Ajax vs Celtic, Europa League Group A Match 1, 17/09/15

Think everyone expected Fenerbahce put a few past Molde in the game.

Makes the group interesting now I'm still confident we will make it.

 

I think the Molde result is a great one for us. Seems more like Fener falling apart rethar than Molde being exceptionaly good, haven't seen the full game though so just going by reports.
Fener will be low on confidence coming here next week and under huge pressure to get a result.
I reckon we can still take 6 points of Molde and get at least a draw with Fener in CP.
That would leave us in a great position going into the Ajax game in CP.

 

It's 2 weeks next week is raith

 

Our defending is a * joke

Edit: A big * joke. Nani and RVP should be havin a field day with our backline. Izzys suspended and lustigs made of glass so theres our two best defenders out.

 

Any video of this? I missed the game... Will watch on Celtic TV later today

 

Pretty * sad when Emilio and lustig are our best defenders!

 

Makes me wonder if getting beat by Malmo was not that bad considering Molde result tonight, 3-1 win away against the team everyone said would win all games.

Interesting group this will be.

Also...We lose CL Football..Get beat from Aberdeen.
Now we get a draw away in Amsterdam, if Hearts beat Aberdeen on Sunday and we win at home v Dundee...The whole thing has kinda been turned around in a week.

This is why we need to think how Ronny talks..
Wait till it's over then judge. Last season we seen the improvement. Tonight proves we can do well.

#Coybig

 

We defended well last night, the second goal was maybe questionable but it was a quality delivery in fairness.

Thought our shape was perfect and we never looked like we were going to concede unless we made a serious defensive howler or from a piece of magic from them.

 

have we ever been good at it

every time on european night the commentators go on about our zonal marking, the chances we let teams have and the easy looking goals we concede from it.

maybe its time just to admit we can't do it and try man marking

 

What? How you come to that conclusion?
That was a HUGE win for Molde and helps us.
What if it was just blip for Fenerbahçe

We beat Fenerbahçe and take 4 points from Molde, we go through.
We have 1 away point, we get 9 at home and history tells us it's more probably ...Then this could be a good season.

I said same last season after CL failure..
"What if we have a good run in Europa and in the treble"
I was a handball and 1 goal away from a good guess.. lol

 

I'm not a fan of this zonal marking, it gives the attacker the chance to get a run at the ball giving them an aerial advantage over our static defenders. Also with a backline so unfarmiliar with each other it's all a bit messy.
I remember one corner in the 1st half Griffiths was standing on the penalty spot looking around as if to say "where the * should I be standing?"

 

Even sadder when Griffiths is our best striker... lol

 

Do people actually understand Zonal marking? You cover say 3 square yards, and the person in-front and behind do the same. Some of the top teams in the World do Zonal. "Man marking" may be better for some but as a coach who played both systems with superb kids and decent adults all I can say is Zonal is more organized, going man-for-man you lose your man with dummy runs, in Zonal, if played well, like In Ajax last night it works as dummy runners run into a zone that is covered..But with Zonal you always have 1 floater, 1 player to just go ball, his only job to defend is to go ball, he can go zone to zone. This is maybe why we are coming undone a little. It's easy to shout "My Man" in low levels of football, at our level it's a split second and you hear the ball hitting the net only

Just saying..No hate.. HH

 

Is it as bad as last year's?

 

Good post mate..

There are pros and cons for both but Zonal and man marking should be adaptable depending who we're playing and their strength at set-pieces.

This is reliant on good scouting of other teams though..

 

We clearly cant play it though. Biggest con is that it will give the opposition a run on your mans jump and most likely outjump him to win the ball.
A run and jump will nearly always outdo a standing jump.

 

Should have put this on.

 

Saw a few posts before the game about Bitton being 40/1 to score 1st, should have took head.
Anyone put it on?

 

Waht abouit Ajax defending for Lustig's goal-if that was our defence we would be going mad. 2-2 is a good result especially going down to 10 men!!!

 

2-2 is a great result and I dont think there's anyone here that wouldn't have taken it before kick-off.

We do need to sort out our defending from set pieces though, its costing us dearly. Gordon also has to look at himself for the Aberdeen goal and the goal last night. He needs to be more decisive and come and take both them balls.

Better defending from set plays and we're still in the CL, doing better in the league and it would have secured 3 points last night.

But as I said at the start, a point away to Ajax is a great result.