By James Dailey
I believe we may have just finished witnessing the best Celtic team of the current 9 in a row run. I am even more certain it is the best of the Treble run. I only have access to advanced stats dating back to the 2015/2016 season, so the following is a simple comparison of non-penalty goals scored versus non-penalty goals conceded over the last 9 seasons.
It is difficult to normalize for the relative strength of the league when comparing seasons, but I believe it is objectively true that the 2019-2020 vintage of The Rangers was the best in that Club’s history, and also the best non-Celtic team in the league since the 2011-2012 season. If domestic performance and success is then supplemented by the success of each season’s European campaign, I believe this season’s team becomes a clear choice.
Advanced Trebles
Comparing some advanced stats (all excluding penalties) starting with the 2015-2016 season also shows the relative performance of this season’s team:
I think there is an interesting debate as to whether this season’s team is the best since the Martin O’Neill era, so let us look at goal data from the 2005-2006 season forward:
Obviously, those Strachan teams competed against the old Rangers at the height of their financial doping, won three consecutive league titles, and included the two European campaigns which reached the final 16 of the Champions League – an impressive “resume.”
Conclusion
When I review and think about the quality of players on the various squads, I think this season’s roster of players compares favorably with Strachan’s teams- particularly with the return of Griffiths. Lennon’s mystifying decisions and subsequent defeats to inferior teams in Cluj and Copenhagen masked what I believe to have been a proper European vintage Celtic team.
Whether or not the players, in total, were better than those on Strachan’s 2007-2008 team, is a question for the ages!
Regardless, what an enjoyable season and team it was to support.
Interesting James. Think this is the best Celtic team for a long while. The problem we have now is replacing it with one that is better. In Europe we are found out. Scot Brown maybe has one more season left. Next season we need two more midfielders that can play in Europe. In the Copenhagen game Lenny was forced to play an inured Elyanousie and Brown. Had they been fit it might have been a different conclusion. It now looks like we will need another quality central defender that is capable in Europe. I would say the team has peaked and as Sir Alex knew only too well , that was when you changed it. For sure we score goals but its our defence and midfield in Europe where we are found out. Better to win one nil than lose five four.
Neil Lennon’s achievement this season is remarkable. Lustig and Tierney were Celtic’s best full-backs in living memory. (Almost – some of us go back to Danny McGrain.) Replacing them without weakening the team – and injuries and fluctuations in form for the new players wouldn’t have helped – was a great feat of coaching. Disposing of fans’ favourite Scott Sinclair showed strength of character and confidence in his own judgement. The acquisition of Christophe Jullien demonstrated once again Lenny’s eye for a player, and provided an alarming contrast with the parade of dud CBs signed by Brendan Rodgers.
It’s great to see the numbers. We could see that this was a revitalised team. The switch to 3-5-2 was a bold and glorious move. It may even have been decisive in the league campaign. We’ve had a great season.
Yeah 9IAR has a cool ring to Me that’s one of Big Jock’s mile stone achievements now equaled although as regards to Europe their is too much money involved in Footy nowadays its a big financial institution with we all know who (Sly) has pumped millions of pounds into English Football lets be honest here The Europa League is our Level @ present I personally look @ European Footy for Us as Bonus Matches we should now focus on going for Ten-In-A-Row & setting an updated new World Record that should be our priority without a shadow of doubt this should be our next goal when things get back to normal then after we reach ten-in-a-row then perhaps we can review/look @ trying to make decent runs in Europe a suggestion here & a very good bench mark here is Beyern Munich F.C. Their Training Technique is Second to none I’ve seen it with my own eyes you need to be supper fit to go through one of their Training Sessions & when you consider they don’t have as much money as for example the English Premier League
Teams have @ their Disposal yet they can aquire very efficient players who can produce positive results on the big stage & they have very good tactical awareness in other words they know how to adapt their Team Formation & adjust accordingly & can certainly play to their strenghs you only have to look @ their recent Champions League/European Cup Runs which proves that fact so with a bit of wise research Folks we can improve on our European Runs if we properly look into what’s going down around us.
As for Domestic Footy yeah it was a no Brainer domestically that we switched to mainly 3-5-2 which produces more positive results than for example 4-2-3-1 & Wee Lenny certainly does have an eye for decent players & also getting the ball moving more quicker from back to front than what we seen under Brendan Rodgers & Lee Congiton eye for signings left a lot to be desired apart from say Demble & Scott Sinclair in his first Season when he deservedly won Player of The Season the rest of Lee Congiton Signings left a lot to be desired I know this Fellow who is a Liverpool Fan & he said to Me that apart from Louis Swarez the rest of the players that Lee Congiton signed for Liverpool where duds & fuds hopeless/useless anyway Folks yes its been a memorable Year/Season 2019/2020 in more ways than one lets all hope the good & positive times just keeps on rolling Hail Hail COYBIG & YWNWA & Cheers All