With the arrival of Moritz Jenz, the future of Stephen Welsh may have seemed a little uncertain. Rumours of reasonable money bids from European sides also added to the uncertainty. An injury to Carl Starfelt and a solid preseason run next to Cameron Carter-Vickers has seen the young Scot take a starting position in the … [continue reading]
Aberdeen
The Power of Recovery
When I started Celtic By Numbers the data I collected was very basic. Mainly defensive actions and passing and shot data but no xG. It has developed over the years as you learn more techniques and best practise. Now I rarely add “new” data points a) because it’s a real pain to do and b) … [continue reading]
Dons Turn Hampden Red
Celtic finally overcame an ill-disciplined Aberdeen with ease to reach the Scottish Cup final. The Dons visible frustrations may stem from the fact they had Celtic under relative control until Ball’s assault on Christie. Road Runners The Champions started brightly and with Aberdeen again going man for man in defence, had success with runs from … [continue reading]
Aberdeen’s Airborne Assault Awaits
Aberdeen seem to have simultaneously produced better results against Celtic and The Rangers whilst falling away from their established position as Scotland’s second-best side. What do the numbers say about the Scottish Cup Semi Final? SPFL Comparison Here are the comparative numbers from the SPFL season so far: In the SPFL Celtic have consistently underperformed … [continue reading]
Maley’s Record In Sight As Celtic March On
Celtic played through Aberdeen’s man for man system with ease, whilst the Dons passing fell short all night. It all added up to 61 not out as Maley’s record moves into view. Any unfamiliar terms are explained in the Glossary. Just Like 1982 The Dons deserve credit for matching Celtic’s record over the first 9 … [continue reading]
Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1, Scottish FA Cup Final by numbers
Celtic completed their 48th domestic match unbeaten, 47 this season, meaning all three domestic trophies were secured for the first time since Martin O’Neill’s side of 2000/01. The club claimed the Scottish FA Cup for a record 38th time. An unbeaten treble is surely unreachable as a record Scottish season. In a week when the … [continue reading]
Between Rock, Paper, Scissors and a Hard Place
In his excellent book, Inverting the Pyramid, Jonathan Wilson explains the evolution of football tactics. Today, there is very little new from an innovation perspective at the macro level (i.e. new formations or approaches), rather coaches try to find a) weaknesses in the opposition to exploit or b) devise ways to ensure your own better … [continue reading]
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3, by numbers
Celtic played 3 games in one match in beating Aberdeen 3-1 on Friday night football in the harr of Pittodrie. For the first 10 minutes, Celtic blew the Dons away to streak into a clinical 3-0 lead. The Dons responded immediately after the 3rd goal, and in the next 60 minutes attempted their version of … [continue reading]