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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Renaissance can be a cathartic, uplifting and positive breath of fresh air.
Unfortunately in the r*****s case it has proved to be the opposite.
EU
you keep saying they are not the same company ,do you concede the company was the club
HH
Ed,
Rangers Plc owned the rangers FC Ltd share, rangers FC Ltd was the club, it operated as a responsible business entity with assets and administration it ran the football club. Rangers Plc administered the club brand exploitation such as tv rights and all other saleable income streams. The Plc was also responsible to ensure the club administration did not compromise their existence, they failed and that is why the whole shebang collapsed in on itself. The football club is responsible for its own and the Plc liquidation.
You insisting that companies are remote from the club is the big lie, the fraud that is being obfuscated.
Edward Ursus
Here is a typical petec comment to get you and everyone thinking…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xywngr3Ca1k
The talk we had before, I explained exactly what the Masonic was all about, the Apotheosis of Humanity.
I can’t ever stay on the side of negativity, I’d love ed and any other ex hun to realise that Celtic is a Club of Love and understanding.
Petec @0245
Apols for slow response, this phone is murder!
Efe is another diamond. Next season he’ll be player of the year. He’s only just begun…:)) that is John Parks’ fav song btw :))))
I always knew that there would be a club formed to fill the ragers void ,although I thought it may have been started by the real football fans of the former club ,alas up to now it has seemed that the worst element of the former clubs fans have taken the lead .
A chance missed in my book for the real FOOTBALL fans to start a fresh and dump all the baggage .
Seems to me like CG has approached his take over in two different ways .When dealing with the creditors he has dumped all the toxic stuff and kept the good stuff but when dealing with his new club he has dumped all the good stuff and kept the toxic stuff ,strange really ,then again maybe not
Miki67 I’m far from an expert on all things Rangers so I’m afraid I can’t enlighten you.
FFM You are correct there can be a family feel to this blog at times possibly caused by the amount of real life socialising that bloggers on here do.
“Now just answer the feckin questions” To steal part of your name mibbes :-)
KilbowieKelt, Petec, SFTB and many others who I have conversed with bedore thanks for welcoming me back.
Newer posters on the blog, I hope that some of my answers tonight along with the good words said about me by some long term posters will let you see I’m not here to try and cause trouble or disrupt the blog. I’m always happy to discuss football at any level though I don’t know much about the financial and business side of things. This is shown by the fact that even now I’m not 100% sure of what amortisation is despite the fact Paul67 posted about it on every page for about 4 years (slight exageration but not much). All the best to everyone on the site and it’s time fr me to hit the sheets.
CANAMALAR
Rangers went bust,pure and simple.
The assets and goodwill-please,bear(oh,ffs_with me here-were hawked off to Green.
He then decided to perpetuate the myth that the new company still operated the same business,ie,the club.
This was only allowed to be perpetuated because the media and the SFA/SFL/SPL wanted it to be so.
The new entity should have been forced to reapply for the SFL in a competition with the likes of Gala,Spartans,etc.
That they are playing in any division is a disgrace.
off to kip
Night all
Oh and that’s right the GLASGOW CELTIC are in the last 16 again
HH
EU,
well said.
Can I also recommend you agree a meet with canamalar at the corner of Union St and Argyle St? Just agree a date ya couple of muppets :))
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
03:07 on 7 December, 2012
People said how much he was exposed by Emmanuel Emenike, that was always likely to happen.
The amazing coolness under so much pressure by Efe, so often, especially when the heat was getting hotter, was awesome to see.
Some players go to pieces when they get a hard time, others learn and get better and better.
I think our Youngsters know that listening is the crucial thing now.
Usual typos in my last post,so I’m back on form!
Ed,
Can you explain why you want this new club to win games then ?
The fact that it has already created corruption in Scottish football by denying existing club who qualify for both entery into the senior professional set up and licensing requirements, has bypassed your sense of justice, you have already aligned yourself with this new entity at the expense of your integrity IMO.
Edward Ursus
Music is an excellent bridge, drop a track that will wow us all Big Chap.
;)
FSTB I know I just signed off but have just read what has been posted while I was writing. Yes I do, I use the word company because it was at the company level they were liquidated. Again I may have that wrong.
Canamalar That’s not what I’m saying, as I said to FSTB above I used the word company as that was the top of the tree, so when it went bust everything beneath it did as well. In one of my earlier posts I said clearly that factually they are two different entities.
Petec I’m heading for my bed now so just watched the first minute, it seemed to me to be almost a list of frauds and scaremongering.
BMCUW,
Really ?
And what do you think I was saying ?
CANAMALAR
Every Rangers fan I know has bought into Green’s club as though nothing has happened.
Oh,apart from being absolutely hammered by EVERYONE in the game when they nivvir dun nuhin’.
I think it’s unfair to hammer Ed over that,especially when he is at least prepared to admit to the wrong-doing.
As far as I can see,he doesn’t even attend their games anymore;his only “crime” in this respect is being glad that they have not been completely wiped off the map.
Give him a break,he canny be held responsible for all the sins of all the Rangers fans and of Green,etc.
Petec @0315
Ice cool my friend.
Its a great point.
Mind how nervous El Khadouri was. A good player, but too soon to settle. Big Kelvin looked the same, and of course had to enjure a whole season of abuse here, while our Mhain Mhan saw and managed the improvement.
If you take any position partership from Lenny’s squad, there’s a story there.
Even we are drastically failing to fully comprehend what is happening with Lenny and the Young Lions.
I sing this to young Aidan, and he keeps telling me to go out.
Just the chorus obviously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGnjrTkv1gs
I know curiousity’s what killed kitty, but I am intrigued by this question and would appreciate enlightenment; that’s all. Not much to ask, really. Because I really don’t get it.
