Celtic vs St Johnstone, Saturday 29/8/15 - 3pm kick off

I`m still waiting for the day a player gets stretched off for kicking the post
after a goal. A monies worth day.

Why is it a good goal is usually always called "there was a deflection there?"

Commentators desire?

 

I stayed behind to see if VVD was doing any sort of goodbye but it didn't seem so.

Bit of a * game as well.

 

Looked a fair bit deflated today, could tell they were still hurting after Malmo. For me only Griffiths and Rogic stood out, we were too slow and predictable. Starting to get annoyed with Commons getting played out wide then putting Allan out wide, either tweek the formation or play them in correct positions.

Our defence has got some issues that need addressed, seems to be little understanding between them at times and just so sloppy, Virgil is supposed to be controlling the back line but he seems uninterested at the moment.

 

Not long back after the game and although delighted to get the win today's game was very flat and it was clear the players were nervous and again too many simply not fulfilling their potential. Exceptions today being Griff and Rogic.

We started very slow and showed very little creativity. Once again passes were going astray and we really were struggling to create anything. Yet still went in at HT ahead.

Second half wasn't really much better and after we got the third we allowed Saints to get behind the defence far too often and if hadn't been for Gordon's two great saves today could easily have seen two points dropped.

Next league game will be a testing one and whatever is wrong with the players be it mentality, performance or attitude they will have to get it sorted for Pittodrie.

 

Did anybody see when St Johnstone were taking a corner big Gorgon had to actually tell Biton were to stand in the box * are they doing in training

 

I think the international break comes at the right time, we have a lot to work on

 

I know we won, but we just look a shadow of the confident side that played some amazing football in the latter half of last season. We must improve.

 

That's exactly it, most of the team lacks confidence bar Griffiths, Forrest, Armstrong and Gordon.

 

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf25H9MAUTc[/ame]

 

It's mystifying why Commons is being played wide.

Boyata definitely isn't Denayer; and van * needs to be reigned in. There seems to be a lack of team spirit about this current group. Biton certainly appears to be frustrated, and Brown is off his game at the moment. Rogic was great, though. His goal was a deserved reward.

 

Decent enough showing. Still plenty of room for improvement.

St Johnstone done the norm for teams who come to Celtic Park. On the one excursion up the park in the 1st half, we obliged with an OG. In a game we controlled, with pedestrian play. We ended up 1 down. As others have mentioned, our play was flat, our movement was laboured and end product non exsistent.

We continued off from previous games trying to force a way through the middle, which was guarded by a line of St Johnstone defenders. Our equaliser actually came from something we don't do enough of when teams play like this. Trying shots from distance, gives defenders a problem to deal with. The either continually allow the shots or have to close it down. If they close down, then it should leave some spaces to play into. Players decisions can let us down in this area.

Rogic goal came from his good run from deep, he then shown composure and ability to finish off the play. With the goal coming before HT it settled a few nerves in the stand.

2nd half started with an increase in the passing and movement going forward. This lasted for a fair bit of the 2nd half and eventually lead to the 3rd goal from Mulgrew. What was disappointing though was that we went back to our previous mode, moving the ball without any real intent.

We lost our shape down the right hand side for a few minutes. Commons went wandering and left Janko outnumbered with Easton and Wotherspoon. That resulted in them winning a few corners in succession and building some sort of pressure. Gordon had a good stop from a free-kick and then a tremendous double stop within a couple of minutes. It would have been undeserved if St Johnstone had gained anything from a game, in which they contributed nothing for the majority.

Defensively we were pretty sound. Izzy was more like the left back he can be. Thought his crossing was much more threatening than it has been, although we had no-one in the areas to take advantage. Boyata and Van Dijik(by the sounds of it last game for us) largely untroubled, done most of the work in building play from the back. Brown and Bitton were solid if somewhat unspectacular. Rogic took his goal well and was providing the most out of our advanced 3 players. Commons and Mackay-Steven were very poor, didn't contribute enough and even struggled with the basics at times. Griffiths, scored via a deflection and missed with a back post header in the 1st half. Didn't think he contributed much else to the team and was surprised to see him named MOTM. Wasn't all his doing though. He struggles to impact games when teams defend deep and limit the space for him in behind.

Mulgrew for Brown, contributed with 3rd goal and kept the play ticking over. Scott Allan came on and looked to be positive. Was trying to play forwards whenever possible, which is something we didn't do enough of in the game. Granted his passes weren't finding team-mates, but showing attacking intent at every opportunity. With more game time, these passes will find runners and create goal scoring opportunities. McGregor was tidy with his play on his brief appearance.

From today, I have concerns about the quality of our build up play and the extent of the injury to Scott Brown. MacKay-Steven appears to have went off the boil, no longer doing the things which have built up his reputation. Griffiths will continue to struggle for space if teams are going to defend deep and defend the penalty area. This could be eased a bit if we pick up the quality of build up play.

 

Definitely.

 

Why Celtic Signed Tom Rogic
http://thecelticnetwork.com/2015/08/25/why-celtic-signed-tom-rogic/

 

Boyata can * off.

 

Well argued

 

Big Tam's goal was real nice

 

We were flat as *, but we won (really just goes to show how poor the other teams are that we can beat them without trying). Rogic was ace, and that Gordon double-save was amazing.

 

It's a lack of confidence within the team, plenty of team spirit just going through a bad spell. Bitton is struggling big time, he's trying to do too much and seemingly in 2 games he has lost all confidence he gained from last season.