Qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League is an astonishing achievement for a team seeded in pot 4. You need only look around Europe to see how unforgiving this tournament is. The champions of England and Europe are both out, while England’s reigning champions last year went out at the group stage (to Benfica).
Amid numerous predictions of a comfortable victory I suggested yesterday that last night’s Spartak game would be difficult. What we now know is that Celtic eliminated two very good teams from this season’s Champions League. Benfica took four points off us, by all accounts, were the better team in the Camp Nou and dominated Barcelona in the early part of their game in Lisbon. They beat Spartak at home and pinned the Russian’s back into their own box for long periods of their game in Moscow.
This is the fourth time Benfica have faced Celtic and they have been eliminated on each occasion, always by the slenderest of margins.
Spartak finally got their act together last night under new boss Valery Karpin. Reaction in Russia suggested this was their best game of the season, and that Emenike, who has seldom shown the appetite for the game, was playing for the attention of scouts. They are a good team who enjoyed 60% possession away from home in Europe, although Celtic denied them genuine chances for most of the game.
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Spartak and Benfica will both believe they could have done better in the group but we got further evidence of a few football facts from this campaign:
It is more important to prevent defensive mistakes than to create chances.
The margin of difference between a well-organised team at this level and the very best in the world is slim, especially if the above point is observed.
Possession is overrated as an indicator of progress. Learn not to be stressed by it and to remain organised.
Discipline is an underrated indicator of progress.
I started Monday’s blog by saying, “Here is a prediction for you, Wednesday’s Champions League game at Celtic Park will not end with 22 players on the field”. Spartak are a good team but they had a man sent off against Celtic in Moscow when in a winning position, then kicked everything that moved last night, culminating in a red card for an assault on Kris Commons.
Indiscipline is an expensive commodity.
Neil Lennon will now have time to review the several elements of this campaign which worked well and the few which didn’t. Each tactical decision made was a risk but will have taught him things about his team. We will be well prepared for the next round.
As for Georgios, what a performance.
Epilepsy Scotland have a Celtic ball with certificate of authenticity, signed by 12 Celtic players on the day of the Barcelona game which is available for auction by email. The competition closes tomorrow (Thursday) at 20:00. To win this fantastic piece of Celtic memorabilia email your bid to trusts@epilepsyscotland.org.uk. The prize if for collection only, any postage required would need to be paid separately. All funds raised will go towards Epilepsy Scotland.
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TET, Petec,
Tis the risk us howlers take, the posse of rottweilers and poodles that pounce from nowhere at the sound of ‘the Howling’ :))
BMCUW has probably still to confess to yous that he is in fact nightshift manager at Battersea Dogs Home, and his remit was to get the dugs rehomed asap. So he listens for our howls, as we are trained to do so due to his cunning ways and wot not, then he presses the release button while creepily crying, ‘Fly, my pretties, fly.’
To date, I’ve had to welcome and home 16 collie mongrels, 2 twin chelsea tattooed rottweilers, a poodle with a raa raa skirt, and a fat ugly cat that thinks its a Brad Pitt labrador.
Ed,
forget its rangers for a second, and consider
Its cheating.
Its cheating you, its cheating me, and its cheating anyone who pays their taxes – who now seem to be a idiot for doing so. There are numerous tax scams which exploit loopholes in the tax system, but lets not fool ourselves, people who use these are making mugs of us all.
In football terms, this obviously means that clubs who exploited these loopholes gained a benefit over clubs who didn’t. Whether that proves to be illegal will be depend upon whether the HMRC appeal goes ahead, and the result. Whether it is immoral isn’t in question – agreed?
Anyway, good to see you back.
Ed,
Rangers were not punished, they failed, went out of business, they did not resurrect they died, the club is still being investigated for criminal fraud, the club is currently in the process of being liquidated.
Chuckles bought assets and is currently operating a football club utilising the purchased assets.
Whilst rangers held a share in the SPL chuckles attempted to buy that share for his new club however his club did not qualify to purchase the share, as it did not have the UEFA required three years audited accounts.
