Celtic passed the ball well throughout last night’s game. The players were confident enough to take a touch under pressure, which was key to the performance and a step beyond the more rudimentary show in the Camp Nou last season. In this respect, it was a better performance than the win in Moscow, and was an improvement on even the home game against Milan in 2004.
Countless screeds were written about Efe Ambrose after his mistake against Juventus, which seemed to affect the rest of his season, but the Nigerian international looked every inch a Champions League player. His composure and driving runs were crucial in determining Celtic’s effectiveness.
All played well but if we are going to push for highlights the right flank was exceptional. How proud of Adam Matthews were you after his full-speed dribble through the Milan half? At Euro 2012 I remember some respected observers wrote that Mikael Lustig was the weakest link in the Sweden team. If the Spanish international manager watched last night’s performance he would surely lobby for the introduction of national team transfers.
These two were scouted and brought to the club for a combined total of around £1m. Since arriving they have both grown into players who can excel at the San Siro. The clues of what is happening at Celtic are not hard to find.
Charlie Mulgrew has to endure the mantle of ‘utility player’ and in the absence of Joe Ledley and Beram Kayal partnered Scott Brown in central midfield, his fourth best position. Not that there was any sign of this. Brown and Mulgrew’s intelligent movement made possible all that passing and control.
Despite the great performance Milan came away with the points and a great chance to progress. They gave Stokes, Samaras and Commons little opportunity all night. The chances which Samaras, Stokes and Brown had were ultimately all defended well. Stokes free kick which rebounded off the crossbar would have changed the result but it was far from an easy chance.
Going forward we would do well to remember the importance of winning free kicks around the edge of the box. Teemu Pukki looked to have lost possession but used his strength well to win the infringement which resulted in Stokes free kick. Mario Balotelli needed little encouragement to tumble all night and he did so effectively five minutes from time.
Make sure we win free kicks 24 yards out and don’t concede them.
An away defeat against the second seed in the first game is probably a better result than the 0-0 home draw we achieved against Benfica last season, but Milan have an important 3 points in the bag in what looks like an interesting fight for second place.
Celtic are the team who can most improve their chances of qualification on match day 2. Another win against Barcelona at Celtic Park would give us an excellent chance of progressing but the journey up from pot 4 is incredibly difficult.
Is it a worry that we conceded late goals after the players were showing signs of lethargy? Lethargy is a well-documented part of the game, one which is often crucial in determining success in Champions League football and which we can learn to exploit.
1254125 at The Great Scottish Run.
On Sunday 6 October there is a 10k and Half Marathon. If that is beyond you. There are family events taking place the day before. This is your club, remind the world of what really counts and get involved in 1254125.
The first thing you need to do is sign up for the Great Scottish Run, or here for one of the family events.
Once you’ve done that, you can register for the 1254125 campaign here.
Then you can create a donations page here. Click Start Fundraising, search for Celtic Charity, setup your My Donate account).
Email me and let me know if you are having trouble signing up or need any more help, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
To read the new issue of CQN Magazine click here (don’t try to read the graphic below).
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BIG-CUP-WINNERS
I expected much more resistance
thomthethim for Oscar OK
I’m not that bright a spark.
thomthethim
Puns till it Hertz
Gene’s @ 21:33
:) Especially when they’re chasing them with rolled up trouser legs..is that mibbes why they wrap themselves up in the butcher’s apron…
This is getting shocking now.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS @ 21:36
“His strength was as a number two”.
:)) Aye, dead right:
http://youtu.be/44Ta8ekk9k8?t=3m8s
As I said last weekend, we should be aiming for a 3rd place CL finish and a crack at the Europa League, where we could go all the way. Anything above 3rd would be fantastic, but realistically, that is our target, which makes the Milan result not too drastic.
Most of them aren’t even current.
.
MacJay..
Who are the Sheep playing..?
Summa
Karagandy lose 2-1 to a last minute goal…..sounds familiar
That’s it I reFUSE to read any more of this nonsense
HH
An illuminating experience as ever,night bhoys.
I knew they’d fade out eventually.
.
Embdy got any Good Janny Jokes..?
Summa
Bulbweiser
Their is always light at the end of the tunnel
Unless its down ibrox way
Summa , you can be custodian of that thread
In the CL we’ll have some good years and some bad
As regulars we can deal with that
….PFAyr, this year may yet be a good year, a defeat away to Milan could be viewed as a better result, or more acceptable, than a home draw with Benfica.
Summi
I have started practising to be a ventrilious’ but I didn’t have enough money to buy a dummy.
So I made one from an old carpet I had.
Ask me how it was’
.
Sanna..
l Prefer Curator..;-)
Now where’s My Sawdust..?
Summa
These jokes tonight have been a light relief.
Charlie Mulgrew is about 15 yards off the pace in those CL games,his distribution is atrocious particularly from set pieces.
If Lenny plays him in midfield against the likes of Barca,a team with a bit more speed than Milan,then I would be very weary.
Told you bhoys BT sport is like the rest trying to keep sake club myth alive.
http://sport.bt.com/sportfootball/football/scottishfootball/scottishpremierleague/rangers-draw-stenhousemuir-S11363834664798?
…Rangers have not faced Stenny since Stephane Guivarc’h and Rod Wallace gave them a 2-0 Scottish Cup win back in 1999…
WHAT?
How can that be possible?
(I’m sure I read it somewhere, that – Rangers are being LIQUIDATED, so how can this meeting of two teams be ‘another’ meeting if one of the ‘teams’ went bust/out of business/Liquidated (owing £millions) ?
Sake = same
Has anyone got an idea how much our starting line up last night cost ?
Ruffly
HH
.
How was it..?
Summa
Got an answer from a qualified ref re the FK in the AC box
A GK is not allowed to control the ball by hand twice in the same series of movements ….saving a shot/ header is not considered to be controlling the ball
Last night the AC keeper initially rolled the ball forward with his hand …then picked it up …again
Ruggish
From GaryWithey twitter giving Tomo a hard time
@alextomo Why have you ran away from the Rangers story? What did Jack say he had on you, Big Man?
@alextomo Have you compromised your integrity somewhere in the past? Have you been ‘spoken’ to? Answer me.
16roads
Mulgrew was in out of necessity last night
He is too slow for CL football when playing in midfield …last night his delivery wasnt up to his usual standard
….pfayr supports weeoscar
22:22 on 19 September, 2013
This year’s only beginning…….We might surprise some, and depress others (titter)…!!!!
Doc
Indeed
I was merely commenting that when we appear every year as of late …we can handle poor results
I think you guys should pull the plug on this thread.
HH
….PFayr
maybes the young fella Biton can fill that space in the mid.
Then Lenny has a problem fitting Charlie in somewhere >}
HH
16Roads, I didn’t see us being over ran in midfield last night.
Charlies delivery wasn’t up to his usual standard true, but he isn’t a natural midfielder, I thought he filled the position well enough last night.
….PFAyr, fair point.
Ok bhoys and ghirls,
Glad that my earlier post sparked a little interest but with my normal early morning duties looming it’s time for lights out for ole Jobo.
famousforfiveminutesCSC