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How Celtic can reach Champions League quarter finals

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Two clubs from outside the top five wealthy leagues reached the quarter finals last season but Benfica were drawn against another team from outside the big five, Zenit St Petersburg.  Apoel Nicosia eliminated Lyon in the last 16 on penalties (we should be practicing penalties every week between now and then).

Two teams, Basel (who earlier eliminated Manchester United) and Bayer Leverkusen (who eliminated Valencia), lost seven goals in one game in the first knockout round last season. This tournament retains an ability to be harsh and unforgiving at every moment.  Leverkusen actually conceded 10 to Barcelona over two games.

Apoel Nicosia conceded eight to Real Madrid in the quarters.  The Cypriot team held things together for as long as they could but failed to reach group stage of the Europa League this season, going out at the hands of Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan).

Our seven potential opponents, all from the top five leagues, will each present an enormously difficult challenge but some are easier than others.  Our biggest advantage is our own position.  Those seven clubs will each underestimate Celtic, we have by far the lowest coefficient of all teams left in the tournament.

Thanks for the great support for the CQN Annual. You can order online here!

We are enormously outgunned and inexperienced at this level but we know a few things:

We can defend under incredible pressure.

We can score, home and away, against anyone.

We cannot retain possession.  This is not a good thing, but it is an acknowledged weakness, so we know not to plan to retain possession.  If in doubt, laces through the ball and get into position.

Our opponents will know we have the tallest team in the competition.  Height is an advantage until your opponent learns how you use it.  During the first half on Wednesday Celtic tried to repeat the corner kick success we enjoyed against Barcelona and Benfica but Spartak had read the script.  We will be unlikely to score the same goal again in Europe.  A fresh plan is needed.

The Spartak goal is a real lesson.  This is not a goal we would have conceded against a far superior Barcelona.  We had a 1-0 lead and our entire left flank was exposed, compromising a winning position.  We can leave our left flank exposed at Kilmarnock tomorrow but this kind of laissez-faire defending came within 8 minutes of eliminating us on Wednesday and will do so in the next round if repeated.

Penalty kicks determined the outcome of 50% of Champions League knockout ties last season (20% after games, 30% during games).  No amount of practice is too much.

Planning for the quarter finals starts now.

The next issue of CQN Magazine will be out next week. If you would like to advertise get in touch, advert@cqnmagazine.co.uk.

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  2. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    philve..,

     

    the 60s IMO blew the music industry wide open

  3. THE EXILED TIM on

    Phyllis

     

     

    You must be honoured, I pledged a few bob, some scam mind you, but one a serious pledge, nothing yet….now I am going to be up all night in anticipating what my investment has in store for me…..

  7. kikinthenakas on

    TET

     

     

    Canny disagree with you there amigo……

     

     

    Out on the batter today, after the builders caught me drinking wine in ma pyjamas yesterday watching the game, one was a tim, the other a Hun, he got the Celtic mug!

     

     

    Night, hope to see you soon, talk on Wednesday was wonderful, you were mentioned in dispatches.

     

     

    Kikinthenakas HH

  12. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Ntassoolla

     

     

     

    01:04 on 8 December, 2012

     

     

     

    He’s not ready?

     

    In whose opinion?

     

    ………………………………………

     

     

    Mine obviously. He’s never flown an F16 yet either but I’ve no doubt he could one day.

     

     

    If you have any further doubts drive upo to my gaff and give the young fella the freedom of your wheels. A bit risky seeing that he’s not old enough to hold a licence or fly a jet.

     

     

    You know where I live, bring the bentley.

  14. miki67 on

    Page 27 of the share prospectus:

     

     

    “In order to retain the Club’s fanbase, the Directors believe that the ability of the Company to

     

    exploit the media will be increasingly important. As part of this strategy, the Company has approved theappointment of a head of media who will start work with the Group on 1 January 2013.”

     

     

    The corpulent ex-presstitute, the filth-monger Jabba rears his flab laden torso from his sodden mattress and flobs onto the pox-ridden stage of the bigotdome.

     

    May they all rot together in a crepuscular hell.

  16. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    What this blog needs is more huns, but huns with attitude. Ted is just not cutting the mustard.

     

     

    On a brighter note, tomorrow would be a good day to bulldoze ibrox into the river. They say it’s going to be a full house.

  18. Phyllis Dietrichson on

    TET -it’s about 140 odd pages but my two-line synopsis is:

     

     

    Give us your money even though it’s a bit risky.

     

     

    We don’t own Murray Park.

