On hearing the results from England’s vaulted competitors in the Champions League last night, against teams ten points off the pace in the Netherlands and seven adrift in Germany, my first thought was, I wonder how they’d get on against Barcelona? This is a guide to the magnitude of the challenge facing our manager and players this evening.
You can forget notions of stoical performances two weeks ago, that game counts for nothing, which we will find out within the opening minutes. If Celtic are going to earn anything substantial from their group-stage games against Barcelona, they will need to open better, retain possession higher up the field, and maintain energy and concentration levels until the final whistle.
Barca have had an incredible start to the season, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 domestic league games, while winning all three in the Champions League, but each well-oiled machine is susceptible to having a spanner thrown in.
Nine years ago the same team arrived at Celtic Park on the back of a nine game winning run, the best in their history at the time. The trip to Glasgow didn’t work out so well for them as Celtic punched a hole in their defences and used what, at the time, I assumed was voodoo to prevent the visitors from scoring. They travelled home blaming hex, bad finishing and the foreign conditions for their defeat, but the truth is we spooked some of the most experienced players in the game.
This is not a team of diminutive super-humans. They are enormously skilful and effective, clearly the best team in the world today, but they are vulnerable at the back, as Celtic proved two weeks ago, and struggle to vary the formula, if required, up front.
Celtic need to concentrate on winning possession on the wings inside the opposition half. Do this regularly enough and opportunities to fire high-balls into the box, directly or from free kicks, will follow. Neil Lennon will decide if this is a game for Kris Commons but even if it’s not, it is a game for a Commons-style intelligent use of body and ball.
If voodoo is your thing, knock yourself out. The rest of you wear your lucky socks/shirt/shoes/Hector mask and arrive ready to participate. Fortune favours the Celtic.
I attended the 125th Anniversary celebrations at St Mary’s and later the Kerrydale Suite last night. I’m not sure what I expected beforehand but it was not the funny, touching and unmistakably-Celtic occasion we experienced. Well done to the magnificent Celtic Graves Society for getting the tone absolutely right, and to Celtic for bringing the event together. If Messi and Co were in attendance they would be reluctant to leave the dressing room tonight. The Barcelona directors who were there will now where to aim for with their club.
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I was home early this afternoon.
Couldn’t make my mind up between a bottle of Dark Island or a glass of Blaxland Estate Shiraz.
So, i’ve had one of each.
Still canny make my mind up.
Ah well. At least I’m havin’ fun.
Any team news yet?
Keith Doooonie
Get it uppiiiiie ye…………….
The biggest game of the year in Scotland. Celtic hosting possibly the best football team EVER in the world’s number one club competition, the Champions League.
A cause for some pride and celebration in Scotland?
Here are, from the BBC Scotland site, I kid you not, the Scottish Football HEADLINES:
Hearts facing fight for survival
Coyle open to Scotland
BBC to show cup Highland derby
Scotland suffer rankings drop
Feruz makes Scots Under-21 squad
Honour to boss Scots – Strachan
Celtic rule out quartet for Barca
Mackay ‘no thoughts’ of Scots job… etc etc
——–
C’Mon the Celtic!!!
Nothing less than 100% for the whole match will be enough.
You can do it – there’s going to be a show, and the Glasgow Celtic will be there!!!
Its a beautiful sunny day here in the Mid Atlantic. Off to watch the game and the GB Celebrations. Good luck and I hope everyone enjoys a cold wet night in the east end of Glasgow. Wish I was there. Anyone want to swap places?
C’mon ye boys in Green !!!!!!
Paul67,
Another excellent article.
Tonight is the night, Celtic.
Make no mistake Barcelona will be well up for tonights game and will be playing at their best to qualify so they can put the CL on the backburner for the next few months.
If, and it looks almost impossible after my last sentence, Celtic win tonight then the whole of Europe will start to realise Celtic are back in the big time.
My prediction from Sunday is on @ 95/1, 3-2 for the Bhoys. There will be goals tonight and both sets of supporters attending the game are in for a real treat.
I have a feeling Neil will probably give our young players his best ever speech prior to the game tonight and if all the players respond to it, we could be in for one of the Greatest ever nights in Celtics history against who I regard as, the Greatest ever side.
Come on Celtic you can do it, it is time to start a new magnificent chapter in this Clubs history.
