I don’t subscribe to the ‘Would rather face them with Messi’ world view. I’ve seen Lionel Messi a couple of times, it’s a bit like standing atop the Eiffel Tower, a breath-taking experience, but I don’t need to visit Paris every month to reinforce the view. Tomorrow will be an almighty challenge against one of the sport’s all-time great teams. Having pushed Barcelona to their absolute limits twice last season, we have no right to expect a second consecutive New Firm victory, but this is a home game at Celtic Park, we hope for a win.
The omission of Joe Ledley is a worry. Celtic need mobility and positional awareness in all positions tomorrow, Joe brings both elements to the party, how Neil Lennon compensates for his enforced absence in central midfield will be a key decision.
I also don’t subscribe to the view that, unlike a year ago, Barca will know what to expect this time. Celtic’s 2-1 victory last season came after they took Barca to added time at the Camp Nou before Barca got their winner. Barcelona knew exactly what to expect, they just didn’t know what to do about it. I see no reason why they will be any better tutored this time. Unless they’ve figured out a way of making wee guys jump higher than big guys.
We are fast, we’re tall, we defend when necessary and we run all game. Unless Barca decide to play for a point and defend deep, which they won’t, they will play exactly as they did last season.
On seeing an X Factor item on the news I complained, “That’s not news”, but I was challenged, “If that’s not news, what makes football news?” Sporting and entertainment events are news if those who produce the news determine it to be so, which places considerable authority on news editors.
Charlotte Fakes revelations have shown us how news professionals, keen to distract attention from a disaster zone of a club, tried to create negative ‘news’ stories concerning Celtic.
Three years ago the Green Brigade displayed a banner at Celtic Park which went largely uncommented upon for several days. Four days after the event, the banner became a nationwide news story, TV news reported it and it made a Radio 5 Live morning discussion programme.
The delay in the item becoming ‘news’ was the most important part of the story. It wasn’t news until the news editors had been convinced otherwise. The damage to Celtic’s reputation was considerable.
Today news editors who ran that story three years ago have an interesting dilemma. Do they run a story about an alarming message being displayed at a football ground, or without being lobbied, is that not a story?
Celtic don’t spend money trying to get negative stories about other clubs in the newspapers, but this is surely not exclusively the way the ‘news’ industry works.
We shouldn’t have to wait on a whistle-blower to shine a light on what happened three years ago, journalists know when they have been lobbied, and that’s the real story, which is not dependent on unfathomable leaks.
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Just do it, Celtic
I agree P67. If I want to see Messi in the flesh I can do so at my leisure. I want us to win the game!
Often wondered what it felt like to chase a podium
Braw ! coybig …bring on the Catalans …
And get one yee-hah!
Excitement building and still a day to go.
Hh
Paul67
Well said!
I am also happy that Messi will NOT be playing tomorrow night. He will be back soon enough!
For someone who takes a lot of punishment during a season, he has missed very few games over the last few years.
Very nervous – but also incredibly excited – about tomorrow night. Come what may it will be yet another fabulous European night at CP.
HH!!
On journalists …
Nothing mentioned in the Herald, Scotsman or Record, nor BBC or STV about the sectarian hate fest at Ibrox – but hey no surprise there!
If you want real news about Scotland – get on-line.
Two good articles here –
http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2013/09/29/on-parade/
“You can see how the custodians of the new club trading as Rangers can make short-term capital by pandering to jingoistic sectarianism. But what do the armed forces get out of it?”
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/8103-journalist-questions-media-silence-after-military-day-sectarian-chanting-at-rangers-game
“This was an event where military chiefs were in attendance and was sanctioned by football authorities. That simple reality must have consequences.”
But will there be? It will certainly be a good test of the fair application of the new laws.
NatKnow, indeed.
Tallybhoy, me too.
Wee preview of Ajax v AC Milan on Sicilian radio .
Seen as a game between 2 former giants of the European game . Both described as needing a lot of luck to get beyond the last 16 .
Ajax summed up as a club forced to constantly discover young talent and sell it on .
Milan summed up as struggling and very messy .
Pundit predicts a draw.
If you are bothered about the military’s behaviour at Ibrox, write a letter to the C/O at Dreghorn Barracks. You will get an answer.
Bring on the Barca.
In all the years I’ve been posting on here I’ve always managed to avoid the top ten on the podium…..whew…did it again.
Impressive eh?
Tallybhoy…
I hope yer havin’ fish for dinner tomorrow night?
:-)
Paul67,
It is my opinion that Celtic will be seeing plenty of Lionel in the coming years anyway. The last 8 may well be beyond us this year, already? (tut tut)
I’m glad the wee genius is out because I think Celtic can top this group of death. ;))
Hope
RRC
Thanks for the reminder!
I was not planning to have fish for dinner tomorrow night – but I WILL now!
Had it before the return leg against the sheep slaughterers – and look what happened!
Fish for tea tomorrow it is then!
HH!!
Paul67
I’m with you on the missing Messi but it would be interesting to know what Barca’s record is without him in the team.
Messi in? Messi out? – does it make any difference – its not as if Lee mcCulloch or Ian Black are going to take his place – he will be replaced by another great player – our game plan wasnt and isn’t based on Messi. Hopefully our game plan is based on Barca as a team and Celtic as a team.
We offer a different challenge to Barca – one that they have largely failed to unlock completely over the years. Yes they have won or drawn most of the last 10 games but they have not delivered the humping that is within their gift to deliver to better teams than Celtic.
Whatever the score we do well to remember we are playing Barca in the Champions League – what’s not to like?
