Time for a change?
By: Matt | March 18th, 2008
Well, the final whistle just sounded and after another terrible performance, Celtic have crashed out of the Scottish Cup, losing 1-0 against Aberdeen. It seemed like deja-vu all over again as poor finishing ruled the day for Celtic. Aberdeen will now go onto face Queen of South in the Semi-Finals at Hampden. Celtic had plenty of opportunities to score, but really never threatened to put one past Aberdeen. Once again, it was the defense playing semi-decently, making only one mistake in not being able to clear a corner and Darren Mackie putting the mistake away.
When looking at Celtic, the midfield and striker position would be the clear strengths of the team. However, once again today both the midfield and strikers were horrible. Massimo Donati’s passing was terrible once again and I am really not sure why he still gets in the starting XI. Perhaps WGS was reading my blog as Derek Riordan got a run in the 84th minute during desperation time. However, he was not able to put away a great pass and flied the chance over the net.
So far in Scotland, Celtic is 0 for 2 in competitions, with the scummy mob from across town winning one and playing for their place in the finals tomorrow. Even more importance is now placed on the league. Celtic currently sit 3 points behind while playing 1 more game. This puts even more pressure on the games against Rangers, making them seemingly must wins.
Certainly going 0 for 3 is unacceptable to Celtic, especially when your sworn rival has a chance to win all three. This certainly has to put pressure on the coaches/leaders of the team. Gordon Strachan is not the most popular of Celtic coaches, even at the best of times. Now it would seem he is on the proverbial hot seat, and fair enough. Strachan’s tactics are maddening at times, with some players getting played when not deserving to start on the reserves, whiles others not getting the chance. His moves during the transfer season have also come under question, seemingly signing midfielder after midfielder, none seeming to get the job done besides the stalwarts of Nakamura and Aiden McGeady. This is while ignoring the obvious problems in the back. With the recent troubles, Gordon Strachan certainly deserves some of the heat.
However, Ginger Baws isn’t on the field. He doesn’t allow strikers to go unmarked. He doesn’t cross the ball into touch. He doesn’t send shots into the stratosphere. The players do. There is someone on the field who should be a leader, an extension of the coach. He is the captain. Over the summer, it seemed that either Stephen McManus or Paul Hartley would be named captain. My thought was Hartley came of a terrible season and with the cluster f@#$ in the midfield, he is not assured a starting spot so how can he be the captain? McManus was the choice by default. But over at the Dead Raibead forum (http://www.deadraibead.org) someone brought up an interesting question. Is McManus captain worthy? One doesn’t need to look further than the earlier in the season problems with the back as evidence for this question. While Neil Lennon wasn’t Pele, if someone was shite and needed to get their heads out of their asses, then he’d be the first to let them know. It doesn’t seem that Mick does this at all. I personally like a vocal leader. However, who could take the role besides Mick? The starting XI fluctuates so much, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone besides Artur Boruc that is really suitable for that role.
Thoughts?
Category: Celtic
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I’ve got a sneaking suspicion WGS already has his eyes elsewhere. All these comments about the SPL and all that’s wrong with it seem to have the sound of someone leaving, but maybe that’s just me. I’m not saying he’s wrong, it’s more the tone. Anyway, you can now wholeheartedly become Sheepie fans for the rest of the cup. They’re my second favorite side, being good and far north, just not quite far enough. Mon the Dons - get back to Europe.
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*sigh. Mon’ … anyone but Rangers for the cup, I guess. This sucks.
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During Gordon Strachan’s post match interview, I thought I was hearing Rafa ‘fat face’ Benitez.
‘We was the better team, we created more chances.’
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As long as we’re on the topic, Matt, who do you think they would want to bring in should that surly little munchkin hit the road?
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John-There’s only one Keano…I’ve never been on the fire Strachan train, though I’ve always been critical and would like to at least give him the season to turn around the ship. But if improvements are not seen, let’s just say I’d hope that Sunderland would get relegated and maybe their coach might like coaching a child hood favorite team who plays in Europe…Needless to say Keano would be ripping into the team right now after that type of performance!
