Celtic were not the only seeds to get a bloody nose in this week’s Champions League play-off round first leg games. Lyon and Real Sociedad looked well matched before the game but Lyon’s 0-2 home defeat suggests the seeds were outclassed.
Austria Vienna were the team I wanted this round but despite indifferent domestic form they upset the odds and beat Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 in Croatia. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Schalke’s 1-1 home draw with Poak Salonika.
Our defeat was, apparently, an historic sporting occasion for a country who are only a decade or so into their relationship with the game. Kazak prime minister, Serik Akhmetov, went into the home dressing room after the game on Tuesday to congratulate Shakhter and bask in the fruits of his sports development policies, but I hear there is trepidation ahead of their trip to Glasgow.
Top Russian TV analyst, Vasily Utkin, predicted, “Celtic will solve all the problems before second game, they will learn what mistakes they did in Astana and they will show their real power. If this happens I’m pretty sure Celtic will go through.
“In the previous round Shakhter beat Albanian champions Skenderbeu 3-0 but in Albania they were down 3-0. They are the team whose emotions are very important. If Celtic start the game well at Celtic Park, with all their songs from the stands and support given by their fans, the players from Karaganda may start the game on their knees.
“Their only chance will be on the counter attack. Whether this will be productive is the question for Celtic. A goal for Shakhter would complicate Celtic’s situation.
“I see Celtic reaching the Champions League group games. They are Champions League quality. Whatever Shakhter will do they are not Champions League quality, at least not yet.”
“This… is a question for Celtic” is the key phrase. Champions League qualification is in our own hands. Beat Shakhter Karagandy by more than 2-0 at home is as good an offer as anyone will get to qualify for the Champions League.
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Top of the morning to you all from a beautiful, still, crisp, autumnal morning in Fife, where it looks like being a cracking day.
Looking forward to seeing a fresh team on Saturday and a good result to give us hope for Wednesday.
If the Green Brigade lead the way the whole support can get behind the bhoys and blow away the Kazakhstan blues.
Judgesmasonpetition sitting at just over 400 so should hit the first half-thousand this weekend.
Please consider signing: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/judgesmasonregister
Going to a charity night tonight run by a serial lurker and occasional poster,
(Keep the high balls low)
Spirit aid and the good child foundation are the charities. Don’t think colville park golf club would take kindly to my burning down their trees as I attempt to release a lantern. But I will be thinking about you boys at 9pm.
Good morning CQNers,
I’m off to Paphos Wednesday morning and my search has revealed an O’Neils which looks a bit ‘plastic’, I’d appreciate any recommendations anyone may have on any pubs run by Irish or Scots in the area that might be showing the match.
Ffm – grimmest Batman ever. Instead of a man of wealth and privilege defeating bad guys from his secret lair, Batman is retold as a working class hero defeating corporate and council burocracy from an abandoned pigeon loft on the edge of Maryhill.
Just took a phone call from the hospital.
I am booked in for radical prostatectomy on Monday 9th September.
Relieved to finally have a date for surgery.
Tough times ahead, but I am the lucky one compared to many others.
Hail Hail.
weeminger @ 07:44
:)) Exactly! Take that to the gothic lair.
Imagine the weegie growl. Peter Mullan aka recovering acoholic Joe would make the best Batman ever. Makes sense to me…
Not Andrew Hannah though, not even as Robin. That would be Ken Stott.
Murdochbhoy …..couple of suggestion from “talkceltic)
“‘The Players Pub’ should show it. Its just round the corner from the seafront and up the road from Papantoniou Supermarket. I watched the 3-3 game v Kilmarnock in there”
CYPRUS – JAGGY THISTLE, 7 KLYTEMNISTRAS ST, PAPHOS (Tel: 357 99176 229)
According to Celtic Bars.
GCT,
Anything ending in ectomy means something’s going :(( I daresay some would recommend myself for a tonguectomy.
Good luck amigo. Look forward to hearing you back and moaning for the sake of moaning :)
Ffm- Alan Cumming as the council jobsworth taking delight in making a misery of peoples lives. I know some people that know people. Lets get it rolling.
Murdochbhoy ..one more
GREECE – PIT STOP PUB, 28 TOMBS OF THE KINGS RD, PAPHOS (Tel: (00357) 269 33852 (Not necessarily a Celtic Bar, but shows the games)
Biggest mistake Lennon made on Tuesday was balde should have been on at half time to give physical presence an help sammi out. A team on Wed of ledley kayal brown in middle with balde sammi left an either forest or dutch guy right an goals Will come.
weeminger,
The fat controller as Fiorello H. LaGuardia (aye, okay, I goggled it: Mayor of Gothun City) :))
Murdochbhoy,
I live in Cyprus.
Would suggest you give O’Neill’s a miss.Been in a couple of times and it’s the only place I’ve been to in Cyprus and felt uncomfortable in.
Someone else suggested Players….I would go there (check out game is on first).
It’s not a Celtic or Irish bar as such but I’ve been in a few times and it’s fine.
Bring plenty sun lotion….it’s scorchio
medtim
twists n turns (God bless our little hero Oscar)
Thanks for the suggestions, they’re much appreciated.
just come out of lurkdom to say…C,mon wee Oscar…..and GCT, good luck on sep9th
and…..we will smash those khazaks on wed….COYBIG
HH
Tom McLaughlin
Good luck
HAIL HAIL
medtim,
Being a guy whose been known to frequented the odd pub I’ve got a sixth sense about them and I’m glad of our confirmation about O’Neil’s.
