Five at the back is an orthodox defensive shape, it’s not a headcount of defenders, which is the crux of where we went wrong last night: we chose the wrong system.
Consider the space between (debutant) Gamboa and Lustig at the first goal. No one was sure who should have been picking up Messi (reveal: it was Bitton, who didn’t track the run). There was uncertainty – presumably because we tried a new defensive system out at the Camp Nou.
Another consequence of five at the back is that your fullbacks don’t get midfield cover. Instead, Sinclair and Roberts were asked to work 40 yards out. This plan came at the cost of protecting Gamboa and Tierney.
The overwhelming tactical memory I have of our win against Barca four years ago was Neil Lennon doubling up in the fullback area.
Then we had two central defenders with Wanyama (a defensive mid, which Bitton is not) in front. Our two full backs were partnered with a wide midfield player. Diagrammatically that was four at the back, but whenever Barcelona were in possession (80% of the time), seven players were protecting the Celtic penalty area.
The abiding defensive memory from that night it the thicket of legs confronting Messi every time he got the ball. There was no space for him to pass and move into. Last night, he had more space inside the box to run into that he’ll see all season. It was simply the wrong system.
During the game I was pretty annoyed at Bitton, who I blamed for the first three goals, but he’s a deep-lying playmaker, not a defensive mid, and looked clueless in the position. Although even I know you need to track Messi’s forward runs, and my 11-yr-old knew they were about to score the third the minute we conceded a free kick 23 yards out in front of goal. Reveal: barging players 23 yards out is a mistake that gets you spoken to when playing 2004s football.
We had numbers but not a coherent defensive strategy. The lessons from The Beating of Barca in 2012 were lost. Four years ago we twice played them with these back fours:
Lustig, Wilson, Ambrose, Izaguirre
Lustig, Wilson, Ambrose, Matthews (out of position)
None of Wilson, Ambrose, Izaguirre or Matthews (at left back) would get in this Celtic team. They were all pretty standard-grade defenders, but with protection on the wings and in front, it worked.
After we lost the third concentration levels dipped, tired legs after Saturday would have been energised legs if we were still in touch. I’d also tell Scott Brown not to worry too much about giving the ball away. We’re not good enough to plan to regularly retain possession at the Camp Nou.
We’re a ‘two pass then lob it into the box or win a foul’ team at this level. Accept this and concentrate on what’s deliverable – “We are Celtic, try running through this thicket of legs”.
Scotts Brown and Sinclair played well. Moussa will beat himself up about the penalty but it was inconsequential. Gamboa and de Vries looked lost, as all Camp Nou opposition debutants (there can’t be many) and exposed keepers do.
It may have been the biggest loss in Europe but it doesn’t even come close to being our worst performance. It’s not even our worst performance in Europe of the season, so we’ll get over it quickly.
You and I both remember seven goal victories being overturned a week later. This is football. The leap required to deliver a tighter defensive system is not the magnitude it may appear.
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This CL campaign will allow us to finance the Rodgers revolution. I said before a ball was kicked we would be lucky to score a goal far less win a game.
I sincerely hoped we could avoid a pumping, it came but rest assure BR will have a learned a lot from last night.
Paul67,
An honest assessment which I agree with. In short we gave Barca too much respect.
Brendan will reflect and prepare accordingly for Man City. We will be ready to show what we can do.
The first step and the most important one is 3 points against ICT on Sunday.
There will be some bumps in the road as Brendan develop the club.
I can put last night out of my mind eventually but milan70, I still feel the pain
The improvement when Brendan and his assistants arrived was instantaneous.
Since, the performances have been improving incrementally.
Last night was the benchmark.
Now let’s continue incrementally year upon year till we can at least compete with the sugar daddy corruption.
Planning for automatic CL qualification a must after dominating our league.
Continue to bring the kids on. 2-1 yesterday versus Barcas next bunch of superstars reveals we are not as far away as it looks.
Feck the rest. Ignore the meeja, the huns and those interests not our own, eg the SFA.
Just how long has quonno being preaching that when it changed from a simple knockout competition CL became a non event.
About to watch City and Borussia. If we are going to finish 2nd who do we want to win?
