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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A Police investigation inside Ibrox, is it me or do we all know what the outcome of this investigation before it starts, ffs more kite flying, it’s just another Fri. Down there at that midden, every Friday, well almost , what’s that all about? Do the SMSM talk about it all week and then let it out every Fri. Do they honestly think that the rest of this country can think for themselves , and are not like the Zombies, scared to say any thing in case a brother of his lodge is involved? Sad,sad people, BUT VERY DANGEROUS.
Panic is setting in nicely on deid heid media over the fraud story.
Excellent, I love it when the huns are experiencing pain. The IPO money is gone, ha ha ha.
And, before anyone asks, naw, they’ve not been punished enough.
ACGR Supporting BMCUWP’s Hootenannay, 28th Sept in Fun City
10:57 on 20 September, 2013
And, before anyone asks, naw, they’ve not been punished enough.
……………………………………………………………………………………
yes, my sentiments an aw!!
The Angus Goat Protection League will be locking away all ruminants on Sunday when the hun hoard invade the sleepy Angus town of Forfar.
The last time the zombies visited they goat pumped and wrecked the toon.
We go to Milan and Italians have to lock up their daughters.
Huns go to Forfar and Forfarians have to lock up their goats.
True ACGR,one squinty saying ‘these accounts may not make good reading…..IPO monies gone haha
penny dropping,more like a stank lid from the top of a block of flats
ACGR Supporting BMCUWP’s Hootenannay, 28th Sept in Fun City
10:57 on
20 September, 2013
Panic is setting in nicely on deid heid media over the fraud story.
Excellent, I love it when the huns are experiencing pain. The IPO money is gone, ha ha ha.
And, before anyone asks, naw, they’ve not been punished enough.
I concur
punish until they die
While we are on the subject of Masons.
1,157 people from the following 30 countries: Uruguay, Montenegro, Thailand, Jersey, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, United States, Canada, Albania, Sweden, Indonesia, Cambodia, Norway, Netherlands, Nauru, Spain, Germany, Afghanistan, France, Australia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, India, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, have now signed up to support PE01491 here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/judgesmasonregister
But numbers are slowing down and need the boost that a mention on CQN can give it!
Please consider Tweeting and Re-Tweeting the link to your friends who value transparency.
H.H.
Further to a conversation last week:
Total number of Scotland Caps-
Lisbon Lions 117
Rangers 1972 ECWC winners 180
some comparisons…
Greig 44 Murdoch 12
Johnston 21 Lennox 10
Jardine 38 Gemmell 18
D. Johnstone 21 Jimmy Johnstone 23
Stein 21 Chalmers 5
others..Simpson 5, Craig 1, McNeil 29, Clark 4, Wallace 7, Auld 3.
McCloy 4, Mathieson 0, McKinnon 28, Smith 2, McLean 6, Conn 2,
That Rangers side finished 16 points behind Celtic in the league, 3rd place 71-72, losing 11 games to Celtic’s 2. The season before they finished 4th.
Around 2/3 of their total caps were won during Celtic’s 9 in a row period. Rangers won 3 domestic honours in those 9 seasons, Celtic won 19.
I think we get the picture.
ACGR…….. ah yes, but they’ll have their best ever bridie consumption day..swally’s probly gone through early fer a tastin session.
Ally demands to know the names of the beneficiaries of the 22 million.
Ally you’re top of the list ya fat plum.
POG
yout train is back on schedule… 13.16
big nan
10:38 on 20 September, 2013,
Agreed, masons up here tend to be anti catholic from my experiences.
My brother works four days a week in London.
He socialises with some English masons at the top of their professions and he told me they don’t seem to have a religious agenda.
Then again it might just be their little secret ;-)
Marrakesh Express
Not that we didn’t know all this at the time, but when you put it down in print like you did, it kinda hurts more, thank god for the internet, 40 years ago no one would print that, outstanding young man ;) .
Big Nan
petition signed I dont have a twitter account can you tell me how to post on facebook and I will share it (if thats possible) I’m not technically good but will follow instructions where possible
HH
Big Nan
petition on facebook
keep pushing .
The fraud investigation has been completed at Asbestos Dome and it’s been decided it was the goat that did it .
fgf
someone else been goat at?
