It’s probably easier to start with what went right last night, than what went wrong. Efe Ambrose was the epitome of composure, trying to retain possession whenever possible, his transformation since Juventus has been remarkable. van Dijk, Lustig and Izaguirre each did well. Fraser Forster had a few saves to make, but this was one Champions League game he didn’t need to pull off a wonder-save. He was totally exposed for the goal but otherwise Ajax didn’t really stress the Celtic goalkeeper, a clue, perhaps, to the solid performance of those immediately in front of him.
Our top two Champions League performers, Georgios Samaras and Kris Commons, both put in their least effective game at this level. Samaras’ normally-reliable touch and ability to hold the ball deserted him, while Kris looked like a guy returning from injury. Slowly.
The minutia of these games are analysed by each team and after last month’s game, Frank de Boer clearly identified that Georgios was the major cog in Celtic’s machine. The striker was triangulated by opponents each time the ball came near him.
Neil Lennon was left with few choices in the middle of the park. Mulgrew and Kayal would not have been his first choice partnership, given a free hand, but the only practical change there would have been to introduce Joe Ledley. It’s far from clear what difference this would have made.
Celtic persisted in playing down the left long after it was evident this strategy was unproductive. Late in the first half one wag text me to say, “Time to bring Forrest on”, which told the whole story. Anthony Stokes was adrift, largely unconnected to the ankle clipping going on behind him. In short, our play was predictable and correctly predicted by do Boer. We didn’t have a Plan B, which even the best of teams need to avoid defeat occasionally in the Champions League.
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I made a post that did not appear. Thought I was going mad. Did a similar post and it didn’t appear. I am logged in, so this is a test post.
The honest mistake nice of u to meantion the elderly in the pub. Malirbhoy, johann and Tiny Tim… o))
Oldtim usual pub on the square. What time? Hopefully no ajax fans this time..
In support of Resolution 12
Hail Hail
murdochbhoy & big-cup-winners
Re Stokesy imho if he has a strike partner similar to hooper I think you would see the best of him. Was it the season before last that the 2 of them were going toe to toe for top goalscorer. Hoops won it by a couple but Stokesy was also way ahead on the assists. Again in my opinion he needs a partner/poacher to work alongside him something we do not have at the moment.
KTF
HH
Morrissey the 23rd Supporting Resolution 12 with a YES vote.
Nope, your test failed:~)
Yes for me next week.
Ok.
Anyone in town at 1pm today want a wee chat about Celtic..
A big hoopy doo buffday to my wee beautiful niece….
HH PC67
BT how are you mate. How is the leg.
KTF
HH
ACGR Supporting Resolution 12 with a YES vote @ 09:12
The test worked but 4 attempts to post a link in a post has resulted in 4 failed posts.
MT.
Getting there mate. Cold damp weather not good for it though
People a lot worse off than me so we keep going..
Hope things are improving for you..
..
Happy birthday to Token Tim and mini acgr.
I have booked Billy No’well to perform at the CSC after the AGM, one week today.
Hopefully enough people turn up that the bar put something towards the cost and everyone chips in a bit to cover the balance.
*CQN is not letting me provide you with a link to a Billy No’Well song, so just imagine it.*
BT we do indeed keep going. Things improving this side ok. Hoping to catch up for a few beers before Christmas with you and maybe a few other cqn’rs.
KTF
HH
blantyretim.
I’ll go and get ready, around 1.05pm, I’ll be at the Italian Job in the Square.
MT.
For sure..
KTF and Hail Hail
Hands up who thinks Pukki & Balde will end up being loaned out to clubs in the English Championship / Scandinavian leagues come the summer to run down their contracts and never be seen in a Celtic shirt again?
Just listened to the Shortbread podcast and putting my tin hat on……
I see Jackson getting it tight in most of the comments I’ve seen reading back on the blog.
Maybe I’m alone in my view but I thought his comments were not wholly unreasonable on the whole but a few qualifications were definitely needed
His first comparison was equating ease of travel to both Amsterdam an Manchester. Correct in my view.
He talked of the malevolent air in Amsterdam , also correct.
Attacking police is not right or smart. Here his comparison missed the point that many of the Dutch cops were in plain clothes and could just as easily have been “casuals”. By way of contrast the Manchester police assaulted were all uniformed.
To describe as ” up there with Manchester” loses all sense of perspective given the difference in scale of attacks and numbers involved.
He forgot to mention the “Chelsea” fans, all no doubt with Scottish addresses, involved.
Wasted a wee part of my life listening to that podcast.
Happy Birthday The Token Tim.
Have a good one.
Say no to resolution 12, welllllllll, why not? When the main man bottles it a couple Of weeks from the AGM what does that tell you? Tells me he makes bullets, but doesent like to fire them, let some other patsy take the fall, what was it he said? Work commitments, ? Aye right heard it. And after all the flack he gave people on here (and his pals) leadership? aye right.
Good Morning all,
Hopefully peace has broken out on the blog. Understandably feelings running high, however no excuse for some of the language and personal attacks last night. As a blog It does us no credit.
I think the club’s statement is as unequivocal as it can be. They can never be seen to condone violence but have acknowledged the provocation.
Most of us on here do not get our total information from the MSM and we make up own minds ( With the help of CQN ) and with this in mind I’ll reiterate a comment from yesterday morning.
“After observing the antics of the Ajax supporters in Glasgow I think it would have been naïve to think that there would be no potential for trouble. I watched the link from Hamiltontim @ 10.21 hrs and although the police actions are to be deplored it has to be said I do not think this portrays us in an immaculate light either.”
