Shakhter Karagandy covered 5k more ground than Celtic last night, 500m per outfield player. That’s 5.5m per minute, per player, or an extra meter every 10 seconds or so. That kind of advantage means that when the ball breaks loose in and around the danger area, the more active team are in space – which happened at both goals.
Conversely, when Celtic were in advanced positions Shakhter players were there in numbers. The difference was not caused by exceptional exertion by Shakhter, in their match with Maribor last night, Viktoria Plzen covered 11k more than Celtic, or a clear 2 meters every 10 seconds per outfield player.
Despite enjoying the vast majority of possession the Celtic players were lacking in movement and ideas. Being short of ideas is one thing but lack of movement is altogether unacceptable. We have to prepare fitness levels ahead of the second leg meticulously; Inverness on Saturday is only relevant for those who need game time ahead of Wednesday.
The Mouhokolo-van Dijk novice partnership was a surprise; a lot of faith was shown in players few of us know much about. Could we have held Kelvin for another few weeks? Would it have been less of a risk to play Ambrose and/or Mulgrew in defence? Yes to both, I suspect.
We learned Georgios is not a striker in 2009. He is one of our most effective players when away from home but not as a striker. Anthony Stokes is a striker but his style is just as unsuited to the formation we played last night as Georgios’. We seemed to pick a team to combat Shakhter’s strengths which didn’t play to our own.
I’m not convinced signing a player one week before an important game is an ideal preparation but taking the money early for Hooper, weeks before Amido Balde (or anyone else) has settled and considered a viable starter, is a calculated risk which is now in sharp focus.
We should also show some respect to Shakhter. The club are miles out of their depth at this stage of European football but they left with all the credit. After the game, manager Kumykov played down his chances, “we are not the favourites”. He’s a clever man who knows what he is doing.
It is possible Celtic will play as badly next week but it’s more likely that we will put on a vastly better performance. Between now and then we have plenty of opportunity to wallow in an embarrassing defeat, so knock yourself out, but I’ll hold fire until the tie is decided, which I expect to be in Celtic’s favour. Bring it on.
You got to love European football.
Penalty kick practice, please……
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Spurs are an example of a club who have a dedicated director in place (an ex roma coach) who handles player signings and negotiations. This is commonplace in countries like Germany, Belgium, where it also handled by a ‘football man’ – former coach etc. This ensures that when the coach leaves, the new guy does not have to do a full overhaul of the squad, as they have filled the club with the type of player they are looking for.
We seem to accept that our negotiations are handled by someone with no background in football. LAwwell seems to think he is as well equipped to manage who comes in, what level of player we approach, in what price bracket etc, as someone who actually understands the game.
A 5M investment (CB and young holding midfielder…. Koulibaly and Mbodj from Genk, Mongongu and Rabiu from Evian to name a couple of options from only 2 clubs…) would have almost certainly supplied the ‘belt and braces’ to ensure we got past this Kazakh side. But no… as every year, we cut the budget literally to the bone. We go in not just ‘on the cheap’ but literally with a bargain bin approach.
Our manager has repeatedly stated he needs bodies. The club knew that our 2 best players were going to leave. The management have allowed the spine of the team to leave, and not replaced them with ANYONE. (we don’t expect the new wanyama… just someone who can add value in his position). Our manager got it wrong last night – badly. However he is not being given the support/tools that he has stated he needs to get the job done.
Billy Beane – Moneyball – ‘The key thing is you gotta keep improving’…. we are clearly making no real effort to improve.
Whit Surprises Me..
Is.. The Whys. The Wherefores..or the Reasons ,given by ithers..
as tae where the Responsibilities fur Last Night’s Dismal Showing of oor team
lay.
Tae Me …And Sir Paul..
It is Patently OBVIOUS..
CELTIC WURNAE PREPARED!!!!
To Repeat,Ma Opening Line..
Whit Surprises Me..
Is that there Ur Still Some Folk oan Here..
Who Don’t Recognize the Obvious..
That Neil.. Fell Doon oan the Joab!
There, Ah hiv Said It.. right oot in the Open..
Neil..
Did Not do His Homework..
and .. Ah don’t Buy his Excuse..
