Dinamo Zagreb dropped points for the second time in 10 league games this season on Saturday when they drew a blank against bottom of the table Slaven Koprivnica. Slaven took only one point from five league games in August, and lost heavily to Zagreb on the opening day of the season, but have tightened up at the back in recent weeks. Parking the bus on Saturday was enough to curtail the Croatian champions.
That blank score line was a rarity for Dinamo, who had scored in all but one of this season’s 18 previous outings. After losing their first leg at home to Zagreb, Aalborg shut up shop in the Champions League qualifier in Croatia and overturned the first leg deficit.
So what can we expect on Thursday? We’ve kept only one clean sheet in the last 10 outings, and that was to lower league Hearts, who missed a penalty and struck the crossbar. Looking at Celtic’s defensive record, Dinamo will fancy their chances of getting a goal. Like most teams away from home in Europe, they will plan to defend first and foremost, and take their chances on the break.
Having collected a vital point away to the top seed on match day one, the group opens up for Celtic if they can beat Zagreb this week, but how should they go about achieving this? If St Mirren, Motherwell, Dundee and Inverness can score against Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb will do so, unless Celtic protect their back line considerably better than they have so far this season. Celtic are likely to need to score two or more to win the game. Without Goals Guidetti, this sounds like a big challenge.
Going on form, it’s in Celtic interests to ensure this is a tight game, deny Dinamo space to break into, and use their own speed to attack when opportunity arises. We’ll need to hold the ball, and that means Kris Commons will have to play, no matter how fit he is, but I would be tempted to give him a deeper role than usual. Johansen and Brown have critical roles to play in protecting the defence but they will need Commons available to bring calm to proceedings.
I see The Telegraph have taken a punt on Craig Whyte, et al’s, Worthington Group being in sufficient funds to mount their threatened legal challenge to Sevco Scotland Ltd, now known as Rangers International PLC, for acquiring the legal entitlement of Sevco 5088 Ltd. Sevco 5088 had irrefutable entitlement to the assets of liquidated Rangers FC but this entitlement was assumed by Sevco Scotland, then owned and controlled by Charles Green.
Green and Craig Whyte both claimed to control Sevco 5088 when the company’s entitlement was assumed by the other company. So what does all this mean? There’s nothing in The Telegraph story that we didn’t know two years ago. Even if a journo had first-hand information from a prime source, you’d have to wonder what value you could invest in what any of these characters say.
Until Our Hero spins the roulette wheel at the Ibrox Casino, everyone’s chasing shadows on this one.
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HT
Political message free sweetie wrappers..a merchandising dream that will surely be picked up, odds on they’ll be in the superstore for Thursday, make sure you get your %
Is there anything ‘official’ from the GB regarding Sunday or is the blog in a tizz over a single post from Td67?
Did I see earlier someone post that it was Mighty Tim’s birthday?
If so, many happy returns big fella, without doubt one of the best guys that I’ve had the pleasure to meet through CQN.
Starry….
Agreed.
Me too
Saltires all over the place in seville
Googy
Flags are the least of our worries, it’s when flegs make an appearance that’ll turn my stomach.
Did someone mention the pot still.?
Crackin wee single grain whisky in there Cameron Brig think it’s 25 year old.
£5.85 a nip.
Worth it, it’s a brammer.
BGX
“SFTB…ok your honour..so YOU decide when a man can or cannot air his views…welcome to the Un Democratic Republic of S F T B….”
My, my, what a translation you can get in the world of BGX. I did not understand your Stealer’s Wheel response but this one is more straightforward.
First, it is not my word that holds sway, it is the UEFA regulations. They prevent Billy McNeill or Bertie Auld or our Directors from making “political” displays and we have already been hammered for this transgression. It would be suicide for the GB to pick a fight on this issue at the Zagreb game so soon after they have been rightly welcomed back. You can campaign to have this law overturned but, while it is in existence, you cannot bring monetary fines upon Celtic and shirk responsibility for that. I have grave doubts that we will see any such flag in the GB section. They are usually less predictable and obvious than this.