  21. THE EXILED TIM on

    Nite bhoys.

     

     

    Holi bobs here the morra, big holi bobs, constitution day.

     

     

    Might venture out after the humping we dish oot to the pretend wanna be huns.

     

     

    Take care and god bless Timland

     

     

    HH

     

    KTF

  23. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    saragossaseas,

     

    I hitch hiked from Chamba to Amristar on my travels in India, on a big Tata lorry, winding through the mountains looking over a new precipice every couple of miles, problem was the driver and his pal enjoyed their whiskey too much.

     

    I ended up more ratassed than both of them as I thought it a good strategy to tan their whiskey before they got too full.

  26. Truth_Beauty_and_Freedom on

    Hi Paul67

     

     

    I like the title of this article… I Hope it is the first in a limited edition set of 4… The last of course being how to win the final! :-)

     

     

    Of course like games in any tournament, we need to take this one article (2 games) at a time. :-)

     

     

    Yours in Celtic,

     

     

    TB&F.

     

     

    Just7GamesCSC

  30. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    petec,

     

    he grew up among them, played secret gigs in their halls playing their “folk songs”

     

    he however claims to be born again.

  31. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Ha ha ha, the huns in my office were all telling me about the time limit on my ring tone.

     

     

    Zadok the priest gets right up their piggy wee snouts and will be ringing loud and proud in my office for a few more months as their anger boils.

     

     

    My next one will be the theme music for the “walking Dead”.

     

     

     

    I like to keep der hun on his hooves.

  36. MurdochauldandHay on

    Some gems from the sevco prospectus from them deed pepil

     

     

    The Company plans to use the money raised from the Placing to improve the

     

    infrastructure of the Club. In particular, the Directors have identified:

     

     

    • upgrades to Ibrox stadium (approximately £5.5 million);

     

    • acquisition of land assets adjacent to the stadium (£4.5 million);

     

    • other identified projects which could result in additional revenue

     

    generating activities (approximately £3.0 million); and

     

    • general working capital purposes.

     

     

    In addition, should the Company receive funds from the Offer, the Directors have

     

    identified other potential investments that would go beyond the Group’s strategy

     

    in the next 12 months, but which could further enhance revenue opportunities.

     

    In particular, the Directors have identified:

     

     

    • further upgrades to Ibrox Stadium (approximately £3.5 million); and

     

    • other identified projects which could result in additional review

     

    generating activities (approximately £2.0 million).

     

     

    Additionally, cash could also be used to provide the Directors with additional

     

    flexibility to opportunistically consider appropriate investment opportunities

     

    as and when they arise

     

     

    ——————————————————————————–

     

    Am i reading it right that we made a profit after tax of £13million between June and August 2012?

     

     

    Seems decent

     

     

    ———————————————————-

     

     

    In order to retain the Club’s fanbase, the Directors believe that the ability of the Company to

     

    exploit the media will be increasingly important. As part of this strategy, the Company has approved the

     

    appointment of a head of media who will start work with the Group on 1 January 2013.

     

     

    I wonder who that could be?

  37. sipsini on

    Tet.

     

     

    You were right first time they no they are a washed out rag.

     

    They saw a glimmer after the result of the ftt and came back with a bit of bravado.

     

    The appeal and our result has put thems even further back.

     

    It has made it even sweeter knowing they saw hope.

     

    The realisation of what they done and were they are, is sinking in as can be seen with their actions in belfast.

     

    Its never been so good to be a Tim.hail hail hail

  40. MurdochauldandHay on

    Plus this beauty

     

     

    Some interesting reading on page 105 – current litigation.

     

     

    Premium TV (want 850K for settlement of the old online contract, told to whistle), The players who rejected the TUPE (us chasing them), and PFA Scotland representing 67 players! (them chasing us)

     

     

    That all looks pretty manageable.

  41. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    MurdochAild…,

     

    • general working capital purposes.

     

    thought this was dodgy

  42. petec on

    tarrant

     

     

    Our current number 46 is young Dylan signed from Rangers (albeit he joined them from us).

     

     

    http://www.celticfc.net/player.php?id=70

     

     

    46 years eh ;)

     

     

    Aiden also had the number 46 and it could be argued he has helped Celtic as much as anyone get to where we are today by going to a place where Celtic would get maximum money for him.

     

     

    It was great to see Aiden back at Celtic Park on Wednesday and brilliant hearing the Spartak fans chant his name.

     

     

    Written in the Stars?

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izOdvBmTDh0

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