In eight days Brendan Rodgers takes Celtic into the Camp Nou to face Barcelona. While Barca are not current European champions, there is little doubt they are the best team in the world at the moment, and no doubt whatsoever that they are the greatest team of the era. A gargantuan task lies ahead. This week we’ll have a look at that challenge and how we might best prepare.
While Brendan has carried all before him in domestic football, and at home in Europe, his Celtic lost in Gibraltar and Israel, while taking a creditable draw in Kazakhstan. Playing in the Camp Nou is another world entirely, however.
Neil Lennon did very well top inhibit Barcelona on three of the four occasions he managed Celtic against them (the fourth was a dead rubber for Celtic, who conceded six, but was a must-win for Barcelona).
On the three meaningful Celtic games, we won once, lost once with 10 men, and conceded a last minute winner in the Camp Nou. A remarkable return against one of the best teams in the history of the game.
Neil’s team defended his 18-yard-box with remarkable endeavour, even with Efe Ambrose and Kelvin Wilson in central defence – and Adam Matthews at left back. Not exactly a legendary defensive line-up, but what Neil proved more than anything, football is about the system, not the individuals.
In some respects, defending against Barcelona will be more straightforward than against St Johnstone. There will be no reluctance to clear the ball long, instead of trying to thread a pass in the middle of our own half. There should be no complacency, and at all times defenders should be aware that their defensive partners are not far away.
In defending the 18-yard-box, Neil’s Celtic conceded space near the corner flag, an area we would normally contest, as this is where dangerous cross balls can emanate from. What that Celtic team had was no only a comfortable height advantage over Barcelona, but this advantage combined with a natural ability in the air, which say Celtic score regularly and defend successfully.
I expect Mikael Lustig, Erik Sviatchenko and Kolo Toure all to play along the back line (will be amazed and concerned if Mikael plays a conventional right back role), with Nir Bitton dropping deep from midfield. So we will not be short of height, but gelling them into a cohesive unit will be one of Brendan’s major tasks when players return from international duty.
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I am away in killin for the weekend with my wife’s large extended family. A mixed crowd when it comes to football, a few of the guys were astonished when I said I would lead a walking expedition (preferably up a long, big hill) rather than watch the football. Eyes where widened further when questioned on the matter when I said I couldn’t care less and would rather fall of a hill than prop up a farce.
No doubt lots of tutting going on in the background. But I meant it.
I remain amused that some of you think the result is a foregone conclusion. Scotland simply won’t allow them to be cut adrift. Cheating will be the order of the day.
This is your choice to prop it up and legitimise it. I don’t mean that in a nasty way. It’s just the sad truth.
they might get him in for next weekend
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37274343
Ivanovic should have been red carded
Good Evening.
New blog. About flute-band silence and overrated defenders…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/a-high-flutin-match-report/
And here is this morning’s blog about ‘Old Firm’ bullsh*t.
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/drivel-dribble-and-wibble/
NEGANON2 on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:04 PM
Agree up to a point. Even the Establishment know the game is up for der neu hun this season and staving off the inevitable is an exercise in futility. Best option is conserving all their honest mistakes for a cup run surely.
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYNAME on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:05 PM
Without an EBT?
Neigh Chance!
ps Unless that is Craig “Bottler” Thompson is officiating. That man has no shame or limits when cheating to favour der hun.
PLYMTIM.
I would guess the vast majority of Celtic supporters will support the team in whatever league they pay in. Can’t imagine anyone I know being any different.
I was never one for leaving Scottish football as I was of the opinion that it was the MIB we had to overcome .
Since Farrygate and onwards to the lack of any punishment for the cheating from the dead club and the turning of blind eyes and ad hoc rules (if any) applied to the new club have left me thinking any route out of this corrupt set up would be better
HH
FOXY on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:16 PM
ps Unless that is Craig “Bottler” Thompson is officiating. That man has no shame or limits when cheating to favour der hun.
___
He’s no bottler. He;s an intelligent guy that knows exactly what does & does not enhance his reputation on Scottish shores.
Despite letter a new club the UEFA Web site still has the dead Rangers history attached to the new club.
That cross from Bale, ooooft!
I thought the Republic were a tad fortunate at the goal but the Serbs have been kicking everything and everyone and the ref has let them. I hope they get hammered.
Serbia looks like the kind of place they stopped playing football decades ago. The pitch is laughable.
Almore, you are correct about the lack of facilties around Celtic Park.
Where the school was , is now a car park . Im sure when the plans were submitted, the school after it was demolished, was to be replaced with a new building incorporating the museum, the Celtic superstore and a cafe.
I was a bit dismayed but not surprised that this new building has not been built,yet.
There may be some logistical problem for it not being built.
There is no direct public transport along London Road at any time.
