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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What an absolute riddy if the sevco beat Celtic again, I doubt we will live it down.
Convinced myself…..soul….. is heart and head in harmony
goodbye
Glendalystonsils
For Sevco:
The Wrath of Righteous Indignation, and a Griff hat-trick in the first 5 minutes:)
That will do for starters.
HH
A young lad named John Thomson,
From the Wellesley Fife he came,
To play for Glasgow Celtic,
And to build himself a name.
On the fifth day of September,
‘gainst the Rangers club he played,
From defeat he saved the Celtic,
Ah but what a price he paid.
The ball rolled from the centre,
Young John ran out and dived,
The ball rolled by; young John lay still,
For his club this hero died.
I took a trip to Parkhead,
To the dear old Paradise,
And as the players came out,
Sure the tears fell from my eyes.
For a famous face was missing,
From the green and white brigade,
And they told me Johnny Thomson,
His last game he had played.
Farewell my darling Johnny,
Prince of players we must part,
No more we’ll stand and cheer you,
On the slopes of Celtic Park.
Now the fans they all are silent,
As they travel near and far,
No more they’ll cheer John Thomson,
Our bright and shining star.
So come all you Glasgow Celtic,
Stand up and play the game,
For between your posts there stands a ghost,
Johnny Thomson is his name.
Aha,lead with Barca and ignore the bassas.
Don’t reckon height will play much of a part against the Catalans,ball very rarely gets off the ground with they guys.Top quality touch and movement would be of more help than being a big guy.
THATSWHYSCOATISHFITBAWSSHITEcsc
I have a recurring dream where we annihilate them for the next 6 meetings. (6 should be enough). They will then revert to the early 80’s where attendances of 3000 was the norm for them. You see working their way through the divisions they had a cause and that was to show that the gers were Scottish fitba and to assume their “rightful” place. When they realise that they are an irrelevance they’ll again disappear like snow off a dyke. That should see the tribute act fold and join the originals in liquidation, this time there won’t be a rangers 3.0.
Once the stadium is sold and there is a supermarket built on the site I will travel to it every week to do my shop. “So over there son right by the bread aisle that’s where wee Jinky smashed in the 2nd to clinch the league in 1967. Over there by the pies that’s where big Hartson lobbed their goalie. And see over there by the Timpson’s in store concession that’s where Henrik scored his 50th goal of the season.”
In a unique set up for the store the Electronics, Beer and Technology aisles or EBT for short would be situated together. And the cafe would do an HMRC meal deal, a ham and mustard roll with coffee. Only £1 of course.
When Ibrox finally becomes a supermarket in which aisle would you like to see you favourite Celtic goal be enshrined?
Ignoring The Old Firm game isn’t going to make it go away.
Nor help hide Celtic’s failure to contradict the same club narrative or complicity in the Five Way Agreement.
Ernie
What old firm game?
If Sevco decide to meet fire with fire we will beat them easily. They got away with it last time, this time they won’t. The outcome of the match will hinge on whether Warbo and Weir can organise them and do a job on us so to speak. To date they have been very one dimensional, Ronny Deila-esque i might add. An early goal for us will put them under enormous pressure and as such must be our primary target.
Ernie Lynch
I think i used the phrase ’50 quid bigot con’
Pretending the ‘new club’ is the ‘old club’….for money.
What a wheeze eh.
Splendid.
HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:23 PM
Ernie
‘What old firm game?’
###
It’s the game for which Celtic are charging a substantial premium for tickets.
That one.
They can do this because it’s The Old Firm game and people are prepared to pay extra to watch it.
We must play the tribute act with pace they will not be able to live with pace they need time on the ball to measure passes to each other if we play with pace we will deny them that time. I believe that is the way to beat them lts run them off the park none of this walk about tippy tappy football as that would suit them lets send the magic twat and his tribute act back to Ibrokes with there tail between there legs.H.H.
Its like that scene in a Panto, when the audience shout….’HE’S BEHIND YOU’
David Blaine has got nothing on the PLC….Who can charge their own supporters top dollar, to see a team that dont exist….’Hey Presto’
Nice way to get the bonus eh…..By lying through your teeth.
HH
So when the polis turn up at Celtic park and advise that the Celtic should keep the scoreline down as the polis have it on good authority there will be a riot. I fully expect our club to advise them to do their job and stop interfering in the sport. The polis make all the decisions as to the level of security numbers of security and polis in attendance and charge the club accordingly. The club is entitled to expect the polis to have done their job in estimating their resources to meet the requirements and intellegence. If they have not and make demands that infringe on the game then they should be held to account and it should be made public during the game that they are not competent to deliver their responsibilities and have requested Celtic to fix the match, which is exactly what it is.
ERNIE LYNCH on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:20 PM
Ignoring The Old Firm game isn’t going to make it go away.
Nor help hide Celtic’s failure to contradict the same club narrative or complicity in the Five Way Agreement.
______________
Ernie, was the irony in this post intentional?
KTF
Hearing the hun hordes are travelling through Gallowgate pre match….
VFR800A8 on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:39 PM
The Old Firm still exists.
The Celtic board have seen to that.
And Celtic fans who deny it are as delusional as the huns who claim their club didn’t die.
Bada Bing…,
There will be no polis then, such plans are usually co-ordinated with/by the polis
Canamalar
Yeah spot on
I wouldnt be surprised to hear that Police Scotland have already been to Celtic Park, to warn Celtic not to play too well against Sevco.
