For years we’ve analysed Celtic performances, wins and losses, in the rarefied Champions League environment with a recurring theme: more often than not at this level, mistakes, not great play, determines the outcome.
Last night’s top match, Juventus v Real Madrid, was no different. Real lost two goals, one from a penalty after a reckless challenge inside the box by Varane, another when the same player turned his back on the ball to watch Llorente, instead of attacking a 40 yard cross. The worst mistake came from Juventus. Instead of clearing the ball long, a defender put teammate Caceres under pressure, who could have put his laces through the ball and conceded possession 50 yards downfield, but chose to attempted to reach his keeper with a back-pass, which found Christiano Ronaldo instead.
The ‘schoolboy error’ metaphor is way overused in the game, but is never more apt than when watching the Champions League. Perhaps a bountiful source of individuals with rock-solid Superiority Complexes.
These are two of the most professional teams in the game. Their market knowledge, sports science, mental strength and tactical awareness will be as good as anyone in the game, but still this result was determined by a wayward and pointless back-pass, an equally pointless penalty box lunge and forgetting that crosses into the box take priority over watching your man.
Celtic know this well. We make fewer mistakes in Champions League games than we do in domestic football, while our recent wins benefited from opposition mistakes (penalty against Ajax, penalty against Spartak, Xavi kung-fu kick missing the ball, Spartak player red carded). Scott Brown’s off the ball indiscretion, which cost us a point, and Nir Biton’s ‘challenge’ are notable exceptions.
Ajax think they are the better team – which gives Celtic a great advantage. They think they can overwhelm us tonight, that they failed to make the most of their chances at Celtic Park and that we benefited from a couple of fortunate moments. This is a reasonable assessment based on last month’s game but know better as we’ve been watching re-runs of this script for years. Celtic’s win had nothing to do with fortune or missed chances, it came about as planned – deny the opposition space in dangerous areas, clear your lines and exploit their mistakes.
The Champions League is not about your best 89 minutes play, it’s about your worst minute, just ask a few sore-feeling footballers in Turin this morning. If Celtic avoid unenforced errors and wait patiently to exploit those a self-assured Ajax will make (no one does self-assured like Dutch footballers), they have nothing to fear. Keep 11 players on the field, don’t give away penalties (evidence elsewhere last night suggests unscrupulous players dive inside the box) or free kicks around the box, block shots from outside the box, and most of all…. clear your lines.
Do this, and our clever players will ensure that the result will take care of itself.
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Just saw the outside footage of the incident last night. That mob are well organised and very sinister looking. They try to batter the windows in with what looks like axe handles. At least 50 strong and very wise to the camera’s with their faces covered. Hope tonight passes peacefully. My auld fella is over there.
LB
The “Remarkably, despite his extensive treatment for testicular cancer in recent years, John Hartson is to play big daddy again.” post has promoted me to post this:
The guy who runs The Celtic Network shaved his whole head 6 days ago to raise money for The John Hartson Foundation. I notice one CQNer has already donated. I’m skint, so I’m promoting it instead. ;)
http://www.justgiving.com/thecelticnetwork
Gene’s a Bhoy’s name
16:36 on 6 November, 2013
Just seen on ssn that Bobby Lennox to have triple heart bypass – prayers for a successful op and a full recovery
heartofalionCSC
__________________________________
Best Wishes to Bobby.
Another reason for Celtic to get a win tonight.
Jungle Jim
Agree with you entirely on the colours
Celtic is a Scottish team and we should be proud to show this when travelling. That doesn’t mean we have to ignore our Irish heritage. But as a fourth generation Scot I ‘m first and foremost Scottish
morrissey the 23rd,
You need a taxi in Manchester phone me.
See, this is why I wouldn’t be comfortable going tae that gemme the night…This is what stands between yerself and any Ajax casuals/ultras…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRfluaMKoOY
My boy just phoned from the dam said its all kicking off
Big style scary stuff
is that trouble starting in the square, police in riot gear flooding in, and mounted police .
Looks like trouble at the euro pub,cops with dogs,mounted police
HH
Kicking off in Dam Square – riot cops on horseback and vans everywhere.
CaltonTongues#TeamOscar @ 16:51
I’ll meet you for a pint in your local, which reminds me. Has anybody ever commented on Lennybhoy running it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k7wlSHXdv8
Vote cast for AGM via eproxy to Marie McCusker of the Celtic Trust. Hail Hail Hebcelt
http://hdtv.webcam.nl/website/page1/live_HD_webcams.html
Evening pop pickers,
Not long now till we get a chance to wipe the tiles with Ajax!
Anyway, if you are at a loose end, the second part of the Celtic tale of The Snood meets the Apocalypse is now ready. It’s a wee bit longer than the first – which if anyone who hasn’t read and is in the least interested can be checked out at ……
http://tinyurl.com/The-Brotherhood-of-the-Snood –
and rather than post it here thus causing a mass outbreak of chronic scroll-by finger, I have stuck it over at ……
http://tinyurl.com/Before-the-Snood
part three to follow in a few days…….if the doctors let me out.
Now lets take Europe by storm again.
Hail Hail
Estadio
Typical Glasgow weather
googybhoy ♥ Celtic @ 16:58
Occasionally on the last Friday of the month, I need one from The Star and Garter, where they have a Morrissey/Smiths night. My mate from Moston moving to Boston has sort of ruined those nights for me now though.
Is the game being shown on council tv in Ireland?
~SPF~
hebcelt @ 17:01
Magic! You can still attend the AGM or proxy someone to attend on your behalf.
any cqners no of any bars in dam to watch the game ?
Bhoy over for game and been let down with tickets
morrissey the 23rd
17:06 on 6 November, 2013
Only live a couple of miles from Moston. Get my email off Paul67 if you ever need any help in Manchester.
Steve Guppy said Glasgow was like living in a goldfish bowl, and he was totally out of his depth.
there is a complete police line around that majestic and europ pub area.
http://m.imgur.com/wFs3lU4
charrlote the harlot
Team sheet latest……James Forrest
Just been in Irish bar on edge of red light district attacked by gang of hoodie scumbags. Tense over here tonight….
All seems calm again in the Square. The place has emptied out a lot, I suppose lads are heading out to the stadium.
http://i.imgur.com/DANZPd7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/P1KfLy1.jpg
Stay safe in the dam , keep together ,
Square looks empty now…
Timabhouy ….
can you explain what all that means.
So Sally has fleeced the hun hordes to the som of 1 million shares for 10 grand,dignity.
Alex hooligans got off a tram in Dam Square. Got chased. Cops seperated fans with water cannons. Some Celtic fans threw bottles at police. Source: Twitter.
*sum
Wow! Last night: http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/2013/11/hooligans_breken_020_af.html
morrissey the 23rd-there’s lies on twitter too
Not liking this over there tonight, stay safe bhoys.
ScotPatsFan
Its only on Setanta Ireland and Sky.
Marti