Celts for Change
With a 442 system in the style Celtic have (with quite a tight 4, with typically only one of whom supporting for each attack) a target man in terms of a big man just up there to win headers and flick ones is very outdated. This was even seen latterly in Hartson's time.
John Hartson was a magnificent target man, perhaps the last of the true great British target man of that mould. The game has changed in many ways, teams are more conservative and play more defensive minded players even in advanced positions. Unless a team play with wingbacks, fullbacks can now almost always be replaced by good centre halves. Look round at European leagues, particularly those in the better league, Celtic are not alone in playing 4 players more adept to playing Centre back. Barcelona played Puyol at right back last night, I’m sure Sergio Ramos played fullback for Real, Wes Brown played for Man Utd, we have all seen Gallas, Carvalho, Toure play fullback in the Premiership. At Celtic Park in recent years I have seen both Paolo Maldini, and Collochini play fullback for Milan.
European action and success is a must for top teams, losing is a disaster. Teams are so frightened of losing Defenders defending has becoming increasingly more important (harking back to a bygone era before Carlos and Cafu were king). Raiding fullbacks may become a thing of the past, and in terms of style, it wont be a pretty game we move to. With the likes of O'Dea and Caldwell as full backs, their objective is not to bring the play forward, link with the midfield and take part in an open attacking and attractive game. Whether due to ability or direction from the sidelines, in tighter defensive systems invariably advocate those in the fullback positions playing long (and sometimes hopeful balls to the strikers).
Yes players like Hartson have played this role in the past, particularly as he was exceptional at holding the ball up and good close control, but it was crosses from wide and support from midfield that Big John and others (like Shearer for example) thrived on.
With the exception of corner kicks, how many headed goals have Celtic scored recently from cross balls. Not many.
The 'new' target men are still physically strong but now their game is based as much on energy and mobility as it is on sheer power. Rooney, Drogba, Ashton, Torres, Etoo, Ibrahimovic, in the past these players would be coached and encouraged to use their physicality to get on the end of crosses, however these guys gave exceptional movement and mobility, dropping off to receive these long clearances up field. As likely to chest the ball down and bring others in to play than to flick it on to their smaller partner to run onto. The balls up field from defence are often not as accurate as crosses from wide midfielders use to be, so for the striker, its all about getting away from their marker to get it first, judge where it going, and move to where they can be most effective.
This is where Hesselink struggles. With the ball in front of him, he attacks it well from what I have seen, but he doesn’t seem as comfortable dropping off and moving to where the ball from defence is going.
It’s my opinion that to get the most out of a Hesselink type, wide midfielders OR forwards are the key. If we are insistent that wingbacks are a thing of the past for Celtic, and 4 defenders are our future, complete with midfield tighter than Murray's purse strings the 433/451 formation has to be used.
When we don’t have the ball the wingers become midfielders, and when we do have it, they become the number one outlet to supply the main striker with as many crosses as possible. It also gives the runner from midfield and opportunity to get forward to support and be brought in by the striker, whilst still providing enough cover behind.
The main problem in this is the relative performance of Hesselnik and McDonald. Whether its our systems fault or not, Hesselink hasn’t been playing the standard of McDonald. Can we justify adjusting or team/system to suit he rather than McDonalds competencies? The headed goals I do recall from cross balls this season have been from McDonalds supply. Perhaps with McDonald on the right, McGeady on the left, we could give Hesselink the supply that would justify his place in the team.
Whatever we do, Hesselinks involvement in our current big man little man partnership, has to change.
Currently I see our dysfunctional attacking philosophy and play, making our use of Hesselink sadly look like a 90's Scotland team with Duncan Ferguson.
John Hartson was a magnificent target man, perhaps the last of the true great British target man of that mould. The game has changed in many ways, teams are more conservative and play more defensive minded players even in advanced positions. Unless a team play with wingbacks, fullbacks can now almost always be replaced by good centre halves. Look round at European leagues, particularly those in the better league, Celtic are not alone in playing 4 players more adept to playing Centre back. Barcelona played Puyol at right back last night, I’m sure Sergio Ramos played fullback for Real, Wes Brown played for Man Utd, we have all seen Gallas, Carvalho, Toure play fullback in the Premiership. At Celtic Park in recent years I have seen both Paolo Maldini, and Collochini play fullback for Milan.
European action and success is a must for top teams, losing is a disaster. Teams are so frightened of losing Defenders defending has becoming increasingly more important (harking back to a bygone era before Carlos and Cafu were king). Raiding fullbacks may become a thing of the past, and in terms of style, it wont be a pretty game we move to. With the likes of O'Dea and Caldwell as full backs, their objective is not to bring the play forward, link with the midfield and take part in an open attacking and attractive game. Whether due to ability or direction from the sidelines, in tighter defensive systems invariably advocate those in the fullback positions playing long (and sometimes hopeful balls to the strikers).
Yes players like Hartson have played this role in the past, particularly as he was exceptional at holding the ball up and good close control, but it was crosses from wide and support from midfield that Big John and others (like Shearer for example) thrived on.
With the exception of corner kicks, how many headed goals have Celtic scored recently from cross balls. Not many.
The 'new' target men are still physically strong but now their game is based as much on energy and mobility as it is on sheer power. Rooney, Drogba, Ashton, Torres, Etoo, Ibrahimovic, in the past these players would be coached and encouraged to use their physicality to get on the end of crosses, however these guys gave exceptional movement and mobility, dropping off to receive these long clearances up field. As likely to chest the ball down and bring others in to play than to flick it on to their smaller partner to run onto. The balls up field from defence are often not as accurate as crosses from wide midfielders use to be, so for the striker, its all about getting away from their marker to get it first, judge where it going, and move to where they can be most effective.
This is where Hesselink struggles. With the ball in front of him, he attacks it well from what I have seen, but he doesn’t seem as comfortable dropping off and moving to where the ball from defence is going.
It’s my opinion that to get the most out of a Hesselink type, wide midfielders OR forwards are the key. If we are insistent that wingbacks are a thing of the past for Celtic, and 4 defenders are our future, complete with midfield tighter than Murray's purse strings the 433/451 formation has to be used.
When we don’t have the ball the wingers become midfielders, and when we do have it, they become the number one outlet to supply the main striker with as many crosses as possible. It also gives the runner from midfield and opportunity to get forward to support and be brought in by the striker, whilst still providing enough cover behind.
The main problem in this is the relative performance of Hesselnik and McDonald. Whether its our systems fault or not, Hesselink hasn’t been playing the standard of McDonald. Can we justify adjusting or team/system to suit he rather than McDonalds competencies? The headed goals I do recall from cross balls this season have been from McDonalds supply. Perhaps with McDonald on the right, McGeady on the left, we could give Hesselink the supply that would justify his place in the team.
Whatever we do, Hesselinks involvement in our current big man little man partnership, has to change.
Currently I see our dysfunctional attacking philosophy and play, making our use of Hesselink sadly look like a 90's Scotland team with Duncan Ferguson.
posted by Michael__67 at 8:29 AM
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