Huge decision ahead for Neil Lennon

833

When they dispensed with Unai Emeri last weekend, Spartak Moscow brought to an end an experiment to bring sophistication to their team.  New caretaker manager, Valeriy Karpin, was manager immediately before Emeri, was also the man who appointed Emeri and stood over him as general manager of the club since moving from the dugout in the summer.

Karpin relies more on his strong, authoritative, personality than tactical innovation, which is likely to mean we face a more disciplined team in Glasgow next week that we faced in Moscow – there will be no brothel at the back.

My main concern is that the Kilmarnock/St Johnstone/Inverness tactics of defending solidly and taking their chances when going forward is perfectly suited for Karpin’s Spartak.  Against Benfica and Barcelona at home, Neil Lennon played it tight and incredibly tight respectively, which proved to be excellent decisions.  He has a huge call to make against Spartak, playing an adventurous game could leave us exposed.

This result is not to be taken for granted.

CQN Annual – perfect Christmas present

It was some comfort to see Celtic back on form last night, especially down the flanks, which were crucial in Moscow and could prove to be so again next week.  Hopefully the knocks and strains which have hampered the squad in recent weeks are beginning to fade ahead of our Christmas Cup Final.

Fancy writing an article for the next edition of CQN Magazine, due out after the Spartak game? Get in touch, celticquicknews@gmail.com.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

833 Comments

  1. up_over_goal

     

    10:17 on 30 November, 2012

     

     

    As i said everyone has an opinion, all valid, but there is only one opinin that counts and you can put your mortgage on him going with what he sees as tried and trusted. The players, formation that has got us 7 points from 5 CL games, and guaranteed European football after Xmas, will be trusted to get the 3 points ( or possibly only 1 that will be required) that will lead us to last 16.

  2. *the king vic 67*10:17 on 30 November, 2012,

     

     

    and him working at a school as well. Would be a shame if this was brought to his employer’s attention…..

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

    ballabhoy

  3. Kayal33

     

     

    Yeah, but you wouldn’t put your mortgage on that team coming out with the 3 points, would ya?

  4. *the king vic 67*10:17 on 30 November, 2012,

     

     

    my bad, that was the school he would have went to, doesn’t work there….

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

    ballabhoy

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SWINDONBHOY 0929

     

     

    Are you working tomorrow,or available for a midmorning/afternoon pint or ten?

     

     

    Awright,six,in case my Mum is reading this again…

  6. The king Vic ..ballabhoy

     

     

    The Huns obsession with this is the grossest of gross stupidity

     

     

    They wonder why no one likes them

     

     

    Is he a school teacher ?

  7. up_over_goal

     

    10:32 on 30 November, 2012

     

     

    No, but in the CL there is no game you would. The fact that we beat a Barca team, arguably the best team in the world, proves there is no guarantees in this competition.

     

    But I trust the manager, and players, to finish the job they started. Wednesday is no time for experiments, start with what has got you to this point and have good options on the bench if you need to change things.

     

    0-0, depending on score in Nou Camp, may be enough, so stop Spartak scoring and job is half done.

  8. PFayr

     

     

    Think it’s a narrow versus wide pitch thing. We always seem to play wide formations at Celtic Park and in Europe, with Neil reserving the 4-3-3s for away domestic games. Agree with Kayal33 that he’ll go 4-4-2 on Tuesday.

     

     

    If I were Karpin (there’s that arrogance again), I’d go 4-5-1, and tell my players to avoid giving away corners and set-pieces (and with respect, if it’s Mulgrew and Brown on the wings that’s not a difficult proposition).

  9. BMCUWP

     

     

    You on holiday or something . .

     

     

    From being reticent and complaining of working to hard …you got a far away eye this morning :-))

  10. Lennon n Mc….Mjallby

     

     

    10:07 on 30 November, 2012

     

     

    ‘A thoat thon bloody ice caps were meltin’ n the planet was warmin’ up?!

     

     

    This w’ather’s nae guid for us outdoor shirkers.’

     

     

    #########

     

     

     

    Yup.

     

     

    It’s bitterly cold and there’s not a breath of wind.

     

     

    In the last half hour all those windfarms have contributed a might 0.6% of the UK’s electricity needs. At the moment the figure has fallen to 0.5%.

  11. UOG

     

     

    The Spartak game is a puzzling one

     

     

    How interested will Spartak be …they have hard league games around the game with us ..which is a dead rubber for them anyway

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KITALBA 0940

     

     

    I l-o-v-e a decent read,sit down wi a book and some music in the background,and not too far from the beer fridge.

     

     

    Sadly,some tw*t passed a law saying we must all sit in semi-darkness,with only the glow of an energy-saving lightbulb to stop us tripping over our feet (on way to and from said beer-fridge,ahem…) so the reading is becoming more difficult.

