By James Dailey Odsonne Edouard and Fraser Forster give Celtic a chance to win the Club’s second European trophy. There I said it. But…. I want to start by laying out the case as to why I believe Celtic are legitimately competitive at this level. I’ve gone back through the last three European campaigns and … [continue reading]
Match Preview
Bolingoli and Jullien Vital Against Cluj
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 … [continue reading]
Cluj Culture Clash
Celtic face Romanian champions CFR Cluj in Glasgow with the Champions League Play off round at stake (sorry!). It is fair to say Celtic rarely come across a team that play like Cluj. The away leg in Transylvania was, in some respects, the classic European away experience: Opposition mind games Grass left long Pitch not … [continue reading]
Celtic vs Hearts: Scottish Cup Final Preview
Celtic play Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Cup Final and for the sixth time this season. With the full SPFL calendar completed, we can compare performances over the season. SPFL Form Celtic finished Champions for the 8th consecutive season whilst Hearts finished 6th. Hearts finished 36 points behind Celtic, and indeed, thanks to the … [continue reading]
Attacking Leaders for the Cup Final
Approaching the Scottish Cup Final, a refresh of the leaders in the Expected Goals and Assists map. Whatever you might think of Burke and Weah, there is no denying they provided attacking threat. Weah has the highest Expected Goals (xG) in the squad. Burke is a good all-rounder with a higher overall threat than Sinclair, … [continue reading]
Defensive Selections for the Cup Final
With the Scottish Cup Final looming, a look at the key defensive metrics to help assess who should be selected for the Treble Treble bid. Advanced Defensive Metrics The chart maps Defensive Action Success Rate % and Possessions Won from defensive actions %. Detailed explanations are available in the Glossary. The best central defensive pairing … [continue reading]
Celtic vs Hearts: A Scottish Cup History
Celtic have played Heart of Midlothian more times than any other club apart from the original Rangers. Unsurprisingly there is a storied Scottish Cup history betwixt the pair. Head-to-Head They’ve have met in 26 seasons and on 31 occasions in total, given replays. On average they meet every 5 seasons in the Cup. Celtic lead … [continue reading]
Trophy Day 8
For the 8th season in a row, the final home game of the season will see the presentation of the SPFL trophy to Celtic, the Champions. Much like the title clincher where Celtic average 4.5 goals over the last 8 seasons, Celtic usually enjoy Trophy Day. Last season saw a 0-1 reverse to Aberdeen, their … [continue reading]
May the Derby Commence
Another Glasgow Derby provides the runway to a potential Treble-Treble. With 8 in a row secured, the pressure for points is alleviated but the pressure to perform will be utmost in the minds of those hoping to appear at Hampden. The matches between the two this season have all been 1 goal affairs in favour … [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]