I was also thinking along these lines.I honestly think something has happened behind the scenes. That was a complete lack of effort tonight and one or two players being injured doesn't make half a team suddenly give up.
I definitely think that the midfield performance of late are the biggest factor in our loss of form .I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
Blows my mind how quickly we seem to fall apart at the business end of the season every year.
Yilmaz played in the 2-1 defeat to Motherwell.Yilmaz injury has lead to Clement creating an imbalance in the team and overthinking certain things.
Single biggest factor for me... Yilmaz getting injured playing for Turkey.
Good post i cant disagree theirI think it’s multiple things.
Dressing room leaders who haven’t been able to handle it when the pressure is on and their heads drop.
Injuries causing us to play players who have one eye on the door or are just piss poor squad players.
Players like Goldson and Tav becoming some mythical jenga pieces that managers fear of even dropping in fear of it collapsing the rest of the squad.
The manager constantly tinkering to try and plug the gaps to fix it.
Ive literally just posted exactly this in another thread, glad someone else thinks thisI was also thinking along these lines.
A month ago the squad looked really together.
Clement would hug players being subbed and have a word.
Now players come off looking really pissed off and don’t even acknowledge the manager.
Why?
Lundstram last two games reverted to sitting in so deep he was virtually like a spare centre half. Too often he’ll take the ultra safe option and pass sideways or backwards. This starts off a very slow build up. Tbh there has been very little movement from the midfield and front players. Not saying that’s our only problem of course. Not pressing teams and persisting with poorly performing players ( in some cases out of necessity ) has also contributed.I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
Let's be honest i came away from that game thinking 'how easy are we to play through'.....but i put it down to Benfica being a level or two above us.A point was made last night that most if not all of our players seemed to have lost interest the minute we got put out of Europe
Hard to argue with this as everything seems to coincide with getting beat at Ibrox by Benfica
This is what people refuse to admit. It's no example to set to the new players especially the young ones, it's no coincidence Butland had lost confidence to come off his line after that. Imaging having Tav and Goldson in front of you. Imaging a young player silva etc seeing that example. You'd fall apart. Since that moment we have been a shadow of ourselves.James Tavernier vs Celtic
21 secs
Season over
You have to go to Motherwell at home for that.Since that moment we have been a shadow of ourselves.
It just never stops!Tavernier displaying his inspirational leadership 22 seconds into the OF.
This.James Tavernier vs Celtic
21 secs
Season over
Haha what a load of shiteJames Tavernier vs Celtic
21 secs
Season over
We beat StJohnstone at McDiarmid to go top the day after Celtic had drawn at Parkhead and the players and fans thought that was the league won. It was cringey hearing that eff you Celtic song were gonna win the league with so many games to go and i think the players believed it as well.
The euphoria that day was OTT.
Aye because everyone else is performing great and it's all down to Tavernier.Tavernier displaying his inspirational leadership 22 seconds into the OF.
I agree entirely, midfield a disaster slow, ponderous with no drive. Regardless of how bad the defence is the lack of drive, creativity and scoring from midfield has been a big factor in our decline.You win and lose games in midfield.
Without someone like Sterling we have no power, no pace, no drive and no forward passes. Everything is pedestrian like and sideways or backwards. In short we are unable to control the game and are over run without the ball.
Quite what the manager is doing or seeing I have no idea.
Did i say that ? As captain, he is meant to provide the inspiration, leadership and mental fortitude to the rest of the team when it really matters. When have we ever seen that from him ?Aye because everyone else is performing great and it's all down to Tavernier.
Due to his cost, not his talentA few mentions of the importance of Yilmaz - a player we were trying to sell in January.
Teams know we don’t have much creativity from midfield, we only have pace therefore sit as deep as you can and put the ball out for a corner at all costs because we have no aerial threat either.I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.