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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Hebcelt
do you really fancy Malaga I seen her up the Savoy last week and she wisnae lookin too healthy!
Afternoon bhoys from a cold hun free mountain.
NA2
Ha, I have the same ailment as your good self :>)
………………………………………….
I wonder who won’t be speaking to me today then :>)
My Dear,dear,dear,friend..Auldheid
Pal..
Ah couldnae Agree Mair..wi’ yer Astute Observation.
Attitude and .. the Lack , thereof… o’ the same..
Is The Very Essence … that. Maketh ..the Man..
or.
In this case..
the Fitba’ Player..
Yep.. as Ah hiv said.. Ye hiv captured the Essence.
and wance ye hiv identified..the Essence..o well.. Any damn thing..
Consider yer sel.. Blessed ..fur very few.. DAE. Dae, that.
Noo..
Talkin aboot. Attitude..
And that Naturally brings me .. tae..,
Joe Ledley’s ..
He is Faur too…. Cap in Hand… Too Gentle.. Too
well.. Diffident..
That’s his.. well. Essence..
Which Ah captured.. a long Time ago..
Joe is a Fine Player…and a Guid Guy..AND so oan.
‘
But..
His Attitude..
Fails tae impress..
He wull no dae…
That’s Ma Opinion…by the way.
‘
Kojo
Yer pal. who always liked yer style..
Still, Laughin’
Been offline for a few days :((
No2 Daughters Uni exams and ORDERED by wife to Paint this paper that and while your at it paper No1 daughters living room.
The joys of :))
WELL DONE Neil Francis Lennon and his YOUNG Bhoys.
ps sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same Rankers ,sevco, Trfc or Trifc = SCOTLANDS SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!
NegAnon, I wouldn’t trade what Lenny engineered in Europe for all the SPL points we’ve dropped. I’m not sure about the Killie game, I would expect & hope that he would give the bulk of last nights heroes a rest, but now that we have a 2 month break from European Football you will see a very different Celtic in the SPL.
Auldheid
If we do get Malaga, I doubt we will get a ticket, very small allocation.
The heat on the tax dodgers is getting ramped up internationally
Tax avoidance targeted by European Union
The European Commission has announced a series of proposals designed to tackle the “scandalous loss of much-needed revenue” EU members suffer through tax evasion and tax avoidance.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20627280
I expect the view of oldcos tax dodgers in the media will move from being “victorious” to scandalous
just home long enough to get the full story of the game from my 10 year old bhoy and say hello to the wife, so i’ll keep it short!!!
Thank you Celtic, thank you Neil Lennon, thank you my brothers and sisters of the Celtic family, brilliant night, brilliant result
Hail Hail
Hope he does this as the 3 points will be given to us
Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels to flout Manuel Pascali ban
Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels may field Manuel Pascali against Celtic, despite the fact that the defender has not yet completed a suspension.
Pascali was given a two-match ban following a red card against St Johnstone on 24 November.
The Italian was dismissed early in that match and Killie have played once since facing Saints.
“According to my mathematics, Manuel Pascali has served two full games,” said Shiels.
The Kilmarnock boss added: “He played for the first three minutes and got sent off against St Johnstone, which lasted 93 minutes.
“So, he has completed 90 minutes against St Johnstone and he missed last Saturday, so he will definitely be in the squad – if not starting.
“I think technically I’m right so I’ll play him and then see where that takes us.”
Shiels was served with two separate notices of complaint from the Scottish FA, with the second relating to his criticism of Stevie O’Reilly’s decision to send off Pascali against St Johnstone.
Celtic visit Rugby Park on Saturday.
neganon2
16:09 on 6 December, 2012
I’m glad you feel it is ok to disagree at times, since you don’t half talk a load of old shoite at times …LOL ……(ala ” and NL learns some new tactics.”)
Euro 2020 to be played across Europe after a vote at UEFA today
Are UEFA deliberately trying to destroy international football?
Could be a 3-0 wn on Saturday – daft logic from Mr Shiels
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20630271
navanbhoy
Good to see you got home safely.
I seem to recall you’re in Roscommon. I’ve been there a few times over the years. I have some relatives who live locally, and an uncle in Strokestown.
Congratulations to Neil, his backroom team and of course to all of the players who played in any of the Champions League qualifiers or group games!
I’m discombobulated with joy. I was worried at times last night especially to our flat reaction to their goal during the final minutes of the first half. I don’t know what Neil said to the players at half time but it certainly worked. We were immense going forward in the second half and looked far more dangerous than they did – Emenike and Ari apart. Big Fraser had a quiet night. Big Sammi ran the legs off them and I thought Efe Ambrose did well in the second half after being totally bossed by Emenike in the first half. I thought Commons had a great game throughout and what can you say about Gary Hooper – a top class striker and he put in a great defensive shift as well. Please, let’s hear no more talk of Jordan Rhodes. Let’s just keep Gary – or replace him with Emenike :-)
I don’t really care who we get in the next round but hope it’s a new team that we haven’t met in CL before.
I really, really, really want to see us get to the last 8 and I don’t think anyone will treat us with a lack of respect either at Celtic Park or their own place.
