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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hi guys first very proud of the bhoys so unlucky we move on two points that are really getting to me . fat boy makes comments that they must win pawn or wot ever its called cup and I state only major domestic cup this club has not won in our 141 yr history lol oh ally your so cheeky not one controversial question from msm . I know most of you guys will come on say they are dead he is nothing laugh at him.well I flew back to cork last weekend after the hearts game at Glasgow airport huns shop 1872 scotlands most successful club lies yet nothing done. 4 young guys in hoops flying to some hot spot walk by laugh at sign 2 huns point tawnt them. one reacts I had to jump in pull wee guy away telling him I know son don’t let them ruin your holiday. saga ended well but felt useless when boys asked me why are they getting away with this false advertising why are celtic not doing anything .I know I will b shot down but fed up with its their country do what they want hh
emusanorphan –
I agree re Stokes. I have been a critic of his but mostly about his attitude and application. He has improved enormously this season and he has to be first pick in an attacking formation. If I could fault him at all, he still can be a bit selfish in going for glory when a team-mate is in a better scoring position, although his fantastic set-up play for the winner v Karagandy would suggest otherwise, so maybe he has improved that side of his game too.
I also was a critic of Efe Ambrose last season and said he wasn’t Celtic class. I have been forced to eat my words. Efe has been outstanding this season and was a class act on Wednesday.
I’d better not eat any more words or I will be sick :-)
Tom
Football is a simple game, as I’m sure you know, do the simple things right, and the game is a doddle.
Things like passing to your team mate, like controlling the ball when it comes to you, things like passing and moving to get the pass, a few of the things we didn’t do last night to great effect.
I have never mentioned Fletcher on this site, and never will.
But I do believe that had we a striker on the pitch last night, a striker who had pace and awareness, we would have won the game, that, imo was all we were lacking last night.
As for living in the cave, wouldn’t change it for the world, best thing I ever did.
Now, see them con theory things >}
Take care mi amigo.
HH
corkbhoy –
Good post.
What I will say is that if Sevco advertise themselves as 1972 or 141 years of history then that is their problem. It has nothing to do with Celtic though. Why do people want Celtic to do something about that? I can understand people wanting Celtic to speak out against cheating and corruption etc, but really, Rangers could call themselves the best team in the universe if they like. It’s got sod all to do with Celtic.
TET, that is very interesting, I didn’t know that Spamish fans crabed more competition, compared to the Scottish league there is a different winner regularly, like Scotland the EPL is won by very few teams, Italian league, who pays of the ref! Germany seems to have a good league, but how many winners in the last twenty years?
We will see, but where ever will take us I would go frankly.
Tom English in fine form
@ http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/tom-english-craig-mather-u-turn-was-quite-a-feat-1-3100585
The Exiled Tim –
I wasn’t meaning any disrespect to your living in a cave. I was just comparing it to living in a mansion in the Seychelles.
We could have had a top class international striker up front on Wednesday and still have lost the game. Football is not so simple as to provide guarantees. We lost the UEFA Cup Final despite the presence of a red-hot Henrik in the team.
Hail Hail
Doc
It’s all down to the uefa FFP thing, it will never happen.
The big clubs europe over won’t let it happen, no way will they allow uefa to dictate how they run their finances, they have already threatened to break away.
A compromise will be reached, and that will be a weekend euro league set up, a jazzed up version of the CL.
Barca and Real want it, and they do hold some sway.
HH
TET, again agreed, UEFA will talk the talk, but the big clubs will just ignore the rules and do as they will.
Money Talks.
Saw a reference to our wee hero Oscar a couple of pages back. How is the wee man doing?
Tom
I know you weren’t, it was my gambling winnings that bought the cave in the first place, and paid for all the renovations, I could have chosen a beach hut on any island I desired, I chose the mountains in rural Spain.
I know fine well that there are no guarantees, I would be a multi millionair if there were.
Only looking at the game objectivley last night, we were good from back to mid, we were a bit lacking in the final ball, we were well lacking up front.
had we had Mario last night we would have won the game imo, nothing more, nothing less, just my opinion.
HH
NCTim, his Mum put out a message, he was smiling today, had a tough time with treatment, no more news than that, but that has to be good.
Was on FB.
tom McLaughlin tom great point and taken my main concern is that this could have turned nasty as a lot of celtic fans fed up with their arrogance . I stopped this young lad who was fuelled with alcohol but tom could have been worse could have been the ryan air flight to Ibiza diverted to paris not suggesting they were fans of us or sevco but Glasgow airport in high season could be potential hot spot with their false claim should not be but im over at least once a month not the first iv seen i.e ur died 141 and proud then it kicks off mostly in te bar next to celtic and sevco shops hh
TET, Tom, Stokesy is a very good striker, but the loan role isn’t using his best attributes, in those games I think Pukki and Balde will, given time, take that role.
A Bit More On Scotland’s Links With Poland ,Back In The 16th Century….
For Any ‘Bright Sparks’ And ‘Live Wires’..
Still Up At This Time Of Night….
(Scroll On By…..ASonOfDan!)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/josephd.ross/index.html
Up The Hoops !
Down With Qatar !
Doc
I can understand why we bought Amido, he is raw, and if our coaches can get him to realise 70% of his potential, he will be sold for good money, presently they have a big task ahead of them.
