Gordon Strachan's Management (6 Mergered)

One of the major problems I have with the current set-up is playing wrong-footed wingers. It would make sense if Naka and McGeady were banging them in, but they're not. Fair enough, McGeady has scored more than his usual tally this season, but defenders know he's trying to get on his right for a shot and quite often force him straight across the field, out onto the right. The players we have at RB/LB aren't brilliant at overlaping, ala McKinley/McNamara and so there's often very little fluency to our attacks. Brown is a head-down, driver kind of midfielder, not looking for the intelligent pass, but is willing to take a run at defences. Unfortunately, when paired with Donati, he has nobody following him in with his runs, meaning if he loses posession, the remainder of the midfield are forced onto the back four straight away. Naka and McGeady get away with doing very little ball-winning. They seem to consider that as a job for the defence, Brown (who's a liability when backtracking) or Paul Hartley (who has shined in this role, but who has been called on to do too much). The formation is very rigid. Strachan was on tv talking about zonal marking the other night, but his players are mentally locked into a role and only fulfill that function. I've liked what I've seen of Samaras, but I'd like to see what he could do alongside a powerful, Rooney-type player. From what I've seen of him, the closest we have to that is Hutchison, which brings me on to my next point. We signed players in January not only to fill positions, but to also freshen things up. Five were signed, but only two play (one mostly as a sub). Other than Hinkel, not one of those players is vying for a place in the first team. Samaras is mostly utilised as a last 20 minutes matchwinner kind of player. Mizuno is still "adapting". Fair enough. But what of Robson? Naka is crying out for a rest, while £1.25M of our money is kicking his heels, desperate for a game. I would love to see Hutchison get on too. Killen is persona non grata now, but he was never good enough in the first place. There's no point in having a deep squad, when the same players are used every week.

 

what the **** are you talking about? This thread is about what is the missing ingredient. The one before was about what players we have that are a platform to build on next season. I havent got the unified theory thread which covers everthing worked out yet matey.

 

I honestly think the manager has lost the dressing room.The players don't try for Strachan or listen to him.I think that was why Lennon was brought back.I have a theory that Lennon was the main man in the dressing room for the last 2 seasons ,not Strachan.He was the person they went to.Lennon leaving forced Strachan to take more responsibility in dealing with the players.Puturself in the players's position.If you were you're average footballer with no ties with Celtic beforehand would you run through brick walls for Strachan as opposed to someone like MON?

Strachan refuses to ever change his system.He has his favourites and plays them no matter what.The sooner he is gone the better.We are stagnating.

Keltoi re: your comments about Donati I think Donati showed heart and bravery of a different kind today.It takes a lot of guts to keep showing for the ball even when you're not at you're best.It is an underappreciated bravery that both he and Naka possess.I thought Scott Brown's performance was more cowardly than Donati's.Hiding is like he did is inexcusable.

 

Unbelievable.

People have been telling you for months what is wrong, you have ignored them and told them you know better. Then when the facts (i.e. our pathetic season) prove them right, you then ask what is wrong with the team.

Comical, and unbelievably arrogant.

Here's what is wrong with the team, and * knows how you can't see it :-

Too many average players

Poor tactics

Poor man management

Poor motivation

Poor substitutions

Wrong selections

No plan B

No heart

Is this all news to you ? You really cannot see this and need to ask ? Are you at the wind up ?

 

a bit harsh. I think Keltoi often makes pretty good points

 

Which of the problems with the team in my post do you disagree with ?

 

I am not to sure about to many average players. Yes their have been to many average performers past and present under WGS. However this could be as much down to the other factors that you mention in your post. Than solely down to them being average players. I am not saying they are top players, it is just quite difficult to know their true worth. As they have been used incorectly and have not been kept motivated.

On your other points Is this all news to you ? You really cannot see this and need to ask ? Are you at the wind up ?. I can see your points as it has been obvious for an age now what the problems are and it is not like people haven´t been telling him on here regulary.

 

I think a lot of people are dealing in extremes. We were in clover when we qualified for the last 16, but since we were put out, the team has faltered. Had the OF game gone the way our performance deserved, there wouldn't be such a backlash. I'm inclined to agree with certain points you're making, but not to the absolute degree. I'm not one of the fatalists who believe the league is over (that's not to suggest you are). We've had it all our own way for the past couple of seasons, so a lot of these players are unfamiliar with how to dig in and produce. I'll wait and see what happens at the OF games. In other threads on this site, there are fools who are saying they'd rather lose both OF games if it guaranteed Strachan the sack. I just think he needs a good shake.

