That was the latest instalment in a long running series of Behind the Couch Celtic away performances in Europe, with the wonderful exception that after Hapoel Be’er Shiva had us on the rack in the opening period of the second half, Celtic put five at the back and closed the game out without any stressful incidents in the final 15 minutes.
There are a few moments worthy of comment:
Hapoel’s penalty came as a consequence of Celtic pressing high up the field for the first time in the game. The home team dropped deep as they were temporarily reduced to 10 men, but when Celtic pressed high to take advantage of an opponent receiving treatment, they easily passed through us, switched the ball left and gave Saidy Janko his first difficult moment of the night.
More on Saidy in a moment, but we cannot allow teams to pass through us so easily. We should never have been caught so high up field. Our alertness, interceptions and tackling were not good enough. Craig Gordon’s block at the penalty was priceless (or at a price of circa £26m, if you’re being picky).
There’s a reason teams who mark zonally at corner kicks don’t mark the penalty spot. It’s because headers from the penalty spot need to be exceptional in order to beat the keeper. Sahar’s goal wasn’t an exceptional header. It bounced before passing Craig Gordon three feet inside the post. It should never have been a goal, and although Craig’s mistake for the second was more evident, the first was as worrying a goal to concede.
We’re fond of talking about “schoolboy errors” in football but Saidy’s lack of awareness of his direct opponent and goalkeeper at the second goal was a classic error from the 9-year-old’s game. I’ll be generous and say he’s not ready for a game at this level. Craig Gordon doesn’t have a let off for this one, either. While his fullback made a mistake, an alert keeper would have prevented the goal and knocked Saidy into next week. Awareness concerns exist for him too.
Whether it’s Craig’s self-confidence, or that the defence don’t have confidence in him, goalkeeping mistakes came perilously close to seeing us drop out of the Champions League last night.
Not that Craig shoulders all responsibility for what was a weak performance. The middle of the park was experimental and looked it. On the back of one of his best games for Celtic a week ago, Scott Brown’s passing, control and influence was miles off the pace.
Scott, Callum McGregor and Nir Bitton were swamped in midfield. Too few Celtic players were showing for the ball, which was thrown forward aimlessly whenever a Hapoel player closed us down. If central midfield is right, your defensive and goalkeeping frailties are less evident, but we were exposed too often at the back last night. There was a period in the second half when watching on TV made it impossible to know where we were going wrong. After a Hapoel chance, we would see a replay, and before it cut back to live pictures, Celtic had lost possession and were again under pressure. This happened repeatedly. Central midfield was the major problem with the performance, if not the result.
Don’t let any of this dampen your spirits. We’re into the Champions League group stage, a fact which will see us break through the £80m turnover mark for the first time. By comparison, turnover was £51m for 2014-15, the most recent season accounts are available for.
Despite the increase in expenditure this season, we’ll pay our bills without increasing borrowing or selling players. We’re on the circuit again, which means we’ll find it easier to attract talent going forward, it means we’ll find it easier to attract commercial deals and pretty much every KPI at the club will become that bit more attainable.
Last night was a transformational day in the life of your football club. We’re back, enjoy it!
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Thomson having a nightmare again . He is not a cheat , he is just a poor poor referee . How does he get games in Europe ? ( he must be in the magic circle)
What a shame for the Fenian Bastards banner team
Love
DAVIDOPOLOUS
Lets be honest the theatrics of most modern footballers is embarrassing
Time the authorities dished out retrospective punishment to stop this bull.
Bada Bing – is this like Owen coyles family? Or genuine?
And does clearing out his locker mean he’s leaving or he had a successful faecal movement?
Surprised that none of resident investigative CQN journalist have picked up on this one yet
A wannabe Blue Knight who has had the pokey already
Ironic that his field of expertise was debt collection
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-37174054
The Ajax RB Tete was very good against us….
Personally I’m not that enamoured by McCarthy to be honest. I said yesterday that I think he was bang average in bang average Everton team last season and is no better than McGregor and probably not as good as Henderson.
