SENTINELCELTS

I predicted a tight game, instead it was a sh#te game. Once again the derby served up a terrible game of football.
Some actual beauty better break out at Celtic Park in two weeks time or we may as well stop expecting for a while.
 
Anyhows, I thought we were beaten when I read the team sheet. I admit I felt their dropping McGregor was a mistake, but that was nothing compared to our initial selection.
 
Look, Ange has flaws.
That’s why we got him, that’s why he’s here and not in the games upper echelons currently.
He’s flawed. Not the finished article.
He’s very good though.
Communication and Motivation are his strong points by all means, two essentials I’m sure you would admit.
Tactics,,,sorry but not his forte.
 
Tam in the hole was the difference maker two weeks ago. It was a one time deal against a foreign, traveled manager who hadn’t encountered it before, and it delivered the league as far as I’m concerned.
Attempting to repeat the trick later though?
Naive at best.
 
To these untrained eyes our man in the hole was negated by the team in blue playing quickly to their man in the hole, and if Aribo had better quality or wasn’t jaded (unsure which as I don’t watch that team if possible), we would have been in serious trouble that first half. He was the player with the most space, yet wasted it.
 
Any intelligent observer could tell we weren’t set up properly, clearly being outplayed but yet the break saw no big tactical or personnel switch by our Greek Australian. Very disappointing from all three professional coaches on the sidelines.
 
A lucky goal betrayed our poor display and Greg’s in particular, our subs had little effect, and perhaps most disappointing was the fact our shaped wasnt drastically altered for a must win game when behind or underperforming. Ange at his finest, and worst.
He didn’t have a plan B. His initial team selection was poor. His in-game management the same.
He’s flawed, just like I said.
 
If he ‘also’ had good tactical nous in the locker, chances are we wouldn’t be witnessing his craft in the dugout, he would be out of our league entirely. A second or third rate club/league rarely discovers a first rate coach in his prime, rarely being an understatement. After all, he was hanging out in plain view with a ‘come get me’ sign to all European clubs, yet no one else nibbled. Lack of tactics would surely have been noted, and deemed a deal breaker, but not necessarily at a giant outlier like Glasgow Celtic.
 
As we have all seen, Communication and Motivation have been enough to reach the summit in Scottish football, whereas a league such as Italy needs good tactical pedigree in order to survive, as well as the essentials mentioned above.
 
That defeat, as painful as it was, may just have been a blessing in disguise. It will tell Ange he needs to up his tactical game, that simply selecting any eleven won’t do against at least one team in the league, good. He needs to learn and keep learning despite the grey hair and resume.
It should tell him players can be improved upon, and perhaps be a portent for a very unforgiving Champions League group stage. Learning limitations now at this stage is much more preferable than under the most harshest of spotlights against the very best of opponents, a wonderful end to this campaign could have filled everyone into thinking they are much better than the reality, lulling everyone including those controlling the purse strings into a false sense of security.
Trebles shouldn’t be easy, never.
Ditto derby games.
 
We’ve come a long way, but the finished product we ain’t, and stinging defeat can only help reinforce that fact. Coming back down to earth isn’t always easy, but is sometimes necessary.
Ange Postecoglou, the Celtic squad, and the support just landed with a big bump.
As the gaffer said ‘we keep going’.

By Mahe