Dutch travel sickness

757

Can we purge all negative overtones today, make sure we start tomorrow with a clean sheet?  Injuries and suspensions are part of the game, we accept them and plan how to win important games.

Celtic are at their best when they are up against it, when everyone knows that nothing short of a herculean effort is required.  This is the case tomorrow.  The requirement is straightforward enough: win your personal battle, inhibit one of the best teams we will play this season, take control of midfield and find spaces in the Ajax defence to exploit.

We have more than enough players bursting to set about this task.

Ajax had a taxing game on Saturday, scoring late to secure a draw away to top of the table Twente.  Although fourth, they are one of six teams no more than two points off the pace in what is currently one of Europe’s tightest leagues, but there is a fragility about Ajax.

The game against Twente was their first away match after a run of four home games, three of which were won comfortably, while they were denied a win against Milan by a ridiculous penalty in added time.  Their away form, however, has been less than impressive; they are still waiting for their first win away from the Amsterdam ArenA this season.  As a result, they travel to Celtic Park with the same trepidation they travelled to Groningen, Heerenveen, Twente, AZ, Barca and PSV, a series of games which returned three draws and three defeats.

Dutch media have also been reminding them of a quirky record to maintain.  While Celtic eliminated Ajax the last twice the teams met in European Cup/Champions League duty, the Dutch avoided defeat on both games at Celtic Park.  For us, this is a meaningless fact, but it is an added burden of expectation on Ajax.
[calameo code=00039017122aafd9859a6 lang=en page=126 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

757 Comments

  1. I'm Neil Lennon (tamrabam) on

    proudbhoy

     

    for far too long we have allowed the polis to treat fitba fans differently from folks going to the cinema or the pub.

     

     

    The SNP law following fat sallys shame game was a knee jerk reaction to the deadcos bad behaviour. BTW regarding the polis statistics on arrests etc folowing the half baked law, are the Polis calling sevco the rangers or are the polis saying deadco and sevco are the same. The polis role in promoting this filthy and unjust law should not be forgotten either

  2. It is seldom difficult to differentiate between a tinytim post and a ray of sunshine. Up the Celts! I will be at work so please post fair updates. Ajax don’t deserve huge respect these days. They can be defeated. Enjoy the day out grey brigade. Don’t forget your Worther’s Originals.

  3. shoulder2shoulder on

    A very Happy Birthday to The Maestro ! On another note seems that AT5,a dutch forum is encouraging all ajax fans to sing “Famine song” and others of the same ilk ….bhoys n ghirls…b safe out there tonite…don’t expect this mob to b friendly….theyr NOT !!

     

    UTLR

  4. bsr

     

     

    I found out the other night that gung ho means “work together” in Chinese and used to mean enthusiastic or dedicated in English usage before it developed any pejorative tones.

     

     

    Ledley for Pukki is a possible switch but does not make us a whole lot safer or a lot less attacking.

     

     

    As for nobody plays 4 attackers, I looked at recent CL line ups:-

     

     

    Manu started with Welbeck Van Persie Fellaini and Valencia away to Shakter Donetsk

     

     

    Man City vs Bayern had Navas, Aguero, Dzeko and Nasri versus Ribery, Robben, Muller and Kroos

     

     

    Chelsea in Bucharest had Torres, Mata, Schurrle & Lampard

     

     

    Barca played Neymar, Pedro, Iniesta and Fabregas at CF

     

     

    Madrid had Ronaldo, Benzema, Di Maria and Modric

     

     

    PSG had Ibrahimovic, Cavani, Lavezzi & Thiago Motta

     

     

    I think it has more to do with effort and willingness to cover than in where you start at kick off. I saw Antony Stokes track back to the left back position in the Barca game to effect a tackle.

  5. lennon's passion on

    glasgowdave

     

     

    11:17 on 22 October, 2013

     

     

    Did you really send a email to Celtic saying the hot water was poor. That’s hilarious have a shower/bath at your own house.

  6. lennon’s passion

     

    I like value for my season ticket :-)

     

    Don’t see why there can’t be some hot water taps in the loo.. It’s 2013 afterall.

     

    Cinema’s, theatre, and other venue’s have them.

     

    If you want a laugh this lunchtime , have a wee look at this video re obsession with flags in N.I.

