As part of a new series, for the next 12 weeks, I'm going to give my opinion on how all 12 Scottish Premiership teams play and how they can be beaten. Starting with last seasons champions Celtic FC.
Celtic team report.
Most used formation-4-2-3-1
Most vulnerable formation- 4-1-4-1
Influential players- Brown, Johansen and Van-Dijk.
Previous matches line up
Gordon
Mathews Ambrose Van Dijk Izaguirre
Brown Mulgrew
Tonev Johansen Stokes
Guidetti
How they played in attack
In Celtic's match a few weeks ago at home to Partick Thistle, they were able to successfully start attacks from the back, because of the ability of defenders Ambrose and Van-Dijk. They both show the awareness and vision to pick the correct time to drive out from deep positions. Having defenders who can start play from deep is an asset for any team and Celtic make the most of the technical ability their defenders show.
Adam Mathews and Emilio Izaguirre are both reasonably fast and effectively contribute to the side going forward by supporting the wide midfielders and whipping in many early crosses into the box.
Defensive midfielders in Scotland are perhaps stereo-typically seen as strong and not particularly good with the ball at their feet, however, in Charlie Mulgrew and Scott Brown, Celtic have two midfielders who not only display the ability to stop opposing attacks, they also have a vast array of passing as well as the composure on the ball to influence attacks, something most defensive midfielders in Scotland seemingly lack.
Celtic play with an attacking three in front of the defensive midfielders, and with the amount of options that Celtic have in these positions, it shows the amount of pace and depth they have throughout the squad. Against Thistle, on numerous occasions, Tonev and Stokes came short looking for the ball, this allowing Guidetti and Johansen extra space to run into behind the fullbacks who have tracked Tonev and Stokes into attacking positions.
How they defend
With Celtic regularly dictating the possession in the Scottish Premiership, most teams attempt to counter attack against the Scottish Champions. However, Celtic’s pressure, discipline and organisation often forces the opposition into making sloppy passes.
As soon as Partick Thistle gained possession of the ball, they were quickly hounded by a number of Celtic players. The effectiveness of this high intensity tactics was displayed in the full time statistics that showed Thistle were unable to string more than nine passes in a row.
Because of the obvious pace that even the Celtic defenders posses, they can afford to play a high defensive line. This defensive line often forces opposing players to knock the ball in behind the defence; however, the speed of Celtic’s defenders means they are often first to the long and hopeful balls that the opposition attempts to play in behind them.
How do you beat Celtic?
Like Hamilton did earlier in the season with a 4-1-4-1, in order to beat Celtic, on the counter attack, you need to find a way to quickly commit many players in wide positions and get in behind Brown and Mulgrew who often cover in the positions of the advanced fullbacks.
Hamilton managed it earlier in the season using a 4-1-4-1 formation; they successfully countered into Celtic’s wide vulnerable areas, committing too many players for Celtic’s defensive midfielders to pick up.
Article by Joseph James