Anyone who over the last year or 2 has enjoyed the excellent TV Series The Mandalorian will be familiar with the greeting between those fine warriors.
They earnestly say “This is the Way” in acknowledgement to rites, rituals and tenet of the Mandalorian way of life.
It denotes their sacred code, their prized level of standards and must be adhered too at all costs.
Failure to follow The Way, would result in disrespect, rejection and ultimately, a life out in the cold, alone and disowned by all others.
The Way must be followed…The Way is the way.
I expect Ange might be quite the fan of Jon Favreau’s hit TV show.
For Angeball must be followed…Angeball is the way.
We all watch Celtic at present and its a very mixed bag on the eye.
We have the wonder that is Kyogo…a class buzzbomb who gives his all every second he is on the pitch.
Kyogo Furuhashi is the embodiment of all things Celtic. Kyogo is the embodiment of all things Angeball.
We have Callum McGregor. The new Captain, left to pick up the pieces as the World collapsed all around him.
A class man who can stay so calm under pressure. A man who knows when action is needed and patience is essential.
Calmac is also a perfect embodiment of all things Angeball.
We have Joe Hart. A new leader amongst Men.
A man grateful to restart his life with new comrades and gives his all and looks out for others.
Keeps it simple and helps others do their roles as well he can.
Joe Hart is the embodiment of all things Angeball.
We have Jota. The star who is happy for others to bathe in the glory of victory.
Jota will happily create the chances knowing others will convert them and take the glorifying headlines.
Jota is the embodiment of all things Angeball.
We have Cameron Carter-Vickers. Like Hart, a man happy to join new comrades in a new adventure seeking glory.
Carter Vickers knows his role and acts accordingly, Always there to press and clear, he battles opposition and gives his all in defence.
Carter-Vickers is the embodiment of all things Angeball.
And then, Im afraid it all goes rather Jar-Jar binks on Ange and all of us.
At least for now,
The problem, at least the current problem with Angeball is it has to be carried out by 11 players who can execute and follow The Way.
4 players and a Keeper just isn’t enough to get through a game against any opposition whether it be Livingston away, Dundee Utd at home or Leverkusen on their holidays.
Ange’s dictate of ball playing fullbacks driving inwards and forwards is great when they have ability to dribble, vision to pass and team-mates making space. What we currently see is Montgomery ( or worse Bolinfuckingoli!) lost on the left and Ralston rampaging right into trouble leaving massive spaces on the right. These spaces aren’t being covered by a wary winger, Abada is no James Forrest used to shielding a Lustig overlap kinda thing.,
Angeball also currently sees us play everything through Callum McGregor. That may seem fine but its not how its meant to be. The centre half or halves are meant to bring the ball through the intial line so players like McGregor can pick it up further into opposition half and bring in players like Turnbull and Rogic and the wingers as they bear down on goal. Currently Starfelt seems terrified of facing the opposition goal and resorts to square passes to Carter-Vickers who says “I dont dribble” so passes it back to him and eventually its back at Joe Hart to repeat ad infinitum.
Only having McGregor there to take a ball also highlights the issues of a non existent midfield. We seem to play a 2-1-4-3 formation and as soon as a ball is lost, we are immediately under pressure as only McGregor is around the centre circle.. Rogic and Turnbull seem to play 20 yards inside opponents half, running or standing in parallel with each other, even mirroring each others lack of bite or ability to tackle. Their influence in the final 3rd is also limited given its so crowded and their game appreciates space to move and shoot.
Up front we now have Kyogo back, hopefully for a long long time. The rustiness could have been shaken off last night and he will find the back of the net again soon enough.
However there is also concern out on the wings. Jota appears to flourish one half and then somehow the team forget he is there the second half. We constantly give him the ball in the first 45 minutes then ignore him for the second. Very strange indeed.
Across on the right, Abada continues to raise eyebrows. he now looks more a forward rather than a winger. A guy who can score goals but cant really dribble or beat a man to the byline with any consistency. Abada is only young of course and hopefully James Forrest can help challenge as well as mentor him in the role.
Of course we do have to acknowledge the major issue that is Injuries.
We hope that Juranovic can return to health and then take up the role at right-back that requires his pace and football brain. No shoehorning him in on the left. Lets see specialists in specialist positions please.
Liam Scales might get a chance over on the left but the left back position being strengthened will probably need to wait to January or more likely seasons end and Greg Taylor will expect to pick up his place again once he has recovered from recent surgery.
In the middle, James McCarthy is in and out of the squad and the Jury is still out on him and his role and input to the side moving forward. So far its been disappointing but if he kicks on could we see him aside McGregor or in place of McGregor in the centre as McGregor gets pushed forward, perhaps.