The reason this is so emotive is because we have built up a very hard won reputation for our support. We pride ourselves on our good behaviour e.g. Fair play awards etc and always consider ourselves leagues ( In more ways than one ) above most others.
We know that we do not get a fair deal from the MSM and any excuse for a dig at us will be exploited. Sometimes we can be too harsh on our youthful supporters for doing things that we have all done in the past, but this is the reality.
To conclude ;I used to associate Ajax with total football but in the future I will associate them with contempt and thuggery.
HH, Always in Celtic.
TD.
Thats twice that I have noticed you call canamlar a coward.
This blog has rules re personal abuse.
Good morning fellow Celts – cold and fresh in Renfrewshire
First things first, We only lost one nil in the ArenA, to a very well- worked goal. One of the best I have seen – albeit grudgingly, our next opponents are Milan and they avoided a 1-0 defeat there because the ref now owns a wee vila on Lake Como ;-/
So, in terms of result it was hardly a disaster, anyone who watched Celts in Europe post Madrid in 80 and pre Martin will understand that.
Yes I agree the strongest part of our team was defence, and each and every one of the back line incuding Fraser were at the top of their game , i felt Mick Lustig was absoulute class and played like a true Celt – wonderful to watch him develop.
In central mid I felt both Charlie and Beram played well enough and were simpy overrun by the sheer volume of our oponents play,
Our offensive group were just not at the races!
Big Sammi is being relied on as the only out ball, he has excelled in that role but it has been sussed out. It was kinda one- dimentional stuff anyway and we have gone to that well once too often.
Say what you like about Sammi, but he never hides – always shows and keeps showing
Fraser and Jamesy have the ability to hide in games and sometimes do that rather too well. Stokesy just didn’t get enough of the ball and I absolve him from any criticism.
There is a simple reason why our mid to front guys looked abject and woeful, a reason that maybe explains why those heads were down…
They know as well as any other observor that they are playing fitba in a team without a capable striker
It gets on their p@ps as much as it does the fans – and it shows
Lenny had little or no choice on Wed nite. Like everyone else he is stuck with no viable target man up front – we have been watching this situation unfold for season after season
Our creative mid players are skilful and capable. but the entire team is lopsided and disjointed because we lack a pinnacle player. Every other player in attacking positions are suffering from being asked to do things they are not capable of doing they are dusjointed and appear weary of it.
It is not their fault
It is not Lenny’s fault
The folk that bring nothing else but priojects into our squad need to take a right good look in a mirror
We are on the verge of having one of the best teams I have ever seen in the hoops.
One or two suitable additions would make a mighty difference
But!!!
Everyone has known about the problem for years.
Fix the problem Celtic, or we could lose out on a fantastic foundation and a group of wonderful young players.
HH
I support resolution 12 wholeheartedly:)
HH
The Scottish media showing the even handedness once again I see. Loads of coverage of our fans’ behaviour – and everything was our fault. Compare and contrast to the lack of coverage that the always awful behaviour of fans of a certain dead team received on their travels.
Can’t get my head round why no Ajax cowards were arrested at the first game, and why the hooded eejits were allowed to wander around the Amsterdam City Centre, entering a pub(s) to attack innocent drinkers, only some of whom will have been Celtic supporters……strange
…and even stranger, I haven’t seen any condemnation of the Amsterdam hooligans by the Amsterdam authorities………is this the acceptable norm over there..?
mighty tim supporting wee Oscar
It’s clear Stokes is floundering on his own and needs a partner to feed off. Going further I’d also like to see….
The midfield freed of some of their defensive responsibilities, the defence have clearly demonstrated they’re more then capable.
Rogic, given a run of games – he offers some much needed pace to our midfield and naturally moves into space to receive the ball, something that is chronically lacking at the moment.
When Steven Mouyokolo is fit I’d really like to see Van Dijk moved to a defensive midfield role that would allow him to start moves, he has demonstrated he has the ability. Hoofing the Ball to Sammi is, well, had its day as a tactic.
tonydonnelly67
09:37 on 8 November, 2013
You come across as a bit of a creep.
Theres no way anybody should back down from unprovoked attacks
That Amsterdam mob are just cowards, coppers and so called ajax fans trying sly attacks….well from what I seen, they deserved to be battered.
I wouldnt take that from anybody…nor did our fans….well done.
As for the scoddish media….brain dead huns, ignore them.
HH
The Token Tim,
Happy birdie to you….
Happy birdie to you….
Happy birdie, dear Token Tim….
Happy birdie to you….!!!!
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors.
Totally agree. Why were no arrests made at the first game for one of the worst displays of hooliganism and vandalism seen for many a year. Is this the benchmark for Police Scotland???
IMO the die was cast after the first leg.
HH, Always in Celtic.
BT – Have you watched any Billy No’Well videos yet?
SpanishJohn supporting Resolution 12.
SJ
Morrissey
Aftet breakfast honest..
One of the pals threaten me with rules of name calling, another one calls me a ..creep.. At least they are consistent , one hand doesent know what other hand is doing, what’s next? Keyboard bullying ? All be cause I agree with what Peter Lawell sais? Aye right, have a look at your selves, it’s MY opinion, my post, you don’t like it? Tough, others in here may run from you, not me son, no need for the individual finger pointing you know who you are.
No threat from meTD
Pointing out rules isn’t threatening. .
I agree with Ernie.btw.
ACGR , support from me.
PS think we’ve got estorilbhoy sorted.
Sanna
T3 – Hoopy birthday mate. Hope you enjoy your day.
Good luck to the bhoys attending the AGM. I’m not a shareholder, but my opinion now is that the questions need to be asked of our board and the SFA. It’s a Yes from me.
T4