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Celtic Diary Thursday July 31: Pick Ourselves up And Come Out Swinging.

Well, at least we got the away goal.

 

 

cheers

It was the bit after that that caused the problems as Celtic conceded four goals, two penalties , a red card and any credibility they had earned on the European stage with a naive and shambolic performance in Poland last night.

You all know what happened. You’ll all be feeling a little shellshocked just now, and one or two of you may even be looking for a new telly, a new laptop, or perhaps even trying to stick your season card back together.

But, it is only half time, and Legia are probably just as shocked as we are at the final result.

Instead of picking the bones of last nights episode, and blaming whoever for whatever, lets look a little deeper, and ask a question that seems to have escaped everyone else.

Why didn’t John Collins, or Scott Brown, assistant and captain respectively, point out to Deila that two in midfield does not work at this level, especially away from home ?

Its been tried before, it didn’t work, so when Deila discussed his plan with Collins, surely Collins would have had his reservations and mentioned them ?

Or the senior players such as Mulgrew and  Commons, why didn’t they say something ?

Deep down, I couldn’t see any way that Celtic would lose that game last night, and in the event, Legia didn’t show us anything that we shouldn’t have been able to handle. The only way we would lose is if we chucked it away.

The manager was equally shocked;

“I’m unbelievably disappointed. We started quite well, scoring the first goal. Then we gave up under pressure and conceded an easy goal.

“From there we lost our heads and started to lose the ball in the centre of the pitch so many times. We didn’t stay together at the back too. 

“The second half started OK but we were not together as a team. Some were pressing high, some were pressing low instead of them being together.

“So it was a very poor performance and worst of all is the commitment and the energy. That’s what concerns me most.

“We have to learn from this very quickly. We have an away goal and still have a chance at Murrayfield with the fans behind us as I know they will be.” 

Well, thats a given, at least. But the honeymoon period just shortened.

So , lets return to the questions above.

Did Deila consult the senior players and his assistant before the game, and tell them how he going to set the team up ?

Thats without the ridiculous decision to play the new winger. Its not his fault, but he was clearly out of shape and overawed by the hostile atmosphere, and should not have started.

If consultation took place, its reasonable to assume the players voiced their reservations about playing with four forwards away from home in a European game-Deila says we kept giving the ball away in midfield, but we only had two ball winners on the park- and that means that he either tried to convince them it could work, and so they gave it a go.

When it started to go wrong, confidence dropped, and a mauling was on the cards.

The other side of the coin is , what if no concerns were raised ? Does this mean that Deila won’t listen, so theres no point ?

Or does it mean that certain players have already decided they don’t want to be here any more ?

On last nights evidence, it seems one or two have already chucked it.

So, next week at Murrayfield Celtic must score three without reply minimum to advance. Its not over yet, and playing the strongest eleven -whoever that might be-in familiar, effective positions might just do it.

We can deal with everything else later.

The Poles won’t know what hit them at Murrayfield, but we need a return to the diamond with Commons at the head, arriving to finish off moves, with, Griffiths and Stokes up front. They at least will battle.Ambrose won’t play, so Lustig will have to shuffle to centre half, with Adam Matthews going right back. With Emilio Izaguerre restored on the left, Johansen, Mulgrew and Biton can take the other three midfield slots. I know, I’ve left out Calum MacGregor, but this is a game for old heads.

Until the players fully understand, and are capable of executing the style of play that Deila demands, then stick to what we know.

Of course, all theseproblems, and last nights result,  could stem from the downsizing, and a million other reasons to blame Lawwell and the rest of the board. But lets leave that for another day. Even Neil Lennon, who says he saw it coming….all thats for another day.

Right now, theres a team that needs supporting.

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9 years ago

Exactly…..its half time….i’ve never given up on Celtic half way through a match……..its not likely, but possible we can go through.

john mccormick
9 years ago

Good article, raising the obvious points. That aside, we were lucky to get away with 4-1. To my fellow TIms in Bradleys, London last night…I apologise for the drunken p*sh I was spouting last night, really just the usual p*sh with drink attached. However let’s get on with life and never be ashamed to be a Tim. HAIL! HAil!

kris
9 years ago

It was a bad night but that ref and his assistant s had a stinker too. But we can’t go out to a shambles like that.

9 years ago
Reply to  kris

The match was decided with the failure to award Commons a penalty and send off the Polish defender. The ref showed no such reticence later in the match …

Andy Gallagher
9 years ago
Reply to  kingsnake

Absolute pish.

George lazenby
9 years ago

Well said HH

Rab Wallace
9 years ago

Norwegians make great ice cream not football managers.
4-1 defeat to a pub team the prosecution rests.

