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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Have the SFA made any response about Sevco’s boycott of Tannadice in the Cup? I thought there was to be a meeting today to discuss some actions that DU wanted taken.
Bawsman
My oul’ Irish granny died in 1962 and had never heard of Northern Soul. She was more interested in the Holy Souls and saving my soul. :-)
theoriginalsadiesbhoy
17:00 on
6 December, 2012
Have the SFA made any response about Sevco’s boycott of Tannadice in the Cup? I thought there was to be a meeting today to discuss some actions that DU wanted taken.
Think you’ll find chuckles statement was fed to him by Campbell Ogilvie and that will suffice.
Committee all phoned in sick after last nights great result for scottish football ( some chance).
The Bon Jovi album was Keep the Faith. Early 90′.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
Its not until next Thursday
MickMacPaddyWhack @ 16 56 .
The Juve support includes some serious hooligans /Ultras
I sat with Barca supporters in Barcelona . I sat with Benfica supporters in Lisbon .
If we draw Juve , I hope to go but I will only go if I have a Celtic ticket . I would take extreme care in Torino..
Guys I know in Sicily are not hooligans
67Heaven
I was tempted to last night but could’nt be bother with the hassle.
Doc
Thanks.
My Dear Kojo….
I Would Not Get Too Excited At The Prospect Signing Either The Columbian Yank ….Or The Ghanian…..
Who Have Been On Trial Recently…..
The National Teams Of Both These Players Play In Competitions…
.
Which Could Mean They Are Absent For Crucial Parts Of Our Season….
Due To Involvement In The Africa And Confederation Cups…..
Never Mind Flying Off For World Cup Qualifiers….
We Seem To Be Collecting Too Many Players Who Fall Into This Category….
As We Will See,When The Next Africa Cup Tournament Kicks Off In January….
Let’s Target Home Grown Players…..
Who Have A Burning Desire To Play For Celtic…..
Like Russell Fae The ‘Brig….
And Mackay Smith….
Who I Noticed Made A Point Of Going Round All The Celtic Players To Shake Hands…..
After Our Last Game At Tannadice….
Still…..Happy As Larry….
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy, My understanding of the origin of the expression is what you say. I always understood it started way back at the time of Cromwell. Penal Laws were introduced in Ireland which were the most draconian Legislation imaginable. Priests were banned from the Country and if any disobeyed they were executed. Many stayed with their flock and masses were said at various rocks in the Countryside. These Mass Rocks are still sites of devotion in certain areas. It was a concerted effort by the Reformed Church in England to stamp out Catholicism.I think some organisations are still trying to do it in the West of Scotland.
doc
Cheers for that, not being a great fan, had heard the single on radio.
Weefra HH
What Celtic have achieved in the CL is truly remarkable.
First of all the club had to negotiate 2 tricky qualifying rounds, just to get to the group stages.
Once there it was placed in Pot 4 with all the other ‘diddy teams’, and after the draw some ‘pundits’ took great delight in informing everyone that Celtic would finish bottom.
Egg and face are two words that come to mind. Another three are GTF!
The night against Barca has already entered Celtic folklore, with events beamed around the globe.
The players deserve tremendous credit, as do the coaching staff and the FANTASTIC supporters!
Bring on the big guns!
HH!!
SoT
Well said. Juventus away is not for the faint hearted
Bon Jovi, Toni Childs and Faith Evans have all had albums called `Keep the Faith`
Simple Minds haven`t.
corkcelt
“Keep the Faith” was also blues legend Robert Johnson album.
Thanks for the KTF replies and it helps although I’m looking for approx time it’s been used amongst the Celtic community.
I don’t want to use the catholic argument amongst my English collegues as I often say Celtic are all inclusive and are more than an RC club, I hope you understand …. I’m looking for something more definitive from a CFC perspective. Thanks again Celts.
Ps no access to a pc for a couple of hours as I’m travelling home.
Romantically speaking I’d like to think us Celts started using KTF during the lean years from around 1957 to 1965.
V
ten men won the league
17:12 on 6 December, 2012
SoT
Well said. Juventus away is not for the faint hearted
Don’t touch it, found Turin a dump. Others may have a different view. Remember they now have a much smaller stadium as well.
Billy Joel did a number called “Keeping the Faith”
Good it was too.
VMHAN
I am an ageing Northern Soul stomper.
“Keep The Faith” is still commonly used amongst the Northerrn Soul fraternity.
A67
Vmhan, you could well be right there re Celts starting to use it through the bad years but I do suspect that with a lot of them it crept into their vocabulary through their Irish Grannies.
Allegedly – Extreme Origami was invented by Lynn Faulds Wood.
Ten Men Won the League .
I went to the recent Catania/ Juve game [ Catania were robbed by the Ref]
There was serious violence before and after the game . Arranged violence between we like violence nut jobs from Turin and a bunch of Catanese nutters called the CP Krew [ into wearing their CP Company threads ]
Come away ma wee Geordie CSC
A Michael Buble tribute act goes by the name of Michael Duble.Fact.
Michael Jackson – Keep The Faith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGXmLwoTcfk
Like all these debates its a chicken & egg debate. I remember once having an online debate with a guy from the North re the origin of the term Hun. He believed that the term originated in the North of Ireland as a derogatory term for a Protestant and transferred over to Glasgow, hence we started calling R*ngers Huns. It never entered his mind that it was the absolute reverse and the term transferred in the opposite direction. Like the term Hill Billies in the US came from Orange Billy Boys who emigrated over there.
If we do draw Juventus in the round of 16 I would urge all Celtic fans to be VERY wary if travelling to Turin.
There is an element in their support who are a bunch of thugs.
As far back as 1981/82 when we met them in the European Cup a couple of Celtic fans were stabbed, and several others received injuries.
HH!!
I think there is some football on telly tonight. Its some diddy competition, glad we are not in it.
Andrew67..must bring my Kent albums to our row for the next game.! HH
Torino .
Big city [ @ 2 million ] Lots of things to see and do . Lots of history .
Industrial city / business centre .
Great food/ great bars. .
Good people / indifferent people / bad people ..
Some Juve fans are thugs and hooligans. Some Torino fans are thugs and hooligans .
I would have no qualms about wandering through Torino at midnight [ any night of the week ] . I would take care going to a game in Torino…
Tallybhoy et al, yes I remember the pics in a neutral and popular newspaper in Scotland ( it’s had a name change to The daily ranger), some of our fans received horrific injuries, I wouldn’t go there tbh.
V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecz2q-g5374
NorthernSoul CSC
KTF
“Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire..”
wee gordie on tv down here”tension all went out of me at twenty nins to ten last night”
corkcelt
17:30 on 6 December, 2012
‘Like the term Hill Billies in the US came from Orange Billy Boys who emigrated over there.’
I believe that’s a myth.
Any word on why all other spl clubs make money from our progression in the CL?
Weefra HH
Is there an Italian team whose fans are not a bunch of fascist thugs?
Fiorentina perhaps?
Seeking Englightenment CSC.
Silly billies is no myth. That’s summit what is proved on a daily basis. :)