1 up front

Wasn't meaning on target, I was thinking more like Stokes cross that got deflected onto the post.

Not arguing in his favour though, just saying it depends on whose tallying up the stats!

Only know this due to a Tim Vickery rant a couple of years ago

 

I've no idea why playing one striker still has negative connotations amongst our support. When we're playing one up, we're still playing attacking football.

The wide men play high up the park and support their striker, they have very little defensive responsibility - if any. One of the middle three (Commons or Johansen) also plays high up the park with little responsibility in terms of tracking back.

A formation isn't a definitive measure of how we play. We won a lot of games this year playing one up front, no need to hit the panic button because of one defeat.

 

Well in a lot of cases things like that would fall under the ambiguous category. Stokes' clearly wasn't a shot or an attempt at goal though so I'd find it very odd if it was counted as one!

 

That's a very good point, I'll concede that. I just find it extremely frustrating watching us and all the chances we are leaking. It's a point to consider though, I do think with the players available to us just now there are far better options, so if it's a case of frustrating play this year and better next then we'll just need to grin and bear it. All in all I do think we're heading in the right direction, our defending all over the pitch is giving me nightmares though.

I'm not sure about the Stokes part, he's been excellent this season but his last 6 months next to Griffiths was exceptional and his play next to Hooper was nearly unstoppable domestically (never saw it in Europe right enough)

 

If we get Forrest and Lustig in form and playing consistently I'm not sure we even need a winger. We do need to get our right flank working as well as our left flank though

 

The defence is a problem right now. Obviously having to play Ambrose doesn't help but Matthews has also been uncharacteristically shocking this season. I think if he is going to play Izzy so advanced then we need Matthews (or more likely Lustig when he returns) to sit. VVD needs to be covered better when he bursts forward and needs to be sharper getting back when play breaks down. A defensive midfielder to sit with Brown would also tighten up the midfield and stop players running through, though I'm willing to give Bitton a chance.

Hopefully Ronny is given a few bob either in Jan or the summer and we'll see the team he wants.

 

I think that is a reasonable point. Our defense should not be this bad because last year the same players were rock solid.

As for Bitton i see him as more of a Ki/Michael Carrick type player rather than an out and out defensive midfielder. I hope he can adapt his game to play this role but i would like to see him play deep with someone in the Wanyama mould.

 

It's the most worrying for me and the biggest reason I want two up front, allows us to play 3 in midfield and offer far more cover to the defence.

Our defence is far too cavalier without anyone covering them. I think it's the system we're playing rather than the players, it was always one of our strong points under Lenny covering for other players.

 

* me that is comedy gold. Right up there with "Mowbray has a better record than Delia right now" from og1.

How far will people just make up pish to castigate Celtic? :smiley-laughing002:

 

I also think that our full backs are too cavalier with their positioning. Teams seem to be happy allowing us to have possession and to hit us on the counter. This is a problem that needs fixed. I am also concerned that we will fall into traps because of this.

 

I am not slating Celtic. I love Celtic and i am hurting. A couple of people are more concerned with picking apart my posts and riling me up than to consider that everthing is not rosy with our team.

For the record i still see Mowbray esque tendencies in this current side. That is a football opinion and statiing it does not make me less of a fan the the folks who blindly back our manager. I wish i could do that but i am feared this will end in tears.

 

We've done that for years, it's just right now we don't have anybody to cover them and our centre backs are a lot further forward as well.

 

100% and i think this is why the diamond is the best system for us. We will protect the defence a lot better and our full backs will provide the width.

I am very worried about how we line up at the minute and i would like to see some flexibility from the manager. I dont think it is unreasonable to expect this.

 

Hurting about * whit?

Being top of the league?

In both domestic cups?

A tie against Inter Milan to look forward to?

Hurting ffs.

 

Yes i am concerned about the direction we are going and the shape we play. You already know this so dont start.

 

You like your hypothetical scenarios so here's one for you.

If we managed to get past Inter and win the treble, all the while playing the same brand of football, same formation, still leaking the odd goal due to defensive * ups... would you still want rid of the manager?

 

Were you concerned with how stagnant we had become last year?

 

I would love that scenario. Of course i would. I dont necessarily want rid of the manager. If he shows some flexibility and fixes our problems then happy days. At the moment i dont rate his system and i am frustrated by his stubbornness.

And koke i would take us hammering the competition like last season compared to where we are now. If we fail to take 3 points in out next game then we are in a title race and for us at this point that is unacceptable.

Nobody wants it to work out for Ronny more than me but i am worried by what i have seen so far. I dont think it is unreasonable to state these points.

 

Unacceptable for us to be in a title race. There folks is what's wrong with the modern Celtic fan.

 

No doubt if we were running away with it we would have pages upon pages of "whaaaaa, this is so boring with no competiton".