I see another of the teams Ogilvie was involved with is now at deaths door. Great administrator alright. ;)
The noose tightens.
No broony?
Just back fae Doha!
COYBIG
thetimrieper, what are you on about.
TBB
Off to the Gazebo, with me ‘Donegal Stole’ – that’ll show Barca
corkcelt
Listening to shortbread, says he`s not on bus and may have a virus
THE REASON WHY I SUPPORT THE CELTIC TEAM.
Oh father dear, I often hear you speak of the Celtic team,
You say they were the greatest club this world has ever seen.
For the way they play, you use’ to say, they should get Champions Belts.
Come tell to me the reason, dad, why you support the Celts..?
Well, son, I’ve followed the Celtic Club for fifty years and more.
I love to stand in Celtic park and hear the faithful roar.
For in Paradise there always flies, a flag of Emerald Green.
And that’s another reason why I love the Celtic Team.
Now I’ve no doubt you’ve heard about our famous Jimmy Quinn.
The Bigots got the days gone bye, his bones they all could skin.
Yet he was the greatest Centre this world has ever seen.
And that’s another reason why I love the Celtic Team.
Those bye gone days in my memory I always shall recall:
Yon little prince of dribblers win came from Donegal.
His name was Patsy Gallaghe, and how he reigned supreme.
And that’s another reason why I love the Celtic Team.
In those bye gone days, the Green Jersey was hated by all Snobs,
And how they dreaded for to hear of Shaw, McNair and Dodds.
Who for 13 weeks without a break, had kept their goal sheet clean.
And that’s another reason why I love the Celtic Team
Oh never, boy, shall I forget, nineteen and thirty eight,
When the Exhibition Trophy, that year it was at stake.
Who beat the pride of England? — the Boys in White and Green.
And that’s another reason why I love the Celtic Team.
Oh father, dear. I will follow on wherever Celtic go.
I’ll stand or fall by their football, in spite of all the foe.
I’ll be the man to lead the van, beneath the Flag of Green.
And with voices high, we’ll raise the cry:
LONG LIVE THE CELTIC TEAM
(Tune to Skibbereen)
The loss of Brown is significant, unfortunately. I hope Neil pairs Lustig and Matthews down the right.
Oh suffering Jaysus.
Campbell Ogilvie – the Harold Shipman of Scottish football.
Scoddish Myths
– Jim Farry
– Ogilvie Campbell
– ‘Walter’
– The Chairman
C’mon you bhoys in green. Off to the catholic club in Chester to watch it!! 3-2 at those odds ill have some of that. Enjoy all. Hail hail
Do us proud all a dem going to the game
Sad to hear the cousins have received a winding up order and that fans help may be needed to keep them afloat???
Step forward Sandy Jardine to administer a FFF…
So will a liquidator get more money for Ibrokes or Tynie?
Help. Does anyone know of a bar in Chicago that will be showing the game?
Hooper not on the coach either – step forward Miku and Watt.
OT. Ladbrokes adverts with that Italian femme genitalia shouting all the time… more annoying than the fat insurance website bloke.
Don’t discuss. Nothing to discuss.
MON CELTIC!
T’will be Big Vic, Kayal, Mulgrew, Commons, Sammi so with Miku or Watt up front. Our bench will look very very bare indeed.
Celtic Football Club @celticfc
#Celtic: Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews; Commons, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew; Miku, Samaras (LB)
#Celtic subs: Zaluska, McCourt, Herron, Fraser, Kayal, Watt, McGeouch (LB)
I also suspect Commons may start from the bench as Sammi’s understudy, seeing as the big Greek is unlikely to play the full 90.
Man City: 2 points after 4 games.
300m squid a point.
Nae wonder Dessie’s so frugal.
Ach, well. Wrong again!
sixtaeseven…
Why do you visit the site?
Who gives a monkies what the report or the order they report it in?
Relax man!
Great to be a Celtic supporter ANY time!
We all know there are seriously hurting huns who print loads of anti Celtic crap just to get guys like yous backs up!!!
They can’t sleep at night!
There lives are in tatters because we are so good and so well run.
And they hate our glorious beginnings and history with a satanic passion.
And the best bit is that they only have each other for company.
Hell will mend them.
They deserve it.
Don’t they just!