That the Dug Ate It!… eethur.
Kojo
Still, laughin’
Celtic First. Theres not a lot of point of you being on CQN you would be better going for your tea. H.H.
Amazing the number of towel throwers on here in the last 24 hours ;-))
Jaysus ye all have it figured out, Over the past 20 hours I’ve learned that Lenny is inept and Forster is useless and should be punted, practically the entire team bar Commons have been slated. Yet this is the same Manager and more or less the same team that won the double last year, that beat Barcelona and Spartak Moscow and reached the last 16 of Champions League. What has changed we lost a game we should have won, we were not that bad, we defended badly for the 2 goals but they were the only 2 real opportunities Shaktar had, on the other hand we had 4 or 5 opportunities but on the night they didn’t go in.
Singwhenyou’rewinningcsc.
RWE – No worries mate.
C1st- are you dissecting wee Stephanie’s exciting revalations?
Corkcelt
Pal..
The Past is the Past.
We are Discussing the .. PRESENT.
Ye gotta keep up!
Kojo
Still, Laughin’
corkcelt. What has changed ? we sold 3 of our best payers and failed to replace them.However, there is 90 mins to go before we know which team progresses.H.H.
Hooper, commons and stoksey used to zip the ball about and seemed to be on the same wavelength, we’ve got two of those left, why was stoksey not playing with commons, he’s the only one left who gets commons, if commons plays then stoksey must play for me it’s that simple.
Who coaches our forward players?
Arguably these are the guys who make the difference. Going forward is the Celtic Way – not sideways like a crab then loft the ball into the box. That has its place but should not be the basis of almost all of our play. We have a great defender Johan Mjaalby as coach. We have a great midfielder in Neil Lennon as coach but who teaches and coaches the players who’s instinct is to go forward to look for opportunities, to shoot instinctively at a sight of goal. Who’s coaching them?
corkcelt
17:24 on
21 August, 2013
Not really the only 2 opportunities – we looked shaky any time a ball was launched into our box.
We got it very wrong tactically last night – utilising Samaras as a lone striker suggests our manager doesn’t have the confidence in Balde as yet. Samaras was totally unsuited to the role he was deployed in.
Bigger picture though – our manager got it wrong in 1 match, but he isn’t being given the support he needs from those who run the Club. He has spoken out as much as he can, saying we desperately need to get players in…. I for 1 believe him.
Joe Fillipi’s Haircut
Hiya, Pally.. How’s Things?
That bad, Huh?
Anyway..
Ah agree..
This Is only Half-Time..
It is a Amazing the Recuperative Powers that be found in..
A McDonald’s Penquin n a Cuppa Cochrane’s Black Label.. at Hauf -Time!
In the Second Hauf..
Celtic, wull Mak an Amazing Come- Back.
Score Three..lose No a Wan…
And .. Continue oor March tae The Championship Proper.
And Ah Mean THAT!
Kojo
Still, Laughin’
Kojo. I hope pal that your prediction comes true.H.H.
Lenny get on the phone to Henrik and big Chris,get them in to coach Stokes and Balde how to play as a partnership.
The Bhoys of Summer [Nicholas, McGarvey, McCluskey, Provan, McLeod, Burns and McStay] pinged goals in from all angles and they were coached by Messrs McNeill and Clark.
DBBIA/ HalcyonClaptrapCSC
I got the all clear on my shoulder bone today – it’s just an ‘abnormality’. I never heard anything as beautiful in all my life. Thanks for words of support and kindness and to those who have got through awful times and who do it everyday, you are special people.
HH
I agree of course that neither Lenny or the team did well last night and I also agree that we should have bought a ready made replacement for Hooper. However the slating of Lenny & the team has gone overboard. Look we have 90 minutes to redeem ourselves, I think we can do it. If not then its the Europa Cup and so be it. The last time I remember being gutted at losing out on a CL Qualifier, we ended up in Seville.
corkcelt,
Can’t really disagree with anything you have said. I still believe Celtic will go through, although I wouldn’t bet much on it!.
I think what we are seeing is the frustrations and fears of the last 4-6 weeks on how the team is devolving. We had a poor pre-season and the games so far have been average at best and very poor at other times.
