I’ve been going to see Celtic since 1964 but tonight’s experience ranks down there with the worst of times.
Before the game Ronny had said that he wanted more energy from the team than he saw in Warsaw and he certainly got that tonight…..for about fifteen minutes. Even during this period though we never really looked like scoring.
After this Legia started to impose their game and discipline on us.The shoot on sight policy also failed to materialise with nobody having the confidence to have a go and a square ball often being the option chosen.
Tonight we were outclassed in a way similar to our drubbings by AC Milan and Barca last season. The difference is that this is Legia Warsaw, not an outstanding team, but they were a TEAM.
You could see their formation and they hunted in packs often outnumbering the Celtic player in possession. I thought we started with a 4-2-3-1 formation but soon found it hard to work out as once again the team had no discernible shape.
I came expecting to see some passion and intensity from my team, a team that was playing for its pride. I saw none of that at all and that was the most dispiriting thing about the performance. Oh and the lack of quality. Whenever we got the ball, particularly in defence, it seems like the proverbial hot potato. If we had a throw in in our half it was like an attack by Legia as we’d be guaranteed to mishit, over hit or rush our passes, often losing possession and causing a scare.
There are few who emerge with any credit from tonight. Matthews and McGregor had some good moments in the first half and after that I’m struggling. Commons had one of those nights and was badly at fault for the second goal. Stokes and Pukki never looked like causing a problem to the keeper and what’s happened to Johansen? His excellent form of last season seems a distant memory.
James Forrest did at least cause Legia to defend and got behind them on occasions but a goal still looked a forlorn hope. Talking of which, why are we playing our most natural goal scorer, Leigh Griffiths, anywhere up front but centre forward?
Ronny said that he would make changed slowly at the start of his tenure. This hasn’t been the case though. He has clearly introduced a new style of football but he just hasn’t got the players to implement it. He has said as much tonight and it is now down to the board to support him in the transfer market during the next three weeks. If he continues with his current system with the current squad then all bets are off as to how bad this season will be.
The team needs a radical overhaul in a way similar to the changes that Lennon made during his first summer in charge.
The board either need to sack Ronny now or clearly demonstrate that he has their support by improving the quality of this team.
Over to you Peter.
HOWARD G
