The Diary Is poking this further with a stick. It needs to be said….
What have we learned this week? Braga must have got Seville on a bad night, that the SPL is in the presence of a tactical genius* and that a lot of the faithless have short memories.
When phoning Europe you only get three options now in the modern game. Option one is: Keep it tight and throw men forward on the counter. Option two is: Park the bus and pray to whatever God that you get the luck and break of the ball. Option three is: Turn up and attack.
Most teams, bar the top echelons, take option one or two. If you are a bottom-feeder then option two is choice. A manager of a team that has not won any of it’s last 12 European games and his career record boasts 5 wins, 11 draws and 15 losses, should not be hailed a tactical genius* when he, once again, takes option 2.
Though to ridicule, cast scorn and to mock is missing the point. There is a lesson to be learned from this tactical genius*.
Celtic’s European away games can be replayed to the Benny Hill theme tune. This season if we had took option two in the away leg to a lowly Dutch outfit then we would still be stroking our passports.
If Lenny had instead of playing Joe Ledley at left back had brought back Mulgrew this would have meant Ledley could have played on the left of midfield instead of the more direct Forrest. Fortune could have been- and should have been – placed on the Megabus from Buchanan Street to Birmingham, with Maloney taking his place and a more robust looking team takes the field.
If my Auntie had baws etc, etc.
The Tactical Genius* takes his cloth and cuts it accordingly. Ok, it’s cut with blunt scissors and is as entertaining as eating one of your own limbs but it’s him admitting that he knows the game.
After their result at Old Trafford I was tweeted this Jock Stein quote by The Huddleboard: “I think it is important to win a match, but I think what is even more important is the manner in which you win……….”
The football principal fairy that sits on my left shoulder started nattering that you don’t want your team known for anti-football. No, I don’t, I think the way R*ngers play is concocted by boiling sheep’s entrails in a witches caldron while sacrificing a colon but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
If we had seen out the Utrecht game we would have done to the letter what Big Jock meant. We won the first game comfortably and then saw the job through. It’s the manner of a knock out competition.
I’m too young to remember Stein in Europe. I’m sure there was games where the bus was parked. Luckily I can remember Strachan and O’Neill in Europe.
Forgive me if I’m wrong but I seem to remember option one being the favoured option. The 1-0 victory against Man Utd was one of the most one-sided victories I have seen.
We scored with our only shot at goal that night. Those who are using it as an example of why our approach was better than the Wattienaccio the other night are drinking meths.
Watch other home games from O’Neill and Strachan’s reign. We hung on in some of them for grim death hoping not to get an itchy armpits.
It’s time for some to grip reality and not set our football compass using sermons on commemorative tea-towels.
thecelticblog has received a video of the training session where Jos and Glenda attempting to learn how to park the bus. It’s below. Bit of work required.
*Walter Smith is only a tactical genius if you have been beaten to an inch of your life by a gorilla using Craig Paterson as a baseball bat.
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When Jock sent out a defensive minded team in Europe (ex defending a 3-1 in the semi in Prague against the Czech army) he was compomising his princples and clearly felt uneasy about it.
The waistcoat, however, never does anything else, and the odd time it works for him, he is hailed by the laptop loyal as being one of the games’ tactical masters.
Gibbons article in today’s Hootsman attempts to set the record straight:
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Glenn-Gibbons-Smith-fails-to.6538545.jp
@sixtaeseven
That article nails it and nails the argument against Smith and his constant style. He now has an excuse to justify his tactics.
My point is we shouldn’t be all misty eyed when looking at our tactics and style when a job needs done.
When Big Jock set out a definsively minded team, he was comprimising his principles and clearly felt unueasy with it.
The waistcoat, however, doesn’t know how to do anything else. The odd time it works for him, he is hailed by the loptop loyals as some sort of master tactician.
Make no mistake, he is a decent enough manager but nothing more than that.
GGibbons tries to set the record straight today:
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Glenn-Gibbons-Smith-fails-to.6538545.jp
I was with you all the way until you mentioned bringing back Mulgrew!
Although Ledley is not the answer at left back, it is no accident that Mulgrew’s ommission from the team has coincided with four clean sheets.
When Mulgrew played, the gaps down the left side of the Celtic rearguard were alarming.