Contrary to your claim, Scottish senior professional leagues are not the starting place for new clubs without the minimum qualification requirements, only a corruption of the rules allowed his new club into the sfl. The same rules which the new Gretna and airdrie united clubs were required to comply with. Corruption at the sfa allowed rangers sfa membership be transferred to chuckles new club, whilst rangers went through the administration process.
After chuckles bought the assets he required a players to play for his new team and he knew of players and a manager available, he negotiated and hired them for his new team.
After reading you recent posts it appears you are fully supportive of the corruption of the sport to allow by any means possible the fraud that somehow rangers continue to exist.
I’ve changed my mind yer a hun.
Petec, try this, and watch it right till the end. Those Barca fans were even on our side that night, they know how to support a team but they never knew what it was to be a tim until then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plhcTycP9QE&NR=1
A good fan take on the night from the Barca end………..
Barcelona, this tim salutes you regardless of your half arsed effort lat night..
Anyway,
gotta go
takes ages to shave this wolf hair off with a bik
Fholks, all fair questions, but dont gang up on EU, as happened earlier to Izzy. Great chance for a reasoned discussion here!
Theres no moon without sun.
Theres no peace without henpeckin female torturisms.
TET :- Thanks for the reply I understand the point you are making but I think we are looking at it from different views. Where we probably disagree most is could perhaps be summed up when you say ” whether it’s right or wrong is really by the by and you know it” where as from my view that is the crux of the matter.
I think on this one we are going to continue to differ (as I probably do with the rest of the blog on this) I don’t think what I’m giving is stock answers though I think a large section of the Rangers support would probably take the same view as me so if you have spoken to any of them it may seem that way. I’m sure there are things where large numbers of the Celtic support feel the same way and would give roughly the same answers and make the same point (perhaps even on this issue) but they wouldn’t be giving stock answers.
JQB,
shavin it off???? (acceptaple if u mean your cheeks and foreheid, but wrap up well my fellow canis lupus lunaris nudus) :))
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
01:44 on 7 December, 2012
Amazing, it was Brilliant that we spent the whole game standing up because we were beside the Spartak fans, brilliant group of fans, apart from the idiot who ran, lightning fast as well, towards the Cameramen.
The Spartak massive love Aiden and their chants for one of Celtic’s finest was WONDERFUL to hear. An Amazing night.
Murdochauldandhay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=azghP1daq6s&feature=endscreen
There are some people that are real Legends.
PS, Canis caeser lupis = hairy wolf.
Julius Caesar’s name would translate today as Hairy Jules.
I thank you.
FFM
I have five dugs, one called Eireann,he is the alpha male, one called Saoirse, she is the bitch, and what a bitch, catches bunnies and hares like it’s her job, one called Devlin, daft as a brush, didn’t know when we named him, but is living up to it, one called Murphy, young and daft, just a pup, but has serious potential, a small wolfhound, got him at the car boot place, and there is just something about him, and one called IRA, what a dog, as sleekit as they come, knows when to do what he has to do.
Off out to see they are settled now.
Take care.
HH
Not that I am any way bias, but we sort of like the names :>)))
JimmiQuinsBits :- That’s a different point, if you are asking me if I think tax avoidance is moral whether legal or not then the answer is no, whether it be Rangers or Starbucks (In this I’m a bit of a hypocrite as like many others I’ve done a few jobs cash in hand and not paid tax on them) but while something may be immoral if it isn’t against the rules then you can’t impose sanctions.
Canamalar :- I posted in an earlier answer that I did not think Rangers were put into the 3rd div as a punishment, I said I did not think Rangers were being punished as the company from last season no longer existed it was liquidated and this was a new company.
Emineke was singled out on Fifa as being a very under rated player. That is real bad news (prior to the game) as that means they are are a star in the making.
