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When Ronny Deila joined Celtic in the summer of 2014, a new style of football was born at Celtic – in more ways than one.
Health and fitness became a major influence in the team, assistant managers and backroom staff were altered and the loan market became a safer option when signing players.
However, what surprised many Celtic fans was the unfamiliar 4-2-3-1 formation.
For many years, Celtic had been playing the traditional 4-4-2 in most games or a 4-5-1 in Europe, and it was rarely questioned by Celtic supporters. However, under the new 4-2-3-1 system, people are quick to criticise it when we lose – but not so much when we win.
On the back of frustrating and embarrassing defeats to Aberdeen & Malmo, and the failure to dispose of teams like Hearts and Kilmarnock, people jump on the idea of playing only one up front in Scottish football, but I believe this is simply untrue.
The more modern approach to football is used around Europe from the likes of Jurgen Klopp whilst at Borussia Dortmund, Jose Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini. They are all top coaches and choose this formation because it works.
Personally, and to the distaste of many fellow Celtic supporters, I see this formation as tactically brilliant.
First, you have the traditional back four – who like previous formations, continue to do their job normally. But, when it comes to the midfield, things start to change.
In the 4-2-3-1 role, you have two defensive midfielders; Brown and Bitton in Celtic’s case, who done a fantastic job last season and in the first few months of the current season.
Celtic’s two central defensive midfielders act as a covering line of protection for the defence, and strong & technically gifted players such as Bitton and Brown thrive in this role. By having these two players in the middle of the park just in front of the defence, they ‘tidy up’ the park in scrappy games, halt any counter attacking moves and distribute the ball effectively to the forward players.
This made part of what was a defensive record last season, conceding just 17 goals in the league and not once in the Scottish League Cup.
The partnership of two of Celtic’s star performers last season in the central defensive midfield role allows the three forward midfielders to move freely around the field and attack more efficiently and swiftly.
To compare, the traditional 4-4-2 is a more restricted when it comes to attacking football. The midfield needs to be careful not to be caught out of position when attacking – or the opponents cut us open. So being switched on and working hard is a necessity.
This defensive midfield partnership I previously mentioned, gives players like Commons, Johansen and Rogic space to move around and look for pockets in the opposition’s defence.
Rather than seeing it as one striker, as many people often mention, I see it as four attackers. With the two wide players cutting in and the full-backs overlapping as Deila likes to see his players do, it makes five or six players in attack. When executed correctly, this formation is lethal.
While you may disagree with these tactics, and you favour the more traditional 4-4-2, I strongly believe this modern approach to football is the way forward for Celtic.
Are you a fan of this new system? Comment below!
Eric Knott 
This system is employed by most teams through out Europe. I can’t think of many teams who play 4-4-2 anymore.Basically we’re playing 4-2-4 when attacking but the critic’s only concentrate on 1 striker when it doesn’t work. Infact it’s 6-4-2 when attacking because of the overlapping full backs
4-2-3-1 in the SPFL?! 4 defenders and 2 holding midfielders against teams that play 1 striker?! Absolute madness. Analyse goals we have lost (outwith those from corners) and tell me where the 2 defensive midfielders where. Time after time Bitton and Brown are chasing behind opposing midfielders running to our box. The whole purpose of ‘true’ defensive midfielders is that they sit in front of the back 4 and always have the play in front of them. Their role requires them to stop opponents getting to the defence. When Deila came to Celtic he promised a high tempo pressing game with a 4-3-3 system and I backed that to the hilt. 4-2-3-1 has failed us in most of the big games. HH
I agree Rory. Ronny knows we need to adapt to the modern game if we are to make any progress in europe. Excellent article and great blog. I have bookmarked it under my Celtic folder.
The “most big teams play 4231” argument doesn’t stand up for me. I think the reason bigger teams play it is because every week they are playing at a high level and always have to be wary of counter attacks which can cost them dearly. Nearly every week in Scotland we play teams who simply put 10 or 11 men in defence. I would rather see us going all out attack and trying to destroy these teams. I do agree that 4231 has a place for us in cup competitions especially Europe where we can’t afford mistakes.
What. Happens at corner kicks then, because we are leaking important goals at corners . This gap needs to be plugged and Then there is the Effe problem ?
4-2-3-1 is definately the right formation if you have the players to execute it.you mentioned Klopp,pellegrini,and mourinho,it works for them because they had a quality number 9,lewandowski,drogba,Costa,aguerro etc,griffiths is a good goal scorer but dosnt hold the ball or link play as well as the others. we had embarrassing defeats playing 4-4-2 aswell.Most teams play 5 in midfield against us so is harder to breakdown with only 4
What I don’t see happening in Celtic’s new system is players running into the box from deep positions. I see players cutting in from wide positions (great), I see players going wide ans getting in crosses (great), I see some long range shots (great), I see long balls over the top to front players (great) but when our midfielders have the ball and there are 10 opposition players parked in front I really miss seeing a full back running from deep into the box in the inside left or inside right positions. This movement gives the midfield player on the ball an option plus if some of the defenders try to cover the deep run it leaves openings in the defense. Top Spanish teams make these deep runs with success.
HH
Walter
Whatever system is being played by Celtic, it certainly isn’t entertaining. How many times have you really been thrilled by this team. Check out the empty match-day seats which says it all. Can we really sing ‘All to play football the Glasgow Celtic way’?
I think this is the first article where the words technically gifted and Scott brown have appeared in the same sentence