Up front, Kyogo can get some assistance and respite from new signing Giorgos Giakoumaki. The Greek signing is quite the unit, he is the same shape as Carter-Vickers and if he can get match fit then could provide another option as we try to break SPFL defences. Albian Ajeti is also there to offer some rest time once games are hopefully cut and dried.
That’s a lot of if’s of course.
Which is the problem given that Angeball is so fixed.
Everything must work at all times.
Everyone must give everything at all times.
Every player must execute the plan at all times.
Currently that is not the case.
Ange will not change.
Angeball is The Way. We shall either fail disastrously or we will stumble for now, but eventually we shall make it out of the darkness and emerge into the modern football light as a good outfit.
In order for that to happen, everyone have to get on board. Management, Players and Fans.
Sure cry into your glass in the refuge of your home or pub as the current malaise still lingers, but back Angeball at all times in public as we hopefully creep forward.
Cry for the Board to get as far away from Celtic Park as much as you like, but back the Manager and the team as we face each challenge, at home and abroad.
If we don’t, well only disaster awaits and we shall go back to the start yet again. Some may say cut our losses but for now, I say we hold our nerve and ride out the storm.
The path is clear, the Plan is clear, we just need the players to execute the plan. It may take more than just injuries clearing and a January window but we stick with it and seek a higher ideal.
This is the Way.
This better be the way or I’m coming to Stoke for a chat
Feel free..Ralph didnae write this and Im in Glesga!
Concise and to the point. It is the way but only with better players playing it. Now it is the way in which those SPL teams know we will play and exploit. Is the way getting some players and fans down ? It is the Celtic Way.
I’ll not be backing Ange, I’ve seen enough & if we lose on Sunday, he should just leave.
Oh & incidentally that’s from watching inside the ground.
Well said Monticello, new script required I.m afraid, as most people say , manager is following his plan ,, but we don.t have enough quality to carry out his vision, yet punters on last night saying we could’ve morphed a 4.4..draw , god help us “
Gérard, Somebody also needs to tell the full backs they are full backs FIRST and foremost, Ababa is young but needs discipline to work back the way now and again.
Aye, pished.
Yes very true, it appears to be Angeway or the highway.
It reminds me of the late great Tommy Burns who couldn’t/ wouldn’t change his style of play. We would be hammering the hun 0- 0 at half time then smith would make one or two changes and we lose 1-0 or 2-1.
Forget about Europe, leave it for boli,Bitton ajeti and Rogic and the
fringe players. We have been bullied all over the park, Sunday is a must win game.
I think Bertie Auld,Davie Hay, Roy Aitken would have a different view. Scott Brown too.
Agree Desi BUT who is looking at the gaps , who is trying to identify the players who can help make the plan work ?
Is Ange trying to do everything ?
Are there people in the shadows , out scouting and appraising candidates for said gaps and of course stand-ins ?
For the Plan to work it’s more than players that are required and to that respect we DO need the board to be a board and give the club the structure it ( because we are all “the club” ) demands to ensure that every opportunity is there for the Plan to come to fruition ( sooner rather than later ) and to remain the staple diet for years to come
You summed the issue up in the 1st paragraph, 5 1st team players who follow the managers script, and 6 who don.t ” = Change of plan
The majority arent always right though
Pretty tough going last night. This wasn’t a team I expected to get anything from but 4 goals with no reply was poor. Our talisman missed two, maybe he was just rusty. We have had injuries and covid which have conspired against us. There comes a time however when the excuses stop. Angie needs and deserves better and Sunday is crucial, anything less than a win could just about finish our season, sure Angie needs another transfer window and the players need time to adapt to his style, Europe was never high on our agenda. Results in Scotland including away results need to improve and it must start Sunday.
If ange is so committed to his system why is he continuing to play 2 number 10s in midfield who hardly make up a pair of lungs between the 2 of them , have no athleticism, don’t press , don’t work off the ball hence why angeball falls apart in transition. You also have this farce of ralston and Montgomery playing at the centre circle leaving the wings completely open for opposition sides to run at starfelt and ccv . The leverkusen manager said last night , we knew celtics full backs would play inside so we set up our midfield to win the ball then switch it so we had the open wing to run into … both these things need to change or we will continue to lose games and angeball will be in the history books as a failed experiment along with Barnes and Mowbray.
Yip…highlighted the shape issues above. With wingers commited at 70 yards and full backs inside and at centre line we just dont have cover or pace to make up when ball lost.
One solution of course is players who can retain ball while seeking others who are busy making space. As we are so far apart from each other, full backs panic being closed down or rush headlong into traffic causing self harm and opposition lap it up.
It’s the board who have released the funds for all the new players.Ange is failing,he looks increasingly isolated and disconsolate.Celtic are powder puff and are making it easy for the Sooside Racists,who are very average,to make it 2 in a row.The Angeball philosophy won’t work in Scotland with it’s plastic pitches,poor winter weather and teams that know they will be allowed to kick Celtics’ skillful players with impunity.Sorry,but similar to Monty’s comment,Ange and the assistants should be given the heave ho and a new,fully functioning coaching team should be brought in.Players aren’t buying into the methods,be it on the park or in training,believe me….
