Ange Postecoglou

I've seen Postecoglou's fragile defenses . Not defending that.

But the goals Celtic conceded *in this game* were more individual errors than organizational one, which is understandable given who the players were and how little time they had playing together.

Plenty of managers would be able to organize to try and defend a 2-0 lead away from home to a top 6 Spanish team.

Not many of them would ever be able to get that 2-0 lead in the first place.

Do you really want to watch Celtic play dour defensive football like Iceland or Wales, which BTW has a low probability of winning anyway?

I reckon you take them at Celtic Park in the return.

 

Firstly I have to say I think Ange is doing a good job given the circumstances he finds himself in but this also comes with caveats.

Having to be so actively involved in the transfer process given the shambles the club are in behind the scenes, will have taken away from his primary role of preparing the team. The issue is you can’t prepare a team without first team players hence transfers having to become his main focus and us having no structure in place to support a manager with recruitment. Until this is addressed we won’t realise the full potential of having a good coach.

In addition the already limited squad has been decimated with injuries.

On the now won a big game with the exception of the game against them I have been surprised how well we have played in those games (Midjtylland home should have smashed them, away should have got the job done and last night against Betis with half a first team out).

The game against them stuck out for me as I feel we never played anything like the style we have in the other game’s. Where as I believe the problem in the other game’s have been more down to personnel deficiencies than playing styles.

I do however think the team have a mentality issue, we seem to be missing that winning instinct that would have seen us over the line the games mentioned above and not losing to Hearts. I think this makes Sunday’s game for us at a shocking park we haven’t won at a must win to get the lack of away win stuff of our back. It will be interesting to see how Ange’s system works on one of the smallest and worst parks in Scotland.

For me in domestic football we need to win all our upcoming game’s by any means until we get our top players back (McGregor, Kyogo, Forrest, etc). That includes our 3 league games Livi, DUTD and Aberdeen as well as the tie with Raith. As we get players back we need to get a settled team where we are only rotating out of choice rather than necessity.

 

No, you didn't have a "ready made replacement". What you had was a player recovering from injury lacking match minutes whose fitness you know nothing about. He breaks down or otherwise needs to come off in the game and you'd be going ballistic for the change happening too soon.

 

Ange isnt blameless for last night, the second we go 2-0 up he needs to adjust his tactics, failure to do so and we'll more big games this way.

I love the guy, and I think he's done a good job so far, but he needs to sort out the defence quickly, starting with dropping Starfelt.

 

Why make the sub being debated when we went 2 goals behind with 35 mins still to play then?

With all due respect, you know nothing about me so I don’t think you’re in a position to tell me what I would or wouldn’t have been doing. I can tell you that I definitely would not have been criticising him for making that sub earlier regardless of whether McCarthy had got injured or not.

 

Next 30-35 seconds of this video, we seem to have lost the way from playing like this.

I get we are * in the final third with 5 or more players out (Kyogo, Abada, Forrest, Mikey, Dembele, Giakoumakis) who I am sure Ange would LOVE at his disposal to implement this idea of passing and attacking movement, but we seem to be completely lacking in doing these basic things the last couple games.

Seems to be a lot more "recycling the ball" than pass and move to create the space for the attack.

Needs to get back to this. Think we would have got a few more chances had we implemented this a little bit more. The backline is looking better these days, but the urgency and intensity that this style brings is severely lacking lately.

 

Because there were 35 minutes left which the manager decided McCarthy could manage, and 35 minutes is time enough to get two back for this team and Soro was *

You don't know McCarthy's condition. If McCarthy broke down after being subbed on inside 10 minutes of the game, what then?

 

I think after reading everyone's opinions it important we look at the bigger picture. Arguably some of our better players are still missing to injury. Had julien, abada, forrest, furuhashi and mcgregor been in the team/squad last night the game is completely different. We all know this.

The fact we are scoring 3 in a game away from home, at European level with 5 key players missing, after just one window. Playing some lovely stuff at times too. Am very optimistic.

I do agree with some posters, if this is how we are to play we definitely need better, that not even an argument. However, whilst our defense is still a * show its a lot better than last year. We can only move forward and we cannot fix everything in one window. I think the last ange has earned is time and plenty of it

 

I'm worried about Ange's weight. It's ballooning. It shows a lack of awareness on his part.

He needs to prioritise his health. If he and/or his wife won't do it, Celtic should hire a dietician and cook to help him out.

 

Shut up ya *

 

But have you noticed his cough?

 

At death's door ay

 

What is it that people are actually wanting? I mean in real terms, don’t just say tighten up, sit in, be pragmatic, adjust tactics etc.

As already mentioned, you can only really blame the 3rd goal on a structural issue.

Do we go up 2-0, Ange shouts from the side ‘PRAGMATISM’! and we descend in to an Inter Milan catenaccio formation from the 60’s?

The man can’t legislate for idiots refusing to track their runner. Be as tactically sound as you want. No manager on earth will win any trophies if his players don’t track their men. It’s the basics of the game that you learn at 6 years old.

 

TBH I’m worried about us fans busting a foo foo valve when it’s squeaky * time. Too much tension in these games

 

He could have them work on defensive clearances on training sessions. Positioning can be worked on by showing them videos of where they are, vs. where they should be. Granted, that requires analysts, which we probably don't have.

 

Anyone criticising him for his subs is * at it. The bench yesterday was as bad as I've ever seen.

McCarthy aside, it wouldn't look out of place at Dundee United.

 

Aye, maybe McCarthy on earlier but that had to be on medical advice.

I can slate him for the starting line up but Welsh should have been on instead of Starfelt as well.

 

Ange would rather go 3 and 4 up than protect any kind of lead because he thinks that it just invites pressure, hes made that abundantly clear and hes repeatedly said he wont change his principles so I'm confused why people still are clamouring for him to adjust...
If most other managers took that weakened celtic team to play betis last night we would've got beat comfortably 3 or 4 and went out with a whimper, difference is ange has these boys believing in themselves that they could win the game and they gave it * good go, I'd argue if we had a stronger team out we could've won that somewhat convincingly.

 

Don't disagree, but not subbing Soro off at half time was disappointing, but it's not an issue related only to Ange, Lennon and Rodgers were notorious for it too, just wish our managers changed it quicker when it's clear our current plan isn't working.