This week I've seen Hibs, Hearts and The Rangers. Without new blood, and an appreciation of the challenge, we could finish fourth this year. It has a horrible stench of the coving season. Oh, and yes i am a terrible pessimist, hoping to be on the treble side of wrong.
How good is Oliver antman. I get regular emails from football behaviour management and it looks like The Rangers have pulled off the deal of the century. Bought him for 4m but he’s estimated by the above to be worth close to 30m. How have they done that? Am I missing something?
As BFDJ would say: I like the cut of Tony Bloom’s jib. He’s chucked in £10m and is assembling a squad for thruppence ha’ penny and not afraid to hold McInnes’ feet to the fire re. his expectations. As Alan pointed out, McInnes was visibly uneasy when questioned about Bloom’s ambitions in his pre-game interview with Sky. At Celtic, the tail seems to be wagging the dog - with the resources he has at his disposal, the manager should be told winning the league and negotiating a play-off round against a team (I’m assuming Slovan) that ranks 8 places below Victoria Pilznen is the minimum he should be delivering. Imagine what Bloom would be saying to McInnes if he came out with the same bluster as Rodgers?
Just a short mention about the match on Sunday, I might be getting sentimental with my advancing years but the cheer from the crowd when Kieran Tierney had his first touch of the game was great wasn’t it 💪
Great to have you back, guys, talking about competitive football again. It'll be very interesting to see the arm wrestle between BR and DD play out, I've been hearing that there is real personal animosity there, might explain BRs awful treatment of the new Japanese Bhoys and the rumours of DDs refusal to sanction up to six deals currently on the table.
On a technical note, I'm having difficulty switching the pod to full screen with the version accessed on sub stack. If I go to the YT version accessed from the email I can easily switch to full screen but then I get ad interruptions. Is it my setup or is this a common glitch for other folk?
If that is indeed the case it’s not an “arm wrestle”, BR is bringing a peashooter to a gun fight. And if there is genuine “animosity”, DD should dispatch BR PDQ lest this season turns in to a disaster. Like it or not and until things change, he who pays the piper and all that.
Agree entirely with Alan’s comments on Trusty and this summer’s signings. Likewise with James’ assessment of the substitute bench on Sunday.
I’ve had my fill of Rodgers and sincerely hope there is no new contract. He is a hindrance to recruitment and his increasing lack of coherence in team selection and shape is now becoming painful to watch.
Most alluminating discussion on the Bloom revolution at Hearts, gents. My analytical conclusion is that the men from Georgie will be better equipped to, well, play like Hearts. And batter seven shades of shit out of their opponents for the full 90 minutes instead of falling exhausted on their fat arses with 20 still to go. Others might see it differently.
I think that is the plan Frank but it is very early days
It is very expensive to buy very talented footballers. it is less expensive to buy good athletes that are competent footballers. For a club Hearts size they will not try and compete in the same markets Celtic shop (which seems to be from the couch at home) but instead try and fit well profiled players into an aggressive, high pressing, in your face physical style - typical Scottish football but on steroids. Like all these things it will take time for the existing players to be moved on or run down contracts and for the new talent to be sourced and bedded in. Then there is the inevitable internal culture wars to contest with.
Hearts fans may need to be patient but i have no doubts they will improve a lot.
Yeah, I absolutely get all that, Alan. I just saw an open goal to get stuck in to a team I've never really enjoyed watching, and I went for it. It just does my head in that Celtic shows no sign (unless Tisdale has taken the first tentative steps with the recent signings) of identifying players in the same way. Our competitive advantage over domestic rivals could be stretched even further if we have a robust player trading strategy based on analytics and we could compete more effectively in Europe. And still be based on talent and guile, rather than blood and snotters.
Just to say I am really enjoying your take on the other teams in the league. Maybe worth expanding this stuff since you are on twice a week. I know you are primarily a Celtic podcast but there is a real gap in Scottish football analysis. Nobody else is doing this stuff. Keep it up.
Good on you Allan for calling out BR on his comments about players. I still haven't forgiven him for telli g everyone in the league Kyogo had a problem with his shoulder. His comments on the arrival of Inamura were unacceptable. Imagine arriving at a new job and your manager makes comments like that about you. Won't be sad to see the back of him tbh.
what's disheartening/concerning is that when Ange left the club that board didn't seek out a Head Coach that was more aligned with their approach/policies/budget , maybe now that Tisdale is settled in his role he'll be asked to draw up a short list of more suitable candidates for the summer of '26. Roll on !