In their book, that would constitute ‘Provocation’ which would require rigid policing to ensure Public Order.
HH
Suarez will be more deadly in the air than Messi was as a false nine.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:38 AM
I well understand that syndrome . I see it all the time which is why I tend to rely on indisputable historical fact , which of course can also be hard to find.
Facts , but more particularly events.
Hitler says . Hitler does.
You don`t respect Niall Ferguson .O.K.
I wonder if you respect John Pilger . I most certainly don`t .
But does that mean that we look for historians whose bias we agree with.
If that were the case , then we all lose.
And our opinions are based on bias rather than fact.
TGM,
the plc don’t give a monkeys what the score is or if the match is fixed, in fact they are party to fixing the game so whats the difference to them. Nor do they give a monkeys if it goes the other way and there is a riot as long as they are out of the way. Their attitude to the blue pound has confirmed they are happy to see Celtic supporter killed and maimed in the name of the old firm. Else they would not have been party to preserving it.
I’ll be pleased when this repulsive match is over. I’ll be pleaseder if by Saturday evening we are still top of the table with 12 of your SPFL points.
Bada
where are you hearing that from?
MWD
T.G.M.
Buenas noches.
Davido…,
yer grammar is murder
it should read
merther pleasederer
MacJay
Im simply saying, that historians should be above political bias.
Whether their views happen to be from the right, or the left.
That is not historical analysis…..That is political ideology.
Historians should be above the trivialities of the parliamentary politics.
A balanced view, not a slanted one….that is the requirement.
Not some fawning, bowing and scraping, self-serving mince, as an excuse for real analysis.
Handshakes all round, not talent…..do you get the picture?
HH
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession
I didn’t want to go for the superlative, just the comparative…
I’d be merther pleasederer if this game was played behind closeded doors…
If Celtic were to refer to “Rangers newco” not once, but twice in an official statement would that suggest that they class them as different to ‘old Rangers’?
Not once, but twice
Canamalar
I agree totally.
Bigotry is box office.
The PLC have sold their arses to the Huns.
They condone the cheating and profit from it.
Clear as Day.
HH
Just taken delivery of Volumes 1 and 2 of “Back In Anger: 1995 Radio Transmissions” by Nine Inch Nails (Volume 1) and David Bowie (Volume 2). Limited edition clear vinyl!
I will be playing it shortly; if anyone is interested in the feedback, let me know!
History ?
History teacher man recommended these —
E H Carr -What is History
Geoffrey Elton – The Practice Of History .
One of the left , one of right .
Ernie
Lets at least get the labelling right.
Something which Celtic did not long after Fergus McCann came in, and at least five years before Rangers died, Celtic dropped the label ‘old firm’.
If you find any reference in Celtic programmes of other media that mentions the old firm let us know.
The reinvented media term ‘old firm’ is being used with relish to promote dead club, and align them with Celtic the way in which Rangers were, for their sake and yes, our board to an extent stay quiet and play along for ‘business purposes.’
The terms of the five way agreement are something quite different, than believing we have an ‘old firm’ game on the horizon.
My guess for programme buyers is that it will contain the same reference to Rangers, as Paul67’s excellent Barca preview
John James in great form on his blog today.OOOFFFTTTT
Weeminger,
then there should be no problem welcoming the newco in the same terms in the Celtic View or should that be different ? this is not 2012 and the Plc were not trying to charge Celtic supporters £50 a pop to watch the newco at the time, they are now.
Ernie,
The old firm does not exist. Fact.
One half died in 2012.
If you or anyone else wants to create a new old firm then crack on.
That Celtic PLC are charging £49 for gullibles to watch the new club and getting it, is great business by them. I won’t be there.
I had my fill of the hatred with the last lot.
What sort of masochist would I have to be to replace the worst part of supporting Celtic, i.e. Being viewed a being ying to their loathesome yang, by replacing the deid club with it’s equally loathesome newco?
I choose to view them as a new club but with similar hate filled support.
I choose not to engage with their bile.
I choose not to be associated in any way with their new club.
You see, Ernie, before with the original Rangers, I didn’t have a choice.
They already existed long before my life long support of Celtic began in the early sixties.
To support Celtic meant that you had to deal with them.
The new club are an irrelevance, desperate for us to recognise them.
Desperate to acquire some symbiotic status with us, to provide them with a status undeserved of a new 4 year old club.
Starve them of the oxygen they crave. Fleece them for their bigot pounds if you must but please Ernie, don’t expect me to accept the bastard spawn of the deid club as our equal or rival.
They are not.
In time they may achieve that status on merit, but for now they are a pretty average new team that seems to have attracted a hate filled, sectarian support that don’t appear to like Celtic, catholics or Irish much like the deceased club.
As I say I choose not to indulge them.
Eurochamps67
CANALAMAR. In football there are no guarantees that is one of the reasons we all love the game so much and of course the tribute act could steal a win on Saturday as it is 11v 11 some will say the tribute act have the man in black on there side making it 11v12. So no big riddy from me if there is a shock result just a resolution to get it right the next time we only get 3 points for a win on Saturday and it is not where we are on Saturday nigh in the league that really counts but where we are at the end of the season. H.H.
Ernie Eynch on 5th September 2016 1:42 pm
Ernie, you can’t have your cake and eat it! If you believe they are a new club (which I, and the majority of Celtic fans do) then there is no Old Firm; unless it suits your agenda to have a go at the Celtic Board.
KTF