…OK, I suppose we have to mention them.
I did a preview for STV on Monday and was asked what my expectations were for last night but had to admit I had zero expectations. This season I hoped we would get into the Champions League group stage, or at least, the Europa League. We remarkably overshot. My real hope for the latter stages of the tournament was that we would exit without taking a hiding.
Technically, 0-3 at home is a bit of a hiding but it doesn’t feel that way for several reasons. The first half was the best football we have seen from a Celtic team in years; far better than either of the performances against Barcelona, and on a par with anything under the Strachan and O’Neill eras. Unlike Barcelona, this match plan was flawed, but it was an honourable flaw.
The “gamble” to play Efe is one which Neil may consider, in time-honoured Celtic tradition, will be inscribed on his gravestone. When you face Juventus you need to take gambles; if they all worked, clearly, they were not gambles. This one didn’t, we learn and move on. The player put on a brave performance and I’m very proud of his achievements this month.
With an away game at the daunting Juventus Stadium to come, many considered that our best chance of qualification would be to win the home game, and we clearly went about our business with the intention of doing just that. Had we faced Juve in the group stage it is possible we would have left fewer spaces at the back. Any watching Barcelona players must have marvelled at how big Celtic Park looked on TV last night compared to their visit two months ago.
We don’t know how good Juventus would have been if we camped in front of our own penalty box, as they did for long periods, but they were a more-than-effective counter-attacking team.
It is hard to pinpoint what we were missing. Georgios Samaras would have played if fit and would have given us the height-dimension up front we lacked without him. He would also have given Gary Hooper the support he badly missed. Charlie Mulgrew’s status as Best Corner Kick Taker in Europe is at risk if he doesn’t take corner kicks until Kris Commons has innumerable tries.
Juve were prepared for the Celtic threat from corners and behaved illegally throughout the game. One of the referees should have had the strength of character to deal with the problem but they were sadly unable.
There were many positives. Emilio is back to his very best. On one occasion in the second half two Juve players were goal-side with only Forster ahead. Emilio made-up the five yard deficit and stopped the attack. His pace, skill and decision-making were first class.
Kris Commons repeatedly took-on a crowd of Juventus players before releasing a team-mate or making space for a crack at goal. He looked like he enjoyed the occasion but didn’t get the clear-cut chance his play deserved.
Lustig and Matthews are both excellent right-sided defenders with pace and skill. Kelvin Wilson did well, as did Efe for long periods. Fraser had little to do all night but had no chance with any of the goals. Victor Wanyama bossed everyone in his vicinity, and this was some vicinity. Roy Keane played 13 games for Celtic and, after an unfortunate debut, I remember thinking “This is what all the fuss is about”. Victor elicits the same sentiment; more on the consequences of this another day.
On Friday 1 March the Lisbon Lions will be at the Kerrydale Suite providing commentary and answering questions on their magnificent European Cup final win in 1967. This has never happened in 46 years since that game, to say it is a unique opportunity fails to tell the whole story.
The event is part of our 125 4 125 campaign – central to reinvigorating the charitable spirit which is part of the club we love. It will be a family occasions, tickets are available at £10 for adults and £5 for children. The night has been organised by several fans working in conjunction with the people at Celtic Charity, so please do your best to support this great occasion. Individual tickets or tables are available, details here.
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Bucking very strong winds and driving rain in Glasgow city centre.
Has OG Raffertys story broke yet? If so can someone please direct me to the info.
Thanks
V
Is this the same Stuart Dougal who is still coining it in from the Masonic after dinner speeches circuit?
Or is this the Stuart Dougal who awarded oldco a last minute penalty v Dunfermline for a foul outside the box to wrap up the championship for them in 2003?
A more fair minded fellow you could not meet….
Thommo is the mouthpiece here – the real hero is Craig Whyte..wonder if he actively recorded texts/calls etc or just forgot to erase..?
Thought we played some our best stuff of the CL campaign last night but prior to the match NFL was telling us that this was a 180 minute match, so why did he feel the need to take so many risks? Efe and Forrest who unfortunately both had nights to forget. Given up pasta for lent!!
Ref: Traynor stuff. The Whyte story in question contained many quotes from CW. Criticise the lack of investigation if you like, but that’s not new. The “new” angle espoused by AT is that this email exchange is itself symptomatic of the wider “succulent lamb” journalism. As if, it is the act of passing the article for prior comment which is demonmstrative of JT’s journalistic debasement. I don’t go along with that. I would imagine journalists, even in negative pieces, send copy to the subject of their piece. Sending for prior comment by CW doesn’t seem to be out of place here; it is the lack of any investiagtion which is troubling, not the prior sight of the article by CW.
I agree that there was a lamentable lack of investigative journalism in the (early) part of CW’s reign, and all thorugh his takeover, but JT sending copy to CW in this instance doesn’t look overly improper to me. I might be wrong. I’m not a journalist.
Bourne
It tends to dae that a lot in Glasgow during winter, stay off the horsemeat is my advice :>)
Bucking broncos CSC
HH
Ha wonder if SSB or Shortie will comment on Thomson article .
Watch them focus on our defeat and darts and rugby!
MSM… In denial. Peddling myths.
HH
My sour grapes,
Ref under pressure from the EUFA president and who knows what instruction Dallas gave him but we know it would not favour our team, then again it wouldnt be the first ref juve had bought now would it.
Only difference to tactics and team for me would have been Vic and Effe swap places, appart from ref brilliant game at unbelievable tempo, the bhoys done us proud.
