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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We can all be a little to quick to judge but I feel angry at the ‘Celtic supporters’ who have brought shame on the entire Celtic family. Who are they and what did they hope to achieve?
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Champions. C’mon Wee Oscar.
15:03 on
7 November, 2013
If only the Dutch were so brave when hitler came calling!!!
MWD
==========================
To be fair I don’t think a mob of 60 Dutch guys charging in to a pub and then running away when the cops turned up would have worried the Third Reich too much…….
I’ve watched a few clips of football hooligans on YOutube and the like and I am always struck by how quickly they run away from situations en masse, how much time they spend doing the ‘come ahead’ gesture while bouncing around on the balls of their feet and if battle is ever engaged how often the lean back kicking at opponents, throw chairs at them or get in to a wrestling match. Saddos looking for easy prey, gang approval, and a sense of belonging they can’t get anywhere else. Pathetic.
scullybhoy
“I feel angry at the ‘Celtic supporters’ who have brought shame on the entire Celtic family. Who are they and what did they hope to achieve?”
I might precede these questions with “what did they do?” and “have I seen them doing something wrong?”
My answers to those questions are “I don’t know yet” and “no”.
What are yours?
RobertTressell
15:08 on
7 November, 2013
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Champions. C’mon Wee Oscar.
15:03 on
7 November, 2013
If only the Dutch were so brave when hitler came calling!!!
MWD
==========================
To be fair I don’t think a mob of 60 Dutch guys charging in to a pub and then running away when the cops turned up would have worried the Third Reich too much…….
===
Actually many thousands of Dutch joined the Wermacht and SS Viking division. The city where i live in the Netherlands has a monument in memory of the Canadian soldiers who died liberating the city. What it doesn’t mention is that the fiercest fighting and heaviest casualties taken was fighting against the Dutch SS.
ramie
11:36 on 7 November, 2013
Sydneytim and other sydney based tims
I will be in sydney on saturday night and would not mind catching up with you guys for the game………….
……………
Ramie enjoy Sydney mate HH
Will add Kano on FB innaw!
V
Honest mistake and others
Watch the clips circulating. Those that got wellied and started throwing bottles at teams etc .. Make it too easy for those in the media that have it in for us. That’s all I’m saying.
We will probably be saved by our widely recognised exemplary behaviour record this time. We have a decent case to point out previous good behaviour but elements of our support haven’t helped our case.
There’s a difference between loyalty and blind loyalty. One of the reason behind our great reputation is that fans don’t turn a blind eye to unacceptable behaviour. We self police in the main.
I didn’t like some of what I saw it reminded me of other less worthy fans.
Trams
I was in Amsterdam Tue lunchtime returning today. I never seen one bit of trouble caused by Celtic fans, the Ajax hooligans planned the violence and the police never stopped it in fact they waded into the Celts as well.
Ajax are the new hun.
HH
hebcelt @ 14:38
“Morrisseythe23rd As you know I,ve proxied my vote to Marie via the Celtic Trust can I proxy a different person to represent me at the AGM? If so who do you suggest? Hail Hail Hebcelt”
If you don’t have anyone in mind then mail me at Morrisseythe23rd@aol.com. I have a few people in mind. You could proxy one of the guys who collected the signatures but isn’t a share-holder.
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar @ 14:52
“Cultsbhoy
I’ve had first hand accounts from yesterday. The Celtic supporters were not to blame, the Ajax fans and elements of the local police were.
To blame alcohol is spurious and misleading.”
It doesn’t take a lot of research on-line to discover what happened. When the police treat our support like this, the family should be defending them.
I saw drunk idiots in Seville. There was no need for police brutality there. ;)
“To blame alcohol is spurious and misleading”
Chairbhoy,
Whether James Forrest makes it or not, your point is right. We have to bring in our young players, like Ajax have done for a long, long time. We, however, have a problem that doesn’t affect Ajax (or even Arsenal for that matter): we play in the SFPL. Teams are allowed to kick us at will and they know the MIBs will let them. Until that changes (and it doesn’t look likely to me), we will have the dilemma of deciding whether or not we can put the youngsters at risk.
