His Ridiculous Tactical Inflexibility
There are two possible explanations for Ronny Deila’s alarming tactical inflexibility; either it’s enormous arrogance or it’s a complete absence of other options. Either way, the consequence is the same. Teams who don’t come into games having already figured us out learn enough that when we next take the field against them they have the knowledge to counter them.
Sometimes our superior playing pool tips the balance.
All too often, teams are able to strangle our creativity and pick us off. Even in some of the games we’ve won this season, it’s been clear that the opposition has us figured out. Those teams which have the personnel to make us pay for it have invariably done so, often with ease.
Nowhere was this clearer than in Europe, where the stuttering starts Ajax and Fenerbahce made at Celtic Park were a clear sign that these teams hadn’t quite sussed how we played. Yet in neither case did we win those games; their managers quickly adapted, and from there on they pulled us all over the park.
Ajax punished us in Amsterdam.
Fenerbahce would have defeated us at home had they not been reduced to ten men with a quarter of the game left.
This isn’t to say Scottish teams are equally capable of figuring us out, and causing us problems.
Even without having watched Celtic in the flesh, Sevco’s boss had our measure yesterday and knew exactly how we’d approach the game. Warburton wasn’t the first to defeat us simply by setting up his team counter to how he knew we’d line up.
Several managers who’ve gotten one over on Ronny this season have actually told the press they knew they’d win before the games even began.
This is damning.
What they really mean is that they knew our system inside out, because it never changes, and they knew how to shut it down and pick us off.
The indictment is the manager’s and his alone.
Which is to say nothing for how piqued Celtic fans get at the depressing sight of Leigh Griffiths playing up front on his own. This isn’t Celtic. We have never, in our history, been asked to tolerate a playing system utilising only one attacker.
It does not suit us.
It does not work.
And Deila, in two seasons, has yet to sign players who fit into it.
Which brings us to another of his failings. Signings.
