Learning Averse Celtic Edge Towards Euro Exit
Celtic meekly surrendered a 2-goal deficit against a compact and well organised Valencia side in the Europa League. Lessons continue to go unlearned at this level.
German Lesson
This match was similar to one from Rodger’s first European campaign with the Hoops. In the 0-2 reverse at home to a talented by avowedly European middle-class Borussia Moenchengladbach, Celtic could not find a way through a rigid 4-4-2. Against the Germans there had been 0 shots on target and only 7 in total. There were 2 shots on target against the Spaniards, both in the first 5 minutes and both from low probability distances.
In the Champions League Group game, Celtic had a similar configuration with Brown deeper and Armstrong and Rogic trying to find space in the 8 and 10 positions. The issue Celtic had that day was that with Brown deep and the flanks covered 2 vs 2, the Hoops were outnumbered in the middle and the Germans pressed Rogic and Armstrong effectively on the rare occasions they received possession.
Geometry Lesson
Against Valencia, Brown dropped right of the centre backs and McGregor left. This served to mean there were 4 Celtic players behind the ball at all times whilst the flanks were again matched up 2 vs 2 with Toljan and Izaguirre pushed on. It was a simple numbers game – 10 v 6 in the Spaniard’s favour. With McGregor so deep, Christie and especially Burke were completely isolated and there was no out ball wide. Celtic literally had no where to go.
Rarely has a side played such a disciplined and compact 4-4-2 as Valencia. They maintained geometrically precise distances between themselves and fell back as one when required. They squeezed up with minimal spaces between the lines.
The result was the ball was endlessly recycled through Boyata, Simunovic and McGregor. The Croat completed an astonishing 151 passes, only giving the ball away twice. Boyata completed 125. From those 276 passes only 18 bypassed a single Valencia player. Only 9 passes were to a midfielder and 3 reached the strikers.
McGregor, playing as a left sided centre back in possession, completed only 4 packing passes taking out opponents and 2 of those were to Toljan. As an effective use of resources, it wasn’t even a start.
History Lesson
The dynamism of Celtic’s recent play has usually been when McGregor and Christie are able to receive plenty of the ball centrally and play quick incisive passes. With Christie ostensibly a 10, and Brown and McGregor so deep and split by the two central defenders, there was virtually no connectivity in central areas. The three central midfielders completed 1 pack pass to each other all match, Brown to Christie in the 5th minute that led to McGregor’s shot on target. Surely Celtic should have tried to overload Parejo and Kondogbia in the central areas? Bringing Christie deeper and ensuring connectivity between the three midfielders would have allowed Celtic to play quicker through the central lines with Brown protecting the quick break when it broke down. Christie did not complete a single pack pass.
Spanish Lesson
Both Valencia goals came from identical scenarios. Firstly McGregor, then Brown were tackled in the middle of the Valencia half. 2 and 3 passes later the offside was easily broken and superb timing and execution of final passes resulted in tap ins. Maybe that spooked Celtic into avoidance of the break against but it effectively made the game easy for Valencia to play out.
The substitutions made no material change other than fresh legs and enthusiasm. Instead Celtic went with a diamond formation with Weah in behind Edouard and Burke. It did not fix the central supply issue from midfield.
The Borussia Moenchengladbach game is also memorable for effectively ending Toure’s career. Horrible echoes of that came in the first half as Brown gave the ball away in his own final 3rd 4 times and looked rattled by the intense press. He recovered composure but was unable to play as authoritatively as the excellent Parejo had in the first half.
The more general point is that Celtic under Rodgers are not improving their game management nor strategy in these games. Celtic have been in fine form and Rodger’s is a hyper optimistic manager. He changed little in this match from the league games preceding, but given how Valencia maintained such defensive discipline, he must have identified ways to create overloads in attacking areas. None of this transpired and it is seldom an away side has had such an easy evening in the East End.
Football Lesson
Celtic managed 1 pass into the Danger Zone and bypassed only 9 defenders all night. Their xG of 0.359 is the lowest in ANY game this season. The Spaniards only mustered 7 shots, 5 of which were on target. Being able to retreat to half way then press ball recipients from within a compact framework was exactly how they wanted to play. But this is not European elite, and I’d fancy Salzburg to beat them. There was nothing exceptional in Valencia’s numbers but there didn’t need to be.
With many injuries but such squad depth that they were able to bring on a £40m winger from the bench (Guedes). The Mestalla will be an unforgiving place. Was it ever thus for those unwilling or unable to learn.