Celtic had to come from 0-1 down to Rosenborg. It is to Rodger’s credit he changed the Celtic attacking shape. But this had contributed to the Hoops deficit. Celtic set out with Forrest just behind Edouard to mimic the shape given by Edouard and Dembele against Alashkert. This meant Sinclair was high and wide on … [continue reading]
Defending
Letting The Side Down
Players are human, and mistakes will occur. Clearly you want your players to make as few mistakes as possible, but they do happen so what has been the impact of defensive errors this season? The Glossary is concentration and sound positioning personified. Of all the data points I collect, Defensive errors are identified the most … [continue reading]
Possession Stats Confirm Ajer Most Effective Defender
Rodgers is big on possession and wearing down the opposition patiently allied to a high press when possession is lost. Who best fits that approach based on last season’s data? The Glossary keeps things simple and never gives the ball away. I will look at each position (broadly) as to compare centre backs to wingers … [continue reading]
Defensive Action Success – Season Review
What can defensive metrics tell us about contributions to the Double Treble? Defensive Action Success Rate (DASR%) is a composite of defensive actions successful and unsuccessful. The Glossary snaps into the challenge to dispose doubt. DASR% is (I believe) a very useful single measure of all round defensive competence. It takes tackles, aerial challenges, interceptions, … [continue reading]
Central Defender Consistency
Can the performance of the Celtic central defenders be assessed in terms of their consistency? Thanks to @seanmcneal3 on Twitter for asking whether Boyata’s performances were consistent. The key aggregated metric for assessing defensive actions is the Defensive Action Success Rating (DASR). I’ve explained it before and the Glossary is the big lad at the … [continue reading]
Head Bhoy
Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer (to given him his full Sunday name) has enjoyed a meteoric rise as he passes his 20th birthday. From captaining IK Start in Norway’s Tippelgaen at 16 years old, he signed for Celtic at 18. Unusually, he made a success of a loan move to a team in the same division (Kilmarnock). … [continue reading]
Defending Corners
I considered Celtic attacking corners performance in Cutting Corners. I concluded Celtic are performing slightly below average in goal threat. But what about defending corners? I’ll follow the same approach as attacking corners. 2016/17 For 2016/17 I only have comprehensive data for SPFL matches. However, I have been able to piece together goals against and … [continue reading]
Can Lustig and Simunovic be Defended?
Celtic have conceded almost a goal a game this season overall (with a bias towards conceding in Champions League matches) and the defence continues to attract criticism. In particular, Lustig and Simunovic are perceived to be below par. What do the performance numbers say? Remember, the Glossary closes down the space between doubt and enlightenment. … [continue reading]
The Problem Position
With Boyata injured and Simunovic making high profile errors, the Celtic central defence is under scrutiny again. Ajer and Hendry are young in a position where experience is vital, and Compper hasn’t played a minute. Is this Celtic’s problem position? As always, the Glossary is a great reducer where confusion is concerned. Statement of Limitations … [continue reading]
Half Term Report 1: No Hard Brexit Despite Performances
The “big picture” shows European football after the New Year. All macro objectives met. But our own eyes tell us Celtic’s performances have not always met the highs of last season. Celtic lost 5 matches all season in 16/17 and have lost 7 already this. To stand still is to inevitably go backwards. We seek … [continue reading]