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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Rainbow laces?
Presumably missing the bit between 520 to 575 nm?
Sixtae-it’s not fish suppers, it’s pawn brokers.
So if you’re lookin’ for an ole velo du St Etienne …
!!Bada Bing!!
16:23 on 19 September, 2013
bournesouprecipe
15:53 on 19 September, 2013It’s not too late for CQN’aaaaarrrrsss
There’s already been a few on today….
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Yes, there has been quite a few and i expect that will continue as i believe this is a forum for debate and opinion….
If we all had the same opinions and thoughts what would we be…. robots, perchance, or all clones of the one great being….??
Paul/Peter would be a dull boy..
Jungle Jim 17:18 on 19 September, 2013
What exactly is The Challenge Cup?
………………………….
Is it like their loving cup Jim?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dJpf3zOXd4
Ha ha, that one always cracks me up. It’s like an auld piss pot. I wonder what they’re drinking out of it?. Yeeeeeeuchh!!!
..have been…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNCnKAr-6N4&feature=player_detailpage
FF save, judge for yourself. I think it is a great save – defending though was absolutely fecking atrocious only Van Dijk reacted you can see his frustration with his team mates. Defend like that against top teams and you get spanked
If the Pawn cup final is at CP, I would expect a type of bond payment to be made to us by TFOD before the match goes ahead.
I wouldnt want them to wreck the place, then sevco dont have the money to pay for the damages.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
They’re going for the BIG one: FishSupper/PawnBroker/Ramsden’s/Scottish Challenge Cup!
How many wee stars would that be worth?
:o)
ITV 4 EL Valencia v Swansea now
Loving the peeps who think that we will beat Barca home and away!
Last night was in most part a great performance and we have shown real progress under NFL
However if we want to make a further step up we need to be more pragmatic
With 15 minutes to go we should have shut up shop and taken 0-0
That way we might even have won as Milan might have been forced to come at us and left space for us to hit them on the break
From the start of the second half Milan began to play out much deeper at the back to pull us out on to them
If its 0-0 with 15 minutes to go at CP Milan will not commit guys forward in an effort to win the game!
They will be happy with the draw and still think they might score as we have to attack them
IMHO our first sub should have been Biton to hold the space in front of our back four
At the first goal Stokes rushed over to close down the Milan player who scored
AS dived in just like a forward out of position usually does whereas a real defensive mid would hopefully have just held the Milan player up and asked him to do something to get by him!
Since we only paid under a million for Biton – we should have had him signed long before he was !
Milan will be a bigger threat at CP – happy to defend and hit on the break
Make no mistake 3rd place would be an absolutely brilliant result for us!
We are not in pot for nothing!
What is really encouraging is the progress we are making
We looked very comfortable on the ball – apart from in the final third but that is still major progress.
I’m not a fan of Ambrose but I thought he was excellent as were several others
Stokes worked very hard but I think he lacks the strength to play up front on his own
A run in the EL after Christmas would allow this group of players to come together and become a very effective team that should qualify much more easily and then kick on !
Well done to everyone but we need to keep learning – even little things can make big differences at this level
0-0 is much better than 2-0 !
HH
Sixtae- Ally would want double chips and ketchup on it.
If they win it the DVD will be in the shops in time for Santa.
hen1rik
16:38
First British team to get on Crimewatch……………new world record.
lets say they get to the final, and then win it.
Quiz question is years to come, which stadium did Sevco win their first cup?
I would gladly remind their fans of the ramsden cup victory they had against whoever, at Celtic park, to claim their first cup as a new club.
All you golfing hackers – I include myself in that gang – are more than familiar with the oft expressed sentiment after a round “I played well but was not scoring” would be an apt description of Celtic’s performance last night.
The match went pretty much as I expected. We enjoyed a lot of posession, the Italians don’t tend to press the man with the ball like other European sides, but you must be clinical when you create those few chances.
The back four looked assured and comfortable on the ball and the mid more than held their own. The quality of our crosses was awful after making some terrific breaks.
We won an unusual amount of corner kicks despite being the away side but I can’t remember any of our big men getting their heads to the ball and we now have alot of big guys in the team. Barca could be in trouble if we manage to win as many corners in our next match.
desertbhoy-was referring to the queue of boo boys and Monday Morning Quarterbacks who appear here after a defeat,if you like that sort of thing,enjoy.