However, if he pulls on the hoops I will support him and hope he does the business!
KTF
RT- it was on Celtic Minded blog..
McCarthy, like all Everton players last season, suffered from the affects of Mythinez and his clueless tactics. No coincidence that all Everton players who went to Euros didn’t played well, if at all, at the tournament.
With regard to the second goal last night, my feeling is that Celtic were under the cash at the time. It was very early in the second half. Craig Gordon took the cross cleanly. He should have immediately gone to ground as many goalies do in a big game when they take a cross. He would have taken 20-30 seconds off the clock and given Celtic time to settle. He could have taken time to assess his options while getting to his feet.
The first goal was a defensive disaster. We should have defended the goal instead of pushing our players out to where the Hapoel players had taken up position. This prevented our players from getting a run to attack the ball as it came in.
Hapoel scored two goals last night. But for the comedy of errors at the second goal, they would have scored one. Their task was to score three but they only managed to score two. Celtic blitzed them last week and scored five. Can you imagine the meltdown on HapoelQuickNews last Wednesday as we rattled in 5 goals. Which of their players got pelters? Did their coach get slaughtered for not shutting the game down when his team came back to 3-2. Can you imagine a similar scenario involving Celtic doing the same and then losing two more goals because we continued to attack?
Sometimes we are too hard on Celtic. We have an elevated idea of what our team can achieve in spite of the lack of investment in the team over the last 3 years and the managerial experiment that didn’t pay off. Most of us, if we are honest, thought it was too soon for Brendan to weave his magic and get us to the Group Stages. The Europa League was realistic and achievable (just).
Brendan has worked a miracle with these players. We need to chill and celebrate our good fortune. We have three Celtic Park nights to look forward to. It will be great. We’ll give any team a lot of problems at home in front of our amazing fans. As it has been now, for decades, it will be the away games that cause us problems. Third place is a realistic target. Brendan will bring in players to strengthen the team and give it a real go.
I think we need to give more credit to Celtic players. Having to qualify for the CL before the season has really got underway is a lottery. Look at that ridiculous game in Gibraltar. It’s a bite, scratch and claw situation. You do whatever you have to do to get to the Mecca of the Group Stages. Performances count for nothing. Results are all important. Brendan now has some breathing space to prepare the team for the CL proper in a month’s time. He will already have identified the players he wants. Hopefully he’ll get them in and use the domestic games before the first CL game to determine his strongest team and establish a team pattern for home and away games.
I’m going to enjoy having qualified, getting our name back up there with the big boys, the Club earning some money and those magical European nights at Celtic Park.
Sorry for the lengthy post.
Hail! Hail!
Garngad – sadly the influence of Scottish referees is disproportionately big in UEFA – in the form of hugh Bonkle from dallas…….
GARNGAD TO CROY
Perhaps factor in the Archbigot of Bonkle’s influence? HH
Fan-a-tic
Not often that you and I differ (and I am even starting to agree with you on NB), but, not sure I agree with you on McCarthy.
When he left Scotland, I thought we had missed a good player, but he hasnt developed into the player I thought he had.
As you say, he doesn’t score enough goals, but I haven’t been impressed by his defensive capabilities. He seemed to be caught out a lot, and, as someone said above, he seemed to be making some bad fouls (which I find, is usually when players are too slow/caught out of position).
The last few times I saw him play, I thought he looked short of confidence. On that score, BR might help with that But, for what I think we would have to pay, and based on what I have seen, I would say there is better value for money elsewhere.
And, honestly, I cant see how we could possibly afford the transfer fee or the wages, but I have been wrong before.
ajax fans in russia tonight.emday think they will cause any trouble.
and scottish ref having a nightmare in europe he won;t get another game.GOOD. guess who?????
GAry67 .. just saw your comment re: McCarthy and confidence. Fair point.
Gary67
So he was shite for Everton and shite for the ROI.
