Benfica enjoyed a 0-2 away win on Friday evening to remain joint-top of the Portuguese league with Porto. They will have enjoyed a day off while Celtic played on Saturday and will two days training before tomorrow’s game. By contrast, Celtic player will have rested yesterday and will get no more than a run out inside Estadio da Luz tonight. With games coming thick and fast at the moment, hopefully rest is the most important requirement for the players.
Benfica shredded Spartak for most of the second half in Moscow but contrived to miss what chances they created, allowing the Russians their only win of the group so far. The return game in Lisbon was a comfortable win for the home team.
Neil Lennon has some major tactical decisions to make. He will surely acknowledge the danger Benfica pose but has to find a way of scoring an away goal or two. Match day one between Celtic and Benfica brought a 0-0 draw, ostensibly a good result for the visitors, but the group has matured since then. Both teams played that game as though it was an away game; Benfica were happy to defend and Celtic, in their first Champions League game since 2008, were keen to feel their way back into the tournament.
This time Benfica will attack with speed and hope that Celtic open up a little more than they did against Barcelona. It’s important also to acknowledge that while Benfica are no Barcelona, they will also be less predictable than the Catalans, we will not have it all our own way in the air.
It’s going to be a game tiring 90 minutes where the use of fresh legs could be crucial but an early Celtic goal would allow Neil Lennon to set his stall out clearly.
Orders are now open for the very first CQN Annual, get it here!
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podium?
Goal!!!!
C’mon the hoops
Sorry George, that was the crossbar
HH
Stand up for the Green Brigade
HH
Will make a difference if we know we are in Europe before KO.
Harassment of football fans?
http://harryhood67.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/how-do-we-solve-a-problem-like-harassment/
Did the Celtic board, the polis or H&S have an issue with 7k orcs standing and jumping around throughout the whole 90 mins twice a season at our hallowed ground? If not why not is the question everyone should ask!
Again set pieces will be important for Celtic.What I like about this current Celtic side is that we now have size and athleticism to compete physically with more technical opponents. I would gladly bite your hand off just now for a point in Lisbon however I am under no illusions we are in for a difficult evening.
mighty tim
12:34 on 19 November, 2012
Stand up for the Green Brigade
HH
Sit down for the Green Brigade mate H&S will be watching ;-)
mono = one
syllabic = rail
And once again (Scottish) Television STV ignores the only Scottish team left in the tournament. If I were a betting man I would take a gamble on the fact that most terrestrial channels that have participants playing this week will be showing the games live. Only in Scotland and I said the same thing the last time that the now deceased Rangers played in the Champions League. Someone in the office just pointed out that even I’m a Celebrity was cancelled in Scotland last week because English ITV was showing an England friendly.
Paul
Just being pernickity, but I think they were on cup duty on friday :>)
But as you say a goal or two would be just the biz, as long as they score less.
Later this week,after the Benfica game,Celtic must come out and make a statement ,regarding the harassment of The Green Brigade, failure to do so would leave a feeling of complicity .
Bawsman
12:35 on 19 November, 2012
‘Will make a difference if we know we are in Europe before KO.’
A win for Barca would mean we will be in Europe but not necessarily the CL, so I’m not sure how much of a difference that would make. Both ourselves and Benfica could still qualify for the CL.
The SFL and the SPL have both revealed plans for new league set ups. But are they any better than what we have – and is there actually a need for change?
Thoughts On Restructuring Scottish Football
Not sure if this was posted yesterday but Phil Mac’s piece on the Sevco Comedy Show from yesterday is well worth a read.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/the-sevco-comedy-show/
He touches on many of the points that have been discussed on here and other blogs in the past 6-7 days, but Phil has a certain way with words which always brightens my day!
HH
/Bishop B
I just had to go and look up Lusitanians. Lo & behold. Well, I found it interesting.
Lusitania (Portuguese: Lusitânia, Spanish: Lusitania) or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain (the present autonomous community of Extremadura and a small part of the province of Salamanca). It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people (an Indo-European people). Its capital was Emerita Augusta (currently Mérida, Spain), and it was initially part of the Roman Republic province of Hispania Ulterior, before becoming a province of its own in the Roman Empire. Romans first came to the territory around the mid 2nd century BC.[1] A war with Lusitanian tribes followed, from 155 to 139 BC. In 27 BC, the province was created.[2]
The etymology of the origin of the Lusitani who gave the province their name, is unclear. The name may be of Celtic origin: Lus and Tanus, “tribe of Lusus”, connecting the name with the personal Celtic name Luso and with the god Lugh.[3]
Early modern scholars derived the name from Lucis, an ancient people mentioned in Avienus’ Ora Maritima and Tan, from Celtic Tan (Stan), or Tain, meaning a region or implying a country of waters, a root word that formerly meant a prince or sovereign governor of a region.[4][5][6] The name has been connected with the personal Celtic name Luso and with the god Lugh.[7]
Paul67,
Benfica can cause us big problems they have a proper No9 unlike Barcelona.
Cant allow the ball wide so often as crosses will come in.
Counter attack like Moscow and we can do anything.
play
Son of Gabriel
So near, yet so far away ;-)
Ironically, I am the father of Gabriel (he’s only 9, so I don’t expect he’s your dad – either that our you are my grand-wean!).
BGFC
ernie lynch
For me, simply qualifying for this stage was massive.
I would have happily accepted (and still would), a run in the Europa. I think a few games post Christmas in the Europa league would benefit our young squad.
Having said what I’ve said, expectation levels have been massively raised, to the point that the Europa league would be seen as failure by some.