Cults Bhoy
I looked at some of the videos posted last night and I could not make out any clear footage of Celtic fans instigating trouble. If you have any that show this, I will look at them and condemn the guys I see doing so. The only clear bits of the footage I saw were of cops batoning guys with their hands held up pleading with them and of plain clothes policemen, grabbing Celtic fans, seemingly at random out of the crowd.
There is no blind loyalty involved in waiting to see and weigh evidence before judgement and condemnation. In fact the opposite charge could be just as lightly leveled.
setting free the bears supports Celtic’s best fighter- Wee Oscar Knox
15:12 on 7 November, 2013
scullybhoy
“I feel angry at the ‘Celtic supporters’ who have brought shame on the entire Celtic family. Who are they and what did they hope to achieve?”
I might precede these questions with “what did they do?” and “have I seen them doing something wrong?”
My answers to those questions are “I don’t know yet” and “no”.
What are yours?
……………………………………………………………………………
I did see a picture before the game on the web of Celtic fans outside the Arena with a flag saying F*** Ajax, this was obviously going to antagonise etc. I just did not see the sense in this.
When did commons last score from a free kick?
I could be wrong but I think Charlie and Stokes have scored more.
Sftb
YouTube : ‘ Ajax Celtic prologue’ shows the terrible provocation endured by Celtic fans but start watching from 5:30min onwards and you will see Celtic supporters throwing bottles at trams as they depart.
It doesn’t take a genius to know how this will be edited in the news. Combined with footage of a sea of empty beer bottles you can see how some fans have exposed themselves and the reputation of our fans as a whole.
That is my point.
hendrix67
The last wan i recall was agianst Dundee Utd last season at Tannidice when we won 4 nil
Could be wrong though
Love
scullybhoy
Agreed- not my sentiments but a fairly weak provocation, don’t you think, to bringing shame on us.
I am fairly sure our fans must have done something worse than that banner but I still cannot see the full picture. There was no stadium rioting as there had been in the first leg and the manager of the main pub in the Dam square seems to think that Celtic fans were hard done to.
the spirit of arthur lee
Cheers.
I think commons should take a back seat at direct free kicks
Re Commons at free kicks.
Every single player in the team should be able to take a direct free kick at goal if required. This annoys me about professional footballers. They kick a ball every single day and some can;t take a throw in, corner, or free kick. Every single pro should be a dead ball expert and if they aren’t I would be asking them why not?
Is David Beckham a natural at free kicks? I wouldn’t say so. he got very good at them by practice. Over and over again he stayed behind at training to skelp balls into a net. Took them from all angles. I don;t understand why every player doesn’t do this. You want to put a few quid on your transfer fee or wages be able to take a free kick. Like a penalty it is sometimes handed to the player who is having the best game. High on confidence and feel like every thing they hit will hit the back of the net. The key with a free kick is to hit the target. The keeper will not always save it. Not hitting the target is frustrating to say the very least. It’s a basic of football and should be treated as such.
LB
I read MIB at Sevco game bottled it, and didn’t give Black a cert 2nd yellow card last night,then gave them a very soft penalty and a red card.Stevie O’Reilly = Willie Collum.
setting free the bears supports celtic’s best fighter- wee oscar knox
15:03 on 7 November, 2013
allymac
Very few kick off “tactics” are effective or influential. A player might attempt to dribble straight through two set banks of 4 if he gets by the two opposition attackers immediately facing him. It would still be neither a tactic nor one that a coach would advocate.
Do you know of any team with a more successful kick off tactic than ours?
——————-
http://youtu.be/3IWSxqSzUgk
:)
!!Bada Bing!!
You read the letter of complaint drafted by a Pars fan visiting Ibrokes with his son? It would appear that the Sevco fans behaviour was every bit as bad as the Ajkax fans against the mighty Dunfermline! Sad
LB
Cults Bhoy
I just watched that for the first time.
Totally condemn the action of the young bhoys (around a dozen or so) who rushed with bottles at the tram @ 5.30 in the clip and the two men earlier @4.40 who clearly threw bottles too (at whom is not made clear).
I am afraid that the bottles situation in the main square are just typical of previous trips abroad that have passed without violence. Drink was not the distinguishing feature this time. What may have been different is the number of fans who went without tickets and obviously continued drinking without break as they were not going to the stadium.