Excathedra
Quite right ! Can’t stand, watch and admire like we did last night. Many more physical challenges required, especially on the distasteful Neymar, and close man marking. Criivvens and helpmaboab, it could easily have been double figures. Hope Brendan learns, as I think he will. Most posters have been sensible in acknowledging the chasm between SPL and the giants of Europe. Well done TwisnTurns for your nap at Beverley. 200 % interest, keeps me out the grubbed for a while !
Given that they were out of their depth, I wonder how many of our players are asking themselves just how hard do their Barcelona counterparts work to be so good.
Grubbed = grabber !
THEMAESTRO72 on 14TH SEPTEMBER 2016 7:27 PM
About to watch City and Borussia. If we are going to finish 2nd who do we want to win?
Probably the Divine Plumber by raining off all their remaining games.
Grabber = GRUBBER ! Fekkin predictive text !
52K season books in a footballing backwater. Astonishing.
Of course, you’ll never hear that in the corporate controlled MSM. It doesn’t serve their interests.
The coverage of yesterday’s game on Fox Sports 1 was a joke. Merely a show to further Barcas interests worldwide. The English pundits were by far the most anti-Celtic. Wonder why?
Go on Brendan. You just know he’ll be working day and night to get it up them.
Last night was predictable from our body language in the first minute.
As in Israel we reverted to being a reactionary team.
Against a top quality side that is suicidal.
Before the game i stated to some fans of other clubs that i had concerns about our right side defensive weakness and central mid area.
That was not meant as a dig about Gamboa as i have never seen him play but about an area where we struggled in European away games.As for the central mid area i cringe anytime i see Bitton on the team sheet .He remained consistent though by being wrongside of opponent most of the time and giving away his customary fouls in a dangerous area.Though DeVries was also culpable from resulting free kick.
Lustig was poor as he tends to get caught ball watching and it happened often last night against a team with excellent movement.
Young KT struggled against the constant movement of Barca coming inside but never gave up and will improve from the experience.
Brown showed he can compete against the best but one man is not enough.
Sinclair also showed he can also compete.
Paddy was to isolated and with no support tends to eventually be crowded out.
Dembele has my backing he worked hard and won the penalty but the goalies gamesmanship and stalling unnerved him.
Overall a sobering experience and complete reality check after going overboard about beating a crap hun team.
Brendan should learn a lot from our last two European away games.
And never pick the Brown and Bitton pairing again.
Saor Uladh various
Current conversation is boring. Haven’t heard from you, son, since the Palestine fund chase passed £167k.
Are you still lurking, champ? Cleared your taxi account yet?
Sin City Bhoy
I enjoyed the kids game somebody posted they played with a lot of heart and no little skill which I thought was a fair comment of the performance.
Some obvious bad calls made last night, concerning.
SCOTT BROWN
is a player
Another thing which would help us in Europe
Stop conceding a goal inside the first 5 mins, and try to settle into a game
How often does this happen ? And more importantly why ?
Question, where was Ryan Christie and Liam Henderson yesterday ?
Neither played in youth game – both eligible
And not on bench
Where they in the squad ????
Hail Hail
City could be 3 or 4 up in first 20 mins. As it is it remains 1-0. German side open at the back and only threat via a decent delivery from a corner gifted to them by Man City.
Hope City get a good win so we are on a par with BMG in fight for Europa spot.
COWIEBHOY
1Gordon 3Izaguirre 14Armstrong 18Rogic 34O’Connell 42McGregor 49Forrest
Don’t know who you would have dropped from the bench to accommodate Henderson or Christie, neither of whom have had much first team opportunities???
AB79 @ 6.57
What you talk about was the planned rebuild.
What we need now is a recovery plan to reclaim our self esteem.
We cannot let it go.
We need to respond as best we can.
COWIEBHOY
The youth game was U19s, neither Henderson nor Christie eligible
Watching Citey vs M’Gladbach.
Germans no very gid so far.
Opportunity there at Paradise.
“After replacing Michel Platini as President of UEFA Aleksander Ceferin is ready to challenge proposals to give 16 group places in the Champions League to clubs from the four highest.
Last month plans to reshape the premier UEFA tournament were announced with full details being completed in December.