Thanks.
Murdochbhoy
Malc will also be there ..
Mini cqn gathering.
Mornin CQNrs
from a grey and misty north Glasgow,
lots been happening and sad to say that I lost my elderly father lately. He enjoyed a good life, mainly because he was a good Celtic man, but I and my family will miss him and his insight. He went smiling though, not least at constant entertainment from Sevco. Unfortunately I will miss the game tomorrow and happy to know our seats will have close family in them cheering on the Bhoys.
Hope there is a new striker by Monday and nervous about the game against Karagandy.
Take care bhoys and enjoy life looking after each other.
HH
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
Which one?
Tom. Get it over with and next time you come down to the big smoke u must meet up with me and the boss for dinner on the harbour
Myrdochbhoy
Posted yesterday as malc.
Think he will be lurking so will go by medtims advice as he is resident in Cyprus
I see the striker the Daily Record linked us with yesterday seems set to sign for Livorno today!!
What does that tell you?
Murdochbhoy,
There is a wee Irish bar across from players, which will show the game on one of tele,s can’t remember it’s name.
I was the in November, players was shut.
As per TnT, walk along water front, it just about 50 yards up a side street.
Hail Hail
Just a wee thought here and I was thinking about the old times when we played with 3 strikers, you know the old Lisbon Lions, Lennox, Chalmers, Wallace, and the n the 3 Amegos , then, Larson, Sutton, Hartson, and now we are starting some games with no strikers and at best in most games 1 striker, has the game changed or has our game changed that much and would it be that it has and that is the reason we don’t have a striking coach ( or do we have one?) Seems to more of a defensive set up system from our coaching staff, so when you think of it you would have no need for an offensive coach when we only have 2 strikers (Balde and Stokes) so even if we do get another striker we are a wee bit thin in that department, so you would think that alarm bells would be going off some where, or is it a statement of the modern game that you only need 3 strikers as you only play one at a time in any game, where as I said earlier in the past we started with three, just a thought I had, prob. Doesn’t look right the way I have posted it in here what I mean, but in a conversation in the pub I could get my point through, welllllllllll withe first three pints, after that it would prob. Sound as this post looks, PS do not get me wrong if this is the modern game then fine, all I mean and am trying to say I suppose is, I liked it better the old way, ;)
Brogan rogan
Would like to think that the the story is garbage; but can’t say it’s not a worry that we’re scrambling down the list looking for someone now all the top targets haven’t worked out.
Murdochbhoy,
Players is just behind McDonald’s on the front along from the castle/harbour.
Is it Paphos you are staying in?Where?
If you want any other info like restaurants,trips etc just ask and I’ll do my best to help.
I don’t live in Paphos but know a few places there.
medtim
Tom McLaughlin
All the best with the op mate.
Marti
Tony
Ah…the old 2 3 5! Canny whack it. “Centre mid, just off the striker, floating midfielder” whit a load of old shite:-). Gimme right half and ootside right, inside left any day.
GCT,
All the best for the surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery.
MJM
BRTH
What does it tell us?
Well there was NEVER any approach from Celtic. Agents are aware Celtic need a striker. They go to a Club and say Celtic are interested. Club says bid welcome. Agent goes to Celtic, I’ve got a willing player and Club. I bet it’s happened with every striker on the books of certain agents. Does it mean we’re missing targets? Does it hell, it’s fabricated negative crap designed to aggravate and antagonise.
Do I win a prize?
Cowiebhoy in support of Fearless Oscar & Family
Thanks for the update.
tonydonnelly67
08:49 on
23 August, 2013
Most teams now only play with one striker, usually with three attacking midfielders playing behind him. I’d say we had 3 strikers at the club for that one position as I would include Watt (though the manager doesn’t at present) and even then I’m not sure Stokes is comfortable playing there. He tends to drift out left, a la Sammi. Commons seems more and more to be playing the central attacking midfielder/2nd striker role, probably due to his lack of pace out wide where Derk, James Forrest & Sammi can find space and use their speed (intheory)
Everyone plays with 1 striker up front these days… How attacking you are depends on the wider men, are the forwards, wingers, wide midfielders?
The issue is for it to work well you need to have a striker capable of receiving the ball with his back to goal – don’t know about Balde, Stokes is ok at the but not great and Samaras can’t do it.
We need to play players to their strengths.
Coincidently £5m is a snip for a good, goalscoring spearhead.
I think the old 2 3 5 was a harder game to play and they players where more fitter than the modern day players equipment has changed and the rules (unless you play at Sevco) and the ball is not like hitting or heading a 50 bob dumpling, ach well I can always dream ;)
Brief log in before Golf. Best of luck Tom with Op. Promise yourself something you really want for late Sept./Oct and focus on that date instead of 9th Sept.
Just saw reference to Green Brigade being back & Dylan going out on Loan. Are these unsubstantiated rumours or is there some confirmation.
BRHT, have a look at my post of 00.09 last night and let me know if you,re interested.
You can mail me at acgr@hotmail.co.uk
Every little helps.
HH