The frustration is compounded by the fact we know there is money to spend but not much his happening.
I think after the performance and result last night it was always going to come to ahead.
If we do not win through then serious serious questions must be asked and answered as to what our objectives are as a club.
We are poorer than we were at this stage last season, when we got the notable results you mention.
Is this fair on the support?
HailHail
Hey,Kojo….
So…You Reckoned We Wouldn’t Miss Wanyama..?
How’s Dem Aipples Now..?
When it rains…you better have an umbrella.
Thought that we fielded a team for an away tie in Europe against a hungry team.
1-0 down not that bad and then the heavens opened.
Get that brolly up.
Ah goat a Bettah Idea.
Neil..go up tae Bath Street..or thereabouts… and Find a Good Medium..
No a Happy Wan..
Ah said a Good Wan.
And get in Touch wi’ Big Jock!
He wull set ye Right.. Awe Right!
And Listen tae Him.. Ya Hear?
Fur He KNOWS ,,ye Know!
Soon , we wull hiv Celtic back.. cookin’ wi’ gas.
Kojo
Still , Laughin’
Brilliant news jackie mac and what happened to Celtic last night was an abnormality as well.
jackie mac & Celtic for the Group Stages of Champions League. Hail Hail.
Jackie Mac
Great news.
HH
Barcabhoy
16:49 on
21 August, 2013
On who to blame for not getting a striker ( and other positions) .
I dont blame the board. I suspect the club would have preferred to have all of Hooper , Wanyama and Wilson available for these ties.
I also suspect all 3 players were pressured by their agents to get their transfer sealed ASAP. The agents would have used the age old scare tactic of potential injury. In these circumstances the clubs best position is to maximise the price.
When it comes to signing players, there will be targets who will only sign if we are guaranteed CL Group stages. Miku very much fell into that category last season. That didnt work out in any way.
The club therefore only have a lever of cash to overcome this. There is an excess of evidence to show how stupid it is tomfollow that route.
So the choices were to sign lesser players before the qualifiers, or to trust we could win through with what we had.
Given the evidence of the first leg, we had more than enough to win through with the players we have. As long as the players perform as they can and have previously, and as long as Neil stops his obsession with Charlie in Midfield, who missed 2 great chances as well as slowing the entire team down to a level that suited Shakter’s limited abilities.
Win through and I expect to be able to sign a couple of very good players.
———————–
Just read that and thought it worth bumping up in terms of the business scenario and the footballing judgement that what we have is good enough to qualify.
On Mulgrew I like him but probably best as a CF pairing. I was surprised we started with a brand new partnership and whilst Charlie and any of the other two would have been a new partnership Charlie has played at CB and generally acquited himself well.
We are a better team than they are, which makes losing by two all the more galling but over the piece the better footballing team generally win.
In there Jackie Mac…
My wee brother is going to be in Toronto for the Shaktar return leg. Does anyone know of a good Tim pub where he might watch the game? Thanks in advance for any help.
Watch The Motors
fullofhope csc
Jackie Mac- good news, well done.
24 hrs later – 5-0 to the Cellic at Parkheed
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. The Singing Detective.
‘
An Ah still say.
We wullnae, Miss . Victor..
But, Ah DID say..
We wid Miss.. Hoops!
Ach.. furget aboot the Players, fur a Moment..
We should be Concentrating.. oan going up the River Tae Find. oot…
Who is Throwing the Bodies Intae the River… ????
Rather, than standing oan the Bank..
and Gazing in Curiosity. At awe the Dead Boadies that Are Floating By.
Ah goat that Tale. Fae Ma Uncle Moishe..
“You Should Always go up the River, my son.. then you will Find out where it’s Source is Located.”
Well. Ah did ..
and The Source of Last Night’s Dismal Showing by us..
Is and wiz….well
Neil.. the Manager.
Kojo
Still Laughin’
DBBIA
Some rise by wrong
And some by virtue fall
And those convicting may be the guiltiest of all
Wash it all away
I’d love to bring you, on a silver tray,
some halcyon days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYVxUv_qAYc
Bruce Hornsby with Grateful Deads ‘Standing on the Moon’ into Halcyon Days.