Good on you Allan for calling out BR on his comments about players. I still haven't forgiven him for telli g everyone in the league Kyogo had a problem with his shoulder. His comments on the arrival of Inamura were unacceptable. Imagine arriving at a new job and your manager makes comments like that about you. Won't be sad to see the back of him tbh.
tactical question please - with one full back inverting and the other moving into a back 3, is that the same thing we've always done, or is the back 3 thing new? If if it is new, why do you need both? Couldn't one invert, and the other move forward, still leaving a box 4 for build up and rest defence? 2+3 at the back seems like one too many there, and may leave the front 5 isolated, particularly if the #8s then have to receive the ball wide.
I am in no way a tactics person, but to my understanding most clubs have a game model these days where they want players to move to occupy spaces relative to where the ball and other teammates are - what the tactics nerds call positional play.
3-2-5 was pretty common during BR's first tenure, if you remember Scott Brown dropping in between the CB's or Lustig staying deep along with the CB's.
Seemed like BR (my guess is with the counsel of JK) may have decided to tweak things within Ange's game model when he arrived in 2023 - within the box 4 at the back.
I think what you reference is a hybrid and also seems to have manifested at times this season so far in possession- particularly as we get closer/into the final 3rd.
We will discuss this more on Extra Time, because it could be possible that 3-2 in deeper buildup could be an attempt to draw the opposition out higher in order to create space between the lines and in behind. Our long passing rate and St Mirren’s average defensive action line were both materially different than prior games vs Robinson's St Mirren, for example.
I'd counter the push to start Jamesy.. he's old, can he have that intensity for a full 90 or does it have more impact v tired legs for the final 30?
Wee reminder Alan, sorry bud, I feel a nag, please minimize the amount of background white on your graphics. Thanks.
Do you think, maybe this is happy talk, that perhaps BR is cooling his jets on Yamada and Inamura as a gambit during the transfer window to not give the board ANY excuses to not open the transfer kitty? Wishful thinking? It'd explain the weird decision to not play match fit Yamada and better LB fill-in Inamura over Scales.
I watched a bit, I hadn't slept and kept doing VERY long blinks, and it was open shading Well. Amazin'! Sevco 2012... play like that more often than not? Nae chance of 2nd place even.
This week I've seen Hibs, Hearts and The Rangers. Without new blood, and an appreciation of the challenge, we could finish fourth this year. It has a horrible stench of the coving season. Oh, and yes i am a terrible pessimist, hoping to be on the treble side of wrong.
How good is Oliver antman. I get regular emails from football behaviour management and it looks like The Rangers have pulled off the deal of the century. Bought him for 4m but he’s estimated by the above to be worth close to 30m. How have they done that? Am I missing something?
As BFDJ would say: I like the cut of Tony Bloom’s jib. He’s chucked in £10m and is assembling a squad for thruppence ha’ penny and not afraid to hold McInnes’ feet to the fire re. his expectations. As Alan pointed out, McInnes was visibly uneasy when questioned about Bloom’s ambitions in his pre-game interview with Sky. At Celtic, the tail seems to be wagging the dog - with the resources he has at his disposal, the manager should be told winning the league and negotiating a play-off round against a team (I’m assuming Slovan) that ranks 8 places below Victoria Pilznen is the minimum he should be delivering. Imagine what Bloom would be saying to McInnes if he came out with the same bluster as Rodgers?
Terrific chat, gents. Thank you.
It strikes me that a significant part of the transfer battle is BR ego…
Just a short mention about the match on Sunday, I might be getting sentimental with my advancing years but the cheer from the crowd when Kieran Tierney had his first touch of the game was great wasn’t it 💪
Yes i think we may collectively be underestimating amongst the affection just what a good player Tierney is now
Great to have you back, guys, talking about competitive football again. It'll be very interesting to see the arm wrestle between BR and DD play out, I've been hearing that there is real personal animosity there, might explain BRs awful treatment of the new Japanese Bhoys and the rumours of DDs refusal to sanction up to six deals currently on the table.
On a technical note, I'm having difficulty switching the pod to full screen with the version accessed on sub stack. If I go to the YT version accessed from the email I can easily switch to full screen but then I get ad interruptions. Is it my setup or is this a common glitch for other folk?
If that is indeed the case it’s not an “arm wrestle”, BR is bringing a peashooter to a gun fight. And if there is genuine “animosity”, DD should dispatch BR PDQ lest this season turns in to a disaster. Like it or not and until things change, he who pays the piper and all that.
Hello John - will direct message you with how to address
Agree entirely with Alan’s comments on Trusty and this summer’s signings. Likewise with James’ assessment of the substitute bench on Sunday.
I’ve had my fill of Rodgers and sincerely hope there is no new contract. He is a hindrance to recruitment and his increasing lack of coherence in team selection and shape is now becoming painful to watch.
