I can definitely see you getting up to around 30-40% possession in the first couple of games.

i can see united getting relegated...

Celtic have the opportunity to evolve their style of play, that won't always be possible depending on the calibre of opposition, however the way we try to get results has to evolve. It's outdated.

comment by JFK - Nothing but the truth. (U8919)
posted 59 seconds ago
i can see united getting relegated...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can see you from my window

comment by JFK - Nothing but the truth. (U8919)
posted 1 minute ago
i can see united getting relegated...
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Off topic

Ivan sad to say I would take that

Marc, that is all true, for me the biggest difference is our pressing, we press (not always effectivley has to be said) all over the pitch and European teams like time on the ball and to pass it much more than Scottish or even most English sides do, getting amongst them can unsettle sides and allow us to break up any rythym they want to establish

All part of Ronnie's evolution of the team. Next few weeks will us a lot. Good post

In all seriousness though guys, I can certainly see Celtic doing much better than last year in the Champions League.





I think you'll only get pumped out at the qualifying stage once this year.

u want us to do well, then people will want to come to Scotland, so we will stop buying your players.

Next few weeks will tell us a lot....

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

people forget it took lennon 2 years to build and settle a squad to get to the champs league, its easier said than done there are better teams than ours in the running.

we need to be realistic, its a bonus, not a given.

Keny, I agree with that (although I certainly agree with Smid).

Teams are built in cycles and Celtic are moving through a new cycle of team-building. Are you there yet? We'll see. It might not be until next year this team is ready to go to its full potential before it's broken up.

comment by SmidGer (U13415)
posted 45 seconds ago
No disrespect to Deila, but I think it does the previous managers you mention a huge disservice when you speak about his teams being pacier and more adaptable.

O'Neill - Euro final
Strachan - last 16 of CL
Lennon - last 16 of CL

Until Deila can get to the group stages of the CL never mind matching any of the above, then I don't think it is fair to say he has the abilities to take Celtic any further forward than any of his predecessors or that Celtic are more adaptable and pacier than ever before.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Smid, I did not mean to come across derogatory towards the previous coaches.

However, the players they had at their disposal meant they justifiably set up this way in Europe- as it was the only way to compete. The greatest aspects of these sides was their strength and the ability to make use of set-pieces.

My article suggests that if Deila tried to set this current Celtic team up in such a way we would be annihilated as our team includes too many players who just aren't suited to that style of play. There is no Sutton, Hartson, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras etc to hold the ball up and relieve pressure- arguably Ciftci can perform this task, but I believe he is a player who will be much more involved in the phases of play with midfielder rather than as a focal end point to our attacks.

Deila's test for me will be whether he makes use of what is now our greatest aspects.

its the centre halves that worry me Ivan, could start again with a whole new pairing.

we aren't good enough up top to not have a solid back 4 and we don't if dijk goes

see tbh, even then i see dijks qualities in the spl, but see in Europe celtic and rangers need warrior centre halves, guys that will throw themselves at in front of the ball and take a smack to the face for it.

the last one we had like that was Wilson.

its how rangers got to a euro final. fearless players.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

games in the Europa league give me a little hope smid

especially away from home, we did alright, a good stepping stone.

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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

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.

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

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.

Mackay Steven can become a £10million player if we use him correctly.

None of the rest can be worth that much though.

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.

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