Celtic came away from Lithuania with a 1-1 draw last night, which should be good enough to help secure a place in the Europa League group stages, and therefore European football until Christmas .
An early Olivier Ntcham goal after some good work on the flank by surprise inclusion Mikey Johnston appeared to set the tone for a fairly comfortable evening, but it didn’t quite work out that way as the Lithuanians pulled one back when the Celtic defence joined the rest of us behind the sofa at a set piece.
That left an awful lot of room for the simplest of goals, with even Craig Gordon seeming to misjudge the ball in flight.
That defence…and that midfield….
Watching the players off the ball they look tired. Maybe not so much physically but certainly mentally.
The uncertainty and negativity of the last few weeks has apparently taken its toll, and combined with the shortest of summer breaks, there is a kind of lethargy that has replaced a strategy, and its not doing anyone any good.
The squad have been under intense pressure to perform very quickly, hence the squad rotation, and we need to remember that, and perhaps our criticism and demands for change have not helped.
Anyway, one more hurdle and at least we’ve European football throughout the rest of the year.
Though one might argue they’ve already played one campaign…eight games used to get you to the final…
The intense training programme hasn’t helped, it looked at first as though it had, but there are far too many players unavailable due to injury, and looking at last night, there’s one or two playing in a way that suggests they are carrying knocks.
Ordinarily, a score draw away from home in Europe, especially in a play off tie, would be seen as a triumph, and its certainly a good result, but the fear won’t go away.
This side is never far from a disaster, as the AEK Athens debacle showed, and its all of our own making.
Tellingly, the manager said a little more than he usually does about poor performances after the game..
‘We gave away a soft goal. That is a real, real concern now.
‘We are not giving away many chances but we don’t defend the set-piece well enough.
‘It’s an away European goal, we go back next week to finish the job, but as I’ve said before I look to the performance level and we weren’t quite where we would want to be.
‘We seem to lack concentration. That is a problem for us.
‘And a pride, really, in terms of defending. That is pretty clear. In games like this one, especially away from home, we have got to really demonstrate that hunger not to concede. And it was too easy for them.
‘It was a terrific ball in, don’t get me wrong, but we have to defend it much better than that. It game them some oxygen in the game when our start and early goal shouldn’t have’.
‘There are numerous answers to this. Whilst you work with what is here, you have to try and improve it, make it better.
‘For me, it’s a level of concentration, a pride in your defending and an aggression in your defending.
‘These are really important factors.
‘I felt for the supporters tonight. They have come all the way out there, maybe 200 of them, on trains, buses, the whole thing. It’s a disappointing performance from them. Okay, they have seen a goal but we have to be much better.‘
Summing up ?
‘I thought we made really hard work of it, to be honest.
We did indeed.
Really hard work.
If we look at the defence, we’ll note that it doesn’t seem to matter who is actually playing, the mistakes happen no matter who is there, which suggests its not down to individuals.
They are getting little or no protection from the midfield, and look uncomfortable playing a flat back four when the two full backs are often absent.
The obvious answer is to switch to a back three, with two wing backs.
The extra man should make the centre backs feel a little bit more comfortable, and prevent that chasm opening between them when faced with a central runner.
Then there’s the basic stuff. One full back-or wing back-forward, one staying back. At all times.
Rodgers did allude to players going “off plan ” last night, and that is simply another sign of fatigue. Mental fatigue, tired minds make tired decisions…
Effectively, he said that they weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing, and instead were doing their own thing.
Well, thats down to him to sort out.
Come to think of it, thats pretty much the solution.
Everybody just needs to do their own job, and let everyone else get on with theirs..
The board must back the manager when he needs them to, usually with funds for players.
The manager must identify the right players-checking their medical history might be a start-and convince them to come to Celtic.
The coaches must coach, the players must play and the supporters must support.
There’s three consecutive home games coming up, and I dread to think what will happen if the crowd turn on the players….
However, a show of support-not an anti board protest -would have the opposite effect, and right now some of our players need a hug.
Management is about getting the best out of your staff using whatever is needed to be used, and right now, kicking this team when its already in pain is not going to help.
Left to me, there’d be a team bonding session, golf, a theme park, maybe even go karting.
Oh, no, not go karting.
Someone would get injured.
Maybe a game of dominoes then.
Something to get the adrenaline flowing, and something to remind them they are all on the same team.
Of course, despite the 1-1 draw away, the media can’t allow that to give us any encouragement.
The following headline, from the Guardian, is typical of the way last nights Europa League games are being viewed..
Celtic grab early lead but are held at Suduva while Rangers edge past Ufa
They haven’t gone past anyone. They have a slender lead to take to Russia.
Celtic may have been “held “, but surely it would be more accurate to say Suduva were, as they would have expected a better result..it was an away draw, and those are usually good results…no matter the opposition.