Get Emineke in as he is just what we need, Efe, preach Brother preach the Word to the man to come to where he will fulfill his potential. ;)
Excellent forward but probably still outwith our budget at the moment. ;))
When rangers played Manchester UTD in the CL (the night clubfoot broke the young fella’s ankle, I think it was a draw), the night they were bussed in like farmyard animals to prevent another night of destruction in their city,I logged on to hun media and offered my congratulations to the hun. I was told in short ofder to GTF. Nonetheless I persisted.
It utterly screwed up their chance of having a love in that night. Some of the lesser huns supported my effort, most didnt. But, what it did do was disrupt their hun blogg.
They fought amoung themselves about supporting my praise of their effort. Me, I laughed and revelled at their stupidity
Deja vu?
I’m not saying this hun is doing what I deliberately set out to do, but it worked for me that night.
Petec, or anyone else who can enlighten me. What was the point of the banner the russians held up late in the second half last night. From my perch in the NS it read
Whisky
Vodka
03
?
I did see that diddy run on but I’ve no idea what his point was? I also saw one of ours being huckled at full time over by the Celtic dug out. Maybe the polis got it all on fillum.
A Ceiler Gonof Rust :- I don’t know if I’m the hun you are referring to, if so then you are mistaken, your point would be valid if this were my first time on the blog, but for roughly 6 year now I’ve came on and offered congratulations every time Celtic had taken a trophy or I’ve thought they have had an exceptional result, I classed last night as an exceptional result because of the reward. If it wasn’t me you meant then I aplogise for my presumption.
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
02:04 on 7 December, 2012
When rangers played Manchester UTD in the CL (the night clubfoot broke the young fella’s ankle, I think it was a draw), the night they were bussed in like farmyard animals to prevent another night of destruction in their city,I logged on to hun media and offered my congratulations to the hun. I was told in short ofder to GTF. Nonetheless I persisted.
It utterly screwed up their chance of having a love in that night. Some of the lesser huns supported my effort, most didnt. But, what it did do was disrupt their hun blogg.
They fought amoung themselves about supporting my praise of their effort. Me, I laughed and revelled at their stupidity
Deja vu?
I’m not saying this hun is doing what I deliberately set out to do, but it worked for me that night.
___________________________________________________________________________
My default is this……..
Christianity has many splits? Why is that?
The Devil is a roaming.
Christianity requires impeccable standards regarding treating other people. Christianity means suffering when people ridicule Christianity.
ED
Aye, ok, we are obviously seeing things from a different view point.
I see things from a stance of fairness and a level playing field, and from where I am coming from, my club is not afford that stance.
You see things from your clubs side, the side where your club have been afforded preferencial treatment form your clubs inception, and I have no problem with that, If I was a hun I would feel the same.
Fair play to you.
Take care and god bless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJOLwy7un3U
canamalar
Are you back into the fold :>))))
I sure hope so, had feckin nightmares that you were deserting after your posts last night.
HH mi amigo, pashed as whatever as always.
Ed,
No, you are perpetuating the fraud that chuckles bought the club, a club that already had players and a manager, had he indeed bought the club there would have been no need to hire them, or apply for the share in the SPL or transfer the sfa membership.
Rangers FC the club operated and controlled players remuneration packages their fiscal strategy was responsible for its own downfall and was responsible for the demise of the Plc. Trying to obfuscate the fraud and in fact supporting it is hun drivel.
I sincerely hope this wee band of hoops troopers are being well looked after and are enjoying our triumph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MErYm2qmJMM
Lets not forget them.
Hail Hail The Thai Tims
Estadio, If I may be so bold……….
What is so special about the Horseshoe Bar. I have never been there before, but I am sure you have been there like a lot of Legends before.
paint a picture, like only yucan.
Sleep is a calling.
Take care Timland.
HH
KTF
I love yous all, I really do :>)
TET @ 02:00
Am in stiches there.
Watch they brave dugs dont get lifted by the praetorian guard under Operation Strath Malta :)))
‘Me lord, i did hear one said defendent what goes by the name of Declan- conspiring by the way of distant howls with known dissident and enemy of the crown, Rover Guevarra from a place wot is called sooth america, hoachin with feenyans and socialists and green eyed puppy dugs’.
