Celtic held the ball for around 60 seconds at the 75 minute mark last night, and, thinking a corner had been turned, I thought “That’s been a difficult half hour since halftime but we’ve come through it”. Dinamo Zagreb soon claimed back control in the middle of the park and the game reverted to form.
Despite incessant pressure, in particular during the three minutes added at the end, I was never convinced Dinamo were going to score. The defence, for the most part, stuck to task, tackled well and put bodies in the way. In this respect it was our classic Champions League performance.
Even when the visitors got sight of goal, Craig Gordon was always the most imposing personality on the field. Our captain looked uncharacteristically meek on the receiving end of a rollicking from Craig. We like goalkeepers with authority.
Virgil van Dijk held the line very well, despite a couple of uncomfortable moments when called on to play the ball with his ‘standing’ foot, while Jason Denayer and Efe Ambrose coped with the incessant pressure. Efe played much of the game high up the field, very much in the wing-back role, but was able to track back with speed.
Emilio also stuck to task but he conceded a needless free-kick in exactly the same manner and field-position he lapsed against Salzburg, who equalised from the resultant kick. Denayer also lunged in needlessly a yard outside his box, collecting a yellow card for his trouble. Both occasions called for the defender to stay goal-side and not challenge.
Football teams are made by partnerships, as Anthony Stokes suggested after explaining the understanding he has with Kris Commons which allowed them to craft last night’s goal. Right now we don’t have many partnerships. Wakaso and Emilio were 10 yards apart for much of the game, but to no great effect. Tonev and Ambrose were similarly disconnected on the right.
Not much could have been done to improve this for last night. Neither Tonev nor Ambrose will retain their positions on the right after a pairing from McGregor, Forrest, Matthews and Lustig return. Wakaso and Emilio need to target becoming a more effective pair on the left.
We knew that without the ineligible Guidetti and the (as yet unproven and) injured Scepovic we would struggle up front, but our creative fulcrum was on hand to both create and finish the decisive opening of the game.
Despite the concerns Ronny expressed after full time, this was our second excellent result in the Europa League this season against two decent teams. The progress since the summer is evident.
Many thanks to everyone who participated in our Magners competition for premium tickets to the Hamilton Accies game on Sunday. The competition is now closed and draw will be made shortly and winners will be notified by email, so watch out for it.
I had a great time track-side with my youngest last night before kick-off talking about the great work the Celtic Foundation (which is you and me) do fighting poverty and hardship, and our responsibility in making sure the ethos of the club is maintained and handed on. On Sunday I’m doing the Great Scottish Run to raise funds for the Foundation, so I’m pretending not to have the sore throat, head and cough. Need a magic potion….
Thank you to everyone who has helped with the fundraising, you can get involved here.
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COYBIG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qGm2oS0ulJs
HH
RC
Can I hire you as DJ for my 50th birthday next year?
Every tune you post, I love. Amazing similar taste, as has Gordy.
BT
I could do with a coffee :-)
hrvatski jim
How proud am I? I’ll ensure it’s on my epitaph. :-))))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
HT
I could do with a drink…o))
Eddieinkirkmichael,
my mates boy plays in goal for them,only signed this year,
he was at Petershill last year,
they also signed a centre half from Petershill,
he is out injured just now but a cracking player,
unfortunately I canny remember his name
@jeez_I_thought_blinker_was_pants
magic
Ok ghuys, glad to have met so many last night again. Got a busy day tomorrow so I will bid you all, Night Night Timland.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
BT
Keep that heid up son, it’ll be worth it in the long run and at least you have plenty of runners at home :-)
Delaneys Dunky
23:23
Notice you and HT are posting side by side. Does this mean you dumped me?
Delaneys Dunky
HAHA Would be a pleasure HH
Hrvatski Jim.
Reading back, sorry to hear of your ordeal.
Last Sunday I returned from a mad week in Portugal with ten fellow 50year-old mates who I have known since I was 16. I laughed
for a week.
Reality hit hard when I returned to find my 9 year choc lab had died after falling ill only hours after I left. Thankfully my wife kept the news away from me when texting while I was away.
Although only a pet , my dog became so much more.