Dziekanowski's nightclub child
9 years ago

Spot on article… any glue for my season ticket?

Paul
9 years ago

Last night proved that we are not good enough to play in the champs league this season, it happened to Strachan & Lennon first time around. Its time to rebuild, rebrand and paly a new style of football. Europa league football would be probably the level we are at right now. For me mulgrew has had his time his legs seem to have gone, off pace and all over the place. As for stokes his attitude stinks, both have to go.

pat
9 years ago
Reply to  Paul

Paul. Rebrand what exactly?

Paul
9 years ago
Reply to  pat

As a team of quality.

fredcdobbs
9 years ago
Reply to  Paul

ambrose got sent off because Mulgrew coulnae trap a baw. no good enough. and wtf was that second goal all about.

Devoy45
9 years ago

We have been mauled so many times in Europe that we wouldn’t condemn any manager for scoring an away goal then parking the bus (sort of) Any offensive formation can become a defensive one throughout the match, as needed.Even the red card should have left us 2-1 or even 2-2, not 4-1.
For the next leg: 4-4-2

Forster
Lustig/Van Dijk/Mulgrew/Izzy
Matthews/Biton/Commons (pushed up)Johansen
Stokes/Griffiths

Rules for Deila:
Don’t tamper with a defence that was working
Don’t blood players in big matches who haven’t played for months
Don’t condemn our more cavalier bhoys who don’t do pushups and who like Monster Munch. They can at least score goals. The word is “gallus” Ronnie.
Save the fluid attacking football for special occasions.
Don’t favour Nordic bhoys.There is more to football than fitness.
Let your football do your talking, or not, as the case may be.
Beware the Mowbray Effect which took “positives” from 5-1 thrashings. When a team loses, there are NO positives.
We can turn 4-1 around but have a good think on how to do it: be flexible during the match.

gerardbutlersabs
9 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

hear hear

Tony Paterson
9 years ago

Ralph, your pessimism yesterday seemed well-judged after all. And I admire your understates optimism today.

Let’s forget last night and look to Murrayfield.

Hail Hail!

John Winters
9 years ago

Seriously wake up our team are mediocre at best by time foster and van dyk leave wee will be lucky to take the league with broony out no leadership and new manager trying to change everything at once recipe for bad times ahead and yes I will be there next week supporting whats left of our team but take yer heed out sand liewell aint investing yet we are expected to hand over cash n support a bit part team .you may be happy to nearly win things im not when I put my hard earned cash to watch a team ive been brought up with get squashed for every penny it can commercialy

deadhead67
9 years ago

Yeah it,s half time ,if that Norwegian twat is still in charge we will lose heavily at the egg chasers ground,why the fuck did we allow the british imperialist games acces to our ground,what have they ever done for us
unless we got 20 million rent to make up for the lost champions league money
i fuckin hate lawwell

jebus
9 years ago

massive rebuild needed, too many players not good enough. lets hope the manager gets the time to rebuild and get rid of those who lack the ability or right attitude. thank eff we wont face a top european team. as for the board like you said thats for another day, too much to say on them!! they know we will win the spl for the next 10-15 years and are happy with that, not good enough.

Andy Gallagher
9 years ago
Reply to  jebus

How can you rebuild when you are hell bent on selling the only decent players you have (Forster, Dijk, Commons etc).

9 years ago

of course am disappointed after last night, but I am certainly not giving up on what Ronnie Deila has planned for Celtic, yes there’ll be more results but of course if the progress is there, then I believe glory days are here again

fredcdobbs
9 years ago

a loan signing from cardiff goes straight into a CL away match. I must admit Im a wee bit worried the noo and I keep hearing the word rookie. I will be supporting them next week but I also know what does zero investment gets you. btw what about the Qs everyone is asking? where the fuck is all the money going?

Admin
9 years ago
Reply to  fredcdobbs

New article coming online at 1pm with a question of two!

Maurive McKendrik
9 years ago

I smell john collins in this. Leaving out players because of attitude towards HIM on the training ground is his style. This will come to no good – the exhuberant high five he gave that new kid (still dont know – or c are to know – his name) said it all. John collins is pure gash when it comes to managing. Ask all the Hibees ya know.

highseastim
9 years ago

It sticks out a mile that when “broony isn’t playing there is no leader. The blame lies firmly at Delia’s feet, as for people speaking out…………Tony Watt anyone??

