Celtic had the better of the opening 30 minutes against an accomplished Atletico Madrid team in this evening’s Europa League clash but after losing what will be considered a bad goal from a defensive perspective, were corralled by the visitors, who were content to tighten the game and play on the break.
Arda Turan’s blistering shot from outside the box should have been blocked, but Beram Kayal won this season’s Regi Blinker European Endeavour award and ducked out of the way, only a few yards in front of the helpless Fraser Forster, who did well to get a hand on the ball but could not stop it.
Celtic were a goal behind after 3 minutes in the corresponding fixture in Madrid and should have been behind inside 60 seconds when Eduardo Salvio was gifted a free header from 6 yards but he failed to hit the target.
Celtic soon settled with Georgios Samaras again proving effective in a wide-left midfield role. Daniel Majstorovic headed a corner into the six yard box which Samaras knocked goal-wards but keeper Courtois blocked on the line.
Next Anthony Stokes found space on the left to cross for Samaras but he couldn’t keep his first-time shot from the edge of the area down as Celtic had Atletico on the back foot, however, the goal would settle the visitors and clearly spread some dissonance among the home team.
Neil Lennon lost Joe Ledley to a twisted ankle seven minutes from half time and changed tactics at half time when Victor Wanyama went off with a dead leg, sacrificing five in the middle for a 4-4-2 but chances were few in the second half as Atletico defended effectively.
Georgios Samaras, who ran tirelessly and threw himself into challenges with no shortage of bravery while playing with space to exploit on the left, looked uncomfortable in the latter part of the game when playing with Gary Hooper as a front pair.
Hooper had the ball in the net but was judged offside after Stokes knocked the ball onto him. Ki fired a 25-yard free-kick on target midway through the half forcing a fine save from Courtius before Fraser Forster made two excellent saves, one from a remarkable Diego free kick from a tight angle that was heading for the top corner and another when he stopped Juanfran.
Celtic laid siege to the Atletico goal for the final five minutes but could not find an opening.
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antrimkev says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:48
I agree… there’s nothin in Kayal’s play to date that suggests to me he’s scared of takin a hit… I think he’s gone to head the ball and completely misjudged it, or he’s completely misjudged his position and thought it was goin past. If in any doubt, he should have stood up and taken it in the nads. Its what I would’ve done, and why I talk in the key of C6 ;)
murdochbhoy says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:43
With respect ,a totally unrealistic post.
We were playing a team which won the europa League the summer before last and spent approx 65m euros on players this summer.
Before we start worrying about showing europe we’re a team to be reckoned with we need to start winning our sh***y little league.
Tannadice on Sunday more important than tonight ? Absolutely 100 % yes.
HH
TLWIO
iBhoy (i is also Neil Lennon) says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:49
I think, I think Anthony believes he is so good, he could have hit that free kick skimming the defenders head just enough so it flicked into the top corner!!
Murdochbhoy
I don’t think I did misrepresent you mate by your own admission you said that tonight the team became losers.
Anyway let’s not get embroiled in pedantics. You’re hurting cos your a Tim that’s good enough for me. I do think however, that we need to learn to walk before running and Tannadice is a far greater priority than tonight.
Vic Ajax at 22:42
I did not see what were weather conditions. I hope next time Celtic players read Jobo Baldie’s comments :-)
I made a post about the goal becouse noticed that some posters were blaming Forster.
Can’t help wonder what vitriol Loovens would be getting if he did what Kayal did at the goal.
But….I don’t think Loovens would have done that. I think he would have stood firm and taken the direct hit wherever it happened to strike him. I think he would have ensured the ball didn’t pass him. He is mince but he doesn’t shirk much.
Looking forward to Wanyama and Kayal developing a strong partnership in central midfield. I don’t see a place in this side for Scott Brown, apart from being cover and selected for specific games away from home. I hope Neil Lennon doesn’t replace Forrest with Brown, or Wanyama with Brown, or Ledley with Brown, or Kayal with Brown. Not many other midfield slots available in my opinion.
iBhoy- Great point, the ref (who was excellent IMO) had his arm raised right from the start of the fk. Absolute basics.
goldstar10
I keep telling it like i see it, if we want players who perform to their best every game they play, we would have to pay about 100+ mill for each of them.
Guys like Messi, Innesta, Xavi have off days, guys like Rooney, Lampard can only dream of being as good as the afore mentioned, and some on here expect our players to perform at their best every game they play, they are deluded.
I am happy to see Charlie Mul back more than any one of them!
Big dan, and Loveens, forrester are never going to be celtic quality EVER.
The young Bhoy mathews is a great player, stokes ran his heart out and I dont know why the goal was chopped off, that ref was bad, that right back done sammi 3 times and was never booked until his 4th on kayal.
I am a realist, they won the competion last year, we have along way to go, our avarage age on the park is 24-25 young men learing thier trade.
We have a lot to look forward to, The utd game on Sunday will be hard one win that and my opinion is, we will not be beaten this year and go above them on the 28th.
Hail hail
FFM
I said he was a Tim, I didn’t say you’d get a drink out the miserable git :)
Fortunes Favour Mibbes says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:47
Sounds like you need to meet me in the Gallowgate at last orders then – when your descritpion just about fits me perfectly!
FFM
a shentulman sur
Sabre67 says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:54
Can’t help wonder what vitriol Loovens would be getting if he did what Kayal did at the goal.
