No one said management was easy. Neil Lennon has spent the best part of a year preparing for this game. The scouts were told to go out and find pace up front which would allow us to defend in numbers but break effectively when possible.
That plan brought Derk Boerrigter and Teemu Pukki to the club but Derk has only recently returned from injury while Teemu made his debut on Saturday. Meanwhile, Anthony Stokes has been busy making himself the heart of the team. If Anthony was having a stinker of a season Neil Lennon would deploy the plan which has been long in gestation, but, unlike his opposite number tonight, Neil has genuine choice.
Before kick-off, there is no correct decision to this choice, hindsight will provide that answer, but we should remember that this is a squad game. Players tire and performance falls late in the game. Nine years ago we were within touching distance of a great result away to Milan but attempts to shore up the defence in the closing minutes failed. If Celtic are in a position to take something from the game, they will have to plan for a 95 minute endurance exercise.
The margins for error in this competition are slight. We matched Juventus in many areas of the field last season but were walloped 5-0 on aggregate. Some fine teams found the step up to the big stage a harrowing experience last night but other smaller clubs got it right; Copenhagen made Italian champions, Juve, look ordinary.
The task ahead is formidable but get the plan right and the spoils are there for us.
Prediction: 0-2 to the good guys. Enjoy your night.
1254125 at The Great Scottish Run.
On Sunday 6 October there is a 10k and Half Marathon. If that is beyond you. There are family events taking place the day before. This is your club, remind the world of what really counts and get involved in 1254125.
The first thing you need to do is sign up for the Great Scottish Run, or here for one of the family events.
Once you’ve done that, you can register for the 1254125 campaign here.
Then you can create a donations page here. Click Start Fundraising, search for Celtic Charity, setup your My Donate account).
Email me and let me know if you are having trouble signing up or need any more help, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
To read the new issue of CQN Magazine click here (don’t try to read the graphic below).
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Bmcuwp – ole Ayrshire folks livin’ up to their reputation again.
I’m looking forward to your shindig, can’t say I’ll hang around for extra time and pens but I should feature at some stage.
SUMMA
Five thousand travelling fans from three of the biggest names in European football?
Wow….
Paul67
I have duly followed your prediction and have a fiver on Celtic to win 2-0 at 40-1 with Ladbrookes here in Dublin.
South of Tunis
Are you saying we should just go for it tonight ?
Marti
DBBIA
good to know you had ag reat time. You may have noticed your (or Harald’s) skills have been heavily endorsed in your absence. In the event that Parliament does a U turn on Syria, I expect you to be getting a call from (call me) Dave Cameron as a potentially cheaper option to the RAF
DBBIA
Excellent,looking forward to it.
Just discovered a fly in the ointment,so to speak. Minor adjustment required.
As for the other part,aye,I knew you would get that.
Print it and frame it,mate.
Geordie Munro @ 14 16 .
UK bookies make Milan 4th favorites? . I’m really surprised at that .
Milanese bookies have the likes of Barca , Real, Bayern , Dortmund , PSG , Chelsea , Man U , Man City , Arsenal , Porto , Juve and Napoli [ a pot 4 team ! ] way shorter than Milan
What a lot of optomistic little soldiers we have posting today -sadly this little soldier is a born pessimist. Hope I’m wrong !
.
Bobby..
Sshhh..
You will be giving Them another World Record Idea for the Ramsden Cup..;-(
Summa
El Madrigal 13:52
This is the first time all 4 teams in a group have been previous champions.
Oldclub were once in a group with no previous winners (them, Sevilla, Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni). Still somehow managed to only get two points and a minus 9 goal difference……
Cadizzy – ole david has my number.
I’m suited and booted and ready to roll.
Marti Sandino @ 14 25 .
I am saying that we should attack them from the start . Down both flanks , with Samaras running diagonally too . I think their defense is well iffy and suffers the jitters when someone runs at them .
I fear that if Celtic show them too much respect , sit in and defend deep , they will grow in confidence . I think that attack will be the best form of defense , otherwise I see Celtic hanging on and hanging on and then Balotelli falling over Ambrose and then scoring the penalty ..
Verona and Torino showed them no respect . They went for it . The Milan defense struggled big time.
Paul67
as brave a forecast as I have seen, and one which I truly hope is accurate.
It’s the “nil” part that troubles me. Have we ever not conceded away in the CL group stages? I suppose there must be a clean sheet somewhere in our away history, but my memory is not the best.
So, I’ll make a wee adjustment and hope for a 1-2, but it’s very much a heart ruling head prediction.
In reality, my head prediction would be a 3-1 reverse. I know Balotelli is regarded by some as mediocre, but I really think he’s just the type of bustling aggressive player who could cause us some serious problems. I hope Lenny has a plan on combatting his threat.
Here’s hoping the bhoys give us a night to be proud of them, even if that does not mean getting the 3 points. Put on a show bhoys…that’s all we can ask….give your all.
Cant wait…..slow bloody day this is….
SoT…same here, with Atletico added to your list of those shorter than Milan.
The only thing they might be fourth favorite to win after tonight will be the group. :-)
Summa
Celtic haven’t played the “Celtic Way” since TB was at the helm.