@carntyne
I was making an extreme point. My reasoning for Mulgrews inclusion was this. Utrechts dangerman played down our left hand side. Ledley was left exposed by Forrest on the night. Playing Mulgrew and Ledley tight in that game would have stopped that threat.
Yes, Mulgrew is now playing his own game of where’s wallie?
Things that puzzle me:
1) How come I post, then it disappears, I post the thing again, and the original reappears?
2) How come you never see a handsome hun?
3) How come nobody has ever seen Messi and Paddy in the same room?
Whoah hold on, I don’t remember us parking any buses on any occasions (admittedly you’ll have seen a fair few occasions than me). Certainly not at home. It’s one thing to work incredibly hard during a game when a team has the upper hand, as Utd did at Parkhead, and quite another to have a chat in the dressing room before the game where everyone agrees that “We’re pish, they’re good, let’s not cross the…16 yard line”
We went to Old Trafford, played semi-openly and scored twice that same season. I don’t necessarily condemn R*ngers for what they’ve done (they’ve done far worse in Manchester) but I don’t think that those who do are being hypocritical. That said, if we got results that way we may take the criticism as part of a risk assessment, as they no doubt did. Pros outweight the cons perhaps.
Celtic is a proud club underachieving. Playing the likes of Forrest when a ‘better’ system would involve bringing back players like Charlie Mulgrew is what keeps us proud. And perhaps underachieving.
When I started I had a point.
@Jay
The point I’m making is that there has been times recently when our pragmatic incumbents while not parking the bus have not forced the issued even at home. It’s the moral issue of being seen as playing the correct way. What is the correct way?
My take is this. Winning by using what is at your disposal the correct way.
Something we don’t seem to be good at.
And……….
Let me be clear, look at my views on Levein to see that I don’t want a Wattie clone in charge. I want a manager that uses his talents, bought, produced and inherited smartly.
Harper off for Newcastle. Could Fraser be in for a recall?
I need help. I live in Canada and need to know of an alternative outlet other than “Iraq goals” to
see live Celtic games.
My dad is handicapped and cannot afford Channel 67.
Please advise asap
Thank you.
Andrew
Interesting points!
I actually felt that trying to play Arsenal at their own game last season was a mistake.:-(
Mulgrew hasn`t looked so good when defending but he did improve as the ICT game went on and he does deliver good qward. I say let`s make the best of his abilities.
A win tomorrow please Bhoys!
I don`t know (dinny ken like)where qward came from! 🙂
@LOTW
“*Walter Smith is only a tactical genius if you have been beaten to an inch of your life by a gorilla using Craig Paterson as a baseball bat.”
Surely thats a major understatement, you are being polite, surely you mean Walter Smith is only a tactical genius if you have had a gorilla beat you to death using a dodo whilst a talking unicorn watched on, who offered compliments to the gorilla upon every thrash he gave you with the dodo and afterwards your ghastly remains were feasted upon by a passing rabies ridden teenage mutant ninja weasel saddled by Hazel Irvine and Dougie Donnelly reciting quotations from chick youngs bbc blog.
Now all that would OBVIOUSLY make Walty a tactical genius!!!
u guys talk mer pish than the pope walters easily the spl`s best manager – a genius ? no doubt thats why we`re champions
@ Blue bell del
It depends on what terms you have for a genius. I suspect that you think your carer is a genius as they can write, read, type and wipe your arse.
Nice to see you bringing your issues to the blog by mentioning the Pope. Was there any need? Oh, yes probably….
A win is what we wanted and a win it was. The team came back from a goal down. Good experience!
Three games at Celtic Park coming up. Come on the Bhoys! 🙂
3pts was the objective, so I guess mission accomplished.
Must admit tho to being disappointed in the overall performance – was expecting better from Kayal Ledely Murphy Jaurez (to mention only them).
Lenny doesn’t know yet what his best lineup is.
I think we are making too many changes from one game to another & that is not helping us any.
To me, the whole thing still looks “fragile”.
Positives today were Emilio, Stokes and Shaun (although we need to really work on corner kicks and other dead ball situations).
@sixtaeseven
@Iain440
I had that feeling of dread today as well. Esp with 15 to go. Must do better.
The team has proved to be fragile for a while with some of the worst results happening immediately after a good performance. That feeling of dread remains! :-/
Have a good week.
@Andrew
try myp2p4u or streampro.