Unlike the Celtic sides of O'Neill, Strachan and Lennon the current side under Ronny Deila are much pacier and have the ability to alter their approach in European matches.
As much as we strive to play good football domestically, the scale of the task in European games has often meant we've resorted to pragmatic tactics whereby we utilise the most out of set-piece opportunities and try to level the playing field by using our physical strength and presence to compete.
The teams of O'Neill, Strachan and Lennon all used strength as a foundation to be competitive in European matches and it was often this added to by moments of genius which could make the difference for us in many games.
I am not saying we went into games with a negative mindset, our home record in the Champions League particularly reflects a side who have went into matches believing we can win games. However, given a lot of the players we had our best method for being competitive was to use set-pieces and strength; we were hardly going to pass our opposition off the field and our teams were not particularly quick.
However, looking at the team we have under Deila now it is much pacier than beforehand. That does not necessarily mean we will change our approach, but it may have led us into a situation whereby the old approach would no longer be our greatest strength- we're not a particularly strong team anymore and our danger from set-pieces will decline in my opinion.
It may not necessarily work because we are still defensively fragile in European terms, but making more of possession to draw teams in and then hitting them with our pace on the counter-attack may well be more useful to us than making the most out of set-pieces: our corners have declined greatly in years and the majority of players who took corners under Lennon, for example Stokes, Mulgrew, Commons etc would not be involved in my ideal starting line-up.
Ultimately we had to evolve and I believe Ronny now has the opportunity for us to try and be more dominant in possession in these qualifiers and approach them with a greater attacking mindset where we use our speed and interplay as opposed to strength and set-pieces. Whether indeed that can work now is unknown, but in my opinion we need to establish a new identity in European terms.
Excited for Europe this season
posted on 13/7/15
games in the Europa league give me a little hope smid
especially away from home, we did alright, a good stepping stone.
posted on 13/7/15
comment by SmidGer (U13415)
posted 43 seconds ago
MarcI know that mate, wasn't suggesting you were being disrespectful towards your previous managers.
As much as I agree Deila has taken Celtic in a different direction it is just worth remembering that ultimately success or failure is measured in results. With success in Europe generating so much commercial revenue, ultimately I don't think Deila will get any moral rewards for building a progressive team who do a domestic double every year if he is unable to replicate this on the continent. Whilst O'Neill, Strachan and Lennon may have built teams that weren't as easy on the eye, ultimately they have set a high bar in Europe that Deila must match - with or without good football - in order to be considered as successful.
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Any coach is judged on results.
My argument is that Celtic changing their style in Europe may actually be a pragmatic argument and not an ideological one.
Demanding European football and a good style of play would really be asking for your cake and eating it.
But my question now would be is the Celtic team enough of a physical presence and good enough at set-pieces to continue in the same way?
Players like Johansen, Mackay-Steven, Armstrong etc will all be passengers and luxuries if we try to get results based on physical strength and set-pieces.
If we adapt, then they could easily be our three most important players.
posted on 13/7/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 13/7/15
The defence is entirely the issue, it's all about whether they can step it up.
I'm actually confident we can create opportunities to score goals in the majority of games we'll play.
posted on 13/7/15
Smid, all 3 of those managers had a considerably larger tranfer and wage budget
Not denegrating any of them for that I just think Ronny has us playing fitba in a style we have not seen at CP as long as I can remember, one I enjoy and with less resources
It is horses for courses and there is nothing to say that any of the 3 of them couldn't do it also if they had reduced budgets like RD's but for me at least it is the change of style and hope that I am enjoying
6m for Sutton, 6m for Lennie big wages throughtout the squad, those days have long gone from Scotland methinks
posted on 13/7/15
Wolfsburg still have a couple of great players tho smid, we have some good ones, not great ones.
same applied to inter.
punching well above our weight, any success in Europe is a big success.
posted on 13/7/15
Mackay Steven can become a £10million player if we use him correctly.
None of the rest can be worth that much though.
posted on 13/7/15
on current goings
i'd want 10 for djjk, he isn't worth 10 but a premiership team can pay that for him. Next year will be Biton.
posted on 13/7/15
Tell you lads, this season, and I cant explain, I really thing wee Jamsey will take off if he can stay fit, RD has a semi for him in every interview, he looks fitter and leaner, might end up rupturing his hammie 2 games in but if he can stay in shape he will be a big player this year
Or not
posted on 13/7/15
"I really thing wee Jamsey will take off if he can stay fit, "
Scotland's answer to Darren Anderton (remember him) who somehow or other acquired the nickname "sicknote"......not sure why