Maybe part of the fatigue in the players is down to feeling they’ve underachieved, and maybe to an extent they have, but no matter what the manager tells them, when they come away and see this kind of agenda..subtle as it is..the doubts will creep in.
Hows it all going to end up ?
Well, I’d say that one day, maybe around late spring next year, we’re going to look back at this early stage of the season and laugh.
Its going to be alright, everyone just needs to chill out and do what they are supposed to do.
And I’m sure they will.
By the way, that does not make me a board apologist, nor a bitter critic of Rodgers.
It doesn’t mean that i’m ignoring the obvious problems, its just that I’m looking at it rationally, and offering a rational solution.
I’m simply calling it as I see it.
Hey, here’s something else that I’ve noticed, and its quite puzzling.
Sorry to talk about them, but this is significant.
Really significant.
Rangers appoint Hong Kong-based shareholder Julian Wolhardt as director
Who ?
Julian Juul Wolhardt is Chief Executive Officer of DCP Advisors Ltd. Mr. Wolhardt is also Partner at KKR Asia Ltd. and on the board of 6 other companies.
Mr. Wolhardt received an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois.
And why ?
I have a long held love for Scotland and football and I am keen to see Rangers FC unlock its considerable commercial potential.”
This is no ordinary businessman. He is on the board of several large companies.. and has connections with several others..
COFCO Meat Investment Co., Ltd.
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COFCO Corp.
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COFCO (Hong Kong) Ltd.
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Achieve Bloom Ltd.
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Dairy Association of China
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COFCO Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd.
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COFCO Coca-Cola Beverages (China) Investment Ltd.
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Inner Mongolia Shengmu High-tech Farming Co., Ltd.
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AAG Energy China Ltd.
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Asian American Gas, Inc.
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Helingeer Modern Farming Co. Ltd.
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HOPU Investments Management Co. Ltd.
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Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy (Group) Co., Ltd.
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This is no Craig Whyte, and one wonders why he is involving himself with the basket case over the river.
They are about to try to hold a share issue, despite the Takeover Panel threat of a cold shoulder for Dave king, which would mean that anyone connected to King would not be able to continue to do business in the financial sector.
The share issue, combined with a number of soft loans, and one especially hard one, are an indication of the financial situation shape the Ibrox club are in, despite what you may read in the papers.
The Takeover Panel will get their man, there is, and always has been a kind of lumbering way in which they operate, as with most regulatory bodies.
If King does not comply with their ruling, then he will be cold shouldered.
Is Wolhardt there to keep King in check ?
To a guy like him, with a 4.5% share in the Ibrox entity, a cold shoulder decision would be a disaster.
Have a look at his profile, from Bloomberg.. this guy doesn’t need them, nor , however, does he need a cold shoulder
I’m no expert on world finance, especially the world these guys operate in, but this guy is the real deal, and not the sort of person I’d expect to see involved in Scottish football, as there is no money to be made there.
Well, on the surface, at least.
There’s your food for thought today.
Why has a big name in the corporate world not been lauded for his decision to get involved in Scottish football the way he should have been ?
It’s a real coup for “rangers ” to have him involved.
Genuinely.
I’m just wondering why the media haven’t made more of it…
Back to the good guys, and a bit of transfer gossip..in dutch..
Naast Samir Memisevic schijnt Celtic ook interesse te hebben in onze andere centrale verdediger Mike te Wierik dat meld:MondoBH
Celtic to bid for two Groningen defenders ?
Are they injured ?
No, apparently they are quite the pair..
Samir Memisevic we also call ‘The Bosnian Messi’ over here in Groningen, he is very good with the ball and always keeps calm when he needs to. Mike Te Wierik is a. Beast. Last year he scored in the 95th minute against the big PSV to make it 3-3. He is also good in slidings.
I see our clubs marketing department have a sense of humour…
Shop the Celtic way… Am heading in the superstore the now to offer £20 for the £80 tracky and see how a get on
Or, there’s another way of looking at it..
Just received an email from Celtic titled “Shop the Celtic way” so plan to ignore buying things I need, then fuck up transactions on those I dont!
Anyway, it’s Friday, and we all know what that means… its time to name and shame the Etims
Knob of the Week
And you know what, he’s going to keep winning it until he takes the hint.
This hint..
Dedryck Boyata has let himself down, his team mates down and the support down.
By hanging around he’s just prolonging the agony for himself and for us.
He could have been a hero, as fondly remembered as Johann Mjallby , to name but one of many , many guys with no previous love for Celtic who never shirked their duties. Guys who put their bodies on the line with every tackle..every header and their hearts into every minute of their time in the hoops.
But no.
He’s at home with a bad back and a bad attitude.
Just do us all a favour and go.
And take this with you..
Knob of the Week
Yesterday we had this picture..
Caption
Tonight’s centre back pairing told to keep close and no gaps …
Today..