TET,
I did think Izzy went off on one and have seen enough of Ed to know he’s no a rabid hun.
Tonigh is the first time I have seen him respond to questions about the demise of his club and from what I’ve read he believes its still the same club in the face of all the evidence and he is happy to promote that fraud as a fact, which in my book makes him a liar and a cheat.
Petec @ 02:04
Ole conspirimati taig Peter Liewell has already imprisoned yer man and his family.
Talent = millions from investment dont ya know. :))
Canamalar I don’t think I am, I’ve said they are two different companies with two different names. The company that was Rangers PLC or whatever their full official name was no longer exists so Mr Green couldn’t buy it. That’s my understanding, I may be wrong as the business side of things isnot a strong area for me as I’m sure previous posts over the years have shown.
Petec, your last post to me was profound but I really dont go in for the art of religion, in fact I regard myself as anti religion in every way.
I know right from wrong and I can live by that as a guide, please dont go religious on me. I dont want us to fall out again.
I have no time for gods in any guise, unless they wear the hoops.
Canamalar Just saw your post to TET. I don’t think that at all, I’ve posted several times tonight that I think they are different entities, what was there last season ceased to exist when liquidated. I can’t make it any clearer so to say I’m saying the opposite is a bit unfair.
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
02:40 on 7 December, 2012
Petec @ 02:04
Ole conspirimati taig Peter Liewell has already imprisoned yer man and his family.
Talent = millions from investment dont ya know. :))
___________________________________________________
I think the Bible Thumper Efe will be the most important player Neil ever buys. Thankfully he paid very little for such knowledge.
Why do the sevco fans find it so hard to believe that the club they follow followed for so many years is not the club CG has on the road ,ok so they want to believe it is and they have to believe it is but surely deep down the know it is not .
If it were me I would want to get behind any new club that emerged from the death of Celtic and hopefully begin supporting them but I would know it was not the same Celtic ,I would not state that it was the same club ,I would accept it wasn’t and decide if I wanted to support the new club playing out of Celtic Park .
It would not matter to me one bit what anyone else thought about the new club but I could not possibly disagree with anyone who stated that I was going to watch a team that had only been in existence since 2012
You don’t count the dead when god’s on your side.
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
02:42 on 7 December, 2012
Petec, your last post to me was profound but I really dont go in for the art of religion, in fact I regard myself as anti religion in every way.
I know right from wrong and I can live by that as a guide, please dont go religious on me. I dont want us to fall out again.
I have no time for gods in any guise, unless they wear the hoops.
____________________________________________________________________
All I can do is turn your opinion into a positive.
Your anti religion stance is manufactured straight from the Secret Societies. You are now being introduced………………..
FSTB I agree and that’s the point I’ve been trying to make, they are not the same company. where we differ is I haven’t rallied behind the pheonix as I’m busy in other areas of football now. I still look for their results or watch them on the box, I still want them to win but I don’t attend games now.
If CG is such a good fit for sevco, then I suppose it makes sense for him to cosy up, publically, to the loyalist maddies in Belfast. I just wonder what they expect of him for their unstinting support….and what he is expecting from them?
Perhaps EU, being such an expert on all things relating to the r*****s, could enlighten us all on this sinister aspect of CG’s tenure as blusterer-in-chief?
EU,
agitators have exasperrated the differences since last night.
While I agree with Izzy at the OTT way some of mine and your fellow CQNers do the love in with ye, I disagree in that I appreciate and enjoy your honest involvement with what this special blog is.
Havin seen similar folk have a go at oor own Petec who knew me and family had a tough time, and we had snide comment just for having a convo here one night, albeit I prob talked too much as usual. It can be weird here, just like real family :))
Now just answer the feckin questions. Honestly.
Ffs.
Just kiddin :)
Oh and by the way I believe that Sevco (or any other club for that matter ) is well within their rights to celebrate 140 yrs of ragers history (if that is their want ) but I would find it ludicrous if they attempted to celebrate 141 yrs of ragers history .If they did that would make them in the bracket of NCLHE’s post of 2.37am
HH