Why Are We Struggling to Score?

I agree we are not playing close to 100% each week but I dont think it is a conscious decision. I get why players play 100% in games where there is more importance attached to winning or losing.

Celtic are in a very unique spot where most of their most important games occur in the first 10 or so in the season. It may change going forward but I think as long as players know the league is a formality by xmas there will be long periods where they do enough to win but look far from 100%. I dont like it, it isnt fun to watch, but I do understand it.

 

Not sure if it's been mentioned but Brown and Ntcham together is an issue for me.

Both excellent players however both play behind the ball. We don't really need that against most.

Other wee things as well. I honestly think we'd suit Forrest at right back against the teams near the bottom, with Roberts in front of him. Lustig is well past his best and Hendry isn't a natural attacking player.

 

Poor delivery from set-plays, poor movement from set-plays.

Two players sitting deep, Brown offering the least he ever has in forward areas. The loss of the impossible to pick up Armstrong late arrival runs

Injury plagued strikers.

No support for the right winger (Forrest) on the overlap, rock bottom confidence Sinclair. Basically a left side consisting of Tierney, and a right of Forrest. Lustig and Sinclair been two men down at times. The loss of one of our most gifted attackers, one who can make chances from nothing, Roberts.

Injuries to Rogic. Injuries to Hayes - No competition for Sinclair.

It goes on.

 

Change of formation and tactics for me.

This passing it along the back and side to side all the time is killing our attacking play.

We seem to forget that we can run forward with the ball or the players have been told to pass the ball back at every opportunity.

It's been * awful to watch and we are not scoring as many goals with the tactic change

 

It's down to the fact Sinclair , Armstrong , Dembele and Roberts have been out of form and injured for most of the season

 

For me its the slow predictable possesion we are playing like others have said it gives teams time to get back into formation . Last year it was fast in your face football chasing the oppositoin when they had the ball . When we play fast attacking football no one can handle us we have seen it in 10min spells this year we score then go back to the slow passing game which has let teams get back in the game

 

Griff has spent to much of the season out injured or not in the team......BR is also reluctant to drop his out of form signings.

 

its weird because if you look at individual examples the whole point of dembele coming here was essentially game time to then get a move to a big club, totenham were willing to sign him before us and his drop in form means he wont get a move to someone like that, more likely southampton or something. He should be playing out of his skin every match to prove himself if he wants a move surely.

that is not say dembele is intentionally under performing or cant be arsed i but surely the drive to progress as a player should be pushing players like him to give 100% regardless of its impact on celtics season

 

Yeah as regards Dembele it is odd. Im not sure if he is really THAT good and having a bad season, if he was never that good but had a great season last year, or if he has already lined up a move and has one eye on leaving at the end of the season (I sense it is the third option)

Whatever it is he looks a shadow of the player last season. Some fans scoffed at the idea of him moving to brighton in january - I dont think he would even get a game for them at the moment based on current form.

 

Dembele thrives on exploiting other peoples movement and spinning off of others support.

Two things we aren’t doing just now.

And he’s still scored 5 goals in 7 games.

Dembele ain’t the problem. One sitter for a young guy and people go overboard as *.

 

Because we are *.