It is a measure of how far we have come during this Champions League campaign that a 2-1 defeat away to Benfica, leaving us favourites to qualify in second place for the Champions League knockout stage and assured of European football after Christmas, is a disappointment.
Unlike previous defeats in this competition, this one has not limited our ambitions.
Around this time of previous Champions League campaigns I’ve opined that Uefa Cup/Europa League qualification would be preferable to finishing second in the group stage, leading to inevitable elimination to a group winner. Teams who drop out of the Champions League have the prospect of a decent run in the Europa League, earning more coefficient points and potentially more cash, whereas Celtic never convinced me they could reach the last eight of the Champions League.
This time is different. We got it wrong last night and as a result lost the head-to-head against Benfica but this was not the case against Barcelona. Most of the current group leaders are better than Celtic, all would create more chances and have more possession against us, but here’s the rub, Celtic can score goals against anyone and can defend remarkably well.
Georgios Samaras has now scored in three consecutive group stage away games; he scored in all of Celtic’s five away games in Europe this season, surely a record. This is beyond a mere statistical oddity, it’s a result of a strategy which Benfica, Barcelona and Spartak have been unable to cope with (last night’s block-and-free-header routine was a thing of technical brilliance).
We’ve scored five goals in total in our three away group stage games. In the eight away games in the competition proper before this season, since losing in Copenhagen, we scored only once (remember against whom?)! In short, we can go anywhere and play effective counter-attacking football which even the best team in history had trouble dealing with.
That doesn’t mean we are champions-elect, of course. Benfica, who are a worthy team but are not tier-one material, got the better of us. They played to form last night and Celtic dipped. Scott Brown was clearly unfit, Charlie Mulgrew may-or-may-not have declared himself ill before kick-off but his condition did not help (stunning corner aside).
Neil also left out Kris Commons. Kris’s form has shaded since The Beating of Barca, so I was not surprised to see him on the bench, but did you notice we started to get balls into the Benfica box after he came on? More of this and I fancy Benfica would have yielded. In his post-match comments Neil Lennon reminded us his players are young and will learn from the experience.
It’s easy to overlook the fact that the manager is also young and learning as he goes along. His tactical decisions have been the real revelation of this group, even if he did leave Kris out and his gamble with Scott Brown didn’t work. His progress as a manager has been, as our old friend might say, astonishing.
Fraser Forster provided more evidence of his outstanding ability. Mikael Lustig and Kelvin Wilson looked perfectly at ease with under frenetic pressure but Efe Ambrose particularly impressed. I’ve watched Celtic defences for decades and we always seem to have a ‘junior partner’ but not now.
The defence made two mistakes last night but in all their games together they have yet to conjure up a Big Dan Moment.
My objectives for this Champions League campaign have already been surpassed but expectation levels are never level, so let’s take care of Spartak and see where the adventure goes next.
Orders are now open for the very first CQN Annual, get it here!
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67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
21:33 on 21 November, 2012
garygillespieshamstring
21:16 on 21 November, 2012
…..and don’t forget provan…
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and Nevin
City are out, for the second year running.
City fans applauding a team that has 3 points from 5 games
No wonder they play p***
The fans love it
All that money, all those good players, a talented coach … but it takes more than that to make a team.
Thank God.
Please make Man U get RM in the last 16
TMWTL
That’s about one point per £100m
67 seven heaven.
I remember after that game the huns piling out the louden bar with baseball bats and attacking Celtic fans.
Their clubs deid and no r.i.p.from me.
If we met any english team this season in europe , I dont think they
would fancy it.
Thanks referee rochhi you cost me a bundle ya blind zoomer
On the other hand TET LOVES YA !!
Ten Men and Gary gillespie
Dont know if you heard Murdo on talksport yesterday. He raved about everything Celtic and to a British audience. He went on about the magnificent fans, the Lisbon Lions and the special history, so much so that Gray changed the subject. I certainly dont count him and Provan as soup takers as both were never Celtic fans anyway. Having said that, you wont get two bigger Celtic men than the great Danny McGrain and lion Willie Wallace, both one-time Oldco fans.
hh
I imagine that some of the cowardly sh*tebags who inhabit here would not have the backbone or the intellect to face Packy Bonner and state to his face some of the comments being made on here tonight
Ps Internet message not getting through to the Celtic travelling support ….. supporters on flight over to Lisbon yesterday seemed to be relying on either the Sun or the Record for their choice of reading material
Marrakech express/ Neil
So where do we go with this lads…… Do we now excommunicate Big Billy in my opinion ‘ the greatest living Celt’ for having spoke in respectful terms of Oldco as an institution? What about the other lions , the same ?