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAvxqGnVO2w

  7. I am up for the game tonight, good luck Lenny and the Bhoys, no matter what the team is we hang in there with them for 90 mins. So looking forward to it, as long as me make a fist of it I’ll be a happy Tim that’s all you can ask 100% is all they can give and that includes us as well ;)

  8. lennon's passion on

    glasgowdave

     

     

    12:11 on 22 October, 2013

     

    Good wee cilp that a wee bit banter puts things in perspective. Enjoy your day Hail Hail

  9. maestro-number8 on

    Celtic songs are on in my house – come on Bhoys.

     

     

    Retro Shamrock away top nicely ironed.

     

     

    Feeling good.

     

     

    We can do it.

     

     

    And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  10. Just picked up some Irish Celts from Glasgow Airport.

     

    There was about 10 Parks of Hamilton buses full of Ajax fans waiting to leave.

     

    After leaving the airport, we saw the buses going off the M8 at the AsbestosDome turn off.

     

     

    ~SPF~

  11. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts on

    niallo83

     

    11:38 on

     

    22 October, 2013

     

    Anyone who is friends with CQN Magazine on Facebook….they just shared a celtic video from Bradybhoy88…..it’s incredible!!!

     

    ———————

     

    Just watched it ,WoW

  12. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    brogan rogan trevino and hogan supports oscar knox, mackenzie furniss and anyone else who fights neuroblastoma

     

     

    09:36 on 22 October, 2013

     

     

    WOW……..DYNAMITE …….. CORRUPTION OF THE HIGHEST ORDER…..THE LAW NEEDS TO SORT THIS, NOT CELTIC

  13. Fholks can you all have a thought for anyone going through surgery today, not a family member, just one of the bhoys..

     

     

    HH

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    Quiet on the blog today-nothing happening then?

     

     

    Apart from the offering from BRT&H. That is damning indeed. It would appear that Regan was duped,as I like to give the fella the benefit of the doubt.

     

     

    He was duped,IMO,because he didn’t believe the scale of such lies to be possible. Can’t blame him for that,really. He had never met Hunnism before.

     

     

    But he must have realised eventually. And having done so,instead of calling the case into the open-as he should-he continued the cover-up. Ironically to avoid appearing complicit!

     

     

    Come clean,Regan. Otherwise cheats have prospered. And you leave the game in this country devoid of any integrity at all.

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    MICKTT

     

     

    Will do,bud

     

     

    My Dad had his first cataract op yesterday. His sight is vastly improved in that eye already.

     

     

    So much so,he now reckons our new away top is s…e!

  16. sftb

     

     

    Fair do’s, – but you get my drift about ‘attacking’ a superior side to Clifftonville, Elsfborg or Karagandy.

     

     

    Our Barcelona, Milan or Juve type results are with break goals, built on resolute defending, and we now need the Ajax at home scalp, for the collection, or any chance of CL progress.

     

     

    Of the Euro sides you quote at least two from any four are ‘regular midfielders’ except Man City * who were thrashed *

     

     

    I still hope Joe Ledley plays, as he’s more holding than Sammi or Forrest, giving us a three of a kind, and as you say Stokes tracks back, – so I’d leave Pukki on the bench.

  17. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers forza oscar and mackenzie

     

     

    12:36 on 22 October, 2013

     

     

    Hahahahahahahahahahahaha…..wait ‘il he ‘sees’ the home strip….hahahaha

  18. leftclicktic oscar in our thoughts on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie

     

    Was Regan duped or was he “hand picked” by others to do his dirty part in the scam?

     

     

    Always wondered where he came from and what in his cricket background made him the best man for the job :))

     

     

    Stay well my friend :))

  19. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    LEFTCLICKTIC

     

     

    I personally don’t think he was hand-picked as a useful idiot,as at the time,hunnery thought no harm could befall them.

     

     

    But I do think that once they realised the writing was on the wall,they began a charm offensive,pointing out how difficult a situation this could be,especially for an outsider.

     

     

    As such,he naturally went to the go-to guys.

     

     

    He was taken for a patsy,IMO. NOT INSTALLED AS ONE.

     

     

    And now,he is in so deep,he believes he has to keep digging.

     

     

    Silly man. He could have rescued his credibility by coming clean once he discovered what was going on-and I believe he does,btw,he is no idiot-but now he is tarred with duplicity like the rest.

     

     

    Part of the cabal.

     

     

    An honest man ruined,but he’ll mend him for not choosing the difficult path when he could.

  20. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS forza Oscar and Mackenzie on

    Yep,is that a Tim he’s standing next to?

     

     

    Happy Birthday.

     

     

    75 today.

  21. archdeaconsbench on

    Everytime I listen to SSB, I can’t shake the mental image of old Mickey in the Rocky films, shouting at Stallone; ‘They was hand picked!!!!!’