Out of the Champions League qualifiers at the hands of a team with a smaller budget than ours, for the second season in succession. Where did it all go wrong? Two shortcomings stand out: team planning and tactical strategy.
I’ll take the latter first. We had 60% possession last night, a remarkable figure for an away European game which was lost. We dominated possession, didn’t score a goal and conceded twice (for the fourth time in five games).
Let me take you back a few years to a Dominik Diamond TV interview with Martin O’Neill, then Leicester City manager, in 1999. O’Neill laid plain his tactical philosophy, “My teams have big guys who know how to defend, they have players who can throw dangerous balls into the box, and players who can get on the end of those balls and put them in the net”.
A year later, when Martin came to Celtic, it was like going to school as we watched the observance of these very rudimentary rules transform our club. His defenders could defend, he had wide players who could throw dangerous balls into the box, and strikers who knew where the goal was. Martin’s teams never dominated possession against a European peer, never mind a team who beat them so comfortably.
It doesn’t need to be explained that there was no team in the world who could score three times from corner kicks against the Celtic team of a decade or so back. Today, team planning has insufficiently focussed on a few fundamentals of the game: know how to defend, know how to translate possession into chances, and have a handful of players in the team who know where the goal is. This is the fittest, fastest, Celtic team I have ever seen, but we looked like busy fools last night.
Ronny Deila’s post-match comments about the team being scared was an instant reaction to the defeat, but it’s worth digging into what prompted this perception. There were actually many occasions when Celtic players showed for a pass, the Uefa possession and completed pass stats conform this, but what we never did was boss the middle of the park.
In yesterday’s blog I asked Celtic to own the park as I have had a worry about this aspect for a while. This is different from covering a lot of ground (we do that), or being able to make a pass (we do that too). We have Scott Brown (runner) and Nir Bitton (passer) in central midfield. I like both but we need extra bite in this area. Celtic’s most effective period over the last decade was when we had Wanyama and Brown central-mid. The role Wanyama fulfilled has been sacrificed for the player in the hole behind the lone striker.
Players of Wanyama’s calibre are not common, and we shouldn’t go 4-3-3 if all we have is a Kayal to fill the additional central midfield space, but Brown and Bitton are not enough in central midfield in Europe. It’s also clear that selection for the four advanced positions (the 3-1) has been so fluid since the start of the season we’re clearly not cohesive in that area of the field either.
For me, if it’s Brown and Bitton, and I think it should be, we need another Brown-Wanyama influencer. Think back to our last Champions League group to consider the prospect of playing a European game without Scott Brown. At the very least we need cover for him, but in Europe we need two in his position. Go 4-3-3.
So much for tactical strategy, what about team planning? For the third August since parting company with Gary Hooper we are hawking around for a striker. Gary’s not a panacea, so I’ll ignore him as a prospect for now, but while Leigh Griffiths has performed beyond the call of duty, we are, again, out of the Champions League without having any idea who our primary striker will be this season.
We are in a loop of mistakes, and frankly, the most likely next action is that we respond by recruiting an identikit of the many strikers who have passed through Parkhead gates in recent years. We know enough about this problem to be aware that it’s our primary challenge, yet we have been unable to overcome it.
In my State of the Club blog at the start of the season I cautioned that we’d swapped Gordon Strachan’s soft spot for recruiting from Hibs, for a desire to see stars at Dundee United. Ciftci, Mackay-Stevens and Armstrong have been our primary recruits for advanced positions in 2015. Only one won a place in the starting line-up last night, leaving us relying on players who struggled to get in the team a year (or longer) ago.
Ronny Deila may well be able to polish Dundee United players into top performers at Celtic, but we didn’t recruit the finished article. We should have known this, and should have been aware that our August cup finals would have made calls on bit-part players from recent seasons.
We will find the occasional Champions League player in Scotland, but you can’t raid a mid-table SPFL team and expect to leap to the very top table in the game. This team planning strategy always looked vulnerable and it’s proven to be.
On the money side, you know my views. Over any business period you pay what comes in, no more and no less. We’re losing to team who spend less than us, not more, and on this occasion a team who picked up a player we discarded.
