I have suggested recently that I am still not convinced by Barkas. I know he is new and still settling in but I am unconvinced.... Is he better than Bain... I'm not so sure. Defence should be protecting him more but he looks no better than 'competent'. The Wa has gone and I have to accept that but if this is the best we can do for the money then I believe Scott Bain will be back before Christmas.
Celtic v Livingston - all comments here
- Thread starter Steviebhoy67
- Start date
Did you miss the game Mick? NOW Nae Movies, Nae Box sets... FFS it's Saturday night.Boax workin noo,gaunnae watch the arsenal game
Spherical Planet
Well-known member
Like everyone else, I'm only expressing an opinion, but from a defensive point of view, there are fundamentals that we just aren't doing properly.
Boab mentioned a couple of pens and a couple of belters from outside the box and that can happen to anybody, but the penalties were conceded due to poor defending and the belters were due to us inviting them to have a free hit without any challenge.
The first issue is the most obvious. We defend far too deeply. The insistence on playing from the back now sees our defence shaping up to receive the ball from Barkas as far back as the 6-yard box. That means the back line don't advance as a group and that they are shapeless and strung out in various areas looking to receive a pass instead of keeping their shape.
The second problem is that our centre-halves don't play as a pair or trio, they get dragged into positions they don't really want to be in while they cover full-backs playing in advanced positions. Ajer is particularly bad for this and then tends to lunge into challenges which happened twice today, one of which led to the penalty. Duffy has presence, but a big part of his role now is going to be organising that back-line and to manage and hold our shape.
The third factor is purely down to Broonie playing far deeper to compensate for the natural loss of a yard of pace. This leaves gaps in midfield which can be exploited and the belters from outside the box would be meat and drink for a prime Broonie who would be up in their grills instead of languishing inside the '"D". Lenny done something similar in his last season as a player with us and it was as noticeable then as it is now.
It's fine to play from the back, but our starting positions still have to be further up the defensive areas. Any halfway decent player will punish the space they get to play in when our centre-backs are barely up to the penalty spot.
As far as the full-backs go. The best example is the Liverpool model. Trent-Arnold and Robertson are encouraged to get forward and get balls into the box from higher up the park. Every time they do this though, there is someone to cover the gaps they leave. When teams play narrow against us like Livi did today, that should leave us space out wide to play in, but often our wide players and full-backs are just closing their own spaces by being virtually on top of each other.
This is all pretty basic stuff and easily fixable, but we will lose quite a few goals this season if we continue to be as shapeless as a Castore school jumper. The need to be on the front foot in games should never detract from sensible and solid defending. In the vast majority of our domestic games, Celtic need combative midfielders, but not necessarily holding midfielders. I think Lenny might be doing the captain a disservice by using him so much and he should pay heed to his own final season in Hoops and how he himself was often the brunt of the fans frustrations.
Boab mentioned a couple of pens and a couple of belters from outside the box and that can happen to anybody, but the penalties were conceded due to poor defending and the belters were due to us inviting them to have a free hit without any challenge.
The first issue is the most obvious. We defend far too deeply. The insistence on playing from the back now sees our defence shaping up to receive the ball from Barkas as far back as the 6-yard box. That means the back line don't advance as a group and that they are shapeless and strung out in various areas looking to receive a pass instead of keeping their shape.
The second problem is that our centre-halves don't play as a pair or trio, they get dragged into positions they don't really want to be in while they cover full-backs playing in advanced positions. Ajer is particularly bad for this and then tends to lunge into challenges which happened twice today, one of which led to the penalty. Duffy has presence, but a big part of his role now is going to be organising that back-line and to manage and hold our shape.
The third factor is purely down to Broonie playing far deeper to compensate for the natural loss of a yard of pace. This leaves gaps in midfield which can be exploited and the belters from outside the box would be meat and drink for a prime Broonie who would be up in their grills instead of languishing inside the '"D". Lenny done something similar in his last season as a player with us and it was as noticeable then as it is now.
It's fine to play from the back, but our starting positions still have to be further up the defensive areas. Any halfway decent player will punish the space they get to play in when our centre-backs are barely up to the penalty spot.
