Hoopastank ‘07:MLS 2-0 Celtic

By: JT | July 20th, 2007

I can’t get too worked up about the results of a friendly, because for the most part Celtic came through the match healthy and as I’ve consistently stated, that is the #1 priority in all non-competitive matches. I was all set to read about the brutal training session they endured earlier in the day as the primary cause of the overall sluggishness, but, it turns out they didn’t train at all. Strachan has now declared that “summer is over”. All this doesn’t mean there weren’t things to take away from the match and analyze as the new season gets closer.

You had to know there was going to be trouble when you saw the lineups. Stevie Nichol baffled WGS and the Bhoys by coming out in a 3-5-2 to which the squad never seemed able to adjust. That was disappointing, but this was not a match that was particularly easy to scout. When you see a midfield with Jarosik, Donati, Brown, and Hartley, you know there was no chance that free-flowing football was going to be on display. And there wasn’t in the first half at least. Brown acquitted himself the best of the four. He was all action, all the time, and we have to hope he keeps his card count down, because he’ll surely rack them up, especially in Europe. Donati was anonymous, and the other two did what they could playing out of position.

There do look to be some deficiencies in the back four at the moment. If not for the superb performance of Artur Boruc, the result could have been worse. His penalty save from Eddie Johnson was poetic justice, because that dive Johnson took was unsporting at best. At left, Scott Brown jogs in to discuss penalty taking technique with EJ after the save. Bad mistakes in central defense contributed directly to both goals, but to be fair, the goals were deserved considering the run of play. Mark Wilson was mediocre, but did attempt a spectacular own-goal. So let’s give him credit for that. Lee Naylor is a true warrior, and if he ever goes down (knock on wood) we’d be in serious trouble at left back. I was genuinely terrified there for a second, but as always, he checked if all the parts were there, and then played on.

The strikers just didn’t get the service they required from the workmanlike midfield. Scott McDonald is a hustler, and eventually will be the perfect foil for JVofH when the season rolls around.

The second half was a bit brighter, with Celtic the more likely to score. Aiden McGeady and Kenny Miller looked good, and the Bhoys appeared to have figured out what they wanted to do against the 3-5-2. In the end it was not enough. A disappointing approach from WGS and a disappointing performance for the Celts.

I feel bad for all the supporters who undoubtedly flew in from all corners of North America to see the match, and for all the fans back in Scotland who got up early on a Friday morning to watch it.

I don’t think this result is indicative of anything at all, but it is clear that there is still work to be done, both on the field and in the transfer market for the Hoops.