C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Constantinople Celt….
istanbulcelt
16:51 on
7 November, 2012
greenjedi
16:46 on 7 November, 2012
BIGbones8867
Thats why in Ireland its called “An Gorta Mor (The Grat Hunger), it was in simple terms Genocide by the British Government.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ottoman aid
According to legend, in 1845, Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid declared his intention to send £10,000 to Irish farmers but Queen Victoria requested that the Sultan send only £1,000, because she herself had sent only £2,000. The Sultan sent the £1,000 sterling but also sent three ships full of food. According to Abdullah Aymaz in an article in The Fountain magazine, the British administration tried to block the ships, but the food arrived secretly at Drogheda harbour and was left there by Ottoman sailors.[73][74] Uncertainty remains regarding the story as shipping records relating to the port at this time appear not to have survived.
—————————————-
Aye,Right….! The Well-Known Generosity And Humanity Of The Turks!!!!…..
After Slaughtering And Enslaving The Balkans For Generations….
Arabs & Turks…..The Greatest Enslavers And Genociders In The History Of Our Dear Blue Planet….
A Pity The Sultan’s Benevolence Did Not Extend To The Christian Armenian Ethnic Minority,Who Experienced Genocide At The Hands Of The Ottomans In 1916….
When Kilbowie Kelt Was Enjoying His Free School-Milk….
1•7M Armenians Died At The Hands Of The Turks….Either Slaughtered By Execution Squads….
Or In The Case Of The Women And Children…Died Of Disease And Starvation On The ‘Death March’ To Concentration Camps In Syria….
Oh,And The Ethnic Cleansing Of Orthodox Christians From Turkey Ever Since…..
In Fast-Islamising Turkey…..
When Kemal Ataturk Abolished The Caliphate In 1925,He Sought To Turn Turkey Into A Modern Secular State..
Separating ‘Church’ From ‘State’….
He Originally Also Envisaged Converting The Population To Christianity,But Did Not Achieve This Ambition In His Lifetime….
He Would Be Turning In His Grave Today..
At The Changes Erdogan And The Islamists Are Forcing On Turkey….
After Their ‘Show Trial’ Of The Generals..
And Their Interference With The Judiciary….
Right…!
Philbhoy – It’s just the beginning!
18:13 on 7 November, 2012
Tontine Tim
Hope ALL the results go your way my friend.
Take care.
*Thanks I appreciate it.
Favourite Uncle she was actually quite a big woman as was ma grampa don’t know how ma da and I were so wee, I was the biggest in the family 5’7″, both ma da and brother were 5’6″
She lived until she was 80, used tae say that when she died she wanted tae be buried in Ireland, the family would kid her on that they widnae spend the money and would bury her round the back in Silverton.
She went on holiday and as per usual with food and clothes for her family there and died, I never heard ma da sing a song in his life until then when he would sing the Old Bog Road as that’s wher she was buried.
I took a visit there a few years back and saw her entry in the book at St Patrick’s Ballyconneely.
CELTIC (4-4-2) Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews; Commons, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew; Miku, Samaras
Subs: Zaluska, McCourt, Herron, Fraser, Kayal, Watt, McGeouch
Broonie is a massive loss, Izzy (after he had rocketed back to form) is a big loss but we have Sammi back and I think Miku will play a big part tonight.
Good choice to move Adam to LB as Lustig has been excellent recently.
Bring on the Mighty Barca and we can definitely still win this tonight.
Two weeks ago it was the Nou Camp, tonight its Looneys Bar in a damp but mild Benalmadena.
Hope its bright n sunny by full time.
Broooooooooooooooooooooooon ooooooot
Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammy In
BigJoeTHINKSweneededBroooooooooooon
Intersting line up.
Looks like a tight 3 in the middle, Sammi and Commons in the wider, maybe Sammi swapping with Miku periodically.
Lenny’s done the best with a limited hand.
First 11 looks capable, but precious little on the bench.
Looking for Miku to show up. Show up means use the ball well, and give cause for concern to the Barca defence now and again. Otherwise, work like hell.
Lap of the gods, and i wouldn’t have it any other way.
COYBIG
Look at that bench!
What a night for these young Celts!
C’Mon the Celts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The big Orcs and the mini Orcs. Both fail to pay tax. Both run by arrogant hot air balloons. One already dead and one on life support. Meanwhile Celtic playing Barca in the Champions League. Carlsberg Wednesday. Wonderful!
Levein not going quietly, seeking legal advice.