 

Too many players in too little a time. No-one thinks they have a place and are fighting for fewer and fewer slots in the team.

 

Unfortunately I personaly saw this happening as far back as pre-season. Our midfield and Central defenders showed signs in pre season that they couldn´t compete with their oponents. In the case of the CM players it was hoped they would develop into a balanced partnership over time. However it was obvious well before qualification for the last 16 of the CPL that this was not going to happen.

We qualified for the last 16 playing in a different way to our usual 4-4-2 yes we started games that way but Spartak, Shakktar, and Milan the formation changed during the games with an extra body in Hartley sitting in front of the defense. This gave the CB´s much needed protection as the CM players are not capable of ofering this protection in just a two. IMO this problem exists at all levels it dosent seem to matter who the oponent is be it a Gretna or a Milan they all buypass our midfield and put presure on our average CB´s(this was obvious early season). For this reason I find it difficult to assess the true abilities of certain players as they are not being used properly and have somewhat been left out to dry for far to long.This view however is not just restricted to this season I believe we have lost many decent players over WGS´s tenure soley because they where not used in the correct way.

Your point I highlited about the other thread. I started the thread and dont believe anyone wants to lose any game to the Huns just to get rid of WGS as you suggest. Below is the difference as I undertood it its a shame some took it differntley.

I am not to sure why people cant understand the difference between as you say wanting rangers to beat us just to get rid of WGS. Not reasonable I agree.

Than if the results dosen´t affect the outcome of the title race I.e. Rangers as probable champions. then why would you want to continue with WGS at the helm.?

This view dosent make any sense to me as why would anyone want to continue the demise just for the sake of a couple of results.?

 

Keltoi for the love of * man.If that pish is considered to be the best passing football of the season then that truly says it all for me..We have been wojus for the entire campaign.We have a manager who has lost the players and most of the fans with mindboggling substitutions,team selections,Forrest Gump style tactics and ignored the glaring deficiencies that were obvious to all save him.Effortless,no-shape, no direction,no hope,no cutting edge,no-leader,no movement, hunger,desire,willingness, urgency ....but most of all no heart
An advantage in terms of resources and player quality over the past three seasons has been squandered.Absolutely criminal.

 

I really don't think we are as bad as everyone makes out. I seriously think that we really only have one major problem posistion - the centre midfield.(I'd also really like a new left back.)

Our centre halves do not get the protection that they need from CM and although Mick and Caldwell come in for a lot of criticism most of the goals we lose are scored or created untracked midfield runners. I think Hartley does a decent job in DM but doesn't get used enough.

When did you last see one of our of CMs assist for a goal? I genuinely cant remember. None of them are regular goalscorers either.

The job of the CMs is to make it easy for the forwards and wingers to attack and make it easy for the defenders to defend. Ours do neither.

Sort this one posistion out (easier said than done to be fair) and I really believe the team would be ten times as effective as it is.

Ps - the people who say we have average players - it's all relative. Yes compared to the team of five years ago or compared to the Premiership our players are not as good. However no one can serioulsy say that our players are average compared to Dundee Utd, Motherwell, Aberdeen or even Rangers.

 

good post. I think its just too easy and born out of frustration at results to just say 'everything is wrong'. That team got to the last 16 of the CL a few months back. That team plays some nice football (I really cant believe some people cant see that) compared to many who went before. Yes there is a big problem with cutting edge/ideas against wattienatio, yes there is a lack of a dominant CM, yes we lack a dominant experienced CB but that is not a plain bad team. Its a malfunctioning one missing a couple of ingredients. If i had to name one main reason for our problems balancing the team, it has been the huge problem of replacing Lambo, Lenny etc with a high quality CM that can adapt to the Scottish game and lead (within our budget and this market). That has effected the team to an out of proportion degree. We keep buying cheap (in terms of todays market) damaged goods like Donati, JJ. Grav etc who had evidence on their CV of being problem players. The sort of kingpin player we need is not going to cost 2-3 million today. If we want the finished article we would need to be looking at twice that at least. Thats for the board to decide. Rangers are very fortunate to have Ferguson because they wouldnt be able to buy a player liek that today.

