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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The greatest Ajax player was the one
and only Johann Cruyff
CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:40
AJ CFC
You are a footballing genius – spot on!
Cheers bud, appreciated lol. Doubt I have ever been called anything of the sort so cheers
HH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJqkFSw3L5w
Nothing stops St Stivs earning his Tesco points.
Hail Hail
3 points at Tannidice on Sunday
Gordon64 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:46
The greatest Ajax player was the one
and only Johann Cruyff
====================
Glad I got the chance to see him play in 82,
Prob the best team I have seen at CP just in front of Kiev .
HH
Fortunes Favour Mibbes says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:45
Thanks for that bud! Ah open the mouth but ah just think **** comes outta it, at lest thats what the better half says.
Gordon64 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:46
If that ones at me then Vic Ajax is the main character in a film called Crimewave:
Crimewave
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088967/
Hi Adam,
Doing a chest-infection update via pussbook, lol. Aimee nae got it yet? Must be that bloody honey she eats, might have to nab some.
Vic Ajax says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:51
===================
Thought I was the only person to see that film.
Got it on dvd, also One of Sam Reimi’s first.
HH
AJ, I think we’ve discussed at work how Sammi, whilst being deployed as a striker was oft found playing left-mid. Good to see him starting their.
I wonder how long it will take for some people to see past the #9 on his shirt.
*starting there.
Too late at night.
Palacio67 says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:56
Didnae think anyone else had seen it.
Fecking love that film!
Into the woods wis Sam’s first wich went on tae become the Evil Dead but we all know that Evil Dead 2 wis better.
Big shout out tae ya me Bhoy!!!!
Crimewave wis funny as f***
Paul
LOL she wasn’t well but 2 days? Not quite the month that I have had a cough for. Aye you’re probs right, it’s that Manuka honey.
Should invest in some of that.
Will check FB as haven’t been on tonight.
Just back from the game via a few pubs. I am disappointed but not despondent.
Atletico deserved their win but a draw would not have been an injustice for a hard working and resilient Celtic. Sammi may have been the only one that won his individual battle but a few matched their opponents and we might have got a draw.
No Celtic fan I spoke to was too agitated by the defeat. Most thought Sunday’s match more important.
SFTB much the worse for drink reporting belatedly for News at 10
Was at the game and kept thinking, take one of these chances or we will pay for it :O(.
On the goal, I thought Beram was a bit worried about directing the ball into his own net.
No way does this guy lack bottle. Anyway, we are getting there and don’t they know it :O).
Vic Ajax says:
30 November, 2011 at 23:58
==================
Just made my mind up to watch it again when a have a bit of free time.
Quite liked Army of Darkness over the Evil Dead films, maybe because of the bigger budget,
Some good gags in the film.
HH
Dirtymac
Totally agree, I was quite impressed when he was played as a lone striker for Greece but he is much better having close support to play short passes and make runs off the returns.
Watch this space though I suppose. Hope this is a young team that can grow in maturity and skill.
See another orc got injured the other night lol, suppose they have to keep playing those games to pay the players wages.
HH
Palacio67 says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:05
There is indeed some good gags in AOD but evil dead 2 is still the best fir laughs other than crimewave.
Was at tonight’s Europa League game and it was always going to be a difficult tie for a young team and manager – play wise and tactically.
Possession is king and Athletico were able to exploit their technical ability – being honest – they had us much more worried around our box than we did around theirs.
Positives; Sammi and Stokes upfront, Victor and Kayal in midfield, Mathews and Ledley in defence – Negatives; Ki in midfield, Dan and Loovens in defence – FF lacks a commanding presence but in fairness kept us in it with some good stops. Young Forrest looked out of his depth.
Too often we packed our box trying to cover 2 centre-backs who are slow and ponderous – who fail to attack probing balls and when in possession – lack the skill to make use of the time and space they are given (ok in the SPL – but brutally exposed at this level).
Lessons need to be learned from these types of games: first touch/ control – support of the man with the ball – pack mentality (closing down dangerous players) – ball retention – relieving pressure higher up the pitch (buying fouls/ throw-ins/ corners) – if these are applied to the SPL few teams will be able to compete with us.
It would be easy to dissect individual performances – take Kayal for example – he has the ability to break up play in midfield but having won the ball his choice of use is sometimes wanting. I exaggerate but think a similar formula to Gattuso (A.C. Milan) – he does the spade-work and lets players like; Ambrosini, Flamini, van Bommel get on with winning the match!
Athletico might be a mid-table La Liga side (at present) but their player pool includes guys who have had previous experience at; Real, Barca, Chelsea, Benfica, Juventus, Porto, River Plate etc – there in lies the difference!
If we get a result against Udinese – I will be delighted. Meantime, our priority is Sunday against Dundee Utd and each and every game up to and including the 28th of December. The League Title is our priority – anything else is a bonus.
IMO we made a decent fist of it tonight but not enough to get a result – but this team and management are learning!
Went to kitchen door for a smoke’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obfci1CIqq8
It’s wet up the Port!
Palacio67 says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:05
just like this Celtic team:
you ain’t seen nothing…………………..yet!
Cults
On Sammy— He apparently played wide left before he went to City and in the slower, perhaps more football minded, Dutch league scored a barrell load of goals from that position.