I wonder how that Spartak coach who said that 2nd place in the group would be fought for between Spartak and Benfica ‘who play technical football’ as opposed to teams who kick the ball forward and then run after it. I also wonder how the Benfica manager is feeling. He was ‘enchanted’ by Celtic’s tactics in the 0-0 game – patronising sod.
If we hadn’t lost that goal in Barcelona with 30 secs remaining, Celtic would have won the group. We would have had one more point and Barca two less and we would have bettered them on the head-to-head.
Hail! Hail!
Celts can you help with a bit of info?
Where did our slogan Keep the Faith come from?
I’m aware that the Blackpool supporters use it, the Oldham FC use it and I think had it on their football strips, maybe still do.
I know we had a KTF website, where did the inspiration for the slogan come from?
Any info on this would be good.
Thanks.
V
Hi all, posted earlier and last night but i’ve not seen response….. anyone know when the draw for the round of 16 is? Celtic twitter says 20th, UEFA website says the 14th
Thanks
On a slightly different note…. sitting in the Jock Stein stand last night, 2 guys next to me couldnt get enough of shouting at and abusing Samaras. At one stage he won 3 free kicks, about 5 yards inside the Spartak half, after controlling long ball just before halftime and they were moaning he wasnt staying on his feet……
Didnt bother sitting next to them in the second half, decided i’d be better standing at the back of the section. I dont really understand the point of people going to a game, especially when there is so much at stake, and abusing our players.
HH
I’m convinced the almost perfect performance the referee last night contributed greatly to our victory ……. Oh, for that level of refereeing quality in Scotland….
Kenny Shiels is a wind up merchant. The managerial equivelant of Chuckles Green. Can be amusing, can be a twat, and always likes the sound of his own voice. An attention seeker.
Kayal33
language timothy
Vmhan, The expression Keep the Faith is a fairly common slang expression in Ireland. To the best of my knowledge it was used originally in regards to keeping The Catholic Faith and I think there is an organisation within the Catholic Church, called Keep the Faith. In modern days its generally used as a means of saying “Don’t give up” or “Keep believing” re any facet of life or some lad saying goodbye would just throw it in for no good reason at all. Hail Hail Keep the Faith.
as_i_thought
16:44 on
6 December, 2012
Some people wake up in the morning with negativity, and go to bed in the same mood ……. I once verbally ladled into someone sitting near me, and it worked ….
Gotta Run..
See You Guys.. Anon..
And Hiv a Merry Christmas..
It’s aboot time fur Ma Annual…
Snow Bunnie.. HUNT…
At..
Sun Valley.
Kojo
Laughin’ like Li’l Audrey.. every time Ah think aboot
How the F.G.A. supporters must be Feelin’… and .. Beelin’
HA.. HA.. HA….
Gene’s a Bhoys name
16:46 on 6 December, 2012
a derogatory insult, a pejorative meaning a fool, a stronger alternative to the word twit
Vmhan .
I was heavily into the Northern Soul Scene .
Many Northern Soul people were into that Keep The Faith thing .
It meant a commitment to the music and the community . A shared sense of belonging to and representing something.
I have always assumed that the use of KTF by Celtic fans meant the same thing
Have been listening to the BBC Radio Scotland Sport’s bulletins today, where minimal reference to Celtic’s phenominal victory was made ……hurtin’ bhuns ….LOL
Vmhan
Keep The Faith is a slogan linked to Irish Catholicism as far as I’m aware. It was used by the people as a response to persecution. In other words: No matter what they do to us we wil always keep the faith. The one thing that bound Irish Catholics together as they knew it was what their persecutors hated about them more than any other thing.
I’m sure the phrase would have been used by the older generation in Scotland. My granny and aunties drummed it into us when we were kids. I used to use it on here as a signing off whenever I posted.
as_i_thought
20th mate.
Ten Men Won The League – 16:29 on 6 December, 2012
I think it’s a reasonable idea to try and combat falling attendances by allowing fans across Europe to take part in the tournament even if they can’t afford to travel BUT by the same token it takes away that special feeling of getting to know the host nation.
I suspect it may be a short lived experiment.
South of Tunis, I think Bon Jovi had an Album called Keep the Faith, I’m open to correction on that one.
Good evening CHAMPIONS
Phenominal effort last night and a super, super result. One question, can anyone explain why all spl clubs recieve money because of our progression in the CL? Heard this last night.
Weefra HH
Kenny Shiels really is quite an odd man.
3-0 Celtic then if he does play him though I’ve no doubt he’ll won’t, just talking nonsense as usual
Didn’t Simple Minds sing Keep The Faith?
South of Tunis.
Many years ago, i went to Juventus by bus for a European Cup match, despite the fact they beat us,they were not very tolerant at all, total thugs would be more accurate.They battered the supporters and vandalised the buses,perhaps things have got better nowadays,but I would be very wary of ever going back.
corkcelt
Bon Jovi had a hit with Keep the Faith, don’t know about an album.
Weefra HH
CorkCelt
I stand corrected. :-)
Vinny, KTF is a Nothern Soul thing as stated earlier. That’s what I related it to.
Vmhan
I lived in San Francisco between 1971 and 74 . Really wacked out hippies were prone to saying things like Keep The Faith man [ tho never to short haired me ].
Black power guys in places like Oakland would clench their fists and say Keep The Faith.