I don’t rate Martinez ,I think MON is a genius.
I’ll try and console myself that MON saw something in him.
TT
Sadies Bhoy – well said.
Bada – cheers. I was half joking.
But not about Johansen clearing out his locker…..
I see Phil Mac suggesting a few deals and tavernier maybe being sold. I hope not. I was looking forward to Sinclair tearing him a me one…..
£143,005 of £150k goal raised.
Phenomenal from the Green Brigade.
Hope to see you all standing on 15mins on Saturday to acknowledge this magnificent achievement.
#MatchTheFineForPalestine
What game has Thomson got tonight?
Dynamo Zagreb equalise in 87th minute v Salzburg 1-1 on night 2-2 on aggregate . ET ?
Theoriginaljankosbhoy
Great post and you even managed to ignore your dad’s part in the defensive problems.
Or am I confused?
A lurker on here just let me know a guy he works with is very friendly with McCarthy, said he’s leaving but has 4 years left on his deal for big money, a loan looks like only possibility
Alistair Mc
Thanks.
Occurred to me from often hearing ” Aye youse should win the league youse have got the biggest budget “
The Man city game is a good example of reactive against a proactive team.
When city receive the ball they already know the options to continue the move.
They play balls into space knowing a team mate should be there.There is constant movement and anticipation.
Steau on the other hand have to look up when they receive ball to discover their options.This makes it easy for opponents to close them down and puts to much pressure on player creating the climate for mistakes.
Last night we went back to our reactive style of previous season with resultant performance.
Brendan had started to rectify this but last night we went backwards.
We are still a work in progress.
Saor,
I’ll be standing anyway since I’m in the standing area but what’s the significance of the 15 th minute?
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/the-brendan-voyage/#more-7849
Copenhagen equalise against Apoel 1-1 on night but 2-1 up on aggregate with away goal
An Teach Solais: Thanks for your good wishes this morning. I start back on Monday by wont be in the classroom until Thursday.
I know there are plans for a museum, fan zone etc. I thought permission was granted.
The facilities for visiting fans around Celtic Park are quite poor tbh. It is only in recent years that fans visiting the stadium could access a public toilet. I’ve brought around a thousand students to CP and it was very frustrating telling them that they would have to go over to the Forge or one of the fast food outlets if they needed a loo.
Lots of people visit the stadium on a daily basis but there is very little, apart from the Superstore, to encourage them to spend more time at the stadium. Now that we are in the Champions League lots more people will visit the stadium so it is a good time to develop the facilities to make it more ‘fan friendly’. The Glasgow Celtic Way, the banners decorating the stadium and the Kerrysale Suite on match days are massive improvements. The CL windfall should primarily be invested in the team. However, a little needs to be invested in making fans experience better than it is at present.
Coinnigh an Creideamh
Don’t fancy meeting Borussia as Pot 3 team.
My wee pal played with McCarthy at Hamilton and remains close friends with him. Gave my mate a call tonight for inside track and all he would say is there is no smoke without fire. McCarthy would walk to Parkhead to play for us. Love to kick the transfer rumour hornet nest and walk away!
#owencoylesgrannycsc
By = but
Heard on here last night from Hamilton Tim that on the 15min the Celtic support are asked to stand up and applaud the Green Brigade for their magnificent fund-raising effort and bringing the plight of the Palestinians under the jack-boot of israeli occupation to a global audience.
#StandUpForTheGreenBrigade
Jealous you’re in 111 :)
Almore
Police Scotland has repeated prevented the fan zone plan.
A bit like preventing celebrations after a goal.
Salzburg and Dynamo Zagreb (we played them pre season) go into ET with Craig Thomson in the middle !!
If Salzburg go out do we go in to Pot 3 ?
GARNGAD TO CROY on 24TH AUGUST 2016 9:37 PM
No, Munchengladbach
Hope Celtic don’t spoil it by scoring on the 15th minute……..