Second, no such restrictions exist at an SPFL match and we have made chants and banners in support of Irish freedom so long as they do not transgress the law of the land. However stadium regulations led to Police confiscating saltires with Yes on them, at the Falkirk:Rangers game, 5 days after the referendum result. Saltires and union flags without political slogans remained unmolested. I am unsure of the grounds for this and again, it can be attempted at the individual’s own risk but it has nothing to do with Celtic.
Third, I have tried to keep this as simple as possible to leave you less room for your bizarre google translation service into Natthink. However, I may have underestimated your determination to twist.
Che
We could start up our own CQN ‘political sweetie wrapper’ business.
CQN’s version of Chinese fortune cookies.
I see rm is even more vile tonight than usual, and that takes some doing…… there really is no hope for them…. or for anyone who wants to see their zombie club in the SPFL…
Hamiltontim
:-) 9pm
Remember an episode of only an excuse, where the celtic fan is describing Seville.
….’aye, there were tricolours everywhere it was magic, but in the corner there it was…….someone with a saltire….spoiling it for everybody’….
Celtic Football Club @celticfc · 26s 26 seconds ago
A hard-fought win for the Bhoys in tonight’s Glasgow derby but well-deserved.
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Celtic Football Club @celticfc · 53s 53 seconds ago
FULL TIME: Celtic 3 – 2 Partick Thistle
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Good evening friends.
malone Boy
“Wow… Flying a Scotland flag is bad now?”
& Ger 57
“Celtic is a Scottish team founded by Scots of Irish descent. I’m pleased to see Scotland flags at CP. There were quite a few seen in the 60s and in Lisbon.
SFTB is the flag moderator now, is he?”
See, this is the problem when misinformation is circulated by ignorance or wilful misunderstanding.
There is no problem, and never has been or will be, with the flying of a Scottish Saltire. They’re not banning men & women from the Waving of the Blue (&White). It is the addition of political slogan to your banner or flag that will see you fall foul, whether your flag is a saltire, tricolour or union flag. Or even if it is a blank canvas.
It is not a difficult point to grasp.
Wave away with any flag you choose. I will not interfere. And you’ld have to be half daft to believe I would.
Gonna someone tell me what is political about waving the flag of your teams country at a football game
Tictaewin
Your anti Irish sentiments coming to the fore again this evening.
Pot still from what I see so far away I’ll only have Scotsmen n the bar.you’ll be. OK.
PSG 3-1
Henderson dominates as McMullan double beats Thistle
Date: 30th September 2014 at 8:51 pm
Written by: Joe McHugh | Comments (0)
Paul McMullan
A double from Paul McMullan earned Celtic a hard fought 3-2 win over Partick Thistle in the Development League.
The young striker scored twice in the 6-2 win over Ross County a fortnight ago and picked up on that display with a confident performance that caused the Thistle defence problems throughout the match with his goals coming either side of a Fiacre Kelleher header.
For an hour Liam Henderson dominated the match reminding Ronny Deila of his ability before making way for Regan Hendry.
On the comeback trail Darnell Fisher had a quiet time of it in the first half before being replaced by Sam Wardrop.
With the rain coming down as the match kicked off Cappielow provided the perfectsurface for both teams to ping passes around with Henderson assertiing his presence on the match from the first whistle.
At every opportunity the 18-year-old was demanding the ball and pushing forward in support of McMullan who looked in the mood playing as sole striker.
The hoops took the lead after 16 minutes with a great opportunist strike from McMullan. The striker raced onto a slack pass-back from Matthew McNally then confidently rounded goalkeeper Scott Basalaj before running the ball into the net.
There were a few chances at either end before Celtic doubled their lead four minutes from the interval. Henderson earned a free-kick on the right then flighted in a perfect cross for Kelleher to head powerfully into the net from 8 yards out.
That goal could have knocked the confidence out of the Thistle side but almost straight from the restart they pulled a goal back when Declan McDaid fired a crisp low shot beyond Leo Fasan from the edge of the penalty box.
