18 Mar 2022 12:06:31
After Rangers getting through to the QFs of the Europa League, while trailing us in the league, my question is; is our failure in Europe purely down to mentality? Man for man, I don't think they have a better squad than us but they seem to get results recently where we don't. Same league, same resources, what's the issue?
18 Mar 2022 12:18:28
Europe suits them better than us, we're too attack minded while they're more guarded imo, they've done well to get this far, through gritted teeth ?.
18 Mar 2022 13:50:59
Good question Kev.
For me I think it has a lot to do with our managers sticking to their footballing philosophies. I think it's admirable to do that but also naive as well. We set up to win so much that we sometimes forget that we need to guard against losing too. At times in Europe I wish we had Larry Grayson as our manager (the more seasoned of us might remember his famous catchphrase! ) .
Luck also plays a part, the calibre of the opposition, team selection, experience and injuries are also critical. I'm taking nothing away from Rangers here btw as they have shown that their recent seasonal results have been no fluke, but they have had more than their fair share of the list go their way. I feel we also fail constantly to match styles to suit our opposition.
We will improve, I have no doubt about that. Maybe CL is a step too far and the other two are more our level - but you never know.
PS - I wonder if AZ Alkmaar are having a period of introspection after getting beat by a "diddy", "unheard of" and "pre season" team?
18 Mar 2022 15:59:27
Agree with both you guys. As much as I don't want them to do well they definitely have and we all wish it was us in that position. I have really high hopes that Ange can get us to a similar position in the next couple of seasons.
18 Mar 2022 17:10:03
Kevbhoy
I love this sort of post. The question should make us think because it is a teaser.
I think Mally and Stubbsie are probably on the right lines with their answers. It does seem to come down to footballing philosophy. Celtic and their fans are, and always have been, close linked with attacking football. I remember in ‘67 Stein apologising for playing defensive football in the return leg with Dukla because it was boring and a non-Celtic type of football. So the teams inherent style of play not being suited to Europe is a valid point I think. However on the other hand, the team did win the cup in ‘67 with their attacking style of play (save the Dukla match) and O’Neils team got to the final and just failed to win the Cup by the narrowest of margins without compromising their attacking style of play. So style of play is perhaps not the entire story.
I think mentality comes into the analysis somewhere along the line. Celtic have not been CONSISTENTLY good in Europe since O’neils time, and I think that becomes a monkey to get off our backs, and that gets harder and harder as time goes by. That applies to managers in my opinion, as well. Rodgers for example is a very good manager but he is found wanting in Europe. He seems to be continuing the failings he showed with us, with Leicester. Smith on the other hand managed a pretty poor Rangers team all the way to the final a few years back, and Gerrard, whilst wanting at league level, seemed to have the European experience to tease out some decent results at level for Rangers.
That bodes well for Ange, because I don’t think he has any European hangups being from an antipodian football background.
So I reckon Anges style of play, over time, will evolve and he will adapt, or perhaps more correctly, develop his team to ‘look after the back door’ when playing teams as good or better than we are. When that comes to pass, we will get the monkey of our back, and European games, might, just might, become as consistently enjoyable again as they used to be. Too long a post, I know, but it is a very interesting subject.
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18 Mar 2022 18:01:50
Ready to be shot down in flames here. our captain says 3 games against new club in April is what players live for. I know he has to say that but when they are doing miles better than us in Europe its kinda a cringworthy statement. Players live for competing with the best. that's in Europe not SPL.
18 Mar 2022 21:27:41
2 words . corners, penalties.
19 Mar 2022 07:28:45
So glad that someone is asking this and that fans are contributing their thoughts.
Not sure I can offer any better insight than that already. However these are the debates we should be having and the questions that really matter!
I said it after the defeat to Bodo as I have ever other year when the same fate has occurred. We get crippled by our philosophy. It’s naive in top level football. The worlds best even play conservatively when they need to. After all results first, performance second ??♂️
We have had a favourable draw most years after Christmas with beatable teams. Its not just the loss that hurts (yeah a loss can happen particularly against better teams) but its the manner of them.
Our defending and our attack minded style is what shoots us in the foot every year. I notice we can’t blame the refs for our shortcomings in Europe ?.
I worry about next season and our progress. I worry that Ange will not be able to see past his style and philosophy. But let's see what we win this season first. I hope the league is ours and yes it would be sweet to win the treble. Make no mistake though they’ll get more recognition for their exploits in Europe though.
Food for thought for those that were “happy” with our European exit.
19 Mar 2022 09:29:52
Sevco continue to attack away from home in Europe.
It’s not as if they have 10 men behind the ball.
They deserve all the praise they’re currently receiving but I don’t see them changing their style of play too much in Europe.
19 Mar 2022 10:39:29
Rangers play attacking football in Europe but also the teams playing them play attacking football
But rangers score other teams don't that's the difference. Except rangers have one guy who saves there skins constantly and week in week out. . A guy who in the rangers forum last week it was he's no good he's to old he's past it. What a load of crap. Alan mcgregor for rangers is there top man or rangers would have been out of Europe ages ago.