Ian-It might be the combo of the SFA and Celtic fans calling for his head that might see Wee Ginger Baws out. Perhaps the *ahem* disadvantages that Celtic faces (see the Spring Break Musings post)in the SFA would deter anyone that isn’t a “Celtic Man”. I’ve always hated that term, and while I’ve been critical of WGS I’ve also thought he hasn’t gotten a fair shake with Celtic fans. Time will tell and three wins against Rangers could heal all.
Oldham Guy-Celtic did have plenty of chances, but they couldn’t finish. I can’t say I am that familiar with Rafa’s press conferences, but I would say that Strachan was half right. Celtic did get lots of chances, but no one deserves to win with that shite finishing.
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It’s amusing for fans of the rest of the SPL to hear Celtic talk about “disadvantages”. I grant you that the SFA is a Rangers boys’ club right now, but it seems to me, as someone who actually prefers Celtic to Rangers (but domestically, anyone else but Hearts to either), Celtic have gotten a pretty fair shake and are about where they deserve to be based on play.
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Oh, don’t get me wrong. Orange hunnery is not why Celtic is struggling right now. While the officiating can be laughable at times, I was more referring to the fact that it is pretty much Celtic v Everyone in Scotland. For example, last weeks match against Dundee United, there was a singing of “Billy Boys” by the Dundee fans. Dundee is a club THAT WAS FOUNDED FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT CELTIC WAS! Whether it be about some politics that surround Celtic or their religion, it seems everyone is against Celtic and because of this you can’t fault Celtic supporters for being suspicious.
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I would argue that everyone in Scotland (aside, of course, from your MASSIVE supporters clubs) is against Celtic AND Rangers, not just Celtic. Most fans of smaller clubs dislike both because of their history of being arrogant and getting all the calls, among other things. Most fans I know around Scotland hate Rangers more, mostly because of their away support.
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So the rest of the supporters in Scotland hate both Celtic and the Huns, while the SFA is full of, as you put it, “Rangers Old Boys”?
“That’s why we’re paranoid!”
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Mon the Sheep by the way, I have always admired the Red Ultras, as they clearly represent the best chance to keep the Huns out. Hopefully they work on their back passes.
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Am I the only one who remembers that Massimo Donatti was brought here to replace Neil Lennon? He is not, and has never been an attacking midfielder.
When in Milan, he was being groomed to replace Mauro Gattuso. Of course his passing is going to be s***. And frankly, his passing is not bad.
Tonight he made many excellent passes after tracking back to break up counter attacks, which is exactly his job. He does not posses a deadly through ball for sure, but I thought that was supposed to be Scott Brown’s job? Everybody gives Brown a free pass. He absolutely sucks beyond all recognition.
Celtic supporters complain about the “lack of quality” in the final third and the “lack of creativity”. Well, maybe if Scott Brown was acting as the safety valve he is supposed to be in the final third, Naka and Aiden would have other options…besides “run to the touch line” or “cut back”. Maybe Naka and Aiden would be able to thread some deceptive passes later in matches if they could make a simple pass to an attacking mid-fielder at the top of the arc - Oh, that’s right…they do to Donati.
Massimo Donati was supposed to provide Neil Lennon’s defensive quality but with more pace and a little more offensive accumen. Scott Brown, on the other hand, was supposed to impose himself on matches. He was supposed to gain the ball, usually from Donati, and then turn and go. Scott Brown is supposed to pin defenses back through middle in order to isolate Naka and Aiden outside with 1 v 1 coverage.
Instead, Scott Brown spends most of his night getting caught in posession and giving away free kicks…if and when he is in a position to get the ball.
In the last ten minutes, Celtic had three excellent chances to tie, and this was the first time throughout the match when you saw Brown passing and moving in a triangle with Naka. This helped Hinkle get forward and Samaras get space.
Everybody on the pitch has a fundamental “baseline” role: Naka’s is to retain posession, deftly pass, cross and deliver set pieces and free kicks; Aiden’s is to run the touchline, whip in crosses and take on defenders specifically to gain the box; Donati’s is to support the defense, break-up counter attacks and facilitate the ball from back to front…essentially so Caldwell and McManus don’t have to hoof it; Scott Brown’s is to receive the ball, from Donati, gain the attacking third and spread the ball up hte channel to create width.