On just as important matters………
The golfers among you have three days to buy a raffle ticket – for £1 only – to win a round of golf at the fantastic Aberdour Golf Course for four people! Check it out here on ebay. Money raised (by Taggsybhoy) will go to the Foundation. This important work, always needs to be done, win, lose or draw.
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The Exiled Tim,
Thank you for the update and appreciate the need not to be specific. I just wondered if it happened before the game and if so whether it might have accounted for the lack of performance.
Sadly not, then. And not good to hear about a rift in the dressing room. This may be Common knowledge to some on here however it’s news to me, so thanks again for what you can say.
M6BHOY on 27TH AUGUST 2015 8:33 AM
Are they worth bothering about ? ……… make no mistake, if it was any other team, our meeja would be screaming about our disallowed goal (at a crucial stage) and their ‘hand of God’ goal ….. But hey ho, this is Celtic……damned if we do, damned if we don’t …….. And nothing we do as a Club will change that anti all things Celtic agenda……..HH
As someone who in general supports the board policy but considers it slightly too risk averse I started considering the idea of a PL replacement. That’s when it occurred to me that the risk averse policy that is clearly coming from DD is also being applied here.
For the sake of the argument let’s say that PL’s performance is measured solely on total income generated and is could be subject to a 5% swing.
I think the fear hear is that by replacing PL with somebody at half the cost and saving £500k we might see a downturn of 5% and lose circa £3M-4M in revenue. Net loss £2.5-3.5M which would come straight out the team budget. Of course it could work out the other way and we’d make a saving of £0.5M (if performance is the same) or perhaps even gain £3.5-4.5M if the incomer improves performance.
It’s exactly the same as our player signing policy. We stick with the least risky option and hope that it works out.
Tonights matches in the Europa have some interesting possibilities –
Some big names could go out.
The matches involving
Athletic Bilbao (lost 3-2 to Zilina after being 2-0 up) – Pot 1 side
Steaua Bucharest (3-0 down from the home leg) – Pot 2 side
Ajax (only 1-0 up to Jablonec) – Pot 1 side
Young Boys (1-0 down from the home leg to some team called Qarabag) Pot 3
Standard Liege (Lost 2-0 away to Molde) Pot 3
Bordeaux (1-0 up but away to Almaty in Kazakhstan) Pot 3
Red Bull Salzburg ( lost 2-0 away to Dinamo Minsk) Pot 2
Panathinaikos (0-0 to some Azerbaijan mob) Pot 3
Southampton (1-1 at home to Midtjylland) Pot 4 but likely to move to Pot 3
Sparta Praha (won 3-1 at home to FC Thun) Pot 3
There could be some movers and shakers in that lot.
The Bert Kassies breakdown could look very different.
The Celtic goal was disallowed the other night I am told and a foul given for Griffiths fouling the goal keeper to stop him getting to the ball.Now I havnt watched it again so I dont know if that is correct or not.H.H.
TBB
Are you around ( ie looking at CQN) ?
JJ
With the Warburton hype and the ‘demise’ of Ronny’s celtic, we’ll witness this weird phenomenon of everybody having collective amnesia/ blind eye to the dreadful state of their organization. Wait til you see it – Warburton will make them play ok. They will think they are back to being the best, their club will go into an even sorrier mess than its In now. Why mention this this week- because they’ll try their darnedest to distract us from improving.
Morning from a very sunny Barca. Not sure if this place has started the denial and acceptance phase yet?
On we go…A treble is required and the return of the Orcs plus the sale of Bitton next Summer should allow a decent balance sheet to be trumpeted on here.
When our ticket prices and catering prices reflect the quality of coaches and players we may be a happier bunch.
All the best any of us who have genuine worries, football is a sideshow.
HH
JFH
Judge for yourself
http://youtu.be/3dJP3Qwl4Eo
Non English commentary
HH
LP
Hopeless at horses 8(
TSOAL
“I hope we are using a air ambulance when transporting DB back to the Netherlands”
If we are, I’ll fly him there myself.
setting free the bears,
It really depends on the manner in which you spend the money allocated. We have signed the following in the past five years, full-time or on loan. Bangura, Pukki, Lassad, Miku, Broziek, Boeriggter, Scepovic, Guidetti, Berget, Tonev, Ciftci, Zaluska, Gershon, Balde and Wakaso. There’s a team and almost a bench worth of absolute dross. Who scouts these guys? If you run a business and you were to continue bringing in contracts that either lost you money or failed altogether, your position would very soon be under pressure. The problem at Celtic is that no-one is held accountable for any of this failure. We are an entertainment organisation, we have a solid core of diehards that will watch anything that plays in green and white but that has to be supplemented by almost equal numbers who want to be entertained. Only when we get those other 25-30,000 people back, can we start to move in the right direction again with a degree of consistency.
The structure that is in place at present is not working. We have stumbled by dross teams in the SPL these past few weeks, the worst Kilmarnock team in maybe 25-50 years, the worst Dundee Utd team that I can ever remember watching. We need radical change at the top, proper scouting possibly on a wider geographical area but something has to change and soon.
The club is rudderless at present, I am one of many thousands of shareholders, the only communication I ever receive is prior to the stage managed AGM’s, that will also not suffice. If the folks at the top do not change things voluntarily, then the Celtic support will make the necessary changes, it may just take a bit longer until people realise that this current model is broken.
Hail Hail
ITALIABHOY at 9.23
Great post,in total agreement wish we all had let the dust settle before posting.
HH
UTLR
Goooooooooooooooood morning all.
Saturday cant come quick enough for me,
\ o / cyber hugs to all those in need of one.
I am not sure of the reason why ( and it may just be increased awareness plus Internet access) but I now see and hear many more Celtic supporters who are akin to Rangers/Sevco (past and present) supporters.
Som areas where this is most obvious include:
The belief in a divine right to win;
Blame everyone rather than praise the opposition;
The desire to spend, spend, spend ( Maureen somebody? Fowler? );
Black and white views: If we lose, we were rubbish; if we win, the opposition were rubbish.
It will probably take a couple of decent Europa League performances for me to return to normal emotionally after Malmo but I am still looking forward to my Celtic Park visit on Saturday.
JJ
I always find it strange to read a defence of the profligacy of the board that people advocate spending £5m on individual players, this rarely ever gets mentioned but gets trotted out as if its every second poster than suggests such a thing.
Strikers cost more money for every team on the planet than players for every other position in the team, with notable exceptions and in relative terms.
The money spent on financing the debt, CEO remunerations and bonuses and dividends could clearly be put to better use in building a decent first team. Having a decent first team would perhaps entice more supporters back, increasing match day income, maybe increase merchandising and maybe attract more sponsors, the current policy of hoping we get lucky and qualify for the UCL is actually a pretty pathetic one.
Given that they are all astute business men apparently, their strategy of leaving it all to luck seems destined to fail, unless they see us all as mugs, who will turn up wind rain or shine, those of us who do still go regularly will eventually lose heart or figure that their disposable income could be better spent elsewhere.
Tbh i actually enjoyed a lot of the games after christmas last year, we create plenty of chances (though not for strikers) but dont have the necessary quality to destroy teams as we should. There was also a few guff games but in general i thought we performed well since the turn of the year.
JJ
Popping in and out as work permits/dictates
Viv Nicholson!! Maureen Fowler was a darts player, I think!!
TBB
What I wanted was to know if any other football teams went the same way as Rangers and are also treated as the same club.
Thanks.
JJ
PS If too busy but have information, Paul67 will give you my email and you can send it if you would.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 27TH AUGUST 2015 9:47 AM
Cheers for the reply your a gentleman. I’m hopeless at gambling in general that’s why I was looking for any tips. Nice we day out with wife.
Where is SydneyTim, we really do need a top class striker to work with Griff. No point in having 60% possession and no win. I agree that this is one area we should spend big and take a punt.
With Wits and PFayr
Let’s get something sorted for TCR.