MHARK67
So do I – got 7 results + 4 trebles + an acca!
67 heaven
Provan another of the McLeod sort. Good player who gave his best for cash but not a supporter. Don’t have a problem with that but can’t stand the guys who were celtic minded but took the establishment line. I would also add mr nevin to that list. Sadly the list is pretty long.
Look on the bright side – we can’t get Real Madrid or Barcelona in the last 16!
praecepta
Well done
Packy has gone over to the dark side.
Some of the stuff he has said in support of the mankies in recent months, means it’s no surprise to me.
And I never thought he was a great Celtic goalkeeper.
Sleep well packy……with whoever it is.
Man City will never be Big team.
They are lucky to fill their stadium against European opposition.
No atmosphere there and no fortress where you expect to win.
Says it all only one English player on the pitch tonight. Joe Hart. Ok Milner later.
Group A: Porto and PSG are through, in that order.
Group B: Schalke and Arsenal are through. Either can win the group.
Group C: Málaga and Milan are through, in that order.
Group D: Dortmund and Real Madrid are through, in that order.
Group E: Shakhtar are through. Juve and Chelsea can go through. Juve have a clear advantage.
Group F: Bayern and Valencia are through. Either can win the group.
Group G: Barcelona are through. Celtic and Benfica are both in with a shout. I fancy Celtic.
Group H: Manchester United are through. Galatasaray and Cluj have a shout. Galatasaray have the head to head.
In summary. Thirteen of the last sixteen are already known. I make it that we are in the last 19.
EPL Champions 3 points
SPL Champions 7 points
praecepta
21:44 on
21 November, 2012
MHARK67
So do I – got 7 results + 4 trebles + an acca!
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Ghood on ye Bhoy I hope you took it of bet Fred he’s got most of my dough ….:-)
Celtic’s celebratory fans.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/celtic-star-studded-team-celebrity-fans-082738871.html
Ps….. Garrygillespieshamstring…. Murdo MacLeod was a fantastic Celtic player and servant . Canny believe some of the comments on here tonight about Packie & Murdo . I trust that there would have been none of that type of chat if CQN had been around after a Certain game in 1979
Puzzled by the flak Packy Bonner is getting on here tonight. What has he been saying?
What a night
Now the Soup takers are also bed hoppers
A modern day Goldilocks
LOVE
Real Madrid will finish second in Group D. They cannot be drawn against Dortmund because they will qualify from the same group. They cannot be drawn against the winners of groups G or C as they are from the same country, and the same will apply to group F if Valencia finish top.
This means Real Madrid must play Porto, Schalke, Arsenal, Shakhtar, Bayern or Manchester United.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
21:45 on 21 November, 2012
praecepta
Well done
________________
7 results were the loose change in my account – but paid £50-75p.
A tenner would have paid over £1K – nae bottle! :-)
Kieth Jackson on Talk Sport with Keys & Gray today was more
like a junky who got an extra scoop of methadone at the chemist.
I only heard the tail end of Jabba on Shortbread. The man is either
a hun ,deranged or both. The lack of any objectivity and realism from
this pair of nannygoats is astounding.They actually get paid for spouting
crap.
Rant over. Back to the fitba,coupon up & Dortmond are my shout for the
big cup.
Celtic_First
Who would we play?
Have to agree the ref at the cty game was brutal, not complaining tho.
A reasonable evening, Kiev scoring would have made it a very good one, can’t win them all…
And this year’s Movember winner is Michael Owen…
Well done Michael Owen what a tache.
Thetimrieper
Either Málaga or Elgin City.
Hello CQN,
First time poster and very long time lurker/student of all things CQN.
Thanks Paul for providing an amazing Celtic forum.It’s provided me with many hours of eye opening and mind boggling information,laughter,tears and trauma’s over the years…..long may that continue.
I have to say how proud i am of the Bhoys in providing the Celtic family with European football after Xmas…..much to the Zombie nation’s disappointment.Roll on Spartak.HH
Dont fancy that elgin, they play in the worlds best league:-)
Let the people sing their stories and their songs
And the music of their native land
There lullabies and battle cries and songs of hope and joy
So join us hand in hand
All across this ancient land, through the test of time
It was CELTIC that kept our spirits free
Their songs are yours and mine!
C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!
I would take Malaga before any if the others, Manure second pick.
Nice one praecepta.
BB/GB
Better than mine
http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/