I think if we can go into this game knowing the worst that can happen is the Europa league we can play with a lot less pressure – Unlike Benfica :-)
our = or
I have not really posted much before and i am not sure if this has been mentioned earlier i apologise if it has.
With regards to fan harassment can we not consider boycotting all items on sale in and around the stadium, i.e windfall , programmes, food etc etc.
The ole GB debate has been pretty good reading.
Same ole same ole right enough. Entrenched views with little give.
I have my opinions and having witnessed for myself the treatment of the GB when I took up position only a few rows from them for the last 2 cup games they have my full support for their protest. I was astounded of forehead at the level of unfair, unwarranted attention these bhoys and girls were receiving throughout the 90 mins of both league cup games. I was even more shocked by the fact that this was treated as being normal by those around while I couldn’t quite believe what was happening as police stood in full view with a camera, sttod whispering and pointing at individauls, stood in groups of 4 or 5 watching constantly those in 111. This really needs to stop.
I happen to sit in the Jock Stein on a normal match day were if I was lookinig for I police officer I would likely have to walk down to London Road Police station before i bumped into one (ok. tad exageration but I certainly wouldn’t get a hold of one within a 10 minute period of asking a steward for one to attend). I have not seen a police officer in the Jock Stein Upper Stand this season at all. Only stewards.
MWD
PS. Blantyrekev/monteblonco – you two not heard of phones/. :-)))
Order for the CQN magazine placed, looking forward to reading it.
Tomorrow will be a test for our team, I think they will be up to the test.
celtic * o * lennon yer right mate the orcs never sat at any game at Celtic Park and threw what ever they wanted at Celtic supporters, trashed the toilets aided and abetted by Strathclyde’s finest, sang their vile bigotted songs. Never seen one orc being lifted. Now those Republican sympathising ( not a crime ) Green Brigade, those left wing/ Marxist ( not a crime ) Green Brigade, Those downright noisy and colourful Green Brigade trouble makers lift them all, harrass them, get them on film and charge them we can think of a crime later once they are secured in London Rd cop shop.
If the stories that have been circulated are true and I have know reason not to believe them, I find it incredible that the Celtic support would stand by and let fellow Celtic fans suffer this without trying to help. Turning up at peoples doors in the early morning where have we heard and seen that before, causing people to lose their jobs or not get a license to do a job because of what they are, where have we seen that before.
If our board are complicit in this then I am disgusted and ashamed of them. As for Strathclyde police more like the black and tans.
I will support the Green Brigade in anyway I can and would ask that all Celtic supporters do the same, without the Green Brigade at Celtic Park well I have seen more atmosphere in a library.
A draw in Lisbon would do me.
Oscar Knox Celtic Warrior Y.N.W.A.
HH
Some notable posters have been quiet of late.
I hope they are winding themselves up for explosive broadsides re. the harrassment of Celtic fans, because you can say what you like, but that is what The GB are. And they are an essential part of The Celtic Family now….they’ve earned respect. Was that tifo at the Barça game not an exemplary achievement?
And yes, they’ve had their teething problems along the way, but they have matured into something brilliant.
So, for me anyway, I think that purse-mouthed, vinegar sipping, lace curtain twitching, enjoyment hating puritans in blue uniforms with orange tinted minds should not be allowed any longer to bully any of us at will for the sport and amusement of their ludge masters.
For our silent and distant board to remain quiet on this matter reflects badly on them and an unequivocal statement of support for ALL Celtic fans/supporters is essential, sooner rather than later.
A blow against one of us is a blow against all of us.
So the HSE are now being dragged into the GB debate, thought it had been a while since health and safety were used as a stick to beat them about the head,
The safety certificate is issued by the council, they have the enforcing authority for the stadium, to use or suggest the HSE are in some way looking to become involved is unhelpful and to be frank untrue.
The great debate over lateral movement of supporters (in this case the GB) is one that will continue, it is a fantastic sight to see, it is nonetheless dangerous in a seated arena, particularly so where the gradient introduces a higher risk of injury should someone fall or topple over,
The historic and in some cases continual lack of action or enforcement either by the Councl or others is another argument altogether.
Health and Safety gone mad?
Im sure it is in some peoples opinion, others who work in the safety profession may have a differing view.
Outwith policing football and sectarianism in Scotland I do appreciate the job most (not all but most) police officer do while being under resourced and under manned.
MWD
Arthur Lee –
I got a drink on return to The Teser; none in the Granite City. However I did get to see that rarest of things – The Huddle
LateralMovementCSC, ML2
EXILED TIM, I see!
playfusbal4dguilders, agree.
Doc, many thanks.
Thae ancient Romans had blindin’ names : ‘Vettius Agorius Praetextatus’, ‘Quintus Aurelius Symmachus’, ‘Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius’.
Just sayin’.
They remind me of our very own, ‘Victor Mugabe Wanyama’. A Classic Bhoy if evere there was.
MWD
Mail to ya
Moonbeams WD,
Why would the police need to stand filming the Green Brigade?
I was under the impression the police control room had CCTV that can scan and record every seat in the stadium.
Why the in your face filming?
cv
Aul67, you’re welcome, I’m sure it won’t let us down.
Moonbeams, I sit close to the GB, it is shocking how they are treated. I hope the situation can be resolved, especially between the GB and Club, the Police are working to the SNPs agenda me thinks. Evening arrests up as Christine Graham said was the purpose of the new legislation.
PS where are the photos?;-)
If I may sugggest a compromise – the polis should leave the Green Brigade alone & lock up Kev Jungle.
Aff oot.
Aul67=Paul67, apologies.
Paul67
Placed order, not confused at all this time.
Benfica could be a harder game than barca, but expect to have qualified
for europa league before kick-off.