That was the latest instalment in a long running series of Behind the Couch Celtic away performances in Europe, with the wonderful exception that after Hapoel Be’er Shiva had us on the rack in the opening period of the second half, Celtic put five at the back and closed the game out without any stressful incidents in the final 15 minutes.
There are a few moments worthy of comment:
Hapoel’s penalty came as a consequence of Celtic pressing high up the field for the first time in the game. The home team dropped deep as they were temporarily reduced to 10 men, but when Celtic pressed high to take advantage of an opponent receiving treatment, they easily passed through us, switched the ball left and gave Saidy Janko his first difficult moment of the night.
More on Saidy in a moment, but we cannot allow teams to pass through us so easily. We should never have been caught so high up field. Our alertness, interceptions and tackling were not good enough. Craig Gordon’s block at the penalty was priceless (or at a price of circa £26m, if you’re being picky).
There’s a reason teams who mark zonally at corner kicks don’t mark the penalty spot. It’s because headers from the penalty spot need to be exceptional in order to beat the keeper. Sahar’s goal wasn’t an exceptional header. It bounced before passing Craig Gordon three feet inside the post. It should never have been a goal, and although Craig’s mistake for the second was more evident, the first was as worrying a goal to concede.
We’re fond of talking about “schoolboy errors” in football but Saidy’s lack of awareness of his direct opponent and goalkeeper at the second goal was a classic error from the 9-year-old’s game. I’ll be generous and say he’s not ready for a game at this level. Craig Gordon doesn’t have a let off for this one, either. While his fullback made a mistake, an alert keeper would have prevented the goal and knocked Saidy into next week. Awareness concerns exist for him too.
Whether it’s Craig’s self-confidence, or that the defence don’t have confidence in him, goalkeeping mistakes came perilously close to seeing us drop out of the Champions League last night.
Not that Craig shoulders all responsibility for what was a weak performance. The middle of the park was experimental and looked it. On the back of one of his best games for Celtic a week ago, Scott Brown’s passing, control and influence was miles off the pace.
Scott, Callum McGregor and Nir Bitton were swamped in midfield. Too few Celtic players were showing for the ball, which was thrown forward aimlessly whenever a Hapoel player closed us down. If central midfield is right, your defensive and goalkeeping frailties are less evident, but we were exposed too often at the back last night. There was a period in the second half when watching on TV made it impossible to know where we were going wrong. After a Hapoel chance, we would see a replay, and before it cut back to live pictures, Celtic had lost possession and were again under pressure. This happened repeatedly. Central midfield was the major problem with the performance, if not the result.
Don’t let any of this dampen your spirits. We’re into the Champions League group stage, a fact which will see us break through the £80m turnover mark for the first time. By comparison, turnover was £51m for 2014-15, the most recent season accounts are available for.
Despite the increase in expenditure this season, we’ll pay our bills without increasing borrowing or selling players. We’re on the circuit again, which means we’ll find it easier to attract talent going forward, it means we’ll find it easier to attract commercial deals and pretty much every KPI at the club will become that bit more attainable.
Last night was a transformational day in the life of your football club. We’re back, enjoy it!
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Do any of you read any Aberdeen fans social media?
They are in a bit of flux at the moment. Really unhappy with the midfield, McLean is out for the weekend and there’s a fair bit of noise around failure to spend. Bit of a mini campaign to try and get Stuart Armstrong from us. They’ll be up for Saturday when it comes but if the midfield gets over run they fear they could fold.
Also yesterday a 16 game season ticket was launched, highlighting their game with *Rangers as the reason to buy. They are absolutely livid, even threatening to hand back theirs.
Mini crisis up there, an intense start from us with a lot of doing the huddle in the champions league from the stands and their season could become quite chaotic.
Natknow
They got gubbed
4-1 on agg
FAVOURITE UNCLE
If they did what they want, when they want, there would be pyro displays and political banners every week.
I don’t agree with everything the GB do, think they are a bit up themselves if I’m honest, but on this occasion, either by design or luck, they called it correct and brought positive publicity to the Club which will lead to a financial benefit surpassing any fine, IMO. That’s positive publicity, something the highly paid executives employed by the Club find difficult to generate.
They are most definitely not parasites or a cancer as accused by other(s).
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 25TH AUGUST 2016 9:37 AM
Oh ffs…its mental in here.
Huns having a go at Celtic and being defended for it.
Bizarre
A knowwwwww, it’s like the GB bringing my club into charges from UEFA and being defended for it, wut they like eh?
Gee, that’s been a hard early morning shift between TGM & MN.
Take Emeraldbee’s advice at 9:05 & 9:20.