Pukki, time will tell, I have never seen him till we signed him, seen a few vids no more than that, but he has been around, so he should come good.
Anto, love the bhoy, just needs to believe in his ability.
HH
Tom
I’ve seen a couple of disparaging comments about TET’s cave. Usually from right wing arseholes.
His swimming pool is my phone screen saver and the home he and his beautiful wife have built is of the highest standard. Not that it should matter.
Me and my family have enjoyed the highest hospitality you could imagine at his Hun free mountain abode. I believe he has extended an open invite to any Celtic minded true fan to pop in if visiting the area to pop in for a beer or several. Several more likely if he is host!
Do yourself a favour and get over for a visit. It will aid your recovery no end!
Hope you get back to full strength as soon as. Take care!
TET, Anto is a striker, confidence.
Won’t be on much in the next few days, taking Mrs Doc away, Silver Wedding to celebrate.
Missing the game on Saturday, just like 25 years ago, Aberdeen beat us as I remember.
24 September 1988.
Jungle Jim asked earlier about team selection for Saturday and should NFL rest players or play our strongest side. I would normally want our strongest side on the park at the start of every game but I want Pukki and Biton in the starting line up v StJ on Saturday. Not for the sake of resting others, I want to see if these guys are any good.
I’m not suggesting that these two could not be part of a strongest side, we’ve just not seen them yet. Get them fielded Lenny.
Maybe even young Balde for half an hour would help the project along too.
emus
10% is that enough >}
HH
Moonhowler alert, night all!:-))))))
Only kiddin Buddy, up early to work for a bit, then a weekend with no kids(even though I love them) in sight. Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, the a Highland Bolt Hole for the weekend.
And a boot full of Magners and Lagavulin.
ThatshowtocelebrateCSC
ACGR
With Derk too, and all on from the start.
emusanorphan –
Thanks.
I have read descriptions of TET’s mountain home and it does indeed sound very impressive.
As I said, I meant no disrespect.
Hey Doc, it could be worse. Judas scored and beat us on my wedding day. Mrs acgr was lucky to survive the night given her hunnish family connections.
Thankfully she’s been totally transformed to a proper timmy missus who gets upset when her man and boy see their team lose.
Have a great weekend buddy. and don’t come back on here without having had yer Nat King.
Hail Hail
P.S. Please don’t mention this post to Mrs Doc, she already has a coloured view of me……………..it’s a hooped view:-)))
TET
The unrestricted use of your 4th, 5th and 6th bedrooms is all I require! Oh and evening meal and brekkie from Mrs TET.
Keep the dugs away while I’m munching ! ;-)
Hope we see Pukki, Derk and possibly the young Nir on Saturday.
DOC
Leave the missus at home and you’ve cracked it!
ACGR
I thought Pukki was superb at getting the free that Anto hit the bar with, he knows his way around the park, he will do well for us.
I also liked the review that Ballotelli gave the Biton fella, seems it was a licence problem that stopped him going to city at the time, he will be a player for us.
Anyways, off down to the ibrox of Spain the morra, a place called Albox, full of brits, Mrs TET wants to go to the brit shop, why , no feckin idea, but she does.
I will get a few bottles of the finest for you…..I drunk one tonight that was coming your way, it was superb, sorreeee bout that, I will seek to replace it >}
HH
It would be good to rest a few on Saturday and play the new guys then have the first XI in against Morton.
Normally it would be the other way round but Neil has some breathing space to make good use of the squad on Saturday.
And we definitely don’t want any slip ups in the cup because new players are settling in.
Delaneys Dunky, yes definitely. I forgot about Derk.
I want to see what we’ve brought in. Lenny must have confidence in these guys so lets see them play.
Thanks for the reminder.
emus
You were missed this year mi amigo.
Anytime.
Off to the pit.
Take care and god bless.
HH
KTF
I’d also like to see the U-20’s represent us in the League Cup.
I’d draw the line at the Ramsdens though. That’d be humiliating.
Doc, open up yer back door and angle yer heid back 37.5 degree’s.
You’ll see this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4duOIDKlbos
Awoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow
ACGR
An announcement from Neil today that he was starting all his new signings, could result in increased ticket sales for Saturday.
TET, I read the same about Biton regarding his abortive move to ManC and a fubar on the registration front. That’s why I want him fielded on Saturday. We’ve got two weeks to see if the new signings can enhance our chances against that wee Spanish team we pumped at paradise last year. Hopefully NL will use them this week and again v Kilmarnock next week.
Nae worries on the vino score I’ll take whatever you bring me.
BTW, it’s you and me v young acgr at the golf now, We may have a small chance of victory. I’ll invite Steve up for a few beers after the game.
HH
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/celtic-fan-banned-for-sectarian-singing-at-tannadice-1.132530
Roger Waters is being interviewed on BBC 1 just now.
Legend
Morrissey the 23rd @ 00:39
Would be good to see that one taken to the European Court of Human Rights, but I expect they were careful in how they chose their target and his ability to invest in his defence.
One country indeed. Time to ban a host of Scottish rebel folk songs now as well then?
ACGR,
Saw that interview last night – interviewer is a total f@d. Watch him – it’s all about him.
An opportunity to interview a musical legend ruined.