Cautionary tale from Denmark

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Midtjylland play their second league game of the season away to AaB Aalborg tomorrow evening, hoping to win their first points.  Aab finished seventh last term, so it is a game Midtjylland will feel they have to win to get their domestic campaign on track.

Celtic are free of competitive pressures this weekend, facing West Ham at home tomorrow, where we can give players still working on their fitness an hour, then rest them for the trip to Denmark.

There is plenty of confidence ahead of the second leg against Midtjylland after a solid performance on Tuesday night but the name Aalborg will cause many of us to flinch.  The then Danish champions travelled to Celtic Park in the 2008 Champions League group stage.  It is fair to say they could be the weakest team we faced at that level, but indecisive finishing, for some of the game against 10 men, and a missed Barry Robson penalty, meant the game finished 0-0.

Celtic bossed the return leg at Aab’s tiny stadium and Robson atoned for his penalty miss by giving the visitors a second half lead.

Here’s the thing about football.  You can think you are safe, then a deflected shot flies in from nowhere and a deflected cross hits a defender and allows a semi-professional outfit to beat Celtic to the Uefa Cup spot.

I hope we use every moment of our preparatory time tomorrow wisely.  Nothing can be taken for granted.

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  1. anges high press high tempo win that ball back hustle, well it is going to be stopped in its tracks with whistle happy refs, like this one.

  2. Reckon that came about as Ralsto was up the park doing a 1-2 with Abada. Lost possession in their box and WH had up the park and in the net in 2-3 touches.

  3. Ralston needs to stop pushing forward so much – he is leaving Murray and Welsh exposed to the counter attack and the pace of Antonio is killing them.

  4. McPhail Bhoy on

    Ralston had no idea what to do with the ball once in the box, loses it they score

  5. IniquitousIV on

    Ralston as slow as a week in jail. Barkas a liability, not covering his near post. Antonio showing Edouard what an EPL striker is, i.e. fast, powerful and direct. Our lack of pace, all over the park, is obvious. West Ham’s reserve defenders, are all faster.

  6. PeterLatchfordsBelly on

    Playing well, but our defence is depressingly weak. Ralston put in behind their defence, but doesn’t have the quality. 10 secs later they score. Barkas is hopeless. He has zero awareness of angles. Going into an ECL qualifier with that defence is negligent.

  7. Tom McLaughlin on

    I read a bit of praise for Murray on Tuesday and thought, did I watch a different game? I thought he was awful. Again today he is totally out of his depth. If he plays on Wednesday we’re stuffed.

  8. JACKIEMAC on 24TH JULY 2021 3:25 PM

     

    when we’re quick we are blistering

     

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    IniquitousIV

     

     

    Gonny make yer minds up

  9. i dont want to be cruel, but Barkas looks like an outfield player put into goals because the real goalkeeper has been sent off

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