Outrageous results, and a 4-5 win is an outrageous result, could be seen as reason for encouragement by future opponents, but Barcelona played the majority of the game against Deportivo with 10 men, scored an own goal, conceded from a penalty and their keeper made a mistake for another, yet they still scored five goals and won the game.
That is formidable form.
On Tuesday evening Celtic face one of the greatest teams in history but there is reason for confidence. We have been to the Camp Nou three times in the last decade, a 0-0 draw in 2004 was enough to eliminate the Catalans from Europe. Later in 2004 we recorded our only away point in the Champions League, prior to beating Spartak Moscow in the last game, and we lost there to a single goal four years later.
Each Barcelona side was vastly more talented but they found each Celtic team a handful.
Any team which takes a point or more from Barca this season will have to man the barricades for long stretches of each game, will have to show enormous concentration and discipline, and take whatever luck is going. If Celtic do this, they will have one inherent advantage over the home team on Tuesday.
There will be changes in the starting 11 for both teams but a cursory look at yesterday’s starting line ups is educational. Eight out of Barca’s 10 outfield players were under six foot, six of them (Jordi Alba, Iniesta, Mascherano, Messi, Montoya and Villa) three or four inches below. Celtic’s smallest player, Gary Hooper, is only two inches below.
Seven Celts were six foot or higher. Ambrose, Wilson and Mulgrew are all 6’3”, taller than anyone in the Barca team, while non-starters, Lustig and Samaras, are 6’3” and 6’4” respectively. Celtic’s outfield players were, on average, more than three inches taller than their Barcelona counterparts.
Even the Barcelona keeper, Valdes, at 6’0”, is a bit on the short side, seven inches below Fraser Forster.
Height doesn’t make you a better player, or collectively, a better team, but it does instil an enormous advantage at set pieces. Celtic must defend when necessary but any free kick inside the Barcelona half is an opportunity to drop a ball onto an elevated Celtic head inside the box.
Play to your strengths, Celtic. Keep strategy simple, and your probability of taking something on Tuesday will increase significantly. You have everything to play for.
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God bless and help wee Oscar and his family.
They deserve it.
Italian ref Gianluca Rocchi will be in charge on Tuesday night.
“Controversial and card-happy” is El Mundo Deportivo’s assessment.
Knoxy thanks for the update, all our love best wishes prayers and good thoughts to you and yours,
The Celtic Warrior is an inspiration to us, Hail Hail Oscar, YOU are the Mhan!
Oscar and knoxy
Heartbreaking ….. And puts all us moaning minnies in our place
Oscar has a candle burning in st brides cambuslang and he is in my daily prayers
God bless
Celtic_First
18:36 on 21 October, 2012
Italian ref Gianluca Rocchi will be in charge on Tuesday night.
“Controversial and card-happy” is El Mundo Deportivo’s assessment.
That’s Victor suspended for the return leg then.
An important thing on Tuesday is that we finish with 11 men on the park and no suspensions for the return game.
Frankly I will be watching in hope rather than expectations – we won’t get much possession and will be doing a lot of chasing. But you never know.
glasshalfemptyCSC
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
16:50 on 21 October, 2012
Poster just reminded me about something yesterday which is another example of the ‘media’ mentality …..commentator …..”Dundee United in their ORANGE strip” ……really, could have sworn they were TANGERINE ?……..silly, pathetic, small-minded fuds ……!!!!!!!!
*as a young lad I once watched Dumbarton play Dundee United ar Boghead, Im sure it was in the old “C” Division. As far as I can recall DU played in black and white hoops, the sons who played in black and gold hoops played in a Wolves type strip that day.
They originally played in green and white but in an effort to distance themselves from their original Irish connection changed to black and white.
In the 60’s I believe that they ordered an all black strip with tangerine trimmings but the reverse arrived instead. At the request of former hun jerry kerr’s (who was the manager) wife they kept that strip.
Knoxy
Now that was a surprise post. Nice to see you back. And great to see wee Oscar getting back on his feet and gain a wee mullet. Magic! I think if weeoscar4life can stretch things we might just let you in for free. :-)
Keep up the postings.
MWD
He’ll be contoversial because he’s not a homer!
Those diving diego’s had better watch out!
(No offence EDB!)
Evening all
Hope all well.
I’m not too optimistic a bloke but I am looking forward to Tuesday evening. Not because I think we’ll win – there is still something a touch porous about that defence of ours for that- but because I’m glad we are getting the chance to test ourselves against such a great team.
Whatever happens on Tuesday lessons will be learned. In the past we said we would learn lessons but never really did. Lenny isn’t perfect but more than any manager in the modern era- arguably since Jock Stein in fact- he is properly trying to establish a ‘Celtic Way’ of playing. We are on the road and it’s great.
Cheers and H x 2
Jimbo
googybhoy ♥ Celtic
18:01 on
21 October, 2012
I think their is some dreadful character assassination going on in here.
OldTim and BT are not here to defend themselves. I have it on good authority that they are on a tour of Gaudis Sagrada Familia.
——————————————————————————–
A bar in a Cathedral…disgusting.
Awe Naw.
Section 15 duplicated.
