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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Canamalar – they are one hour ahead.
T4
Jude
Aff the nags :)) Didn’t look. Hope your son got it.
Is it just me, or does anyone else dress up in their home top to watch the match on TV at home? Getting excited now with the anticipation – mon the Hoops.
HH
T4
Hour ahead? Have we scored yet?
well, we’re no here to make up the numbers
c o y b i g
C o Y b I g
C O Y B I G
Hail Hail
hope all are safe in the dam tonight.
2-1 to the celtic.
CFC
mncelt,
If Kayal can play the way he did in his early Celtic career, and I think he is about to, then he will be the best CM in our squad, IMO.
I was hoping he would be selected but wasn’t sure after he wasn’t risked at the weekend, it seems he was left out for that reason – not risking him getting injured.
We will need most players, playing at the top of their form to get the result we all want.
I hope all of the Support get home safe and are delighted with Celtic and what they achieved.
Jude – aye, big Virgil….quick get on! :-)
T4
…shoe in…. 100/3
COYBIG
KTF
tttt,
So what time does the game start in Amsterdam, dutch time ?
20:45 ?
Canamalar – yup! How many hours you ahead of us?
T4
A victory and all our Bhoys & Ghirls home safe.
If carlsberg did Champions league nights
Off to watch with friends
Friesdorfer ..jist shavd n put an old tims shirt on.sittin in york nae link nae idea how i’m going to cope.so keep me up to date .nae scares.ok .
keep the faith BHOYS n GHIRLS.
Jude…,
Is that 0-1 ? And its no even in the box yet, wtf is happening :oD))))
Friesdorfer –
Got the ole Nike Carling hoops top on myself, currently covered to avoid any splashes of tomato soup!
Desertbhoy
Got 7/2 Paddy Power.
tttt,
3, so the games started if its 19:45, jude who scored ?
This is murdo :oD))))
ko in 45mins
DD.. bassas only gave me 10/3
Kayal needs to stay in position, and not chase shadows which invariably leaves us a man short in NF
stebhoy,
Your just at the madam now :oD)))
Took Virgil to score first at 28’s and 11’s anytime with Bet365.
Come on big man, you want to go to Brasil…!
T4
DD u must have skewed the odds with yer couple o’ grand ew.
Believe.
Georgie is pivotal.
Takes two to mark him.
Come On The Hoops
leftclicktic
Lovely story earlier.
Made me have a wee think about my views on other people.
Brought a tear to my eye too.
Thanks.
Jobo Baldie
18:58 on
6 November, 2013
Friesdorfer –
Got the ole Nike Carling hoops top on myself, currently covered to avoid any splashes of tomato soup!
…………………………………………..
ditto… but single malt splashes…
BB – he did that in the game at CP, when they were passing it about between their keeper and full-backs. Let them do it, we need to be patient and disciplined.
Right, time for a cold tin!
T4
Desertbhoy
Sorry I told you. I would happily have invested my score at 10/3.
T4-got Virgil 40/1 & Lustig 33/1 :) betVictor
KRIS Commons has handed Celtic a massive boost ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash against Ajax by recovering from injury to take his place in the starting XI.
The inclusion of the influential attacker is the only change from the team that took on Ajax in the corresponding fixture in Paradise two weeks ago, which the Hoops won 2-1 courtesy of goals from James Forrest and Beram Kayal.
Should Neil Lennon´s men take another three points tonight in the Amsterdam ArenA, it will put them in a terrific position to progress to the last 16 of the competition for the second year running.
And you can keep track of all the action on the club´s official Twitter feed: @celticfc
Tonight´s team:
CELTIC (4-4-2) Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Van Dikj, Izaguirre; Forrest, Kayal, Mulgrew, Commons; Samaras, Stokes
Subs: Zaluska, Fisher, Rogic, Ledley, Boerrigter, Pukki, Balde
Great to see a settled defence
They will have the majority of the possession -when we do get the ball we need to keep it better than we did in the home leg otherwise we will tire towards the end of the game ( mentally and physically).
Go on you Celts
sammy needs to pass sooner tonight – draw their players then release. Last game he tried too much himself , commons will show up to give him the relief.
did i forget to put my watch back?
stebhoy
19:10 on
6 November, 2013
did i forget to put my watch back?
……………………….
only time will tell.
Awe naw,
Do the clocks go back or forward, whats the score
Desertbhoy
Commons 8/1,and Commons 0-1 66/1, ma other 2 bets.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
18:47 on
6 November, 2013
Whers the big glesga polis when you need them??
====
Still back in Glasgow arresting 14 years olds for singing Reb songs.