J McTighe
9 years ago

I believe I usually look on the optimistic (hopeful) side re- Celtic (I was sure we’d turn around the Karagandy defeat when we got back to CP), but with this one, all you’ve got to hang you’re hopes on is blind faith. We don’t even know who’ll still be on the playing staff come next week.And that ,I believe, is where all fans should be focusing.With 3 qual rnds which are to define our whole year fiscally and sportingly , we instead of sensibly strengthening to get to the £20m plus high profile football , begin decimating our squad even as we are in the middle of these rounds.
I have to admit, I’m lost. Even if we are in dire straights financially ( a rumour which won’t go away; re- Zaluska’s comments)surely getting through these rounds would be of the utmost importance.
With the new format of qualifying we no longer have to fear being drawn against the likes of Arsenal. These rounds should always be comfortable (relatively) for a strong Celtic side.
Yet our lot constantly go about weakening us exactly at the point when we need to be strong.Does anyone understand this strategy? You’d almost think they were trying NOT to qualify. It’s that bizarre!
I posted last week that I thought we’d need a big night at a full Murrayfield to get through this round ; in that ,I believed we’d go down ( as usual) away. I just didn’t fore see the enormity of the defeat.
With this dire performance, and the possibility of further player sales before the next game even gets here, I fear even our fans loyalty may have been pushed beyond it’s limits. I wonder (fear) just how full murrayfield will be next week.
” The Poles won’t know what’s hit them”.
OK , I’ll let my heart rule my head one last time and go with that.

9 years ago

So it’s only half time, and a 3-0 win is well within the realms of possibilities but to be in this position is inexcusable, I’m all for tactical changes and we definitely need them( LENNON didn’t really possess many) but to go away from home in CL with a squad you barely know but have a lot of experience in digging in and scrapping for results, to be so brazen in picking that team and that formation is mindless. Certain players at CELTIC either won’t be able to adapt to Ronnys style or don’t have the legs for it just yet but it most definitely doesn’t make them bad players, change takes time to evolve properly, and until we have that luxury of time, usually about September when weve got into the CL and domesticly we are up and running and players are fully fit then those tactics last night will fail time and time again. This team is a light year better than any team either Strachan or LENNON inherited, so all of that shambles last night lays 100% at the managers door, if it was inexperience then that’s not a good start but if it was Stubbornness and an Ego that made Ronny not take advice then we have a major league problem.. HAIL HAIL, COYBIG

jebus
9 years ago
Reply to  Keighley Bhoy

sorry mate but the team just now is way behind what lennon or strachan inherited.

Jimbo
9 years ago

I Fukin love you Deadhead!

9 years ago

Hail Hail to that

9 years ago

The team LENNON inherited off of Mowbray was dysfunctional, its confidence was shot at and players all round ability and attitude was bad to say the least, Strachans team had lost Larrson, Lambert, several other players were past there best, Sutton Hartson so he had to rebuild, Ronny inherited a close knit squad that overall had played together and won leagues together for a at least 2/3 seasons, so I stand by my original criticism of the new manager, HAIL HAIL, KTF

stu67
9 years ago

Why was Matthews at left back with izzi on the bench?

Why wasn’t lustig put in at center half with Virgil – and matthews put to right back when efe went off?

why wasn’t griffiths up front on his own second half?

why was the new guy playing?

It’s got me fucked !!!!

stu67
9 years ago

Bratislava all over again !!

Charlie Saiz
9 years ago

Deila just confirmed my fear on his arrival at Celtic.
Tactically naive in Europe at this level.

Several head scratchers before kick off:
1 Playing a new signing who has not played with this side before a regualr who has a track record ie Stokes and Griffiths.
2 Playing our 2nd choice RB as LB and leaving our No 1 LB on the bench
3 Playing 2 in the middle away from home when neither is particularly quick and asking them to play a pressing game?
4 Taking Pukki off and sending Commons up front whilst leaving 2 recognised Strikers on the bench.

That lot aside I don’t think they were a particularly good side especially at the back and that Keeper looked a shambles at times.
We need to set up with the 4-3-3 that served us so well last Season and we need to go with Griffiths and Stokes up front to give ourselves any chance of grabbing the 3 goals required.
Will our defence play that badly again this Season?
I doubt it very much.
HH

daviebhoy
9 years ago

I said before the game and I will say again I think we will struggle in the league this year with the tactics of our new manager. I base this rightly or wrongly on our friendly games, I have never seen as many one on ones with our keeper. All this pressing up the park that the manager keeps talking about, the likes of Dundee Und and Aberdeen will have a field day against us. I wont mention the board at the moment, but that is were the rook of the issue stems from.
Lets hope we can pull this back HH Keep the faith

Devoy45
9 years ago

Spending more money for new players won’t help. What we need to do is spend more money on the better players we already have: Forster, Van Dijk, etc. (Hooper, Wanyama) Pay higher wages but hang on to good players.I will eat lots of humble pie if we can turn this tie around but have we ever turned 4-1 around in Europe?

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