Martin: I try not to drag myself down to your perma-raging ways but arrogant? Well you need to look in the mirror because you are a bully mate. You try to browbeat, ridicule (without humour in it), bully and personalise when someone wont capitulate to your views. Your constant dreging up of old posts and getting personal shows you are more interested in dominating people than you are of debating. Its * sad. I should have seen that early after you ridiculously aggressive OTT reaction to my criticism of Thommo's hanging about in some of my early posts, just because you had a different view. I regret being far too concilliatory then because you clearly dont deserve such treatment.

 

Personally think that WGS has created a side that are just a notch down from being SPL dominaters. If I ahd to highlight 1 area as someone said earlier it is that central midfield position that we have been striving to fill. WGS took a gamble on Scott Brown spending 4.4 million on him hoping that he would be the driving force to unlock defences through the middle and also be combatitive in defence. Obviously this has not panned out.. Will Brown be that player in the future - I don't think so.

Harsh words you may be thinking but I really think Strachan is 3key signings away from clicking - left back, centre mid, centre back. Every other position we have good depth in.

Not that any of this matters as it seems the majority of Celtic fans have made up their mind and want Strachan out (and I won't being up that thread by ellboy about wanting to lose 2 old firms at parkhead.)

We are a couple of signings away from a top-class side - now the past 3 years are going to be smashed and we'll be back at square one (and we might have an inferior manager running things).

Many people cite Strachans past signings as being anythnig from bad to disastrous and therefore won't trust him in bringing in this elusive 3 but I'm afraid thats the kind of market we operate in - you can't guarentee quality for £2 - 3 million.

 

Lack of Leaders on the park
No passion
Predictable formation and lineup
no change of tactics throughout a game
WGS continually playing players who are in bad form

 

Absolutely spot on

Why cant others see this when its so obvious.

 

What's wrong with the team?

1. WGS plays JVH in every game no matter what. He's slow, uninterested and worth about half what we paid at most. Must be 6'2 and 2'6 when he jumps. Never scores in big games and has never scored against the bigots.

2. WGS has no idea who to play in midfield. He wasted £3m on Donati who has proved why he spent 6 years at a club without getting a single game. He blindly plays S. Brown o matter how * he's been and plays him as a fecking holding midfielder!

3. Our squad includes absolute gems like Killen, Sno, Pressley, Hartley, M.Brown and Graveson. All signed by WGS and all useless.

It's not rocket science. We're pish because WGS has signed inferior players all over the park and has no idea how to change things. I know this isn't a WGS thread but the two subjects cannot be seperated, pish manager will produce pish teams. Don't even start on taking scotlands top scorer off against 10 man Motherwell and leaving 4 defenders on the park.

 

We're to predictable. We rely too much on McGeady, other managers know this and do everything they can to stop him having an influence on the game. If this happens, we're snookered. Start panicing and hitting long balls.

 

I'm no tactician but to my mind you can sum it up in two words - no movement. Thats the problem. Nobody is willing to run past the man to create space, players are too stationary when they don't have the ball. Obviously you have the man management problems as well which have led to a lack of passion belief and drive, but those have only excaserbated the real problem which has been with us ever since Strachan came. Full backs rarely overlap the wide men, midfielders rarely run past the strikers to support and big Veneegor is a * statue up there. Wee McDonald tries, but he's a natural poacher, dropping deep to connect up with the midfield isnae his natural game. We play a slow burning, safety first possesion style and I think we beat teams by playing the percentages - 'if we have ball for longer than you there's more chance of us scoring'. Not 'if we're more imaginative or incisive or skillful than you' just keep the ball long enough and keep mindlessly plugging away. Players seems scared to take a chance. It's made us HORRIBLE to watch the last three years, the worst I've ever seen at Celtic. People say Strachan tries to play football the right way because we keep it on the ground, but good football is dynamic and fluid, there's interplay and incisiveness & imagination, we have none of that. All of that involves guys taking the chance on making runs past the guy in front of them and taking a chance on playing a slightly risky pass now and again - I think strachan has installed a fear of doing that in the name of possession football at all costs. I'll say it again, We've been AWFUL for 3 years, it's only now that the chickens are coming home to roost.

 

i think one of the problems with the celts at the moment is the lack of pace in the side . no one except mcgeady has any sort of speed and even he is not a flying machine .. if u look at any of the top sides in england r europe they have players of exceptional pace . accordding to alan hansen its what defenses fear most .... remember agathe ? not much of a footballer but give him any space and he would make them pay. this also ment defences had to stand off him leaving room to play in .....with this celtic side the oppositon knows they can push up tight on players in possesion knowing celtic cant beat them with pace