HH
Jackie Mac
Nice one.
HH
gordybhoy64
17:24 on 21 August, 2013
Amazing the number of towel throwers on here in the last 24 hours ;-))
——————————————————————————————————–
total tosh….I have read through this entire thread and most of the last and ONLY 2 posters have said we wont turn this tie around…..
I see we are 5/6 to qualify next week so the bookies might be suggesting we’re moaning a bit prematurely.
Its obvious this blog is split into two camps, and I fall into the one that blames the PLC for lack of vision, tight fiscal policy and a point blank refusal to speculate. However last night the buck stops with the manager. I don’t need to repeat whats already been said about tactics, player choice etc. For me it goes deeper. This squad, unless Balde Van Dyke and Kolo all do a Wanyama, is the weakest since TB left..There is not one star name, no Larsson Lubo Naka or other numerous names that would walk into this team. By Celtic standards this is a squad of journeymen. No one to get you off your seat, no pace in vital areas (unless Forrest kicks on), pedestrian in midfield, no proven striker, shaky at the back. We cruise the SPL but it gives us the false illusion that we are better then we actually are.
It riles me to think that PL would almost certainly be ‘pushing the boat out’ if the huns were in the SPL. That alone tells the story and is a massive slap on the coupon to our support. The very fact that we structure our club operations policy on whether or not a corrupt organisation is our main rival, when we should be moving ahead regardless, leaving the new Govan club with too much catching up to do, instead of sending out the message that we need them. I suppose I’m as bad just talking about them though.
The bottom line for me is this. In my lifetime watching Celtic I’ve rarely if ever witnessed the club build on a position of strength. We seem to reach a glass ceiling. Perhaps beating Barca last season was not the best thing to happen after all. It gave us hope, not dreams, that we were finally going to become a name in Europe again, albeit outside the mega rich elite.
Well as it stand at this time, all hopes have been dashed as per usual. How on earth we can go backwards in such a short space of time, not to mention the heart getting ripped out of many fans by the board’s policies, is beyond me.
Many on here will see no blame to cast, but I’m not one of them.
hh
Watch the motors.
Plenty of CSC around about Toronto..
Depends on his location
i’d far rather we have sammy on left and dirk on right next week playing as inside forwards, if shaktar set up with 5 at the back, the best way to upset the defense will be for these two to cut inside and get the defenders turned, no point whipping crosses in when they’ll have 3 huge defenders surrounding either stokes/balde. have commons in the middle behind the striker.
watchthemotors
Bramalea Celtic Club
2155 Steeles Avenue East.
Brampton. Ont. L6T 5A1
you will get well looked after in here…
also tonyd will put you right once he has seen your post
hail hail cqn
where do we start with the performance away to elfsborg?
where do we start with the performance away to karagandy?
use the methods
the players were tired after long flight ?
the decision made by players and manager were wrong?
the team were getting to know each other and not fully fit?
the team had been weakened by player being transfered ?
ffs
what level of competition are we getting set up to play in ?
its sure cannot be champions league with over 2 months to prepare and imho
a squad that is far…far weaker than the season before
still lots of time for the new signing to put a shift in
by they now only have 1 game
to prove it this season in europe as far as i am concerened
and for the few that dispute this claim
karagandy are the lowest seeded team we could have met at this stage
it will not get any eaiser than this bhoys and ghirls
unless we prepare and invest we are going to be following this same route
year after year
going back to my post about basel last week
2 games with a bit of luck and we get to the champions league
well we are down 2-0 and 1 game to go ……more than luck required now
its going to take a lot of effort and determination to put this tie in our favor
the bhoys will know whats at stake
no excuses…no passengers…no feck ups
and at paradise anything is possible with the support behind the team
just wish we could put the club in a better posistion year on year
rather than use the method of LUCK
that and the feckin strain it puts on the old ticker
all in poor planning and set up from the top down
hope next week the blog goes into meltdown in a good way
the auld alarm bells are a ringing…..will the bhoys answer the call
god help us if our level is clifftonville and elfsborg
even Kojo is starting to make sense;—)))
COYBIG
CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB…………no a feckin bank balance sheet
jam67