Just seen on one report that Police arrested 44 fans 28 of them Scottish & 16 Dutch. Why can’t ye all be nice & peaceful, like the Irish. (Smiley face).
If my memory is correct the bottle throwers didn’t have team colours.
Others standing about watching did.
Anybody confirm?
Chairbhoy
Arson Wenger has brought youngsters into his team and supports them, Arron Ramsey was getting loads of criticism – look at him now.
I think instead of looking at Arsensl we should be looking at Southamton where most of the Arsenal youngsters came from. What is it that they do that produces a line of talent
The Herlad should take a bow………….
vewwy pwoud.
Aye!
SFTB
Did you see my post @14.04?
JJ
Parkheadcumsalford @ 15:29,
“… we play in the SFPL. Teams are allowed to kick us at will and they know the MIBs will let them. Until that changes (and it doesn’t look ikely to me), we will have the dilemma of deciding whether or not we can put the youngsters at risk.”
Well you make a very good point as Matthews can testify, there’s a couple of things though.
One we should be doing all we can to highlight the stylized Refereeing that is common in Scotland is damaging both players and the Scottish game – we should be demanding the rules of the the game are uniformally applied throughout Europe.
My idea is for Celtic to bring in a heavyweight European as Football Director, someone with the right Footballing credenntials could do a bit of naming and shaming.
David Moyes spoke out about the treatment afforded Adnan Januzaj asking for more protection after an incident at Fulham – He got the ear of the refs, an apology from the Fulham player and the FA are looking at the incident.
Like you I won’t be holding my breath waiting but banging on could be a start.
Secondly and unfortunetly we may have to pre-select our kids with the right physicality – as John Kennedy shows it doesn’t guarantee against injury but the likes of Darnell Fisher shows it can be the way forward.
Hail Hail
” Ambrose was the epitome of composure “? Did you watch the same game as I did?
The only people to get pass marks were Lustig, Mulgrew, Van Dijk and maybe Kayal.
FoCUS, were handed a list of banned Ajax supporters before the first game at Celtic park, they tore it up and allowed them to attend.
So it wouldnt surprise me if they also told the dutch police a pack of lies to ensure heavy handed treatment with the motive of trying to goad the support into reprisals so they can carry on victimising our support, and claim they are doing a good job.
Strange what motivates some……………….eh!
Nice one Delbhoy59. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Time for t pub
Scullybhoy, if provocation is being talked about, the banner in the Ajax end saying “Fenian B******ds” (Phil Mac tweeted the photo earlier) should be mentioned.
Jungle Jim
Not sure when I will be on a night out with CQN but I will catch up sometime.
Cults Bhoy
There are some threads on the Huddleboard which give accounts of trouble involving Ajax fans stealing flags from Celtic supporters in Dam street. The police seem to have decided to crack down on Dutch and Celtic supporters in that area and then took that approach forward to the square where the fans had been peaceful up to that point.
Seems the attack on the tram was to get at an undercover cop who had been arresting Celtic fans and there were more than a dozen involved in that part of the clip, nearer to 30.
These events are always messy and unpredictable. Fans being batoned and attacked are often collateral damage. Do not assume that everyone arrested was involved in an arrestable offence. We will have some guilty ones and it sounds like a fair few Dutch fans were arrested too.
DhenBhoy, FF, Izzy, Ambrose & Stokes all failed to get pass marks by your standards. Jaysus you must have been some player yourself to demand such high standards from others.
Yorkbhoy @ 16:01,
“… I think instead of looking at Arsensl we should be looking at Southamton where most of the Arsenal youngsters came from. What is t that they do that produces a line of talent.”
Well that’s very true and Southampton are a good provincial Club. Our level of talent coming through the academy has been low, we can say we’re in Scotland but we’ve missed a couple of gems under our nose and Darnell Fisher is English.
Still as we know to our cost it’s one thing getting talent to quality youth level, it’s quite another thing to make them first team players.
Hail Hail
Friend, long time Celtic traveller and CQNer reports that he and his brothers were caught up in a mounted police push/charge into Dam Sq, but were thankfully unharmed.
Also reports that the behaviour of some of the identifiably Celtic support was worrying, and notes that in his recent experience there is an increasing number among our support who do not know how to behave: “poorest away support I’ve ever seen follow Celtic”
MessengerCSC