     

     

    Aye,I know age will do that,but I genuinely blame those bloody excuses for electric light. Totally ruined a smashing hobby for me.

     

     

    Erm,so keep posting the good stuff,please!!!!

  13. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TOOTING TIM

     

     

    It ain’t a patch on Beano’s,just a wee shop wi some nice stuff.

     

     

    Pity NEILYBHOY didn’t make it,but as I said before,it’s a smashin’ pub.

     

     

    Especially in term-time…….

  14. spartak will be up for this, back to playing on grass in a warm climate ( compared to Moscow ) without doubt our hardest game of the season, be prepared for Europa League, would have taken this at the start of the competition…..only my opinion

  15. Someone who dresses up as the child rapist, Savile, and is happy to be photographed as such, use it with perverted pride on Fakebook and employ this in a pathetic attempt to denigrate others is unhealthily preoccupied with serious criminal wrongdoing and is in urgent need of treatment and/or arrest for the protection of society.

     

    We can but hope.

  16. BMCUWP

     

     

    I would love to meet up but I am recovering at home after an op, should be ok for next week.

  17. I see that daft Leggo has finally established who is really responsible for the tragic and undeserved demise of the club formally known as Rangers. Yup, you got it…..BAFTA!

     

     

    Incidentally, who is/was Scot Simon?

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PF AYR 1041

     

     

    I beg your pardon,old boy.

     

     

    I absolutely NEVER complain about having to work too hard.

     

     

    More hours than I would like sometimes,but never hard work.

     

     

    A proper job would kill me nowadays,mate!

     

     

    BTW,did you enjoy your public holiday for St Andrew on Monday?

  19. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PF AYR 1046

     

     

    Eff off,my mate has one of those new-fangled photie-phones.

  20. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SWINDONBHOY

     

     

    Off to Bath next week to meet up wi NEILYBHOY in Flanns,watch the Killie game,etc.

     

     

    If you fancy it,a tenner on the train,half-hour on the train,a wee trip through Box tunnel,and a blinding place for a dayoot.

     

     

    Oooooops,I hope it wisnae an eye op!

     

     

    I hope yer recovery is coming along a treat. Let me know nearer the time,we’ll arrange the time and place in Swindon. A few likely places are,sadly,unavailable.

     

     

    Sir Dan’s might be best,or Savoy.

  21. .

     

     

    The King Vic..

     

     

    I Am Not going to comment on the Link you Posted..

     

     

    But l think you should ask Paul67 to Pull your Link..

     

     

    If something happened to the Person you have chosen to ‘out’ on the Web..it would Not only be on Your Conscience but l think you might find you could be held legally responsible..

     

     

    Just my thoughts mate..

     

     

    Summa

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    That’s a coupla hat-tricks today.

     

     

    Call me DIXIE.

     

     

    Actually,call me what you like-I’m off to the pub.

     

     

    See ya!

  23. Johnny Clash

     

     

    I read that. He doesn’t need a parody page (he claims he has 3 million readers on that blog in the same article (obviously a lot of folk me included don’t have enough comedy in their life).

     

     

    It’s funny how a guy who claims to be a journalist continually criticizes those in his profession who actually practice journalism.

     

     

    Rather sad.

  24. Summa

     

     

    If that tool puts it on face book it’s his pigeon

     

     

    Btw …IMO he is committing an offence in terms of the new 2012 act..bollox as it is …he should be lifted ..Hun cretin

  25. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PF AYR

     

     

    I meant that I wouldnae want him posting a photo of me wearing a lamp.

     

     

    I hope you’re just playing on my innate guilt,which always works,otherwise,sorry for expressing myself wrongly from what I intended.

     

     

    Nae offence either way,I hope…

  26. BMCUWP

     

     

    Jocular as ever auld pal …enjoy your beer

     

     

    Btw I’ve been off all week barring Tuesday :-)))))

  27. Aamer Anwar‏@AamerAnwar

     

     

    As we celebrate St Andrew a day after Palestine was recognised by 138 countries it would be gd to remember our patron St. was a Palestinian

  28. miki67

     

    11:20 on

     

    30 November, 2012

     

     

    I saw this scheme Chris McCart spoke about 20 years ago at PSG

     

     

    We have been way behind

     

     

    Celtic are putting in lots of hard work, expertise in all areas and money to produce talent

     

     

    It is rightly to be applauded

     

     

    Lovely wee vid that from EUFA

  29. ….PFayr

     

    11:23 on

     

    30 November, 2012

     

     

    Its a blog

     

     

    Each to their own

     

     

    If i read how many pints of beer somebody will consume at the pub one more time…………………………..

  30. .

     

     

    PF Ayr..

     

     

    As l Said..I Wont comment on the content of the Link..

     

     

    Just giving a Celtic Fan advice..I Never told him to get it Off..Just to think about it..

     

     

    Does Paul67 want CQN as a Name and Shame Blog..??

     

     

    Summa