I have said for ages– years now– that he has great talent and I would agree that we have not played him in his best position. Ironically it is exactly that position that Henrik Larsson was asked to play at Fayenoord and which he hated and fell out with them about. He played wide and didn’t like it, Sammi should play wide.
Vic Ajax
One of the really appealing things about Samaras is that he does appear to love the club. I don’t know what it is, why it is, or how it is but he has somehow gotten Celtic in his soul. Remember he took a pretty big drop in wages as I recall to sign here permanently. I have no doubt he will move on eventually, but for all the stick he has taken, I think you will find him back at the park for years afterwards.
Angel Gabriel, Canalamar
Rangers have released unaudited accounts and submitted them to the Pulse market to prevent their shares being suspended. The accounts are unaudited– therefore not independently checked and certified by any professionaly qualified independent party. Rangers do not have a Finance Director at present. So who prepared these accounts?
Never mind what is in them– as that is as yet not clearly decipherable— who prepared them? and why can Rangers PLC, or Whyte and all of his advisors, not provide a set of professionally prepared and signed accounts to the stock market some 5 months after their year end?
There appears to be no going concern clause in what has been submitted, and there is nobody to scrutinise the figures produced nor ensure compliance with good accounting practice.
All a bit strange for a PLC.
All is clearly not right in the state Denmark.
The Kano Foundation is proud to announce a MASSIVE milestone in our short existence.
The month of December sees Celtic play host to both Hearts and Kilmarnock.
At one of these games, The KANO Foundation will take its 1000th child through the turnstiles.
This would NOT be possible without the fantastic support you guys have given us and for that Heartfelt thanks. You have all played an important part in this and should be very proud of your efforts.
To mark the occasion, our good friend AMAC has re designed our logo and we would ask that as many of our online friends would do us the honour of changing their profile picture/avatar to this logo and ask as many of their friends as possible to do the same.
We sincerely hope you will all join us in celebrating this fantastic achievement.
We thank you once again for your wonderful support and look forward to seeing sea of KANO avatars
Thank you
The Kano Foundation
PS. If you want the image to update your avatar , please email me at sannabhoy@thekanofoundation.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdOCWUgwiWs
I’m Union man.
All together.
Genuine question..
If we nip the league this year by say a point…have the CFC Board got it right?
I honestly have a dilema when I ask myself that question…part of me will think yes – any title win is good enough…but there is also a part of me that really wants to pummel the Huns and I honestly feel with correct courageous investment in January – we can humiliate them..Please sign 3 decent players for Goalie, Centre Back and LEADER!!!!
Quite agree with some of the posters tonight.
Not totally raging about the defeat, Sunday is more important.
Seen one fan at the back of the Jock Stein upper kick the seat in front of him, sending a large piece into the fans sitting about a dozen rows in front.
One of the guys was trying to get past his friends to sort the guy out.
Seemed to calm down after a few hundred apologies.
Silly Bhoy
HH
Sanna,
do what must be done for this techie eejit plz :-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
sannabhoy says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:10
Outstanding work!!!!!!!!!
Sammi is World Class.
Paddy is better than Ki.
Timbhoy2 is prettier than MWD.
But Canamalar is the prettiest of them all………
Vic Ajax says 30 November, 2011 at 22:34 Kayal tried to header the ball,? When the ball starts at head height, and you start tying your laces? Watch it again mate.After our first couple of games in the group,still in it.Fud Richard Gordon laughed at NL saying Samaras had a great game,the vermin fear him because there is a player in there who looks like he has found a position.
Palacio67 says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:13
Happens all to often at CP for ma liking sir!
That and the fecking stewards (huns) telling ye to keep quiet when yir just shout things like “come on Celtic”
Only buy match day tickets cos ah cant afford a full season but always in the Lisbon Lions upper and always get s*** fae they stewards (huns).
!!Bada Bing!! says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:14
No read ma explanation sir?
Ah said that with the wind and that the ground wis prob soaking due tae the heavy rain that he misjudged it.
Sannabhoy et al -Incredible stuff-well done to you all.
CultsBhoy,
That is a good point.
Please allow me to ask this;
What if we do buy the players you mention and still only win the league by a point,how does that effect your question with regards to the boards strategy?
By the by i agree with you wholeheartedly that if the correct purchases are made we can and will destroy the horribles.Just asking that’s all.
Yours in Celtic.
Cultsbhoy,
good question………and one i think must be answered NO!
We should be pumping that mob by country mile (BTW why is a country mile supposedly more than an urban mile???).
They are abysmal.
And I agree on the goalie and centre-half being dead cert requirements…………..still dont understand this fixation on right backs or midfielders who CAN play centre-half too. Why not just buy an out and out commanding centre-half?????
Anyway dont want to detract too much from a decent performance tonight.
Played well enough, esp the first 25 mins, but lost it in the 2nd half when we huffed and puffed without any real threat to their goal.
But Sunday is the real goal……keep your eye on that one Neil……hope Joe’s injury is not a bad one though. We need him in the starting 11.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
!!Bada Bing!!
Ever played in they conditions? Ah have and its a fecking nightmare.
Ah don’t blame the guy. Just bad luck (unless he had a bet on)
:)
Vic Ajax – he ducked out the road.There, i fixed that for you.BTW i thought he went on to play a bit more like last season HH.
The Token Tim says:
1 December, 2011 at 00:21
You seen the ref list for Sunday??
looks like the 4 of em could be straight out of a huns team.
G64- Proud of you and your comrades.HH.