You can get buses along the Gallowgate and Dalmarnock Road or the train to Dalmarnock station but nothing that drops off at the Celtic Way. First bus changed the route of the 64 bus, which used passed in front of the South Stand , to turn up to the Gallowgate after London Road police station.
There is a humourous side to redevelopement outside mCeltic Park I’m not sure how accurate this is but a local councillor objected to the planning department about Celtic building a superstore on the site of the disused school. His compaint was based on there already being two superstores nearby,Asda in the Forge Shopping Centre and Tesco in the Forge Retail Park.
It was pointed out to the councillor , it wasn’t a supermarket that Celtic were planning.
Foxy with all due respect what have you been watching for 30 years? Me? I’ve been watching a country try and prove its minority is inferior through its chosen sport. At all costs. Including ignoring the wider laws of the land.
There is no pretence any more.
If you choose to attend you choose to legitimise. As I say I am not being nasty about that. But it is true. Pretending it isn’t happening is rather silly after all.
I choose not not legitimise it. Nor to legitimise the wrestling match that is coltish football.
But CQN still echoes with pretence that it really all matters. If you want to go and shout “he’s behind you” it is of course completely your choice. But it’s still a pantomime.
I loved Paul telling Celtic to, ahem, “get it right”. It was the equivalent of shouting “oh no he didn’t”. Perhaps instead of the song coy big, Celtic supporters could try pantomime chants like “oh no he didn’t” ” oh yes he did”
DALLAS, DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS
There used to be a railway line- spur from Bridgeton Cross, to Carmyle with a station “Parkhead Stadium” right behind the London Road School. Believe that there was initial interest in checking whether the underground solum of the tracks still existed and whether reinstatement of the line was feasible when Glasgow submitted its application to host the Commonwealth Games.
I imagine that the cost/benefit analysis ruled that out. HH
Dallas Dallas, as will be seen currently on the road between Celtic Park and the Emirates stadium, there is Major underground problems in the area for building, and reason behind school being demolished
Hail Hail
TTR
In fairness to the pitch, it’s been battering it down all day in Belgrade, the game was in doubt a few hours ago.
HH
Fellow tims
Anyone of you bought one of the stadium bricks at Paradise? When you buy do they give you exact location etc? Anniversary of Dad paasing away and fell my Mum and sister would love it.
Thanks in advance
Feel !!!!
Cowiebhoy – enjoy Toronto HH
THECLUMPANY on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:12 PM
most enjoyable read, thanks.
It will be the first League clash since Rangers’ 2012 liquidation, relegation and subsequent reformation, although many Celtic fans mockingly insist the club that they will be facing at Celtic Park this Saturday is not the same one they faced back in 2012.
From some site today.
Really.I wonder why we would even think that about them.
Journalism in Scotland.
PINTAGUINNESS on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:52 PM
Yes all that detail plus more than you need is included with your certificate in the welcome pack.
Thanks Foxy, much appreciated
Turkey
Well done in getting to the final the other day, might need to up ma practice :-
HH
An Teach Solais, thank you for your reply.
The Commonwealth Games planners probably had all the reports available from the construction company who rebuilt Celtic Park and the possible issues underground around the stadium.
I also think there were subsidance problems. Part of London Road near Kerrydale Street subsided in 2012 or 2013.
The beneficiaries of no public transport link closer to the stadium will be taxi drivers (Mickeybhoy I dont mean that as a dig at taxi drivers).
When I first started going to games with my pals , we would go along the Gallowgate onto Stanford Street , bythe arches at the old raiway line , then under the line onto Janefield Street, never knowing what awaited you once you got through the wee tunnel.
What, precisely, are the side letters referred to when talking of Rangers` use of them?
jj
1-1 Ireland
NEGANON2 on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 8:40 PM
Why stop at 30 years? Arguably no professional sport has ever existed without some form of cheating and corruption integral to its beating heart.
Bitton subbed 58 mins, not sure the reason
Starry Plough.
I’d love Celtic to play Plymouth Argyle, especially as I live in Plymouth and more specifically only a couple of hundred metres from the ground. We could debate the whole how would we do it till the cows come home, I think the bigger point is the support getting behind the club if it ever did such a thing, and for the replies on here I think that would happen.
, I think its something to do with gas pipelines so the traffic reports on heart radio say but its not the first time they haven’t reported the facts.
I hope you are having a great time in Toronto. One of the best cities I have been to , marvellous place.
When my pal and I were there , we thought about sending a postcard of the Skydome toTerry Cassidy of what a modern stadium looked like. When we sobered up, we forgot to send the postcard.
I
PINTAGUINNESS on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 9:01 PM
ps youre also invited up for a looksee more or less anytime you want within reason, or at least that used to be the case.
Soft pen against Ireland 1-2
Plymtim
…..and might I point out ( for Starry Plough, I think) that not all Wednesday evenings in January are wet. Some, in fact, can be crisply pleasant.