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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Good afternoon malcontents,brigadiers,trusters n uni mobsters!
Personally I think Rodgers all round jollyness in captaining ships should give our very own rebel vessel enough to sink Astana with the ole n young pirates a’readies aboard.
A few extra rations o’ rum n the promise o’ the plank should do the trick.
Har Har
Lennon n Mc
you forgot about conformists. Tut! Tut!
MWD
mwd
On porpoise!
;)
67ECW – Good stuff, but let’s not let facts and common sense get in the way of having a go at Peter Lawell and Brendan Rogers. BR has had 2 competitive games to assess his squad and people are screaming at him to sign more players. He knows who he is after and it will take as long as it takes. In the meantime, our squad is good enough on it’s day to beat anyone.
When James scored that winner against Shaktar I promised to myself that I would never critisize him again. I am however surprised BR has had him in the team. I’m hoping it’s to get him in the shop window. It would be a huge mistake to play him next week.
I once played Kick-Off on the ol’ Atari ST with my mate, who was the nephew of Mark Warburtons cousins best pal. Anyhoo, he reckons if Celtic played 1 or 2 young guys at the back in a 4, with Efe just in front/defence mid, the likes o Paddy, Jamesie, Dembele and Griff would take care of the other 3/4 o the pitch.
Trick is…. (shhh) have Efe in defence, but dinae tell HIM he’s meant to be defending!
MethodinthemadnessCSC
-Tambo
Lennon n Mc
Leave the dolphins oot of this. they are kind gentle creature’s except when they urny.
MWD
MNCELT
I believe no one is screaming at BR. Like all manager’s prior to BR since PL was given the CEO bonus collecting position every manager has been undermined. I believe that is the consensus from the malcontents. The conformists believe everything PL says or has his lapdogs write in the DR and the Sun or on his Peter the bonus collecting friendly blogs.
MWD
That difficult second signing…..I wonder if Brendan has been on the blower to DD yet? Not unreasonable to expect him to have 3 or 4 of his own guys in by now. The stockpile of diddies is not pf BR’s making,it’s Lawwell’s problem to get them out the door. I would trust Mulgrew at CB on Wednesday,to partner Erik,more than anyone we currently have by the way.
In the interest of cheering up a pretty downbeat blog today I would like to agree with many from last night regarding the performance of our development squad v Real Sociead. Good crop of youngsters there, I realise they wont all make it but one who surely will is No. 11 Calvin Millar, a great future must lie ahead for him. Hail Hail Hebcelt
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS
An outbreak of common sense, it’ll never catch on:))
Hysteria Quick News..
Hebcelt
Agreed. Young Calvin looks like he will be a star.
MWD
Roll up Roll up for the continuing and ongoing C.Q.N . Aunt Sally contest.
Aunt Sally in the familiar figure of the one , the ONLY Peter Lawwell .
The Hendersons will all be there ……………………………
ECW67
When did the club say they were interested in Joe Allen?
When did the club say they were interested in Duffy? Owen Coyle has said in the papers that we didn’t bid for Duffy.
The supporters might have been interested in signing both after they read we were interested.
I wish people would stop reading papers.
mwd
Actually that yin’s up in the craws nest geen us peace!
;)
No one seems to be that bothered we are playing an unnecessary friendly a few days before an important CL qualifier. Astana have no game this weekend to prepare, and they are at home.
Is it worth the gamble if,say Griff, gets injured?
And right on Q here comes the wikiman.
MWD
Moonbeams – I have no idea if any of what you say is true. I trust that our club is being run well. Every business has to make decisions that people (who don’t know all the facts) regularly disagree with. At the end of the day, we are in good shape. We have a great manager, who many people on here are already criticizing. I saw a comment earlier about his ‘get out clause’ for goodness sake.
Anyways, people here are divided in their camps and will rarely change their positions. I might get disappointed sometimes in our results but it never dampens my enthusiasm for Celtic.
B67- it’s a tricky one,the players need game time,but I wouldn’t risk LG or Erik tomorrow.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS
Aston Villa did not pay 12 million to Swansea for Sinclair.
They had him on loan from Man city and purchased for 2-5 million.
Quoting an imaginary price does not give credibility to your post.
Celtic are offered hundreds of players on a weekly or even daily basis, especially in the summer.
We must have some confidence of landing the players we really want.
You would love to see the list of players we’ve been offered though, if there was an equivalent of a big Majstorovic waiting to be picked up we’d probably all jump at the chance right now. Big bruising CB’s really shouldn’t be hard to find.
HH
Barney67
We also have game against Inter Milan on the Saturday before the first leg of the qualifying play off (whether that is EL or CL)
Keith Jackson on Twitter in the past hour or so. Asked why he spouts so much garbage about the team from Govan.
He replied with two words . . .
IT SELLS
My god you should see the grief he took after that snap response.
Thrown to the wolves.
BARNEY67 on 22ND JULY 2016 3:21 PM
They are mid season, their manager was say they looked tired after Wednesday’s game and was asking the Kazak league to let them postpone their game this weekend.
We are still in pre season and need games to get up to speed. Tomorrow should be starting eleven for Astana in first half, second eleven in second half.
MNCELT
what makes you trust our club as a football team is being run well. As a company making profit for the bonus collectors, yes I agree it out performs it’s size. But as a business providing a successful base for it’s main and only real product has it been succesful?
Winning the SPL and the odd cup each season with the level of financial superiority is notr a basis for success.
Being beaten by european teams with weaker financial basis and stronger playing staff is failure.
But if selling your best to keep the profit and loss in balance as at 30th June every year securing a almost £1,000,000 salary and bonus is success then you have your success and I’ll keep calling it failure.
MWD
MWD
Dia Daoibh uilig
WITS,
thanks for the tips excellent info’
Got word for one in the 3.50 Uttoxeter,Cairnshill e/w about 20/1
Ádh mór HH BB
Hysteria
Well i never, its not like we havent seen this sideshow before
The young Celts last night had some very good players.Miller was sensational.He had great awareness and a goalscorers instinct.
We should see him soon.
Nesbitt was the creator of many chances.He had great feet and visionald also looks like he has bulked up.
Hope to see him soon.
LIindsay has a good engine and skill.Needs to be physically stronger so not ready yet.
Next season.
Ralston is a beast and very strong for his age.Tenacious and even when beaten recovered to win ball back.
He is capable to provide cover now.
I expected more from Thomson but he was quiet..Did not do anything wrong.
??
Crossan did not look up to speed of team mates.He has build like Dixie.
Had a few decent touches though.
Next season.
Moonbeams – Winning the SPL is our only yardstick for success.
Thanks Big Bones
Had a few bob each on Cairnshill
I like those connections when they send a horse over
One worrying thing about lack of signing a much needed central defender.
Brendan likes to play a high press.
Our central defenders are not suited to this and Craig Gordon is not a sweeper in the Manuel Nauer type role.
In most games so far we have been vulnerable to long balls up the middle.
Mulgrew would not be the answer.
In the absence of a speedy centre back Gordon has to be taught the sweeper role.
MNCELT
Seriously.
Is that how far we have fell in the eyes of some of our support, winning a one horse race in a league were our resource outstrips the competition 3 to 1 or greater.
MWD
Nice each way Big Bones
3rd at 20/1
But did you see the name of the Horse that won
CELTIC PASSION !!!
Even if it were true that our benchmark for success is the SPL … and it’s not … do you really think our manager came here to win that?
http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/the-killing-fields/
My final thoughts on it until after the Astana game.
BB -Cairnshill finished a strong 3rd, ta
Big bones, wits. That race won by Celtic passion, tut tut bhoys :-)
Man Utd pumped 4-1 by Dortmund in that Int Champions Cup
HH
BARNEY67 on 22ND JULY 2016 3:21 PM & The Glorious Balance Sheet.
No one seems to be that bothered we are playing an unnecessary friendly a few days before an important CL qualifier. Astana have no game this weekend to prepare, and they are at home.
Is it worth the gamble if,say Griff, gets injured?
—————————–
Good points re Leicester and Inter.
I’m not too interested in friendlies at the best of times, but I suppose there is a time and place for them.
In my opinion this is not the time for them when we are playing season defining games.
HH.
I think the jock could’ve got him into the race a bit earlier,always going easy and finished strong
WITS yeah Celtic Passion
I’ve lost a few quid on horses called Celtic
HH BB