Reading back on everyone’s thoughts on last night’s game it is apparent we see many different aspects of a match. I can only emphasize that to this observer I witnessed a team where every player was a good team mate.
Good game or bad game if they put a shift in every week there is a foundation for success.
Nite all. HH.
DELANEYS DUNKY
Fifty next year?
Did you start going back the way at 55?
Favourite AC/DC lyric :
“A body like Venus with arms”
From Touch to much
Makes me smile every time I hear it.
Delaneys Dunky,
50 eh,is that the years out of school :-)))
PEDROCARAVANACHIO67
Family tickets relocated now,bud.
My Dad reckons it’s much easier smuggling in the pyro now!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Uu37E3WhX_g
Lubo destroys the deid club and the subway loyal disappear…
HH
Regarding wee Johanssen – I like him. He never hides, never blames his team mates, looks like a headles chicken but when he walks off the park he has given everything.
Night bhoys..
Hamiltontim
Thanks for the note.
Be assured that security at Hrvatski Mansions has been doubled.
How do you square Hamilton and Tim on Sunday?
BIG -CUP-WINNERS
Your totally right and how hard was it to say goodbye to my bhoy because of the lack of prospect of a good future for our young ones!
BMCUWP’s
Aye, I heard he was trying to muscle in on junior capo and was chucked oot…….
Cheltenham tickets bought today, went for club, I fancy watching the cross country fae the centre…canny wait.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IbqiCxEIeEo
a Message to you Rudy
HH
http://youtu.be/DBaKWLoFYmQ
a wee pogues number
Once again last night i had no idea what our formation was.
The heroics of Craig Gordon literary saved us again
Of the 4 points we have in the EL CG should be credited with 3 of them.
BCW,
I bottled out of it years ago to go to Australia after going through most of the procedures, in hindsight, after the way things worked out with me and the kids, it was probably for the best.
Any young single person…go for it, the world is your oyster…ye only get one throw at the dice…
BT Sport 2 now….Fat guys wearing pyjamas. An argument for Darts players being athletes.
seriously, Radio 6 – it’s a revelation to me! i thought that had abandoned us! seems it’s not true..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=n-y2ox2HPnc
Young Ned of the Hill
CurseuponyouOliverCromwellCSC
Need to change my moniker again. That didnay last long.
Anybody sitting in ES1 last night? There was a wee nut job lassie sitting behind me who never shut her gob the whole first half. She tried to get some IRA songs going. I think she might have got arrested. She never turned up for the second half.
Jamesgang, happy birthday to your wee girl 20 minutes till mrs acgr is a year closer to the knackers yard. I do lover her, really I do:-)
hrvatski jim
Not a bother, I’m a Glasgow bhoy, Hamilton is only where I occasionally rest my weary head :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=ALBTKoXRg38BC7VTiP0BvnO9KAZzPyErQs&v=BJIoDTcPGds&feature=player_detailpage
the POGUES
White CITY
LoveitCSC
DD,
You fifty next year?
I’ll put that on my Callander for a night out, it’s ten years old now just like your memory:)
angelgabriel
That must have been such a shock and loss to you.
We lost our King Charles Spaniel 6 years ago and still grieve for her. Dogs are such personalities and just irreplaceable.
Having decided that we would not have another one, we went to the pet rescue centre to get a white cockatiel and came back with a black Labrador.
My eye site test is still due.
Gordon64
23:38 on
3 October, 2014
Spoke to a mate the day after Salzburg. I said how well CG did. He said “It’s his job”! Fair comment. Goalies are supposed to make stops. I actually thought he should’ve saved that free kick in Austria and I wasn’t even at MiniBigotDome when he went up for the corner ;-0
http://youtu.be/QtAxF3BQFRg
always a brilliant night in the barras just before Christmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=ALBTKoXRg38BC7VTiP0BvnO9KAZzPyErQs&feature=player_detailpage&v=ZfPlBBx0KIY
THE POGUES
LORELEI
HH
BobM, now the winter’s getting closer the auld yin will be looking oot his Crombie again. Crombie poakits are cavernous and the amount of pyro he can carry in there is mind boggling.
Does he do private functions?