Paddy
eldiegobhoy
18:23 on
21 October, 2012
Great stuff……that post has articulated what we have always felt should happen…….VERY interesting times ahead …. Many thanks, that has settled my mind on the justice aspect ….. Won’t need so many sedatives now ….LOL
I’m going to send that post to the dr / Spiers….
tontine tim
18:49 on
21 October, 2012
Absolutely….only desparate bigots forget the truth when it suits their purposes…..HH
voguepunter
Never seen a bar in a cathedral, but our local hospital has a bar in it….seriously.
knoxy2000… PLEASE SUPPORT THE OSCAR KNOX APPEAL
Knoxy ,thanks for posting ,give the wee ghuy a manly hug fae CQN for us.
WONDERFUL NEWS ABOUT WEE OSCAR………The photograph with his hair growing in brought a lump to my throat…….GOD BLESS HIM, AND HIS DEVOUTED FAMILY
Knoxy2000. You’ll be working that night like the rest of us :-). Great to see that Wee Oscar is improving.
Ticket reserved with pleasure.
HH
Tontine Tim,
Dundee Utd. were originally founded as Dundee Hibernian.
TET
Can you imagine that in Glasgow at the weekend,place would be jumping….
……………..that would solve their budget.
Strongly disagree with 4-5-1 if Hooper is to be the lone striker. Hooper is a player who needs support, whether that be a midfielder behind him (e.g. Commons) or a strike partner. We’ve seen him in 2 games using 4-1-4-1 and 4-5-1 (Helsinki & Helsingborgs). Despite Commons’ early strike in Sweden, the 4-5-1 had to be abandoned, as Celtic were struggling to control the game, while in the Helsinki game Hooper cut a frustrated figure.
Samaras is the natural choice to play lone striker if we go 4-5-1; he is capable of holding up the ball, bringing others into play, and has the pace required for the counter attack. The trouble is, that leaves no place for Hooper, which is why a 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3 (where Hooper is less isolated) would be the better option.
VP
A couple of bars at Celtic park would be a good idea, don’t think it would catch on in scotland tho :>)
the boy jinky
17:16 on
21 October, 2012
Have a wee read at Celticrollercoaster post @ 18.20………ENJOY ……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paddy
Thanks. Maybe a Section 17 for banks to answer and a Section 18 for the FSA but then we will be getting into thousands of questions
HH
There are plenty Tims in Barcelona tonight with two nights of good food, wine and beer before the game on Tuesday.
Good times.
GonnaeSignMaSunburn
19:19 on
21 October, 2012
are you in Barcelona now?
Superscoreboard @ClydeSSB
Attendance at Ibrox 49,463 which is apparently a world record for third division game
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20 Oct jpa kenny @jpak1888
@ClydeSSB BULLSHIT!! Check South America ya fannies
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20 Oct Superscoreboard @ClydeSSB
@jpak1888 Thanks for your input but we were just reporting what were told. After further research it turns out the info provided was false
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1h Rangers Tax-Case @rangerstaxcase
@ClydeSSB @jpak1888 Scottish media publish lies and disinformation spread by “Rangers” shocker!
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RETWEET
9:36 AM – 21 Oct 12 · Details
1h Calum Gailey @calumg
@rangerstaxcase @ClydeSSB @jpak1888 just reporting what were told. Head in hands, shaking!!!
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1h Mick Hughes @MickHughes7
@rangerstaxcase @ClydeSSB @jpak1888 Next thing they will be telling us that they have won the big tax case!!! LOL
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1h jpa kenny @jpak1888
@rangerstaxcase @ClydeSSB Their TL seems to have gone rather quiet. Should probably not have had work experience lad do yesterday’s replies
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1h Aloysius Ponsonby @APSaoirse1888
@rangerstaxcase @ClydeSSB @jpak1888 So basically, you’s are nothing more than a PR department for Rangers?
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1h cartuja @cartujakds
@APSaoirse1888 @rangerstaxcase @ClydeSSB Happy to be stenographers to Media House. Makes you cringe, thinking about it.
seeing posts from the boy jinky without an h got me thinking about jinkys boy who posted a while back.
anyone know how he is doing these days? does he keep up with cqn still?
Ggh
One and the same amigo
good to see you back. hope you and yours are well.
Ggh
Never really went away … Just didnt post. Still sitting in the north lower .. 107 .
Still loving the hoops and detesting zombies .
Hows you
Jinky
Could have been worse you could’ve turned to Facebook…
Che
Meet some right dodgy dealers on there ;)
Paulsatim..
The irony of the whole thing re world record attendances is that Ibrox isn’t big enough to get any where near breaking the record
As for the MSM. Idiots ……they’re fast becoming completely embarrassing as opposed to only occasionally so
Pf
Why let facts get in the way of a good story ;)
jinky
all good here. just waiting impatiently for the next jelly and ice cream moment.
Ggh
Lifes just one big party with jelly n ice cream… Tail on the donkey .. Pass the parcel etc
Sure them sevco zombies are partying in D3 too
jinky ,
one of the best bits for me is when the hundead try to kid on that all is great in div 3 and they dont need the bad spl boys. sevco should change aye ready to “aye greetin”