Much was made of Bolingoli and Julliens’ absences in the season low defeat to CFR Cluj. Exit from the Champions League was scrutinised for many reasons – tactical and personnel, but the lack of £10m of new signings was noteworthy.
At the time, Jullien had 196 minutes under his belt and was “bedding in”. But more pertinently, both Simunovic and Ajer were available to Lennon. Despite the imperious Benkovic, he had persisted with this pair at the end of last season with the express intent of settling a back two for just these games. Therefore, the perceived controversy of not including the £7m Frenchman was a bit of a hareng rouge.
However, dropping master of the quick transition, McGregor, to left back in place of the Belgian Bolingoli, who hitherto had played in every match of the season, was odd.
Easy with hindsight, but Celtic lacked the fluidity through the midfield that McGregor brings. Additionally, he was exposed badly before and with the first goal, being caught underneath crosses and out of position.
I am not here to rake over old coals, as the SFA would have it. You can refresh your self in Familiar Failings as Celtic Crash Out if you really must.
What is clear is that both Bolingoli and Jullien have completed the bedding in process. Stellar physical and mental performances at Ibrox meant they passed a core rite of passage as a Hoop.
More specifically, both players bring attributes that are precisely what is needed against the specific challenge Cluj present.
The Cluj Challenge
The Romanian champions do not lack technical skills, but coach Petrescu has evolved a highly specific yet predictable style on his team. They will play the same way regardless based on the evidence of the Celtic ties.
Their 4-3-3 shape is aimed at keeping three as high as possible. Precision in possession is not required. Passing at 57% completion at Celtic Park, the aim is more to get the ball into dangerous advanced positions as early as possible. Big diagonals will be used as Omrani and Deac keep high. Both will then look to either join the striker or cross early depending on who has the ball.
Such a style requires breaks to go your way. Picking up on as many second balls as possible allows this. Hibernian excelled at this on Saturday. But you do need the breaks. All 9 of Cluj’s efforts at Celtic Park hit the target, and 4 goals followed. Yet at home they had appeared quite impotent. They scored 5 versus Celtic despite a combined xG of 2.266.
This is how they play, the expect to fight for crosses and diagonals and to expect to be on site for second balls.
Jullien
The Aerially Dominant Eagle is living up to his billing as I laid out in my preview of his joining.
He leads the team with outright aerial challenges won (2.98 per 90m) and total aerial challenges won (7.19 per 90m). Remarkably, he has yet to lose possession from ANY challenge he has made. That’s right – none. Over 188 challenges, aerial and ground based, every single one has resulted in Celtic keeping possession, even if he has lost the challenge.
Last season Boyata led the team in this stat as 0.23 per 90m challenges were lost outright – i.e. the challenge was lost and the ball went to the opposition. Jullien stands at 0.00 per 90m!
His remarkable aerial primacy will be invaluable versus Cluj. He can expect crosses and diagonals to be incoming all night. Where Celtic need to be clever is in ensuring the likes of Brown and McGregor are alert to ball recovery opportunities – i.e. to secure the second ball.
Brown leads the squad with 11.91 recoveries per 90m. Jullien is second on 11.22.
Bolingoli
The Belgian has divided opinion on some aspects of his play since joining. He can lose possession easily. His positional play can be alarming. I have often paused match recording play backs, especially at opposition transition, and wondered why the left back is not in the picture. “Where’s Boli?” I rather unimaginatively call it.
However, given the challenge from Transylvania, Bolingoli has some key skills Celtic can exploit. I noted in Bolingoli Assessed – Is Tierney Impossible to Follow that the ex-Rapid Vienna man is adept at breaking the midfield lines both as passer and receiver.
Why is this key versus Cluj?
Their 4-3-3 shape will allow amble “packing” opportunities. Celtic have pace and players with good control and movement. Getting through Cluj at speed will be key to getting at their pedestrian-paced back four.
Whilst Ntcham is, and forever will be, the Pack Master, Boligoli is making an all rounded claim.
Ntcham averages 86.06 Total Impect per 90m, and no one comes close.
However, second is the left back. And it is a balanced picture. Bolingoli’s 6.69 Pack Passes per 90m is 5th in the squad and behind Simunovic, but his Pass Impect (indicating the value of the players bypassed – i.e. a defender is more valuable to be bypassed than a striker) is the highest amongst the defenders at 32.32.
At the other end of the equation is Pack Receives – the ability to take and control forward passes that take out opponents.
At 9.2 Pack Receives per 90m Bolingoli is behind the main strikers and wingers on this attribute and not by many.
In short, Bolingoli can both give and receive passes that break opposition lines at a rate that is up there with the best in the squad.
This will be vital in a stretched game and supports Celtic’s direct play as envisioned by Lennon.
Summary
Bolingoli and Jullien missed the traumatic 3-4 Champions League exit. There is evidence, now both players have settled into the first team picture, that their respective key attributes are exactly what Celtic need to combat a problem like Cluj.