A few months after that win over Barcelona and being eliminated in the knock-out stages of the Champions League by Juventus, Neil Lennon took his Celtic team to Astana, where Shakhter Karagandy elected to play their home tie in the 2013 qualifiers, while sacrificing a sheep for good fortune on the pitch a day earlier.
We lost 2-0 before performing an heroic rescue a week later to snatch victory in stoppage time, but some of the detail from the defeat in Kazakhstan has been lost.
In the opening stages at the Astana Arena we looked miles ahead before Shakhter scored a 12th minute opener. We continued to dominate possession – 61% overall – but failed to put the ball in the net, before conceding a late second, which must have delighted and surprised the Kazaks in equal measure.
A 2-0 loss away in Europe is a bad result, but the nature of the game gave plenty of room for encouragement. We were clearly a better team, but didn’t have our act together, especially in defence.
This game was the one and only start for that urban legend, Steven Mouyokolo, who partnered Charlie Mulgrew in central defence to give new guy, Virgil van Dijk, his second start, making a very unaccustomed appearance at full back. What did we expect? It wasn’t a surprise that we did enough in the return leg with a more conventional look at the back (Mouyokolo and van Dijk were both dropped).
Astana have several things in their favour. They are fully fit, 21 games into their league season, and 10 points ahead, so they’ve had the luxury of resting players as the qualifiers approached. Shakhter Karagandy have also agreed to postpone their scheduled game on Saturday, so Astana won’t play until they face Celtic next week. By contrast, Brendan Rodgers still needs game-time to work his players up to full fitness.
Last season Astana reached the Champions League group stage, eliminating Maribor (cough), HJK Helsinki and APOEL Nicosia along the way. Their group performances against Atletico, Benfica and Galatasaray were more than credible – two defeats and four draws, achieved by defending in numbers across all six games.
Listen carefully to the confidence the Shakhter manager who faced us three years ago has in his fellow Kazaks. Astana will be buoyed by last season’s achievements and will have watched the debacle in Gibraltar. They think they are the stronger team and, unlike their group stage games last season, will attack Celtic at home.
The last time they attacked at home in Europe was a year ago against HJK Helsinki, who scored three on the counter-attack but conceded four. There will be space to exploit on that bumpy plastic surface in central Asia. Defend, forget faux comforts like 61% possession, and have Leigh, Patrick, James and Callum hit them on the break.
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Patrick James Bamford (born 5 September 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea. Bamford plays as a centre forward, but is also capable of playing an attacking midfield role.
He began his career at Nottingham Forest, making his debut on 31 December 2011, and a month later joined Chelsea for a fee of £1.5 million. Chelsea then loaned him out to Milton Keynes Dons, Derby County, Middlesbrough with whom he won the Championship Player of the Year, and eventually Crystal Palace.
Capped once for the Republic of Ireland at under-18 level, he later changed allegiances to England, whom he has represented up to under-21 level.
Thanks turkeybhoy.
You stay calm now ok. Leave that cloth cap alone.
BMCUW
That leads to all sorts of images in my mad heed i.e. if your Grumpy whos Dopey Etc .
I will put the first suggestion forward , Happy is Neganon
OHITS
We’ve already got a Doc. I doubt we’ll find Bashful.
He’s a lurker.
Ohits
You’ve open a big can of worms there
Having watched Toure over the yrs, he is prone, of making a few mistakes,so at 35,for me he is well passed his sell date,but Holt who played for Hibs the other night,and he too is 35 ,did OK,but we will wait and see,
https://twitter.com/Celtic_Musical/status/747174254886686721/photo/1
Timbhoy
He played right through liverpools run to the Europa final last year,
That’ll do for me, if only for a year
Masty
I but they are nice worms , the ones you used to eat as a wean -)
More than a few candidates for Dopey:-)
DOC
Name names , I nominate ACGR .
I’m no happy ;((
HH
AngelGabriel – any Horse tips for today welcome!! Hopefully WITS and T & T will offer their tips as well
HH
Ffs there’s only one candidate for DOPEY and that’s our dunky
One Malloy
I got 2 coming that I know of but waiting on the guy getting home from gallops.
Should be with me in next hour.
Will post them.
As always: GL but don’t shoot the messenger
Good morning from a very warm and sunny Croatia.
I was speaking to a local yesterday who is a Hadjuk fan but loves Celtic. We talked about Jozo and we both said at exactly the same time “he’s always injured”. Apparently he was a sicknote over here. Doesn’t bode well!
The guy also said that Kranjar is finished. Talented player but loves “beer & doughnuts” and his lifestyle has caught up with him.The gardener would have loved working with him.
That’s all folks from CroatiaQuickNews
Looking forward to seeing Celtic for the first time this season and hope the players come through without any injuries. Brendan knows new man Toures form and that he can be trusted to fill in while we await the return of the regular guy from injury. At 35 he has loads of experience.
T & T – thanks for that bud will look out for them
HH
I nominate Tony Donnelly for Bashful, Canamalar for Grumpy, Neganon for Happy, any CQN’er who suffers from Hay Fever as Sneezy, any of our Moonhowlers as Sleepy & as previously stated there is only one Doc and there are plenty of Dopes.
Harryboe. ………………not good news that our most expensive signing in years is considered a sick note merchant by the locals. Enjoy the holliers.
I don’t remember anyone asking people to stop criticising Celtic and the board after shootings in club in Florida. Is that because they was gay and were less important?
MWD
Corkcelt…………….great result for Cork during the week beating the Swedes and great to here a local team not littered with Dublin accents.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/german-lawyers-and-alan-the-tortoise/#more-7756
Hankray – exactly my thoughts when he said it. Hope he’s wrong but seemed to know quite a lot about football.
Signing off now. HH
new article posted.
HARRY BOE
Guid to hear from you again. Stop talking to Neganonic over there,cheer yourself up.
MOONBEAMSWD on 23RD JULY 2016 11:18 AM
I don’t remember anyone asking people to stop criticising Celtic and the board after shootings in club in Florida. Is that because they was gay and were less important?
MWD
——————————
Is that your opinion.? It is certainly not the opinion of all decent people.
Sad ridiculous comment, which if I remember right you were told at the time.
Hankray, It’s really super to see them in the 3rd round & beating Linfield in the first was the icing on the cake,
They have KRC Genk up next that may well prove a step too far but it has been great fun & a nice bit of cash for the Club, This along with Dundalks progress is great for League of Ireland and it’s not over yet.
Corkcelt
New article, you have some record :-)
ThomTheThim
Just reading back and want to say congratulations on your Wee granddaughter. Great news.