Joel Sked analyses the two big games from the weekend as Aberdeen recover from a poor tactical decision and a goal down to defeat Motherwell to close the gap on Celtic to three points. Their title rivals, meanwhile, picked up the first of what could be a treble, helped by Jackie McNamara’s indecisiveness over an injured Sean Dillon.
Aberdeen 2 Motherwell 1 – Motherwell’s mistakes make up for McInnes’s mess
Danny Swanson’s wondrous volleyed winner at Celtic Park 10 days previous meant there was still a title race to speak of despite Aberdeen going down to Celtic a few days prior to the shock Saints win.
The Dandy Dons had used their inaction in the Scottish Cup to venture to the warmer climes of Tenerife for training as they prepared for the title run in, and it seemed to have the desired effect, just, as they came from a goal down at half time to defeat a somewhat resurgent Motherwell. It leaves Aberdeen on familiar ground, three points behind Celtic having played a game more.
When witnessing the team sheets before the game kicked off one could have expected that Derek McInnes was adapting his strategy to fit all three centre backs – Ash Taylor having recovered from injury – into the line-up against Motherwell’s two man strike-force. However, it quickly became evident that Donervon Daniels, who has been a towering deputy for Taylor, would be positioned at the base of the midfield.
McInnes may have taken inspiration from Jose Mourinho’s fielding of Kurt Zouma in the League Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur, but it struck more of a manager shoehorning an impressive performer into the line-up, even after he suggested that his place in the team was to prevent the ball getting into the Motherwell front men.
With so much time to prepare for the game it would be reasonable to think that the system would have been more seamless than it was, but Daniels was confused and hesitant making it only a matter of time before McInnes made a change. Thirty-five below-par minutes to be precise.
With Motherwell a clear 4-4-1-1, Scott McDonald playing off Lee Erwin, the match-ups seemed simple. Daniels would pick up McDonald while Ash Taylor and Mark Reynolds would take care of Erwin. Yet throughout his time on the pitch Daniels failed to get close to McDonald who effectively linked play, bringing Conor Grant into the game off the right hand side, playing the ball ‘around the corner’ and generally having time to turn and move the ball forward.
While McDonald schemed deeper, Erwin schemed laterally, a favoured movement of his moving left behind Shay Logan and dragging Taylor into positions he is not comfortable. There was a lot to like about Motherwell and as Ian Baraclough said after the game it was a best they had played under him.
As the first half moved on Daniels position regressed and he was soon playing as part of what appeared to be a back three. Whether he was instructed to do so or if he was going into a position he was more comfortable with it was unclear. What was clear was that he was offering little in and out of position in midfield.
McInnes has to take criticism for sending his team out in such away but credit also for rectifying his mistake earlier than many colleagues would have done. Ironically, if he was still on the pitch Motherwell would probably not have gone ahead when they did. Erwin picked the ball up left of centre outside the box, firing in a shot which was diverted by McDonald past Jamie Langfield. It was that space which Erwin shot from and into which Daniels was occupying prior to his departure.
Even after the change, Ryan Jack moving to the base of the midfield, and the half-time break, Aberdeen struggled to find their rhythm. They were eventually reliant on Motherwell defensive deficiency rearing its ugly, yet hilarious, head. The equalising goal came from a corner with Ash Taylor out jumping his marker, Josh Law, while Erwin failed to attack the ball in his zone with the Steelmen combining both man and zonal marking. Taylor’s header was well saved by George Long who then proceeded to punch the ball into the net.
If that was unlucky on the goalkeeper’s part the winning goal certainly wasn’t. A long ball from Logan turned the Well defence and with Stephen McManus pointing for Louis Laing, who had struggled with balls played behind him throughout, to head back to the goalkeeper. Yet, Long was inexplicably charging out his area when the ball was headed past him for Rooney to roll home.
As a contest the game was as good as over, Motherwell failing to raise themselves to rally for an equaliser as Aberdeen settled into their more familiar system.
Dundee United 0 Celtic 2 – McNamara’s passiveness allows Celtic to ease to victory
Celtic took their first steps towards the treble in Ronny Deila’s first season in charge on Sunday, yet, like their semi-final victory over Rangers, they weren’t made to over-exert themselves to triumph.
Goals either side of half-time from Kris Commons and James Forrest had Celtic on easy street, but at no point did they need to get out of cruise control. The defence were too strong and quick to deal with the presence of Mario Bilate and the forward runs of Ryan Down. Scott Brown was commanding in the centre of midfield, strolling about with an aura of arrogance, with the more calming influence of Nir Bitton beside him. Stefan Johansen grew as the game developed moving freely around the final third, while Commons got into dangerous positions outside the box.
Anthony Stokes, who has dropped down the pecking order since the arrival of Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong, combined effectively down the left-hand side with Emilio Izaguirre, a facet of Celtic’s game pre-Christmas. While Stokes, who created the opening goal, had his most productive game for Celtic in some time, Leigh Griffiths had his most frustrating; unable to fathom out the offside rule.
The Hoops were helped by poor management from Jackie McNamara. Embracing pragmatism, the former-Celtic full-back sent out an ultra-cautious side featuring five defenders and three central midfielders, none of which can be deemed attack-minded. Their aim was to nullify Celtic by playing narrow and compact, with Bilate and Dow as the release valves. Bilate proved a useful foil for Dow, although his best work came far from goal.
Dow was excellent foraging forward. His dribbling won fouls from Efe Ambrose and Izaguirre, only for Paul Dixon to waste the free-kicks in dangerous area – the latter eventually leading to Celtic’s opener. His deepest foray however should have seen United awarded a penalty as Brown came across lent into him with his elbow and possibly tripped him as well with his right foot.
Not long after, Dow was felled by Izaguirrie which led to the second of Dixon’s disappointing day of set pieces. By then United were down to 10 men as Sean Dillon was off the field receiving treatment having been caught by Virgil Van Dijk. The United captain was off the pitch for so long that viewers could have been forgiven for completely forgetting about the incident or thinking that the BBC has simply missed the substitution.
Once he had re-emerged from the tunnel United had fallen behind. Celtic attacked from the United free-kick down their right before switching play to the left. Using Izaguirre as a decoy Stokes beat Dow to send in a cross before the ball ended up back at his feet and his second cross was converted by Commons at the second attempt following a great fingertip save from Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Why, against the best side in the country, had McNamara let his team play with 10 men for so long? It was only until after the goal he had Blair Spittal ready for action only for Dillon to re-appear. Was there no communication between McNamara and his medical staff? It was a complete mess. One which made McNamara come across as unsure and unwilling to make big decisions. It proved costly, both in terms of the goal and Dillon’s red card in the second half, and also showed the lack of trust he has in his promising youngsters with Spittal, Charlie Telfer and Aidan Connolly all remaining on the bench.
While the team worked hard it was a disappointing day for the Tangerines, the opening goal all but ending the game as a contest.
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