Most alluminating discussion on the Bloom revolution at Hearts, gents. My analytical conclusion is that the men from Georgie will be better equipped to, well, play like Hearts. And batter seven shades of shit out of their opponents for the full 90 minutes instead of falling exhausted on their fat arses with 20 still to go. Others might see it differently.
I think that is the plan Frank but it is very early days
It is very expensive to buy very talented footballers. it is less expensive to buy good athletes that are competent footballers. For a club Hearts size they will not try and compete in the same markets Celtic shop (which seems to be from the couch at home) but instead try and fit well profiled players into an aggressive, high pressing, in your face physical style - typical Scottish football but on steroids. Like all these things it will take time for the existing players to be moved on or run down contracts and for the new talent to be sourced and bedded in. Then there is the inevitable internal culture wars to contest with.
Hearts fans may need to be patient but i have no doubts they will improve a lot.
Yeah, I absolutely get all that, Alan. I just saw an open goal to get stuck in to a team I've never really enjoyed watching, and I went for it. It just does my head in that Celtic shows no sign (unless Tisdale has taken the first tentative steps with the recent signings) of identifying players in the same way. Our competitive advantage over domestic rivals could be stretched even further if we have a robust player trading strategy based on analytics and we could compete more effectively in Europe. And still be based on talent and guile, rather than blood and snotters.
Just to say I am really enjoying your take on the other teams in the league. Maybe worth expanding this stuff since you are on twice a week. I know you are primarily a Celtic podcast but there is a real gap in Scottish football analysis. Nobody else is doing this stuff. Keep it up.
Thanks you Liam
Hold that thought
Good on you Allan for calling out BR on his comments about players. I still haven't forgiven him for telli g everyone in the league Kyogo had a problem with his shoulder. His comments on the arrival of Inamura were unacceptable. Imagine arriving at a new job and your manager makes comments like that about you. Won't be sad to see the back of him tbh.
what's disheartening/concerning is that when Ange left the club that board didn't seek out a Head Coach that was more aligned with their approach/policies/budget , maybe now that Tisdale is settled in his role he'll be asked to draw up a short list of more suitable candidates for the summer of '26. Roll on !
Good on you Allan for calling out BR on his comments about players. I still haven't forgiven him for telli g everyone in the league Kyogo had a problem with his shoulder. His comments on the arrival of Inamura were unacceptable. Imagine arriving at a new job and your manager makes comments like that about you. Won't be sad to see the back of him tbh.
Cheers guys.
tactical question please - with one full back inverting and the other moving into a back 3, is that the same thing we've always done, or is the back 3 thing new? If if it is new, why do you need both? Couldn't one invert, and the other move forward, still leaving a box 4 for build up and rest defence? 2+3 at the back seems like one too many there, and may leave the front 5 isolated, particularly if the #8s then have to receive the ball wide.
I am in no way a tactics person, but to my understanding most clubs have a game model these days where they want players to move to occupy spaces relative to where the ball and other teammates are - what the tactics nerds call positional play.
3-2-5 was pretty common during BR's first tenure, if you remember Scott Brown dropping in between the CB's or Lustig staying deep along with the CB's.
Seemed like BR (my guess is with the counsel of JK) may have decided to tweak things within Ange's game model when he arrived in 2023 - within the box 4 at the back.
I think what you reference is a hybrid and also seems to have manifested at times this season so far in possession- particularly as we get closer/into the final 3rd.
We will discuss this more on Extra Time, because it could be possible that 3-2 in deeper buildup could be an attempt to draw the opposition out higher in order to create space between the lines and in behind. Our long passing rate and St Mirren’s average defensive action line were both materially different than prior games vs Robinson's St Mirren, for example.
Mah bhoys is back! Enjoy your time off Laura.
I'd counter the push to start Jamesy.. he's old, can he have that intensity for a full 90 or does it have more impact v tired legs for the final 30?
Wee reminder Alan, sorry bud, I feel a nag, please minimize the amount of background white on your graphics. Thanks.
Do you think, maybe this is happy talk, that perhaps BR is cooling his jets on Yamada and Inamura as a gambit during the transfer window to not give the board ANY excuses to not open the transfer kitty? Wishful thinking? It'd explain the weird decision to not play match fit Yamada and better LB fill-in Inamura over Scales.
I watched a bit, I hadn't slept and kept doing VERY long blinks, and it was open shading Well. Amazin'! Sevco 2012... play like that more often than not? Nae chance of 2nd place even.
Hearts, Bloom-ing marvelous or Bloom-ing nightmare? Bloom's Hearts? Royalist Unionist Saint-hating-Gilloise? :P