Celtic leave Europe meekly

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The most frustrating thing about last night’s meek exist from the Europa League is just how self-inflicted it was.  After previous European defeats I criticised Brendan Rodgers tactics, but no tactics in the world will help a team which cannot defend a corner kick or stop a shot from 24 yards into the middle of the goal.

I saw the Hamilton Accies keeper recently concede a similar goal to the second Dorus de Vries failed to keep out of the net last night.  At any level of the game, it was an unforgiveable error.  For years Celtic were imperious at defending corner kicks.  Now, also for years, it has been a persistent weakness.

Celtic have been far too weak at the back this season – not just in Europe.  After the game Brendan suggested we lacked the experience necessary to play in such environments – certainly one of our issues.  Hopefully the addition of Marvin Compper will bring sufficient authority to allow our youthful defenders to progress.

By contrast, Zenit were a study in the art of defence, even at home against a team from Scotland.  We were unable to land a glove on them until the contest was effectively over.  Substitutes Tom Rogic and Scott Sinclair both made things happen, but it is difficult to isolate their effect from Zenit’s own tiredness.

This was a European tie which got away.  Sure, Zenit are  better resourced than us, but on the showing over both legs, I’m not convinced they are significantly better than Anderlecht – who played us off Celtic Park but had their own troubles when we visited Belgium in September.

Lots of excuses, Celtic, but we really should have done better.

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839 Comments

  1. Petec,

     

     

    Calm it….not all Celtic fans/supporters believe in your god…..just as your god doesn’t believe in them….;-))

     

     

    religiouspishCSC

     

     

    H.H.

  2. G64

     

    I assume you are talking about me, if not I apologise, but you really should get your facts right, I called posters entitled long before you came on the blog last week, I never once directed anything towards you.

     

    The fact you attend games and I don’t doesn’t make you a better supporter, you think it does, but it doesn’t, you had a few digs last week and are still at it, quite sad really.

     

    HH

  3. A win tomorrow would be immense however with our depleted squad and traveling to Russia midweek a draw would not be disastrous. HH

  4. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    WHAT IS THE STARS on 24TH FEBRUARY 2018 10:28 PM

     

    Gordon

     

     

    Written BY Thomas Moore for his doomed young friend Robert Emmet.

     

     

    ——————-

     

     

    Is that right enough??? I never knew that – it’s a great song. I always thought it was based on African slaves.

     

     

    Manfred Mann’s Earth Band do a great version.

     

     

    Thanks for the background – that is really interesting!

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  5. Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    Busy saturday for our soccer club here in Oz yesterday with various

     

    cup ties being played.

     

    Our senior reserve side were playing a team from Melbourne University

     

    and i must admit as they played in an all green strip my loyalty for our

     

    lot was severely tested, and i did have a wee smile when they scored. 8-))

     

    Got talking to some connected people about the big handsome Tom

     

    situation and the concensus was that the agent was haggling for a better

     

    deal, wait and see.

     

    Meanwhile his posters remain in situ.

     

    Looking for a big reaction from our bhoys tomorrow after that disappointing

     

    display against Zenit and the resulting criticism, some of it justified, some

     

    over the top imo.

     

    For me any professional who wears the Celtic shirt and isn’t bursting a gut to

     

    make amends to our fans tomorrow shouldn’t be at our club, so i’m very

     

    confident that we’ll win well and still be boss of our own midden.

     

    H.H Mick

  6. Melbourne Mick,

     

     

    don’t go ripping doon those Tom posters….yet….seems he refused the first offer put to him…..shocker…..;-))

     

     

    luvyerworkCSC

     

     

    H.H.

  7. a light insanity on

    Not Celtic related but I have always had time for Chris Hughton. He used to have a column in an old WRP newspaper.

  8. THELURKINTIM

     

     

    Agreed, though the weemhan and his mates might beat

     

    me to it. 8-)))))

     

    H.H Mick

  9. The sanest poster on cqn is the one who is constantly denounced. Fair play to Neganon2 . Keep on keeping on. Hh

  10. BGFC

     

     

    You got aink anywhere for Thomas Moore. Robert Emmet. Redemption song.

     

     

    I had read vthat before without any back up.

     

     

    Any info greatly received.

  11. What is the Stars on

    St Stivs

     

    Its not redemption song

     

     

    Its The Minstrel Boy..that was written by Thomas Moore

  12. What is the Stars on

    Redemption Song and The Minstrel Boy

     

    Both were covered by Joe Strummer

     

     

    My post about Thomas Moore writing the song related to The Minstrel Boy

  13. The minstrel boy to the war is gone,

     

    In the ranks of death you’ll find him;

     

    His father’s sword he has girded on,

     

    And his wild harp slung behind him;

     

    “Land of Song!” said the warrior bard,

     

    “Though all the world betrays thee,

     

    One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,

     

    One faithful harp shall praise thee!”

     

     

    The Minstrel fell! But the foeman’s chain

     

    Could not bring that proud soul under;

     

    The harp he loved ne’er spoke again,

     

    For he tore its chords asunder;

     

    And said “No chains shall sully thee,

     

    Thou soul of love and bravery!

     

    Thy songs were made for the pure and free

     

    They shall never sound in slavery!”

  14. Robert’s friend from Trinity College, Thomas Moore, championed his cause by writing popular ballads about him and Sarah Curran, such as

     

     

    Oh breathe not his name! let it sleep in the shade,

     

    Where cold and unhonoured his relics are laid!

     

    The poem “On Robert Emmet’s Grave” by Percy Bysshe Shelley states that Emmet’s grave will “remain unpolluted by fame”, as its location is unknown:

     

     

    No trump tells thy virtues—the grave where they rest

     

    With thy dust shall remain unpolluted by fame,

     

    Till thy foes, by the world and by fortune caressed,

     

    Shall pass like a mist from the light of thy name.

  15. Gordon64,

     

     

    What is sanity…..only what is acceptable by society….just…..thinking WW1 Boxes not so long ago……herion & cocaine for the troops……trench warfare……multi million innocent deaths in WW2….. multiple murder in US schools

     

    Potential…..nuclear war…..probably always live in a brutal world…..so what….we do what we can to alleviate;-))

     

     

    H.H.

  16. Can’t do the c&p thing but check out ‘Italian priest sings antifacist resistance song’ Bella Ciao. Hh

  17. WITS.

     

     

    Very stirring song, i’m sure our green brigade could

     

    adopt that to suit our team.

     

    H.H Mick

  18. Anyone know how near is griffiths , roberts , ralston , armstrong , and Craig Gordon To full fitness . We need these guys back pretty dam quick . We also need to start battling a bit harder in matches , teams aren’t lying down to us , so we need to get stuck into them , unfortunately we have to many who are not up for a battle , but more effort at least from them would be a bonus . We can Also see the increased efforts of the corrupt mibs taking an actilve part in the Sevco charge , active against any team posing a threat to a lofty position for the Sevco . Our team needs to put pressure on these useless refs . Argue every decision against us , get into there faces , it worked for killie , hearts . St Johnstone , we have it all to do tomorrow , we can succeed, but it will have to be a team performance , it will take a battling performance , there will be no place to hide .