Shame. But I’m told its a results business.
Romance is dead!
Any whisky experts on the blog today, please?
If we are to win, please get the goals in the 92nd and 94th minutes.
The ‘holding on for dear life’ scenarios of both Barca games last year are not good for the average Celtic supporter’s health.
A match like 3-2 Spartak is much better.
Excellent play from youths and Jamie Lindsey makes it 1-1
I’ll have a guess at where all this new found optimism is coming from, deep down, we’re all just delighted to be in the group stages of the champions league, a very big common denominator for the blog, which is quite unusual considering all the ‘heated debates’ that go on here. So at the front end before a ball is kicked we’re all thinking Yahoo, look where we are. The question is how long will this happiness last and who will be the first to burst the balloon so to speak?
Like everyone else on here I hope we win tonight but let’s not forget AC will be going flat out to turn us over. if we do lose the only people I’ll be feeling sorry for will be the players, the management and most of all the travelling supporters.
Pete the beat
that is what made Murdo’s piledriver in the league decider so special. I just knew when that one went in….10 men had done it.
4-2…nae comebacks:-)
We will have to keep possession better middle to front and try to give them something to worry about going forward.An isolated forward with no support will play in to their hands.
AC v Celtic youths on Milan website
Lazy incompetent journalism – Italian style.
SSN Italia interview with the Chairman of CFC.
A certain JOHN REID apparently!
Buffoons!
HH!!
twists n turns 14:46
Exactly my feeling when BBJ banged that one in at Anfield.
No Bobby Does It Petta
14:42 on
18 September, 2013
Summa
Celtic haven’t played the “Celtic Way” since TB was at the helm.
Shame. But I’m told its a results business.
Romance is dead!
..
I was Sorry to say lt.. Tommy’s biggest critic..In Big Games..
Ajax..Barca..And Milan we have Nothing to Lose..
But l actually think that 10 Points could Win this group as Milan could easily hold Barca to a Draw twice..and Lose to Celtic twice..
Summa
Not good. Been trying to mend bridges with two Sevconians in work when I overheard them discussing the format of the Ramsden Cup semi finals. Lost it I’m afraid. Apparently we don’t share the same sense in humour at all.
Lots of diving tonight……I just hope the referee is strong, a German, I believe.
BMCUW
A bit of brothering going on here I think:))
“The land on Carserigg Farm is owned by Forestry Commission Scotland and is let to farmer Alister Orr, who this year got a slice of a £2million grant from the Scottish Government to help bring new people into the farming industry.
Orr, with the approval of the Forestry Commission, applied to environmental agency SEPA for a licence to spread the sewage”.
twists n turns
Was in putting my wee donation interest on the game tonight, and caught the 2:10 yar (I think) watched the fav and remembered why I DONT bet horses :))
Ps Efe to score anytime tonight for a wee TKF interst.
hope you are well.
I’ll take a draw,thanks.Too many forgetting about Karagandy.I think Celtic need to defend from the front.We still need a proper playmaker.
A very young Celtic side have recovered well from going behind and have not looked at all overawed or out of place against an older Milan side. Thoroughly deserve to be level and have dominated the final 10 minutes of the half with Liam Henderson and Paul Mc Mullan particularly outstanding. Very impressed by ball retention displayed. No panic showing. Good example for the big team for tonight.
Paul 67
Weren’t you the ghuy who at the weekend said you get very nervous about Celtic supporters analysing the performance of Milan and predicting that we could do well before the big game ( or words to that effect) and then you come out with a no holds barred 0-2 for the good ghuys? :-))
At least I had the decency to say that we could get something out of the game.
I applaud you gung ho attitude.
Gamekeeper turned poacher?
ToraToraToracsc
Raymac
I think we have made progress since Karagandy away.
I just hope we don’t go too defensive tonight, especially if Izzy is playing.
I am on SoT’s side here, let’s go for it.
WE really have nothing to lose.
DBBIA
Was the ole Mississippi Delta shining like the ole national guitar?
One think I like about the current side is that they seem fitter and more attuned to the pace of CL games than previous Celtic teams.
When we lost 3-1 to Milan in 04/05, after Varga’s equaliser in the 87th minute, they got out of the second gear they had been in previously, and scored something like 90 seconds later. We were way off the new pace of the game.
I am not a gambling man, but I took €10 on Celtic at 8 to 1 to qualify from the group. Tempted now to stick a fiver on them at 6 to 1 to win tonight.
Long shot I know, but does anyone know of a bar on Easter Island…… ?
TBB, we sure got plenty twang for our buck(s)
And I thought Graceland was sad rather than tacky.
The ole Sun studios was a real spine tingler.
And the people were just so decent and friendly, even the ole panhandlin’ winoes were Rhett Butleresque in terms of that ole Dixie charm.
Jude
Enjoyed your wee story about your friend at Hamilton. :-) Will have a small interest on RT EW at Yarmouth at 4.55. Goin for Sammi first scorer and 1-1 or 1-2 tonight. Hopefully the latter. Good luck at optician.
CQN splinter group meeting tonight in the Hapenny inn puerto del carmen. If anyone wants to meet up To buy me drink i will be the big guy at the bar with emty glass…