Ange bought:
Kyogo – the superstar of the side
Jota – decent start
Carter Vickers – decent start
Hart – decent start
Abada – decent start
Starfelt – Dubious start
Juranovic – Too little to tell
McCarthy – Poor start but did Ange sign him?
Scales – unknown for now but did Ange sign him?
Since the golfer Desmond has an interest in Shamrock Rovers, I would imagine he’s had a major part in that transaction, though to be fair to Scales he looks a decent prospect.
Your shyster board basically signed off on referees being afforded total impunity to allow opposition thugs to kick seven shades of shit out of our players when they signed off on the 5 way agreement.
Be interesting to see where big Jullien fits into this (if indeed he will be here to fit in)
He’ll be in the sick room as usual
We can dissect all Postecoglu’s failings, we can criticise players that shouldn’t be anywhere near a Celtic jersey and we can continue to watch this death spiral, dare I say, until we’re blue in the face. But until the club is cleansed of the shysters in the boardroom we’re going to falter. This board are anti football and anti supporter. They don’t encourage progress in the football operations. They’ve had no clear structure in the football operations since the departure of Rodgers. They’ve sold off the family silver and replaced it with pewter (McCarthy who could have retired in 2016 and nobody would have batted an eyelid), save Furuhashi, but don’t worry, they’ll blow him out the door come January. Bottom line, the club is fkd. A win at Aberdeen might prolong the agony, but it won’t make any difference. We are screwed with these talentless aholes in situ.
Said.
Too late, admittedly, but at least you know now.
Not really. I withheld my financial backing of these freeloaders before Rodgers was appointed and indeed throughout the Invincible season, so in reality, I knew only too well.
Well, you should’ve said so at the time instead of mocking my pointing out exactly what they were up to as they managed our decline.
A few things are alarmingly standing out just now ( no not my belly ) although that does need some attention.
Left back is definitely the weakest area in the side, although Carl Starfelt is trying his utmost to claim that honour.
Starfelt’s distribution & lack of composure is a concern, also we need to be helping Callum Mcgregor in the engine room with a quality central midfield signing.
The support is tense because we are inconsistent & results poor…..we demand a lot of Celtic players but that is as it should be.
I feel for Ange but he himself is making mistakes, I’m losing belief in him.
Monti I wonder if Shaw is an option beside mcgregor in there. His size and power would certainly make a difference at grounds like Pittodrie. Scales in my opinion should be given a run at left back . With those additions you have 2 strapping 6 ft plus players who would add physicality energy and also a threat at set pieces .
Delbhoy, why not m8, give them a chance.
Who scouts players like Ajeti & Starfelt?
Is that really the best we can get?
Do we even have scouts anymore or does Peter just watch recommended videos?
*Random videos …
Dudu’s duds videos.
Yeah, no doubt.
There are three centre half’s coaching at the club and the defence is a shambles.
What Kennedy, O’Dea, and McManus bring to the equation is suspect at best.
That aligned to poor recruitment has squandered millions.
We’ve brought in a progressive manager and surrounded him with the same dross.
If Ange isn’t allowed to bring his own players then he’ll walk.
DJ Smyth repeatedly insists that Kennedy is not our defence coach but refuses to answer when I ask what his role actually is.
Regardless, we could play Kennedy, O’Dea & McManus and still have a better defence than now cos that shit is beyond shambolic.
Ange is the way, the truth and the light. KTF.
Feel a little sorry for Starfelt and CCV. They must feel like they are the loneliest men in the world at times. They look up hoping to see a midfielder to pass to and all they see is McGregor marked by three players. Rogic is wandering about hoping nobody passes to him otherwise he’ll have to try and control it, and by control it I don’t mean let it bounce 5 yards off you. Turnbull is just being Kenny from South Park, nobody really notices him until something catastrophic happens to him. Forget the full backs, under Ange Ball rules they are selling chewing gum and macaroon bars in the stands behind the oppositions goal.
Yeah it’s great to create 18 chances per game but if you are conceding 4 goals per game? Ange it’s great that you are principled enough to back your system, but your reluctance to change is now beginning to seem like pig-headedness. It’s ok sometimes to play a 3-5-2 or heaven forbid a 4-4-2. Giakoumakis and Kyogo the new Sutton and Larsson? I can but dream.
I can promise you this, the pressure you are under today will seem like nothing if you don’t beat Aberdeen on Sunday. Just win Ange, just feckin win. For the love of God just win.
Turnbull is Kenny from South park reference!!
Comment of the Year contender!
Aye, belter 😀
A pragmatic coach might have got something from that game last night, an idealist lost 4-0 .