I was gutted last night. I thought that was one of our best European away displays in a long time and Neil set up our team perfectly from the start.
While I think Neil set up the team rightly at the beginning of the match but I might be the only person that thinks that Neil got it wrong with his substitutions.
Granted everybody could see that Milan was for the taken and who amongst us didn’t want Celtic to go for it but in hindsight would it have been better to firm up our team and at least get a draw instead of throwing on another striker and an offensive winger and go for the win. At this level we should play smarter and throwing on 3 players that barely trained with team nevermind played for out team is a bit naive in my opinion.
The outcome might not have changed if we put on Kayal or if we took a striker off when Pukki came on instead of a midfielder. At the time I thought great we are going for it but then realised we were more vulnerable for the counterattack.
As I said it might not have made a difference but every away point is precious in the CL. Hopefully we will learn from this and learn when to gamble or not to gamble especially in the first game when there was no need.
Only my opinion though and I don’t mean to be too critical of our team that I thought gave everything in a valiant effort.
Hail Hail
I watched the Barcelona v Ajax game today Ajax play a classic Dutch 4-3-3 the main difference between them and Barcelona tactical play was Barcelona having the false number 9. Ajax are quite a young team. They have the ex Barcelona player Bojan. They created some good chances and had plenty of possession whem you consider who they were playing. It was clear they didn’t have the quality and speed of Barcelona. The game was open but at times had 12 players in the one quarter of the pitch,were the ball was, as Barcelona pressured the ball. Ajax played very much from the back e.g. by kicks were passed wide to the touch line 16 to 20 yards out. They didn’t cause a threat in the air. No one player stood out.
Andy Murrray to have back surgery,out for the rest of the season.
Its the day after the event and a couple of observations.
We missed Joe Ledley in mid field,especially in the last 15 mins.,when Muntari became the main player on the field.
Mulgrew continuously slows the game down in midfield,definately our weak point .
Now,Forster .I would like someone who has knowledge of goalkeeping to tell me why was he sitting on his backside ,in the middle of the goal,for izzy deflection.the shot was going wide of his left hand post,the deflection took it in to the goals,surely the goalkeeper should’ve been moving to his left to cover the strike,the deflection moved the ball closer to him not further away,or am I missing something.
We are not far from being a very good team,where is that goals corer we need.HH
!!Bada Bing!!
17:57 on 19 September, 2013
desertbhoy-was referring to the queue of boo boys and Monday Morning Quarterbacks who appear here after a defeat,if you like that sort of thing,enjoy.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
yes i know… didn’t say i enjoyed it but similar to the moon howlers and the mine shafters, some contain the odd valid point….
.. as said the world would be a dull place, as some of them are crackers which have me writhing on the floor tied in knots with laughter… which, at my age is not something my doctor prescribes…
Celtic should not allow the final of the Challenge Cup to be played at Celtic Park if Sevco make the final.
Why should we accommodate them with all the inevitable damage?
Play it a ground suitable for the level of competition. What about Clyde new ground?
John McKay in red tie shocker.
desertbhoy-HH
My Dear Friend…..Kojo
‘Sage Of The Vegas Strip….’
Last Surviving Member Of The Rat Pack….
The Man Who Told Lauren Bacall..NO!
Ah Hiv Tae Disagree With You On The Matter Of Broonie’s Alleged Culpability..
In The Incident That Led To The Red & Black Striped Cheats’ Second Goal….
Balotelli Angled His Run Into Brown’s Path,Elbowing Him In The Process….
Brown Then Raised His Arm On The Impact….
But More As An Automatic Impulse To Maintain His Balance….
Rather Than To Fend Off Laughin’ Boy’s Illegal Challenge…
Balotelli’s Behaviour All Night……
Was An Absolute Disgrace……
From The First Time Lustig Went To Challenge Him….
And He Threw Himself Up In The Air…
Before The Swede Came Anywhere Near Him….
He Was Trying To Get Players Booked All Night….With His Antics
But Expect Only The Most Muted Of Criticism….
From Oor Happy-Clappy Plastic Paddy Brigade….
Anyhow…. A Very Disappointing Performance,Overall….
Against A Depleted Milan Squad Who Were There For The Taking…..