KTF and HH
Here taurangabhoy :)
Celtic have had a wages cap and a policy of only buying players that could be sold on
Big handicap
Means a 30 year old who can score goals is except
The striker policy has wasted how much in last 5 years ? Only Griffiths has turned out to be a success
Make your mind up. Buy players who will improve the team or continue on this wasted policy
JJ
It’s a pretty complex and emotional topic. Football likes continuity, but enforces its rules.
In terms of rules, they all ended when their FA membership was discontinued.
In terms of continuity, it comes down to a matter of belief. What do you chose to believe?
I know of no case where the national football association (as opposed to a league) has insisted that the new club is a continuation of the old. There are though plenty of cases where fan attachment to the old club has transferred to the new, whether the right to name the new club after the old was acquired.
All depends on whether you’re an Empirical sort of chap, or an emotional one. There’s space for both points of view to co-exist, and indeed, for both points of view to be held simultaneously.
Basically, a club is defined by its FA membership on the one hand, and by the belief and experience of its supporters on the other.
JUNGLEJIM HS
Just sent TBB your details-I hope.
TBB
Thanks. In different words, I said more or less to the friend who brought the topic up. ie legally a new club; emotionally the same club.
Thanks very much for the detailed reply.
JJ
BMCUW
You didn`t, did you? As if I haven`t enough on my plate with Nigerian Princes.
JJ
You don’t have to spend massive money to buy a striker who scores goals,2/3 years ago I suggested a player we should sign,you can look back if you wish.Callum Wilson is his name,I wonder what happen to him?
Still upset, but instead of working out whats gone wrong and why, I am concentrating on buying a new laptop this week. Can anyone suggest anything good? Or let me know what not to get!
Budget is about £300, and not looking for anything that needs to do loads. I want to surf the net, (lurk on CQN), and play poker mostly. I don’t download movies or music, might need space for pics. But overall, I don’t think I need a top of the range machine.
So any specif models to go for, or to avoid, or even just companies that are good/bad. Looking at a couple of HP’s just now. I kind of fancy a slightly smaller 13″, but I am quite used to the 15.6″. Anyone gone for a smaller ligher model, and think they made the right/wrong move?
Saturday’s team selection should be interesting.
In reality, we are merely a Europa League level side.
Our big name and historical reputation means nothing once the whistle blows.
I posted yesterday re the similar feelings I had watching the Malmo game to the Milan final in ’70.
There was something wrong in the camp then and it showed on the field. There was also something wrong on Tuesday and it, too, showed.
The Lions carry to much respect and affection for any in depth scrutiny, but I never believed that Jock underestimated Feyenoord.
I’d be dropping players that come out disagreeing with the manager. For one, that’s not what you do in public, more importantly he was right. They did play with fear. If they don’t understand that they don’t have the footballing intelligence to play for the club.
Saying someone played with fear doesn’t mean they were quaking in their boots at the occasion or atmosphere; it means they were not being brave enough to show for a pass, hold the ball, help out their team-mates. The full game wreaked of players hiding behind their markers and not moving into space.
That is the definition of playing with fear.
Sneddoni on 27th August 2015 10:55 am
Chromebook. Have a look at this list
Joe Fillipi…,
I’m sure I saw the ref, as he left the scene after giving his decision, tap his raised left arm, signalling a hand ball.
I assumed that Bitton was the offender, but replays clearly showed it was the home player.
Jim McGuinness will rout out the trouble makers from the team players,only hope Ronny takes his advice.We all know how a few bad apples spoil the rest.Ronny get tough get them out.
I see Stephen House has quit Police Scotland. Good.
Has Mulgrew appeared in any newspapers yet,not like him to be quiet ?hmmm
Just popped on to see how TCR is doing now.
Has there been any news of how he is now?
De Bryune £50m+ and £300k per week for Man City.
The game is being ruined. It’s not about football. It’s about money. Barely read an article on any website or media outlet about football that is not money orientated.
The game should be about fans and players.
It’s about neither it’s about money and it is breaking my heart. If Celtic were paying £50m+ for a player and £300k a week I would be disgusted.
LB