Hola from a cloudless and slightly breezy Benalmadena. Flying back tomorrow night at 8.30pm.
Moral: Don’t book holidays before Champions League draw.
Was reading back. It is no surprise that the media blackout on the antics at Ibrox is in place in Scotland. But then I read this quote:
“Andrew Dickson, who presents the club’s official TV channel – Rangers TV – suggested detractors should “take a look at their passports and remind themselves of where they come from…”.
I mean really – so the new rangers are now official in their sectarianism now?
Hamiltontim @ 12 42 .
No idea —- but I heard Zubizaretta on the radio reminding people that Messi played when Celtic beat Barca 2-1.
He added that he didn’t think Barca were a 1 man team.
No Messi, a dawdle then, nae bother,eh!
KINGLuBO
Barcelona might be without Messi tomorrow but Celtic will also be a man down. Namely me!
Can’t get away from work this time. Too feckin busy.
I hope you all have a brilliant day and an historical night to remember. The difference this time? We know we can do it.
Mon The Celtic.
Hamiltontim,
They are a lot weaker when he is not in the team but that was previous seasons. He is genuinely a real talisman, I cannae remember who said it but there was commentary that Barca had to stop relying on Lionel. Tuesday, I guess, is the real acid test.
Celtic have every chance on Tuesday.
ToneLoc #FearlessOscarKnox
Welcome to the celtic family Beau
May all your days be blessed and you be granted your needs.
Hail Hail
paul67…..new firm!! now that did make me chuckle ,cheers
In the last 3 years Barca without Messi have played 19 games, winning 16 losing 2 (v Bayern season) and drawing 1
Until he came on against PSG Barca were also struggling.
The fact that he is injured for tomorrow is a fantastic boost for us and increases the chance that we will get something from the game. But Barca are on a terrific run of form having won 7 in a row in La Liga – a club record start to the season – and beating Ajax fairly easily. I’m hopeful we will get something though and can’t wait for tomorrow night.
Oh and Snake – I hope you will be back posting!
Bhoys
My pal is up in Aberdeen and needs a lift either on bus or car for tomorrow’s game, he’s a top bhoy and attends all the CQN golf days and we have made the Good Child Foundation a right few quid over the past four years…any help would be great…
Kikinthenakas
To save Bsr the trouble later
1st name on the teamsheet James Forrest :)).
Spoke to my mate last night about Lionel
He said he read that when he is out they resort to the spanish national team formation & system :((
Till later all
Petec a pleasure to meet you again on sat hope the young man had a good game and be proud of your efforts to be there.
Hail Hail
neganon2- Or, Andrew Dickson could have put it another way- if you don’t like it why don’t you go home?
On Barca Quick News, they are lamenting the absnce of Biram Kayal and Joe Ledley.
9 certs to start tomorrow (barring injury)
Forster
Lustig
Ambrose
Van Dijk
Matthews
Mulgrew
Brown
Commons
Samaras
Only 2 places up for grabs
http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/armed-forces-involvement-sectarian-rangers-protest-pr-disaster/6182
Well done AT..
http://blogs.channel4.com/alex-thomsons-view/armed-forces-involvement-sectarian-rangers-protest-pr-disaster/6182
HH
/Bishop B
I’m gonna get all left wing on you all now, no surprise there, but it happens to be the truth:
The media and the press by and large support the dominant narrative.
50,000 (officially, it was probably more) Trade Unionists, Community Activists and others took to the streets of Manchester yesterday to protest the Tory/Lib Dem Cuts. You would not know that from reading the papers I glanced through this morning – including the ones who are allegedly left of centre.
It doesn’t suit the narrative. I am not suggesting that there is a conspiracy of silence but I am suggesting that there is an established pattern of what gets reported and what doesn’t. Partly as a result of the pressure to ‘sell’ the paper, the web site, the tv channel, partly as a result of the agenda of newspaper and TV station owners. News is no longer really news. It’s what editors think will sell. If they no longer see mass protest as something that sells then they will limit reporting.
And then there is the fear of offending the ‘brave men and women’ in the services’ – add the two and what happened at Ibrox is best silenced and what happened in Manchester at the weekend is also not news, but for very different reasons.
Post Office workers are striking today, teachers in large swathes of England are out tomorrow. Will thousands of schools shut make the top part of the news?
My best bet for the Ibrox travesty is that someone like Roy Greenslade will write a column about it. It might make a headline after that. Will there be anything done about it? I think, having done their bit of recruiting from the ‘slopes of Ibrox’ the military will decide to decline invitations there for a few years. Job done for both sides. Lowest common denominator tapped.
I feel like puking.
leftclicktic,
Thanks big chap, BOBBY definitely wanted me to go for mair drinks Sunday but the wee guy and his fitba won the day, although they lost and he didn’t get much Time on the pitch.
:))
Brightside
Absolutely disgusting scenes from that midden on saturday . I have emailed my mp to complain ,something must be done to put an end to this rabble rousing . I would email my msp but he will be signing up , so he can take part next year . And finally , please celtic tv NEVER employ bigot halfwits like the deid clubs tv , that commentary from dumb and dumber during that sickening display
RobertoTressell 13:05
A Press.
I’m still waiting for my work pal to bring in yer book. I will gently remind him Tuesday. ;))
“Andrew Dickson, who presents the club’s official TV channel – Rangers TV – suggested detractors should “take a look at their passports and remind themselves of where they come from…”.
Oh yeah?
Maybe he should check this out.
http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20149.aspx
Before the most recent troubles in Ireland one of the biggest recruitment areas was the Republic of Ireland! This recruitment trend is beginning again.