Of those four, who is not performing?
Now, we have gone weeks and weeks with Donati on the ball. The more touches Massimo gets the more weakness we see in his offensive game…which actually proves my point.
Where is Scott Brown that Donati is always in position to receive? Where is Scott Brown that Donati is always available for Naka and Aiden at the top of the arc? Where is Scott Brown that he is unavailable for Donati around our own 35 yard mark?
If you think I am nuts, then what you are saying is Massimo Donati was brought to Celtic Park to perform Neil Lennon’s role, as well as Stylian Petrov’s. This is unfair and impossible.
Scott Brown sucks beyond belief. How often has Scott Brown made a s*** pass to Naka which pinned him on the byline, only to have Naka one-touch the ball into space beyond the defender, who just crunched shins, and Brown stopped his run?
How often has Donati gotten the ball at the top of the arc and looked up to see four defenders in front of him and Scott Brown directly vehind that wall - standing still?
How often has Aiden or Naka driven with the ball deep only to find VOH and McDonald flanking Brown, who has taken up post in the box?
When we qualified against Spartak, Scott Brown was doing what he was supposed to do, which attack the defense. Not necessarlity score, but drive them back. For the last 17 weeks, Scott Brown has fallen off the map. Apparently its Donati’s fault, however, that he is not the offensive mid-fielder we want him to be.
If anyone thinks that Donati is not as good as Lennon and perhaps Hartley should play the “holding” role, so be it. I disaggree, but that is a reasonable critique. However, if that switch was made, WGS would still play Brown and wee would not expect Hartley at his age to do anything beyond what he has done for us…carry it a little and then dish to Naka or Aiden. And Scott Brown would still be the attacking half of central mid-field.
Scott Brown has got to go.Posted from
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Ryan M Liddell
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I agree - Brown is looking awful at the moment. First touch is non-existant and he always over-runs the ball. Massimo is the only one in the team that can pass a long ball.I also think that JVOH is not Celtic class anymore. The amounts of headers he misses and that lovely through-ball from Naka that he took with his right-foot (what was he thinking)
Most teams we play will put 11 men behind the ball. So surely we need to play with 3 at the back? That would allow Naka to play behind the front two and maybe Koki to go on the right?
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Its fair to say, you got a beating by the dons
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Its true what you were saying though, you are shite.Posted from
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I can see that formation. Considering this season we probably will not see Koki…dealing with the tools available, I would move to 3-4-3 as well: Three at the back. Adjust the midfield to Naka and Aiden wide with Donati in the middle, but play VOH, McDonald an Samaras in a triangle up top. Samaras likes to go from the outside in…fancies himself a poor man’s Thierry Henry. As you say, with eleven defenders, he moves well on the fringe of the box. That would allow McDonald to continue his hold-up play - he seems to enjoy the battle, and allow VOH some time in the box 1 v 1.
I am dissappointed about being out of all the cups, but I do think it is good for the Scottish game to have different faces competing. It’s the manner of things that bothers me. Sometimes tactics are wrong, sometimes its the finishing, sometimes its fatigue. I don’t understand it.
I don’t want to blame WGS. He has, afterall, won a couple of cups, a couple of Leagues, and Final 16 of Europe…not to mention we are 20th most lucrative club on the planet. Still, something is just not right.Ryan M Liddell
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Ryan-You are not crazy in criticizing Scott Brown. I will admit that I like his style of play, especially the first game against St.Mirren. He got a goal and an assist, as well as drew a yellow on a St Mirren defender for getting into his head at the end. However, those performances seem like ancient history. Scott has been poor to say the least, and I think he should be given a wake up call by given Hartley or Sno or anyone in his place.
As far as Donati, I realize that he is a defensive midfielder, and he does that decently but the problem is he does play up as well as on the counter and it seems in this position he is giving the ball up more often than not. He’s got to decide if he wants to play up and improve his passing or stay back and play the counter. Thanks for reading, your comment was very well thought out and informative.
I agree that not all the blame can be placed on WGS. Keep reading to hear my thoughts.
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