Anyhoo – About this time yesterday JIMMCI posted from Dalyan, Turkey. Now I know Wi-fi is C**p in Dalyan so you might not have seen my request shortly after. In the off chance that you are lurking just now and they’ve joined the Wi with the Fi in Dalyan, I was wondering which bar you watched the match on Tuesday night? Thinking of going back over in September and would appreciate your recommendation. (I know Dalyan well, but not sure which sports bars are any good).
Now back to the fighting….shurely not…
TD67
Listen clever clogs…just because you have an opinion, doesnt mean its right.
The problem is this….you and your buddy Mats, are so right-wing, that you stick out like a sore thumb.
Your opinion on the GB and the Celtic Trust is stupid in the extreme….like something out of a David Icke book….Barking Mad.
Me….I know who i am, and what i am…..You see, im not as confused as you and your pal Mr Pastry
And also….Calm wouldnt be apt word, maybe serenity would be better.
Again….Wake up
ernie lynch on 25th August 2016 9:25 am
It’s been fun to dip in and out of the comments on the Green Brigade fund-raiser during these past days.
In my perfect world the GB returns Barton’s £5 with an attached note, “take it elsewhere, hun. We’re not selling a conscience here this week”. I’d keep Warburton’s tenner, though. Haven’t contributed yet myself, waiting for the flurry to slow.
——————————————————————————————————————————-
I enjoy Celtic fans rattling cages. The team on my Champions League wish-list is Napoli.
Paterson isn’t good enough imo, he is a bit of a hammer thrower and we need much more in an attacking sense. We need to look beyond Scotland, there is nothing here for us at the moment in terms of where we want to be, i.e competitive in the CL.
I hope we are keeping an eye on Tim Fosu Mensah and Chris Gunter.
Emeraldbee For all I know Mats might be a troll or might be like us Celtic in his heart his own way. If you don’t like his beat scroll on. For years we had Edward Ursus in here , I have no doubt he was a fine human being. I guess he gave up when Bolshy better Celtic supporters hurled abuse at him and he was no longer welcome. Few others as well since then. Calling for a square go helps contributors move off quick enough. For me, and maybe not for others, it has meant a less colourful and vibrant blog. Let the people sing. Don’t script the song. Hail Hail.
LEFTCLICKTIC on 25TH AUGUST 2016 9:42 AM
Natknow
They got gubbed
4-1 on agg
—————————————-
5-2 on agg, no…?
Leicester from the top seeds,and any others from pots 2 and 3,
ideally teams we havent met lately,although would rather avoid a trip to Russia
Taraungabhoy
Who said anything about a square go?
And do you value those ‘contributors’ who disparage and abuse good Celtic supporters?
BK
Did Aberdeen really use ” Rangers ” as a carrot for buying a ST? If so, they are even more out of touch with their fans than our Board seems to be with us !
JJ
NATknow
Yip your right 5-2 sir
I just seen the 4-1 last night punched the air with delight and never even noticed agg score
BlantyreKev on 25th August 2016 9:42 am
Armstrong on loan to Aberdeen would be a good move. He wouldn’t be able to play against us. Would include a wee clause that we can recall him in January just in case they are too close for comfort.
Timreaper
Don’t disagree with that, and we do have young Ralston coming through
Maybe time to give him a few games similar to Kieran was ?
Happy days! Don’t care about the usual crap away performance. Celtic are back. Our hosts on Tuesday were fabulous, their media applauded Brendan at the press conference. The coach was also dignified. I wish them well.
By the way, this place is bonkers.
LEFTCLICKTIC on 25TH AUGUST 2016 10:01 AM
NATknow
Yip your right 5-2 sir
I just seen the 4-1 last night punched the air with delight and never even noticed agg score
—————————————————-
Understandable! :-)))
Either score has a nice ring to it..!
“Over 10,000 Dons fans have signed up for 2016/17 and you can join them by snapping up a season ticket for our remaining 16 home league matches ahead of that highly anticipated fixture against Rangers at Pittodrie on Sunday 25th September!
The package is available now online at afc.co.uk/eTickets , over the phone by calling 01224 63 1903 or in person at the Pittodrie Ticket Office.”
Imagine we’d done that, or charged £49 for a ticket against them or charged extra for concession ticket holders. Oh, wait…..
I know who I am –
I love my family
I love myself
I love God (if he exists)
I love music
I love Celtic FC
I HATE THE SNP
These are the six pillars on which my life is built and consequently all my posts will always reflect these truths.
TGM – my posts are not all addressed to you, so don’t things so personally – give someone else a chance to harangue me – just a suggestion!!!
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART on 25TH AUGUST 2016 10:02 AM
By the way, this place is bonkers.
Thats enough for me not to read back :-)
Mats Nilloc on 25th August 2016 8:55 am
I usually ignore noise on the forums but your continual sniping at the GB and Celtic Trust needs addressing.
The GB by their actions in incurring fines which the club has to pay are parasites ON the body of the club.
