The Start of Something Beautiful?

Dec 02, 2016

Both Deila and Rodgers got their Celtic careers underway as winners with League Cup triumphs. CBN takes a comparative look at their respective campaigns.

The 2014/15 and 2016/17 campaigns took place wholly in Glasgow for Celtic with 2 games at Paradise and 2 at Hampden. Celts played 3 Premier League teams and 1 lower league team in each; with a Glasgow Derby in each semi final.

Summary

24-Sep-14 H Heart of Midlothian W 3 0 Guidetti (23), Commons (56 pen), Eckersley (61 o.g.) 29-Oct-14 H Partick Thistle W 6 0 Guidetti 3 (31, 52, 56 pen), Izaguirre (48), Griffiths 2 (62, 68) 01-Feb-15 N TRFC W 2 0 Griffiths (10), Commons (31) 15-Mar-15 N Dundee United W 2 0 Commons (28), Forrest (79)

10-Aug-16 H Motherwell W 5 0 Rogic 2 (20, 76), Dembele 2 (pen 34, 64), Sinclair (61) 21-Sep-16 H Alloa Athletic W 2 0 Forrest (83), Dembele (90) 23-Oct-16 N TRFC W 1 0 Dembele (87) 27-Nov-16 N Aberdeen W 3 0 Rogic (16), Forrest (37), Dembele (pen 64)

P W F A 2014/15 4 4 13 0 2016/17 4 4 11 0

Pretty similar records but what about performance?

Defending

The 2014/15 team gave up less shots on goal, had a better tackle success rate, effected more clearances, limited the opposition to fewer passes and forced more incomplete passes. They also gave up more defensive errors and before you think it, no they were not all down to Efe but shared out around the team. A possible explanation for this is 1. Van Dijk and Denayer played all 4 games and 2. The stability of the defensive selections:

2014/15 G DR DL DC DC Heart of Midlothian Gordon Ambrose Izaguirre Van Dijk Denayer / O'Connell Partick Thistle Gordon Lustig Izaguirre Van Dijk Denayer TRFC Gordon Lustig Izaguirre Van Dijk Denayer Dundee United Gordon Ambrose Izaguirre Van Dijk Denayer

Lustig had an injury hit season in 2014/15 appearing in only 16 matches out of 61 being absent with 3 different injuries. Otherwise, despite O’Connell having to come on at half time vs Hearts for the injured Denayer, the selections were stable.

The 2016/17 campaign was marked by noticeable “tinkering” in defensive areas, despite the games being played over a shorter period of time:

2016/17 G DR DL DC DC Motherwell Gordon Janko Izaguirre Lustig O'Connell Alloa Athletic Gordon Lustig Tierney Simunovic Toure Sevco Gordon Lustig Tierney Simunovic Sviatchenko Aberdeen Gordon Lustig Izaguirre Simunovic Sviatchenko

3 different DC pairings and Lustig being the only defender to play in all 4 games. Also, Simunovic was bedding in the team after extensive injury whilst Izaguirre and Tierney played 2 games each. Remarkably Gordon achieved two winners medals without conceding a goal.

Defensive statistical comparison:

Defending 2014/15 2016/17 Opposition Shots On 3 8 Opposition Shots Off 19 17 Tackles Won 184 167 Tackles Lost 151 176 Clearances 109 97 Interceptions 135 139 Defensive Saves 10 8 Defensive Errors 12 5 Defensive Critical Errors 2 0 Oppo Ave Passes Completed 191 214 Oppo Ave Passes Incompleted 105 93 Oppo Pass % 65% 70% Oppo Possession Average 34% 33%

Attacking

Strangely we see the opposite trends when looking at attacking performance. The 2016/17 team:

Completed more passes per game
Were more accurate with their passing
Had hugely more shots (112 to 69)
Completed many more dribbles/take ons

In contrast to the defensive line up, in 2016/17 Brown, Rogic, Forrest, Dembele started every game across the front 6. In 2014.15 Brown, Johansen and Stokes were constants although Johansen played MC in one game and AMC in 3. The attacking line ups were:

2014/15 MC MC AMR AML AMC SC Heart of Midlothian Johansen Brown McGregor Stokes Commons Guidetti Partick Thistle Mulgrew Brown Wakaso / McGregor Stokes Johansen Guidetti TRFC Bitton Brown Commons Stokes Johansen Griffiths Dundee United Bitton Brown Commons Stokes Johansen Griffiths

2016/17 MC MC AMR AML AMC SC Motherwell McGregor Brown Forrest Sinclair Rogic Dembele Alloa Athletic Armstrong Brown Roberts / Sinclair Forrest Rogic Dembele TRFC Bitton Brown Forrest Sinclair Rogic Dembele Aberdeen Armstrong Brown Roberts Forrest Rogic Dembele

What the attacking performance stats reveal is a team passing the ball quicker and whilst creating more chances, having significantly more shots. The team is undoubtedly a faster team with Forrest, Sinclair, Dembele having genuine pace and Rogic being a strong runner with the ball. In contrast Stokes, Commons, Guidetti, Johansen although able to make half a yard were not particularly quick, hence the greatly increased number of dribbles.

Attacking Stat Comparison:

Attacking 2014/15 2016/17 Shots On 31 45 Shots Off 38 67 All Shot % 19% 10% Ave Passes Completed 496 534 Ave Passes Incompleted 90 83 Pass % 85% 87% Possession Average 66% 67% Chances Created 24 29 Chances Attempted 34 28 Succesful Dribbles 18 33 Unsuccessful Dribbles 17 29 PEI 75% 77%

So two great campaigns with enjoyable goal fests, derby wins and 1 sided finals. Strong defence in 2014/15 and attacking verve in 2016/17. 2014/15 promised so much but performance did not develop which will be the subject of further analysis. Is 2016/17 the start of something beautiful?