempo for the whole match.
And that was just one kick of the ball.
The heat map compared to our previous two visits there must make interesting viewing!
HH
Happy birthday to young Ryan!…hope the bhoys make the day extra-special…
Happy birthday Ryan!
Hope you have a great day!
I can’t do links but ICT had a player get a 2nd yellow for simulation in the semi final of a Diddy Cup. It was of course against the Huns Under 20s.
Terrible Terrible decision. ICT won the game and as player James Keating is facing missing the Final they quite confidently appealed the ellow & the Panel with the clearest evidence you will ever see dismiss the appeal.
As my late Mam was wont to say, God between us and all harm, but if any of the panel get a VAR gig (when it comes) there will be riots on the streets.
Siempre
From SFTB’s linked article last night:
“the closer a throw-in is taken to a team’s goal the less likely it is to be successful or retained. In fact, for throw-ins taken within 20 yards of a team’s own goal, possession is more likely to be lost than retained.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ivHA_1WGjM4&noapp=1&client=mv-google
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jdb_3H-28dE
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-_1R_nOxzH8
Catch you all later …Up the Hoops
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 20TH FEBRUARY 2020 10:17 AM
Interesting – we should do it more often!
HH
Great chat re. throw ins aka shies.
In future , will now be focussing very much on ball retention after same .
Corkcelt
i saw the ICT yellow video. He cuts across the defender and there is contact and momentum to drop him.
Definitely not a dive and no yellow.
Debate for me in these cases is whether it is a foul or not. This is the classic Ally McCoist move of getting in front and stopping. I saw John Robertson and Paul Sturrock do it a lot in the 80s too. Defenders are a bit more cute now.
great example in our game vs Aberdeen last weekend. Jullienne goes up and a bit forward for the header; striker backs in and goes down. No foul but no dive either. Scott Brown vs Hearts, very similar
The practice of leaving a leg in or cutting across a defender is standard in the english game now. Mo Salah is expert at getting penalties like this but is never booked for diving if the ref doesn’t give the penalty (minimal contact but contact all the same)
Scottish players watch the big foreign leagues and do try to copy the dark arts on occasion. The problem is that it is still generally seen as unacceptable in Scotland so you have to be good at it. How do you get good if you get slagged in training for practising it?
I think that is why there are one or 2 obvious dives a season by Scottish players which the ref deals with. Ryan Christie has tried it a couple of times
Keatings , who is an ex Celt, tried to be clever but did not dive
PS notice the sevco kid’s initial reaction and the subsequent reaction when the ref booked Keatings. Crapped it and then showed faux outrage and clapped the ref
Sorry, rambling now
The throw-in rules need to be examined.
When laws of the game were first codified in the mid 18000’s many rules including throw-in were taken from rugby.
Ball had to be thrown in straight (90 degree angle to sideline).
Two handed throw ( which is unnatural and awkward)….. interestingly the first rules show that the throw-in was taken by the team who put ball out of play ( presumably because taking the throw put you at disadvantage as you were one man down)
Eventually rules changed ‘other team’ takes the throw-in, and was allowed to throw in any direction ( again I assume to compensate for being a man down).
I think the easiest way to rebalance throw-ins in favour of throwing side would be to allow the Ball to be thrown anyway you like ( why restrict the thrower? ) . The two handed – from behind head – was to ensure straight throw , rugby style…. why are we still doing this? Allow one handed, two handed, under-arm, over-arm etc.
I think about this too much.
I need to get out more….or get on to the rules panel at FIFA. 😀
The Onlooker
just a quick one on another subject
i was in Lisbon with the beautiful half last weekend. Went to the Estadio Nacional for a wee swatch. Definitely recommend it
Set in the Uni area and park land, it is actually very beautiful architecture. Still used for cup finals
Security guy let us go right round and up the stairs etc. He just said ‘ Celtic, Glasgow? Go in, but say of the pitch and track’
Left us to it. Got great photos
Barca sign Martin Braithwaite outside the transfer window after being given special dispensation to sign a forward outside transfer window.
Had to pick one with a release clause (as most do in Spain but often unrealistically high) as any other offers likely to be rejected due to selling club not being able to sign a replacement.
We often get it wrong here but this is pretty outrageous – its bad planning from Barca during the window, they have a huge number of youth/reserves who could have stepped in and above all, the selling club Leganes are second bottom and now having lost their top scorer, can’t go out and sign a replacement!
Bonkers.
HH
Good goal from a throw in
https://youtu.be/JPj6Gyc3a74
Hutchybhoy iplayed at Cumbernauld Unt with Jim Moore smashing center half not unlike Roddy Mcdoald both made our debut the same game beat RobRoy 1 0 jim had a great game chanty got the winner we both played v Manchester Unt at the new ground GUY Medows Paddy Crerand took Man u that night Sat with him for an hour at a function after the game told him he was my Celtic hero. A year later I joined Duntocher Hibs played against Jim and he managed to kick lumps out of me I had the last laugh beat Cumbernauld 2 – 0 and the bad news for Jim I scored both goals. HH
Efe had a long throw which could cause panic in opposition defences . However he never used it after RD arrived on the scene ???? Maybe it was thought to be too cruder a tactic. Strange when a long throw is supposed to be harder to defend than a corner. Adam Matthews had an equally long throw as well. And when Baurer is playing its not used??????
I have great faith in Neil Lennon
I predict we will start with
Forster, Hayes, Ajer, Jullien, Simunovic, Forrest, Brown, McGregor, Ntcham, Christie, Edouard
Bench: Bain, Bitton, Boli, Frimpong, Elyounoussi, Rogic, Bayo
Christie playing off Eddy
Corkcelt-
https://ictfc.com/club-statement-9#respond
How can this appeal fail?
Congratulations and Happy Birthday, Ryan. Think I may have met you a few years ago at Carfin when your dad turn up to speak to say hello. Tell him to take you out for a good meal and your first official drink.
https://www.modernfitba.com/blogs/2020/2/19/ip3nnyqgqlys52oi0biwu0kym126es
Excellent article analysing the Celtic v Aberdeen game last weekend. Food for thought. Reading these articles does make me wonder about the upcoming Glasgow derby and our ability to adopt tactics to nullify our opponent.
https://twitter.com/Scottsman1978/status/1230411740627841030?s=08
New Sevco kit
new article posted.
Hail! Hail! In Glasgow!!!
Good omen for tonight. 🍀🍀
Anyhow, now that Hummel have huffed off, who can think of a humorous new shirt sponsor for thems?
We’ve all heard the Pampers one – pish up front and shoite at the back.
Any new ones?
Really enjoying your stories TT, my memory not a patch on yours so I think i (we?) may need a Glossary of terms to identify many of the participants mentioned ?
Thanks
Ref https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/three-at-the-back-may-change-tomorrow/comment-page-4/#comment-3448888