[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?]
SanDiego, I’m back in Oregon, please give me a call on my mobile, maybe I can buy you a pint on Saturday.
James_Oregon
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
03:26 on 7 December, 2012
I have been very frustrated by Gary Hooper over the last few games but the way he put that ball in the net “first time” was unerring. That is first choice England Striker striking.
To see him using his body to fight for possession (last minutes of injury time) at the left (I did howl at him so loudly as I appreciated what he done) corner flag was monumental. Kris Commons defensive work was also incredible.
Amazing workrates.
I just wish I had recorded the game. I forgot.
charles green had stated before he got his hands on their assets that if cva was not agreed everything would be gone,
he quickly realised if he was to get anywhere with his scheme
he would have to forget that part as if he never said it,
the sfa or huns to be precise know full well not to say they are
a different club as this would kill sevco and maybe even them,
one thing they hate worse than timmy is what they see as a traitor or as they say over here a lundy,thats one of the reasons why they will not punish them because of fear and also its their club in their eyes,look at the carry on here in belfast over a flag, they have been blocking roads and attacking
people its what they do whether belfast or glasgow,and the powers that be are scared of it coming to them so they pacify them by allowing them to continue as if it was just a technical
thing and its as you were, they know the truth but dare not speak it.
BMCUW,
I’ve been arguing with Ed for years this is the first time I’ve had the chance to quiz him after they died, you watched me defend him last night before you exited stage left when the howling began, so don’t start that give him a break stuff, he has watched this new club corrupt Scottish football but immediately forms an allegiance with them, he is responsible for his allegiance financial or otherwise, the fact he has managed to justify to himself that this new club are worthy of his support says a lot about him.
I have no doubt he would have expected the Spanish Inquisition and be ready for it, so let him deal with it.
BMCUW @ 0325
I agree with that.
Open chit chat and discussion is the way forward, BUT as usual, Mr C made good points and told it like it is.
If it wasnt for the love ins this blog would improve tenfold, but thankfully the ole CQN polis and strathy fails have their focus on the right targets.
*rolls eyes*
poor me, poor me. Pour me another.
Whit a halfwit thing to say to someone who is obviously hurting over something.
canamalar
I think Bobby is at work so might not reply for a few hours, if it is an easy night he might gibber away for hours instantly.
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/champions-league/champions-league/winner
Those odds are wrong. Celtic will have to beat the Refs as we progress further in this competition.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire,
ed will not tell the truth because of what i have said in previous post its fear,can he take the chance that some one
from the darkside knows him and make his life a misery or worse? especially if he spoke the honest truth on a celtic blogg, i have no doubt he knows deep down they were cheats
and that the powers that be helped along even to day as the new entity.
CANAMALAR 0344
Fair enough,you certainly defended him,but tonight I felt he was backed into a corner which was unfair.
He clearly drew the line between current and former incarnations,and it is hardly his fault if the current incarnation is being allowed to pass itself off in the manner it is.
We’ll agree to differ-I’ve barely had the chance to discuss last night’s game yet!
I started to earlier,in reply to MWD,but had to go to work.
PETEC
Usually,I would be at work as you say. Fortunately virtually every one of the driving team is back on duty,so I have it easy for a bit-fingers crossed……
Danso,
aye. They daren’t speak the truth, the ole establishment.
The repercurssions are unbearable to them.
Yet, they STILL carry on.
Ch5 reality special. Alec S to walk around Edinburgh in a Celtic top, or even a green tshirt.
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
I work long hours for 4 days and I love coming online whilst enjoying vodka when I get home from work/Sons football.
BMCUW,
He’s watched them corrupt the game so obviously he’s going to transfer his allegiance from one corrup entity to the next and no think anything about it it’s what he does :o)
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Oh your off work….
In that case…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvY-kITGhE
Fortunes Favour Mibbes,
to tell the truth would finish anyone who did and i dont just mean career wise. good night to every one and take care.
Petec,
Copulatin canamalarisms!
You dont need to allow for referees officiating a game of football.
What country u from?? FFS.
Oh, wait, where?
Ah. no comment.
Now,about last night.
I kicked every ba’! And I only listened to it on the radio.
The pre-match nerves. The tension as we struggled in the early stages.
The relief when we scored,and the despair when they did the same.
Alan Green was excellent in the first-half,and also in the second. Craig Brown was a disgrace in the first-clearly someone had a word at HT,because he improved to grudging praise afterwards.
And then the second-half.
Jee-zoh,what was that like?
The crowd roaring on the players,corner after corner,some great saves from their keeper-and some dodgy moments at the back for us.
Is this ever gonna happen?
Will Barca score,ffs? GET MESSI ON,YA USELESS SPANISH BASSAS,THOUGHT YE WERE ON OUR SIDE!!!!!!
And then,unbelievably,the penalty.
A poisoned chalice to the Celtic fan,if ever there was one.
And Green told me-aye,me personally!-that it had hit the underside of the bar…….
And gone in,thank f…
Oh,the joy,the elation.
The hope that,please,we don’t blow it now.
And the absolute delight and more relief at the whistle.
Aye,I listened to it on the radio. I wish I was there. But boy that was as good as radio gets.
GIVE US JUVE!
Petec @ 0358
I kind of knew that about you. But are you referencing my post just before it???
If ur establishment….then I will demand a refund from Paquard Bell cos they are clearly to blame for the death of forrestry.
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
04:04 on 7 December, 2012
I really dig Canamalar, I think he has a bit too much hatred going through his veins and hopefully we can talk it through, whilst we discuss the dark subjects over a good few pints.
Friday is best for me and Bobby but we can easily change it to the Saturday if it is easier for you.