You may disagree with the GB but they have brought colour, atmosphere AND MONEY into the club. One of the most iconic images around that famous Barcelona victory and the 125 year anniversary is down to them: https://butebites.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/celtic125.jpg
I do believe that the sales of those images will have directly benefitted the club.
The Truss with their own selfish and political agenda are a cancer which like to spread IN the body of the club.
I personally know some members of the Trust and you are completely and utterly wrong in that assertion. These people give up their time to do what the can FOR FREE for the Club and it’s fans; so what you are alleging is scurrilous and untrue. You are deliberately contentious in some of the things you say: many with no basis in fact. This brings you, at times, justified criticism. We are entitled to opinions but your statements are at times libellous and I am sure that if the Green Brigade or Celtic Trust were a small minded as you appear to be then they could act on those libels. Please give it a rest!
The Green Man says SACK THE Board: I understand your frustration but you would be better ignoring him; also, unfortunately, being in the West of Scotland, offering to meet him face to face and sort it out like men will, rightly or wrongly, be seen as an implicit threat of violence. I didn’t take it as that but it will suit some agendas to do so – we need to be careful of how we phrase things at times. Do yourself a favour and scroll on form those who upset you. It makes you the better man IMHO.
KTF
Oh, also great to have Polish representation at the tournament again.
The humiliation of Steau and Ajax continues.
£145,605 of £150k goal
Magnificent from the Green Brigade .
Don’t forget to stand up and applaud them on the 15th minute on Saturday to show your appreciation of the wonderful initiative to highlight the daily injustices brutally forced upon the people of Palestine by the apartheid statelet calling itself israel.
#StandUpForTheGreenBrigade
#MatchTheFineForPalestine
Blantyrekev
I do believe you are correct .The impact of ‘doing the huddle in the champions league’ could impact their moral :-)
They will not be silent Thats for sure
The old stereotypjin of dons fans means rhwy may have to break a few tenbob notes
HH
Not particularly bothered who we get,but if I had a choice it would be Leicester,Seville and Sporting Lisbon.
Straightforward travel and a decent chance of qualifying.
No matter either way,we bank King’s warchest-which the huns won’t!-and get some big-game experience for our younger players.
This is the point here.
You can all call me anything you like.
But do not insult and abuse my family and friends….who are Celtic to the very core.
I wont have it from anybody.
VFR800A8 on 25TH AUGUST 2016 10:06 AM
From memory £275 I paid for a large print of that image, in the Celtic shop
Hail Hail
BMCUW
goooooooood morning
Is the draw at 16:30 today?
Tom
I’v said many times my opinion is only my opinion, whether you think it’s right or wrong is entirely up to you.
2nd Mats like you is just a blogger on here not my buddy or enemy, he just posts his opinions no big deal IMO.
3rd my opinion on the GB and the CT is what it is, my opinion, and I haven’t a ferkin clue who David Icke is and have no intention of finding out either, but then you knowing what he writes tells me something.
4th I don’t know who Mr pastry is, and by the way I’m well awake, must go now to the green grocery talking to you there reminded me I forgot to pick up a cabbage yesterday, I’ll be back later. HH.
Fair play to The Green Man he’s got the balls to stand up to these huns. Who incidentally were all missing from 9.30pm onwards on Tuesday night.
Perhaps they decided not to log on to comment as their seethe would be there for all the world to see and thus the cat would be out of the bag.
There are posters on here that have an agenda and that agenda has nothing to do with furthering the cause of Celtic FC.
Ray Charles could figure out who they are, and he’s blind, and dead.
“My enemy’s enemy is my friend. ”
Never a good starting point for any discussion or action but quite common on here this morning.
TD67
You calling me a cabbage,..now that is funny:)
I bet you voted for Maggie, secretly.
Read some books you might learn something
LEFTCLICKTIC
Programme probably kicks off then but I think the draw itself starts at 5pm.
How’s tricks,bud? Did the wee fella make it to school alright or is he still stookied up?
My CL wish list:
1. Real Madrid
2. Leicester
3. Cafe beside Superstore
4. CELTIC
Notlettingitgocsc
COWIEBHOY on 25TH AUGUST 2016 10:02 AM
Timreaper
Don’t disagree with that, and we do have young Ralston coming through
Maybe time to give him a few games similar to Kieran was ?
Ralston is getting rave reviews and has looked good in the Colts games. Hopefully Brendan will get him and a few of the other youngsters into the squad. I would prefer playing them to buying another SPL player.
THEGREENMAN 1018
Howzitgaun? Talking about learning from reading books,there are loads of self-help books available on virtually every topic under the sun.
Are there any which teach you how to read in the first place?
ALMORE
Canny have Leicester and Real Madrid. Both Pot 1 teams.