For Celtic the Champions route will remain but will contain an extra qualifying round and involve clubs from stronger nations being put into that portion of the competition.
On the upside, clubs will have their own individual co-efficient in the seeding process meaning that Celtic aren’t held back by Scotland’s national rating.
The move to give four group places to each of the four strongest nations is expected to be accompanied by a £100m payout to each club as the gap between the rich and the rest grows bigger with each passing season.
Last week the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) voiced their opposition to the new proposals with Ceferin poised to tackle the issue head-on.
“Whether I want it or not, I will have to deal with that and that will be the first thing to deal with,” the Slovenian lawyer explained about the proposed Champions League changes.
“UEFA is a very good and very strong organisation, it was without leadership for some time and I think that in a way was a problem in dealing with those things.
“We should show we are the ones who are the governing body with our 55 national associations, and at the same time we have to have dialogue with the clubs and I think the situation can be solved.”
Ceferin has also been quoted as wanting to revisit Financial Fair Play rules which UEFA have largely ignored in recent times with clubs from the major leagues spending significantly more than they are earning season on season.”
Hmmmmm
Goals Show on BT is good…
WC,
Stopped watching it, we and BMG look like fodder in this group. As you say hope they pile it on for our EL hopes
How many times will M’Glabach have played in a stadium that gies you a headache?
Source: wee Windass.
:-)
Fan … @ 7.40
ML gets the “fear” all too often now.
He started to shake during the first 10 minutes of the second half on Saturday.
Then when the third goal goes in he comes alive.
Go figure — because I am a bit lost.
Don’t understand why or how but when the pressure comes his composure goes.
He looked terrified every time he got the ball in the second half last night.
Desperately needs work to last the season then he needs to move on.
Only thing I can think of is that his injury history has taken away his confidence
!!Bada Bing!! on 14th September 2016 8:17 pm
Goals Show on BT is good…
——————————————–
Agreed, we were unable to watch the game live last night, the stream was sooooooo slow.
However we had the channel for the BT goals show.
Very impressive ( apart from the obvious. )
HH.
If you are lucky you’ll get to listen to football analysis from the gardener on BT goals show
BADA BING
Cracking show, as is their European Football Show on a Sunday. Good intelligent pundits, something greatly lacking on Sky
I see the the level5er is on about “self-esteem” .
Seems like troll-like self obsession could be a core source of all low self esteem.
TonyRobbinsCSC
:-)
TONTINE TIM on 14TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:43 PM
Great post; no’ quite as old as you but Milan 70; Milan at Celtic Park; Thistle in 70 at Hampden; and Motherwell 05 were all far sorer than last night.
FAC the Act
Spurs have taken an absolute doing in the first half yet score out of nothing on the verge of the half time whistle to make it 1-2. That’s football.
Good Evening.
New blog. All about Willy Wonka and Sevco….
“Billy Wonka And The Mockolate Factory”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/billy-wonka-and-the-mockolate-factory/
Madmitch
I wonder about Lustig as well.
He used to be really good but it seemed that in tight important games he couldn’t last 90 minutes.
He seemed to be ok in ordinary SQL matches though.
I wasn’t surprised at all that he had to come off against Ireland in the Euros even though they’re not near the standard of Barca.
Milan 70 remains my all time nightmare result. Most of my mates say 2005 but not for me as we’d done that to the huns in 69 and 79. The first time I felt physically sick with a devastating result was Anfield 66. Racing Club was next. Last night was embarrassing but inevitable, and after hammering Sevco it at least kept their gloating at a minimum.
JC2
Jackie Bird is a Tim. She still sends my auntie in Hamilton who babysat her, a Christmas card.
Half time in Manchester and City 2-0 up, Aguero getting both, the second from the spot.
Several other good chances for the home side. Germans clever at corners but nothing else. They changed formation to limit the damage, bringing on an extra defender.
Aguero hobbling off so could be substituted.
BMG are there to compete with, no question.
When you look at our euro away record over the last 20 years it is beyond appalling. Truly horrific. As a club we have a deep rooted psychological problem, we seem to implode almost every single time.
BMG will be no pushovers from what I’ve just seen…
German and organised..
Big Yann is a very good goalkeeper..