As far as the full-backs go. The best example is the Liverpool model. Trent-Arnold and Robertson are encouraged to get forward and get balls into the box from higher up the park. Every time they do this though, there is someone to cover the gaps they leave. When teams play narrow against us like Livi did today, that should leave us space out wide to play in, but often our wide players and full-backs are just closing their own spaces by being virtually on top of each other.
This is all pretty basic stuff and easily fixable, but we will lose quite a few goals this season if we continue to be as shapeless as a Castore school jumper. The need to be on the front foot in games should never detract from sensible and solid defending. In the vast majority of our domestic games, Celtic need combative midfielders, but not necessarily holding midfielders. I think Lenny might be doing the captain a disservice by using him so much and he should pay heed to his own final season in Hoops and how he himself was often the brunt of the fans frustrations.
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Ian65
Guest
boab1916
Well-known member
Fuck do you type in your sleep thats a good trick.Good points SP sure boabs workin oan a funny pic as we sleep
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Ian65
Guest
michael duffy
Well-known member
You still oan the bevvy bigian?,ye still got the gig wi' the diplomatic corp?
DILLIGAF
Well-known member
ooer missus🛏🛏🛏it’s the effect you huv oan me prick
Keviano67
Well-known member
Aye, I hear that! Doesnae bear thinking about!A feel a bawhair fae death when we grind out a cup final result, fs. Grinding out the 10? I have no fucking chance of living through that
Yi wernae watchin Celtic at the time were yi?Ma wife and probably a few others called me the grinder
Cannae wait ti see wee Frimmers win La Decima at Parkers.Fuckin decima FFS
A few skinny Tumeric chai Latte's will be had ti celebrate!
Me and my good phals Topher and Xander will be painting the west end green that afternoon, we're mental like that
Digger
Well-known member
Be interesting to see the result of the Hibs game today,They have been scoring as good as as any other team and thier defence looks organised,I still beleave sevco have been flattered by thier results think they have a game on thier hands today,here's hopeing Hibs stick it to them
I agree Taylor will never get better as a wing back will always pass rather than try to get to byeline big problem he has never looks about when receiving ball or passing would give Connel a chance at wingback he has good first touch,sees a pass not afraid to take people on.Start with back 3 think Duffy Julien Ajer also play Frimpong wide right as uses his pace well.problem is Forrest plays for period of time then hides so frustrating as has pace to burn and always threat around goal.Everybody has forgotten about Griff I personally believe we're missing him a great deal
Yes would like to see Turnbull get a run
Broonie great servant stop start season not helped him HH
Yes would like to see Turnbull get a run
Broonie great servant stop start season not helped him HH
Imatim
Well-known member
..........................
Let’s see how many set pieces the huns get in and around the Hibs penalty box.....that will set the scene...
Spherical Planet
Well-known member
Taylor's biggest problem when he's up the park is that he always has to take the ball from a standing start and needs one or two touches to get it under.
He doesn't trust his ability and can't take the ball in his stride. He doesn't have the natural skill or tricks to beat a man and he doesn't have blistering pace to outrun his opponent. He's a steady enough defender, but he went ball chasing a couple of times yesterday and got caught out wie a simple dinked pass over his shoulder. Backs to the wall, I'd be comfortable enough with his defensive ability, but I don't expect he'll be anywhere near the top of the assist list.
I don't think the fans have forgot about Griff, Chico, but he should be old enough and mature enough by now to know what's expected of him off the field. He's still out best finisher and set-piece taker, but his personal decision making is questionable at best. I appreciate that there are other psychological factors to consider, but I'd love to see Griff get back in the reckoning.
boab1916
Well-known member
The banter🛏🛏🛏
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Ian65
Guest
What no wee pic
Steviebhoy67
Well-known member
Oh fuck it's kickin off early today
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Ian65
Guest
Naw mate canny be arsed Sunday a day of rest and goodwill to all menOh fuck it's kickin off early today
Steviebhoy67
Well-known member
Are you on the Buckie?
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