But….I don’t think Loovens would have done that. I think he would have stood firm and taken the direct hit wherever it happened to strike him. I think he would have ensured the ball didn’t pass him. He is mince but he doesn’t shirk much.
Mucker – this is the only footballer on the planet who has nearly mastered heading the ball with accuracy with the back of his heid – hardly William Wallace now is he!!!
Zbyszek says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:54
No probs bud, just saying that there were circumstances in the goal. Kayal tried to get the ball, he failed.
Better teams than us have lost a match in the same way.
We played well tonight.
But AM kept the ball well
and kept our chances to minimum.
Again, why did the ref blow for half time at 1 minute 43 secs into injury time in the first half when the total was 4?
Haven’t seen any replays of their goal but at game my thoughts were the guy wasn’t closed doen and the keeper should have done better given that he got both hands to the ball
EWO
Yep heard all about the change of plans though by all accounts it could still happen in the near future.
BTW you’re definitely wrong about Lenny, I never, ever slagged him in the hoops. Are you mistaking me with some other handsome devil :)
anyway
Im going to take me off to bed.
I feel as I need to give a Miss World type speech before I leave, you know in light of my popularity contest win tonight.
I would wish for world peace – but that would require too many a hun being sent to the next planet. Thats for dreams, not wishes.
Kayal 33 22.49
Na cannot accept that.Despite the unfortunate injuries there was sufficient reason and time to replace the ineffectual Ki and Forrest with the right players: bringing on Hooper was not one of them.
Kayal33 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:00
Big Dan headed it out of the box, Turan fired a shot, Kayal misjudged the header, Forster blindsided. goal :(
The Exiled Tim- Indeed, that’s why these guys play for us in the SPL, if they were THAT good (and consistent) they would be nowhere near this wee backward league and this wee backward country.
HH
Eyes Wide Open says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:53
iBhoy (i is also Neil Lennon) says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:49
I think, I think Anthony believes he is so good, he could have hit that free kick skimming the defenders head just enough so it flicked into the top corner!!
***
My mate suggested that, but I pointed out Stokes isn’t Lionel Messi.
Let us not let tonights result derail
us from our ultimate objective.
Celtic Championes.
Eyes Wide Open,
Don’t underestimate that skill !
I heard a text read out tonight on my way home in the car on Shortbread which similarly amused me, regarding Samaras though. The bloke said he was an “It’s A Knockout version of Frank McGarvey”.
Nearly crashed.
goldstar10 says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:54
iBhoy- Great point, the ref (who was excellent IMO) had his arm raised right from the start of the fk. Absolute basics
***
That’s why I was amazed when he lined up the shot and nobody tried to stop him.
Vic Ajax says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:00
Again, why did the ref blow for half time at 1 minute 43 secs into injury time in the first half when the total was 4?
***
I thought there was only 1 minute added time indicated in the first half?
Jeromek67 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:02
Injuries meant there was one substitution the manager could make of his choosing, how could he take Ki & Forrest off when there was only one more sub to be made? You could argue Stokes should stay on, even though he had run himself into ground, but you still couldn’t take both off Ki & Forrest off.
I didn’t think either Ki or Forrest had good games but I don’t think he had much choice. Both disappeared in the 2nd half when 2 subs had already been made
Vic Ajax,
First half injury time was 1 minute.
Watched game tonight on TV and thought we were unlucky.
A few things that stood out for me were :
Our set up of 4 2 3 1 worked well , when Wanyama was on the park. As soon as he went off the 3 and the 1 dropped back 2/3 yards which allowed Athletico more of the ball.
Our players are naive, every time we looked like hitting the bye line our player got chopped, and generally we failed to beat the first defender.
When their players went down they made the Porto keeper look like an amateur.
A zonal defence only works when you have the right players, and IMHO we only have one player capable of playing that way, and is a 6ft 4 Greek forward. Too often there is a space at either the back post, or between centre backs.
Lasltly, I still absolutely detest Athletico, and their cynical fouling and diving showed them up for what they are.
Kayal33
They replayed the goal here about 10 times afte rthey scored, and about 20 times at half time, and every time I saw it, I thought big Fraser saw it very late, and I wasn’t the only one in the bar to think this, all things considered, I thought he did well to get near it.
I agree that the ball should have been pressed much quicker, maybe the players that were blocking Frasers view could have rushed out to this end :>)
Proud to me a Union member today.
Vic Ajax says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:03
Cheers. Hopefully I’ll see it later. I thought keeper was at least partly to blame but that may be because I don’t rate him.
Southbhoy,……22.09
Dos that mean he’ll be Jailed….LOL…!!!?? …..the “I’m suing the BBC” seems to have died a death…..
Sabre67 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:07
iBhoy (i is also Neil Lennon) says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:07
Must of had too many beers lads, could’ve swore both the commentator and the ass ref said 4 minutes.
Never mind.
Here’s one though, why was it an in-direct free kick? Looked like a standard foul tae me.
HT @ 22:56
You underestimate my charms.
EWO @ 22:57
I’ll be in the Tolbooth and all night on Saturday and will confront you at the end to demand my free beer when I feel you are suitably inebriated and incapable of disagreement or self-defence.
JimmyQuinnsBits @ 22:57
No, you are. (I might get a free pint out of all this if yer man EWO isnae too big a bruiser) :)))
Kayal33 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:09
No probs bud, like ahve said: All in all it should’ve been a draw, at least!
CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:
30 November, 2011 at 22:49
By ‘one’ priority, I assume you mean the collective sum of three parts?
:-)