WGS Has Lost It

By: Matt | February 22nd, 2009

First, I’d like to apollogize for no match preview for the Motherwell game. A combination of technology not cooperating and a busy weekend prevented me from constructing one, but in reality all it would have been was me sharing my man crush for Mark McGhee, my belief that he should be the next manager of Celtic, and that the game this weekend was a must win (whoops!). Secondly, I’d like to apollogize to Celtic fans everywhere who had to watch the abomination that was today’s match against Motherwell. Special condolences go out to fellow North American Celtic Supporters who rise early in the morning to support their team and are treated to such garbage. It is official, Gordon Strachan has no idea what he is doing out there anymore. After going 300+ minutes in the SPL without a goal, Strachan showed just how desperate he was by throwing out there a 4-3-3. Celtic fans have certainly never seen this with Strachan and it reeked of desperation. The line up looked a little something like this:

Boruc

Hinkel Loovens McManus Naylor

Brown Caldwell Naka

JVOH Skippy Samaras
While Ginger Baws might have been just trying anything and hoping it works, for awhile in the match the 4-3-3 did work. It got something that in 345 previous minutes in SPL matches Celtic could not get, a goal. While the formation has some problems with our personnel, mainly that it calls for Lee Naylor to whip in crosses to our strikers, while anyone who has watched Naylor over the year knows that this is something he is not biologically capable of doing. I am also not a fan of Gary Caldwell in the midfield. We have better options, especially for a 4-3-3 where the lone centermid has to hold the ball and deliver passes out wide. Marc Crosas, Barry Robson, and Paul Hartley all seem to be better candidates for this role. While this formation probably was not our long term answer to Celtic’s problems, it seemed to be working at least in Fir Park’s miserable conditions. Of course Gordon Strachan is never one to keep a good thing going and after Celtic got its goal from former Motherwell man Scott McDonald after an hour of play, he changed things up.

As super commenter Ryan pointed out, the move to the 4-4-2 in today’s match seemed to have lost it for Celtic. The three strikers were able to pressure Motherwell in there own half, which was lost when Vennegoor of Hesselink was brought out in favor of Aiden McGeady. McGeady is also a playmaker when the ball is at his feet, a skill that was severely hindered today by the shite conditions of Fir Park. The removal of JVOH also placed one less target for Gary Caldwell’s *ahem* (tongue firmly in cheek) pinpoint passes. Finally, the 4-3-3 brought an air of surprise to the pitch. I was certainly confused when I saw it in action and I’m sure Gordon Strachan’s buddy Mark McGhee had no idea his friend would be putting forth such a formation. The switch back to the 4-4-2 was what Motherwell prepared for all week and it showed when Motherwell took the game to Celtic the last half hour and finally got the equalizer.

I am not one to demand for a coaches’ head in any sport. I like to give the boss a chance to right the ship and when a coach has had such past successes like Strachan has the past three years, it usually allows him more rope as far as I am concerned. However, as far as I am concerned, Gordon Strachan just hung himself with that rope. He came out today, pretty much admitting he was out of ideas, and threw out a half baked poorly constructed idea but got lucky in the idea producing a bit (though calling one goal in 60 minutes “producing” is a bit sad). However, it seems all season Strachan has out-coached himself. He truly has no idea what to do and he must go. Now.

Coincidentally, there is a new blog here on the Offside where one brave soul is taking Celtic into the English Premier League (as one of my favorite blogs, Unprofessional Foul would say, “Suck it, Barclays!”) in Football Manager. The blogger Thommo, will be mercifully replacing Gordon Strachan and taking the team as we know it now into the bright lights of Sky Sports and lots of guys in ties sitting down and politely clapping in a football stadium. Thommo’s aim is to add new evidence to the continuing debate about whether or not Celtic could survive in the EPL, and thus Thommo will not be going out on a spending spree and buying a bunch of players, but will be using the squad that Celtic has now, may God have mercy on his soul. I did however suggest to Thommo that, for the love of God, he go out and buy a serviceable left back but I am not sure if he will do this. Never the less, I wish Thommo God Speed in his digital football manager quest and if the real Celtic continue to stink up the joint, maybe I will resort to reporting and analyzing Thommo’s virtual Bhoys instead. Once again, check out Thommo’s blog here.

TAL