Four minutes into the second half Celtic restored their two goal lead and while there was a bit of fortune about it McMullan showed his striking instinct to the full when he redirected a mishit free kick from Twardzik low into the net beyond Basalaj.
Celtic had a number of chances to increase their lead but paid the price in the 61st minute when Jordan Leyden shot home from 15 yards after the ball bobbled around in the penalty box.
CELTIC: Leo Fasan, Darnell Fisher (Sam Wardrop 46), Stuart Findlay, Fiacre Kelleher, Calum Waters: Jamie Lindsay, Connor McManus, Liam Henbderson (Regan Hendry 59), Filip Twardzik, Kieran Tierney (Calvin Miller 66)Paul McMullan
SUBS: Jordan Hart, Jamie McCart, Jack Breslin, Mark Hill
Blinkin meds
One of my first posts about 6/7 years ago under a different non de plume was a suggestion to incorporate the flag of St Andrew and The Tricolour onto the Celtic top, maybe just a small icon of flags entwined at the back of the neck.
Anyway my reason for suggesting it was…
a) as we honour Irish founders with enthusiastic flag displays we tend to forget to honour our early Scottish connections which is an uncomfortable omission.
b) the Rangers (RIP) were even more wrapping themselves in the UJ as militarism and unsavoury wars raged in ‘our’ name.
So despite some comments earlier, flying the St Andrews Cross is entirely appropriate whether the referendum had happened or not.
Just my opinion…honouring our history and making sure it is not misrepresented by outsiders.
Hamiltontim
What like ” A Tall Dark Stranger will pish doon yer leg” :)))))
SFTB
A balanced and rational response to BJX challenge.
Just one very non loaded and genuine question as I am not up on these things.
Do you think my uninformed assumption that the Green Brigade vs Club issues which affected their attendance in their usual space at league games pre the Referendum an attempt by our board and major shareholders to minimise their liklihood of a YES display from GB a correct assumption or an incorrect one then ? or was it just coincidence that it was all resolved straight after the vote ?
tictaewin,
can I take it you were at the wind up in suggesting we follow the Man City model
Starry
I’m not tall or dark, but aye, that kinda thing :-)
Man with hole in pocket feels cocky all day :)
BT
Best of luck for ra Morra.
Sky bet went out it is o 4/1 roma. Already back to 7/2…could go anyway.
Problem is there is a lot of anger by the No voters, who believe the flag was hijacked by the Yes folk.
It meant they had to align themselves with the union flag making them look unpatriotic.
It’s a sensitive issue, is scotland a country as outlined by the UN. Is it a state, a nation, a cultural are, a region? I don’t know myself, esp when people ask me abroad.
Danny Murphy and Niall Quinn to advise Fulham on new boss,both friendly with NL,currently 12/1
Hamilton Tim
i do agree with you re the treatment of JF. Not good. In a 21st century democracy where free speech is a supposed right….but then if you cant even carry the North Britain flag to a football game then what chance have we got !
Starry
He’s not the third one either
Some game going on over in Paris….
Also are Maribor a better team than we first thought.
Just goes to show, the margins are tight.
burnley78
It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go into details but I can assure you it is evil, vindictive and worryingly sinister.
SFTB great post .i commend you( you took your time)..but i do get it …political statements at football matches hurt our club…but political statements from former players hurt some of the core of our club(i have yet to see i player or former player support YES which on % is somewhat immposible) so my point is Whats worse..
Che
First wrapper….
“How long is a piece of string?”
HowToConfuseAHunCSC
Burnley 78
I honestly don’t know the answer. I don’t have close friends in either camp so no inside information on anyone’s motivation.
If any grouping of Celtic fans wants to take part in political activity, apart from extremist politics, I would encourage it. However, for the 90 minutes during which the match takes place, our focus should be on the football. Before and after, your time is yours and mine is mine.
Che
CQN fortune cookie say : When Zombies lose Good Man smile all day!