Masons are totally different outside this bigoted little country,I lived in Canada for many years and I knew lots, and only had one problem with them it involved one of there brothers in a certain lodge, and they could do nothing about it as he was a brother, so I sorted it on my own, they said that they deal with things like that in house, I said fine, 3 years later that same guy was made up to Grand Master, no surprise there, so when the Dallas incident happened, well I still was not surprised, they DO look after there, scary actually .
dena29
go onto your facebook page
go back to cqn and click link takes you to petition there is a box that says share
on facebook click and share
hope this helps
H.H
Own
fourgreenfields supports wee oscar
11:24 on 20 September, 2013,
So thems goat away wae it again?
blantyretim is praying for the knox family
Alright mate , how you doing .
Mark Hately says the goats just like a new signing .
sipsini
Only if we let them mate .
HH
Just in. What’s the news about the huns IPO dosh? I know there was supposed to be only £10m left. Anything else happened?
Are all goats called Billy
Morning all. Was listening to Radio Scotland earlier. There was a discussion about homophobia in football. By and large, it was good to listen to (apart from Spiers feeling called upon to speak of thon deid team and us in the same breath) until an elderly Hearts fan claimed that he had remonstrated last week with another of their fans who had reacted to what he perceived as sectarian chanting from Celtic supporters. He claimed that Hearts fans don’t do such things. Now, while I have often enough spoken out about some of our singing, I wouldn’t have thought Hearts were not averse to their own sectarian chants. Am I right?
Mc murdo the fantasist…
Behold, I Show You A Mystery
I note that there has been a bit of speculation over the breakdown of the Easdales’ shareholding in Rangers. – so much that one writer has even called it a mystery.
Having myself seen the breakdown I can tell my readers that the Easdales have direct control over 14% of shares with Sandy Easdale himself having 4.37%. On top of this he has voting rights over a further 10% approximately. These shares belong to Blue Pitch and Margarita. This means that Sandy Easdale speaks for roughly 24% of shares.
In addition, the board has the backing of other investors. As has already been seen, Minico and the requisitioners have exaggerated their own backing.
As I have said previously, Sandy Easdale is continuing to impress investors with his acumen and no-frills approach. The general consensus of investors backing the board is that a wholesale removal of directors – as proposed by Minico – would be too disruptive for the business at this time.
I can also reveal to my readers that there is serious wealth behind the Easdales in terms of backing, in particular from Blue Pitch. Not only that but it is from the most impeccable of sources in terms of fiscal propriety and corporate governance.
In fact what I have been told is this; “Blue Pitch can write a cheque out for £50 milion at the drop of a hat to support the Easdales and Rangers when the club needs to buy a squad to challenge and win in Europe.”
Having discovered the strength of Blue Pitch I have no doubt about this statement.
What’s more, for Sandy Easdale to impress them speaks volumes about his own credentials.
There is no mystery to the Easdales shareholdings.
Unless, of course, you don’t have the information.
Or making things look mysterious helps your agenda.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
He’s goat to be having a laugh!
Tamlaghduffbhoy.
If you arrive on the Night before the match at The Dakota ,Edinburgh.
The team stay there.
Great food,great bar ,great decor ,and a chance to mingle with our stars.
TT
If the match is in Glasgow .
Stay in the Dakota, Glasgow for the same reasons.
TT
FgF
Good buddy although this working malarkey isnae good for ye..
Suppose it helped pay for mini package for cl games.. £84….
Awe Naw/Pog – I think the last time I was in that railway station I picked up a copy of the Guardian in the newsagents and it had a small article on the front page about a certain Judas signing for a Glasgow team (RIP).
I was so astounded of forehead, I went and got a beer….it was 8am!
T4
Nup, I have been to swinecastle on numerous occasions over the years and have always found them to be a friendly lot…….!
Ayrshire is Green and White
HH
wonder if the Blue Pitch will hover…………..?
A wee mention for CaltonTongues of this parish who was in getting a hip replacement yesterday.
Maybe if you’d tried going to the bar a bit more over the years this wouldn’t have been necessary!!
Get well soon wee man.
Ally McCoist has demanded to know the names of all the goats that are called Billy.
bognorbhoyle oscar in my thoughts
Thanks for that posted on my facebook and shared with daughter who has hundreds of friends so hope it helps
HH
There is only “one King Billy”
Get well soon CT…