Too Many Celtic Players Lacked Self-Belief……
A Distinct Lack Of ‘Cojones’ Evident….
Flattered To Deceive….
In Truth,Apart From The Stokes Free Kick Which Hit The Bar….
They Never Really Looked Like Scoring All Night….
Just Shows The Futility Of Playing At This Level Without Recognised Strikers..
Stokes Is A Useful Auxillary Striker To Have About The Squad…..
Especially For The Away Fixtures Against The Wee Teams In The SPL….
And To Give The First Pick Strikers A Rest….
But He Is Getting In The Way Of Our Acquiring A Genuine Strike Partnership..
Pukki + Finbogasson/Another….?
Shame On Lawwell And The Irish Raj For Short-Changing Us Yet Again…..
In A Vital Transfer Window….
Must Indeed Be Pleasant For Oor Ginger Tinkerman …..
To Hear A Refined Dublin Burr Around Lennoxtown Of A Morning……
Rather Than The Deepest South Lanks Patois…
But It Is NOT Beyond Price…!
Right…?
~~~~~
In Other News,Scientists From Sheffield University……
Have Located Primitive Alien Organisms In The Upper Atmosphere…
Who Have Demanded To Be Taken To Ooter Cambuslang…..
To Be Re-United With Their Leader…
Still….Laughin’
Swansea 1 up good goal
Some times after a night like last night when i hear or read people moaning i dont feel like rational debate or comment. I just feel like saying:
Cheer up or f%&* off.
Singing Detective……….The refined Dublin Burr you refer to I gather is Dermot Desmond
who is actually a Corkonian.
Does Not Anthony Stokes….
Have A Refined Dublin Burr….?
CorkieIsInnocent CSC
We played well last night but we were up against a fragile Milan. Not so much in terms of ability but more so that Milan were not mentally right. They were there for the taking and while we get the plaudits the reason why we took nothing from last night was our lack of any real quality or composure in the final third. Hopefully Pukki and Boerrigter will turn out to be class at this level but we should have bought better during the last window. For me Wnayama and Hooper were badly missed last night and if we had have replaced them with similar quality. Then there’s little doubt that we’d be sitting with 3 points just now.
The attendance last night was just under 55,000 in a stadium whose capacity is about 85,000, ‘tho,I believe, for CL games is reduced to just under 80,000.
25,000 empty seats?
Where were the Milan fans?
The Celtic fans were all there!
HH!!
Singing Detective………..I’d say Dublinese rather than refined although his parents sent him to a rugby playing college. Are you familiar with Ronnie Drew then you know what i mean.
Tallybhoy… they obviously thought it was not an attractive prospect, 3 points guaranteed, and not worth shelling out money for. Saving it up for the bigger teams.
desertbhoy
17:41 on 19 September, 2013
Evening
HH
Peter Lawwell ruined my iPhone
Oglach
17:42 on
19 September, 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNCnKAr-6N4&feature=player_detailpage
FF save, judge for yourself. I think it is a great save – defending though was absolutely fecking atrocious only Van Dijk reacted you can see his frustration with his team mates. Defend like that against top teams and you get spanked.
………………….
On the contrary sir.
The defence did not defend as a unit and the only one who was out of step was Virgil. If he had kept the same line with Ambrose and Izzy then three Milanese would have been clearly off side. Not surprising that Virgil was unhappy at the time but no one else in the defence could understand why the opposition were not offside. Virgil knew because he chose to stay goal-side of his man as the lick was taken and no one else did. I do not think he was held in this position as someone else suggested.
Thought Virgil and Efe were excellent all night though. Sometimes you get away with minor misunderstandings like the above, other times it is a near miss.
HH
Tallybhoy……….very few games attract 80,000 fans nowadays. 55,000 was a great crowd for a first round game. Italian football is in decline.
The Narrowbhoat Tim
Welcome back (belated I know)
Nice to see you back on home turf.
HH
Morrissey the 23rd
Thanks for the Vic’n’Bob – genius. Ashore and now heading north
RWE
Aside from the groans as their team gave the ball away regularly in the second half didn’t hear the Milanisti much until the scored. Our support wasn’t as numerous as in the past but were a privilege to be a part of
Oh and finally a big thanks to John Hill and Franny Mullen the organisers of the Gallowgate Travel trip – magnificent guys and the only way to travel. A lifetime of memories
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox