Match Preview: Celtic (H)

Do not go gentle into that good night

The advent calendars have been opened, The Pogues are on the radio. The tree is on its way down from the loft and still Aberdeen are within touching distance of a near-perfect Celtic at the top of the league. The two meet tonight, at Pittodrie. A win for the Dons would reduce the gap at the top to one point.

Celtic have maintained their ruthless and efficient performances since the teams last met. Though the last week may have dampened Granite spirits, come kick-off that will all be forgotten. This is the time of year to believe, after all.

Some reasons to be cheerful

Aberdeen have won 13 straight games at Pittodrie. They have scored in every league game this season and remain the only team to take points from their opponents. It will be a full house with another pre-match display planned creating an electric atmosphere inside the ground come kick-off.

What lessons can be gained from the last two games?

If you want to revisit both games you can do so here. 2-2 and 0-6 (trigger warning). There may well be a Pittodrie factor that sees a more aggressive Aberdeen in the early stages, but I think we can expect the pattern of the game to be fairly similar. Celtic will have a lot of the ball, especially in their own half. Aberdeen will try and make it as hard for them as possible to progress forward and look to break quickly when we are able to win it back.

Pressing

At Hampden, Aberdeen pressed pretty aggressively in their 4-4-2 structure, even moving to 4-2-4 at times. Celtic’s movement however pulled them apart and you wonder if Jimmy will be so bold this time around.

The last two games have seen variations in how Thelin has had the team press, with a 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 being employed. See an image from the Hearts game.

If this was applied in this game, it would lead to a man marking match-up with Celtic’s midfield three with Sokler having to shuttle between the two centre-backs.

This might stop MacGregor getting on the ball so easily, at least initially. On the smaller Pittodrie pitch, space may be harder to find for the inverting left-back.

Rodgers is not daft and he’ll have a solution up his sleeve. After all, Celtic have to solve these problems in every domestic match. This would not be a particularly novel one. Derek McInnes used to, and still does this, in games against Celtic. The centre-backs would probably step up with the ball and engage Clarkson and we’d likely see Kyogo dropping in to make it a 4v3.

However, presenting a different problem, Aberdeen might end up causing some confusion that could create a window of opportunity for a period. And don’t forget the pressing trap! The Hatate to Carter-Vickers pass is ripe for the picking.

Attacking Transitions

There were some positive elements in how Aberdeen pressed in the first half-hour at Hampden but they failed to take advantage of them. They were hounded by Celtic players but also made poor decisions.

I think we need to start with Shady Mo. It’s no use keeping him fresh in the hope the game is still alive in 60 minutes. He would give Aberdeen a genuine match up advantage. If Celtic’s full backs are inverting or up the field, this presents the best opportunity. Win it back. Get it wide. Get in the box.

Defensive Transitions

For all their possession, Celtic got out of sight against Aberdeen with their rapid counter-attacks. We may need to be more conservative with committing numbers forward, better at counter-pressing and avoid picking up silly bookings elsewhere on the field, when we may need to use them for last-resort tactical fouls.

Doohan looked quite alive to the through balls of Hearts. This is a positive given Mitov had a moment of madness for the second goal in the League Cup semi.

Keep the heid

Like Fergie at Easter Road in 1980, the Dons lost their minds temporarily following the allowance of the first goal in both games. It should have cost them at Celtic Park. It did at Hampden.

It’s easy with hindsight but on both occasions they could have been a little more conservative, played the percentages a bit more and worked themselves back into the game.

Score First

A simple instruction but one that would let us see a different dynamic and perhaps open up more opportunities for us to hit them on the break. In the 2-2 game we saw this happen once the scores were level and Celtic pushed forward.

There is only one precedent in which this has happened this season, given that Celtic have only conceded four goals. Against Ross County away, they went behind and needed a late winner to secure the three points as the match ended 2-1.

Selection Questions

Jimmy T does not have his problems to seek. Doohan in goal is obviously a worry but our hands (hopefully not his) are tied. McGarry is still likely to be off the pace and now he’s got arguably the best player in the league to worry about.

Nilsen has played a lot of football this past week but he is Jimmy’s boy. Shinnie will surely play, so unless the captain slots in at left back then we’re looking at one of Palaversa or Nilsen. Clarkson did the press conference so I can’t see a midfield that doesn’t incorporate him. It’ll be the Croat or the Norwegian.

Angus or Ruby? Macdonald didn’t do a lot wrong on Sunday. Maybe an older head to calm things down and organize, especially in absence of Mitov is not a bad shout.

Up front, I think it will be Sokler and on the left it will be McGrath. Jamie played a few good switches to Keskinen at Parkhead so I think him playing in Morris could be a good avenue when in possession. If you’re putting a gun to my head, see my predicted line-ups below.

Celtic’s midfield is hard to predict but whatever trio they pick, it will be formidable and the front-three are the least welcome guests to any party in Scotland.

A Light in the North

There’s a large disparity between the two sides, despite what the league table will tell you. If the Hampden game has told us anything it is that Aberdeen must be measured in how they approach the game but it will be important to show intent (most likely out of possession) to keep the crowd onside. A balancing act for the well-groomed Swede.

Discipline, concentration and quality, will be the order of the day and the makeshift defensive line will need support and some luck. You can’t see Celtic not scoring, so most likely we would need two to win.

If Aberdeen are to find the back of the net it will most likely come from exploiting a Celtic turnover. We will need our footballers - McGrath and Clarkson to show up and provide the technique under pressure when required. In Morris we have one of the league’s in-form players. If we can find a way to get him on the ball in the right areas, we have the chance to make things happen.

The title hopes may be fading to a wee glimmer, but whilst they still can, let’s hope our team can rage, rage against the dying of the light.

COYR