You can only works with the “tools” you have in front of you , so why force a system onto players who clearly aren’t comfortable playing it ?
I m sure Einstein said that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result . What we did last night was insane ,Kyogo missed a couple of sitters but we would have probably been gubbed 6-2anyway.
We could be 7th in league by Sunday , that is truly insane ! A club with the biggest turnover in Scotland below Dundee Utd , Hibs , Hearts and Motherwell. but hey, let’s stick behind Angeball , that’s really just Kyogoball anyway.
I like the guy , he comes across as intelligent , articulate and is probably a good bloke, but he is out of his depth.
Longer term though we need to rid the club of the cancer that is the Board. They are real reason why we are where we are.
The issue here is the waste of almost a few season as the board masticated. Lenny should have gone in 2019, Howe situation farcical. Now we have a new manager and almost a new team. At times last night some of the football played was classy but BL ground down Celtic, not with better football, but better gamesmanship. As for Ange how he can have Roguc and Turnbull in the same team, is pointless, also the only good goal BL scored was the fourth. The first was a farcical slip by Turnbull, the second when Ralston thought instead of passing, the penalty as soft as fxxx. The BL team berated the referee and linesman over any trivial thing whereas Celtic followed.
We need a leader on the park and a holding midfielder that can support the defence.
If he loses the next two games he could be away of his own accord, but let’s hope the scud ABZ at the weekend and get some confidence.
Comparison to a Fictional Fantasy Film is apt.
Meanwhile in grim reality…
We truly are in the land of Oz. Pull back the curtain on the great wizard Ange and there is nothing there. Zip, nada, diddly squat.
Easy go and get Jozo Simunivoch and put the Starfish into the Ladies team .And while I’m on it we’re has the Eyfill Tower disappeared to how long does it take to get your arse into gear or is he working his ticket to follow the other Super Stars who all put the tools away the past two Seasons .HH9 Twice Quadthereble YNWA
Here are the questions: (i) Why does Ange insist on playing let’s just for the moment call it Ange ball? (ii) Why play it against superior opposition? (iii) Why play it when he hasn’t got the players? And here are the answers: (i) That’s his way of playing and he was told by Dom mcKay that he would get support to do so. He’s not interested in playing any other way. This was known when he was hired. (ii) If you keep changing you never get the players experienced enough playing that way and seeing how it works in all sorts of situations, even against better teams. Celtic did well up front, against Real Betis and they had 18 shots against Leverkusen, what if some of them had gone in? And all of this with a makeshift team. Think about that for a moment. (iii) Although all of the players in the team at present are probably not capable of playing Angeball (I doubt Rogic has a future in this system, Bitton, Boli, perhaps McCarthy and Scales who were DD appointments (although I still have hope for the latter 2 as not enough is known about them at present and I don’t like to write anyone off so soon), Turnbull will need time more time than say Kyogo, Jota and Abada. It will take a few transfer windows. January will be a big one. But will Ange get the support? I’m not sure, especially if the fans turn against him. But let’s be clear if Ange goes or is pushed and the board remains in place then we are simply back at square one or even square zero thus putting off the major changes that need to take place at Celtic FC. And we will wander about in the footballing wilderness for years to come. Oh we might get back to top 2 in the SPFL, might even win it if rangers implode and Hibs and Hearts do their usual fading away as the season kicks on. But forget Europe. I am not remotely interested in the Conference League that for St Johnstone and Hibs and Aberdeen but not near good enough for Celtic. MONTI says he’s having doubts and I’m sure others are but I hope what I’ve written inspires him and others to see the logic in what Ange is doing and remember the excitement you felt when Ange and Dom McKay talked about where they wanted to take us. The board are the main obstacle, not some defeats on the way, not some short-term pain.
Well said.
SPFL League Table. Celtic FC. Sixth position (6) played 7, won 3, drawn 1, lost 3.
Here’s what Regan Hendry and Jack Aitchison had to say about the academy set-up:
““I think communication goes a long way and if there is a bit more of that it can help everyone,” says Hendry. “I just never got the chance to make that step and there were times when I could have. I played a [bounce] game with the first team and we won 6-2. It was against St Mirren’s first team and I scored four goals, two days later I wasn’t training with the first team. A couple of times at Celtic there was just a lack of communication: I was kind of on the edge of something but was I actually?”
Aitchison, now 21, was simultaneously Celtic’s youngest ever player and scorer when he made his debut under Brendan Rodgers in the 7-0 Premiership win over Motherwell in 2016. He says that a big part of the problem was that he felt as if he was no more than a jersey filler.
“Sometimes you would go up and just be used as a number, sometimes you would play left-back or right-back and that’s not your position so how could you impress there? Yeah, it’s communication . . . and being told the truth.”
This is very interesting and shows you why Ange is the way forward.