Had a good night with EN and his posse.
hail hail
Bada Bing
No criticism of you intended.
I was angry at the writer of the article and the suggestion that NFL’s measured and legitimate questions should have led to him being charged.
ernie lynch
For what its worth I think removing Scott was an irrelevance of a decision and not one which will rip my knitting. But while I understand your rationalisation of Neil’s decision, I would remind all of us that Scott has a great record with Celtic of avoiding red cards whilst playing on a yellow, that his style of play (with the added provocation of wearing a Celtic shirt) inevitably brings.
I believe his 2 sending offs in a Celtic shirt were for Kyle Lafferty’s simulation and a sliding tackle in the wet which was deemed reckless. Scott has improved his discipline greatly.
Funny though, I remember posters being highly critical of WGS, subbing an innefectual Lenny in a SC final, for being disrespectful to a Celtic captain. Wonder why Neil is not getting it in the neck for disrespecting our captain?
Double standards, eh? We find it hard to live without them.
O G Rafferty
Regarding the AT piece on JT
If one were to assume that CW was sourced rather than stumbled across DM to by the pig in a poke and this whole charade was concocted to get rid of the elephant in the room called Hector could one assume that JT was part of the charade given his years of eating succulent lamb from his masters table .
What was the timeline on the correspondence and would JT and his employers (MSM /BBC radio) have been seen as essential to carry out the sting
Should read
employers platforms
The story here is not Traynor’s sycophancy or any conflict of interest.
The story is that Whyte has this kind of stuff saved and is just waiting to use it.
fergus slayed the blues, 17:19
There is certainly room to think that
Paul67
To state that last nights first Half was as good as anything we witnessed under Strachan or O ‘Neill , makes me wonder if your memory has gone.
We were efficient in midfield , impotent up front , and sieve like at the back.
How you can think that 1st half compares with our 3-0 demolition of Lyon or Benfica is beyond me.
We enjoyed more possession last night that we have done recently.
It left us exposed to the counter attack.
When Matthews came on the penetrated us down his side.
Last night reminded me of Tommy Burns naive sides , who got pumped in Europe.
These boys have achieved remarkable results this season.
It is unlikely that we will keep our star players , whilst our European contemporaries will strengthen .
TT
Vmhan
Neigh bother CSC
geryguk
It is not just the sending of copy for approval and censorship, though it is nice to see that practice confirmed. It would also be nice to know if a similar tone is adopted in sending copy to CP for comment or approval.
No, the main revelation is that Jabba approached Craig Whyte to discuss a job with Rangers. The same Craig Whyte, who in Jabba’s narrative, was destroying the Rangers that his hero, David Murray, had built up. Jabba was willing to work for and issue propaganda on behalf of the guy he is now portraying as the enemy. The hun hordes will be thinking, once the penny drops, “Could he not be doing just that with Charlie Chuckles too? Can we trust his spin if he was willing to propagandise for Craigy?”
It’s wonderful entertainment I tells ye.
sftb-You can be sure Scott and Victor will be booked early in Turin.HH.
Sevcomedy response:
“This is the naked truth about Thomson. How long did it take him to find all this articles. Anyway, I have no problem with Traynor, he called as it was, in his own opinions. We know he’s not a bluenose but more importantly that he was and is impartial.
This only confirms the agenda from the hacks that live hundreds of miles away and stir the pot.
My message to Thomson and [Phil Macgiollabhain] is simple. Come out of your London and Donegal bunkers and come up here with your ‘Mhedia campaign’! Then you might have some credibility! If not your health of course!”
I posted last night that MSM would slaughter the Ambrose selection ‘decision’ and if they are two things it’s predictable and consistent.
gerryguk7
17:12 on 13 February, 2013
No journalist worth a damn would pass copy for vetting to the subject of his/her article under ANY circumstances.
Not even a write-up for the Town Hall Show, never mind a politically-explosive story like Whyte and the Huns.
Used to be a sacking offence. Basic difference between journalism and PR, unless you’re on a sports desk in Glasgow..
Which I guess is Thommo’s reason for publishing it in the first place.
Traynor’s credibility (i know ,i know) will be in tatters amongst the hun hordes.Very cosy with the man who brought them to their knees.
“RANGERS owner Craig Whyte is ready to hand manager Ally McCoist an additional £15million transfer boost”
Jim Traynor 17/7/11
!!Bada Bing!! 17:29
It a bit of a PR disaster when your head of PR becomes the succulent story.
bournesouprecipe 17:29
“RANGERS owner Craig Whyte is ready to hand manager Ally McCoist an additional £15million transfer boost”
Craig Whyte 17/7/11
O.G.
So it seems CSC
Bada Bing
Thanks to last night’s ref there will be no pressure on the officials in Turin to restrict us.
Unless we contrive to score early on or are intent on kicking their players.
We will definitely see a less overt approach to manhandling at corners. Juve will note the criticism from last night and ensure that it is toned down, especially now that it has served its purpose.
‘Man with multiple facial piercings now working for British Rail’
Central Station CSC
Glad to see our cardinals are have a good st. Patrick’s day before choosing our new leader.
Saying that , is it a good idea to pick a new shop steward with a hangover.
wow, Alex Thomson has fair made Traynor his b1tch!
BSR
Has that wheelie bin over taken you on the kingston bridge yet?
ernie lynch.
Ernie.Your such a clever person,another of your abilities is you can read minds,Rather than having a fly on the wall,we should just ask you.
so sad after last night – another night we’d have beaten them well
We can somehow thole a biased referee when he’s Scottish and Sevconian, but not Spanish.
vogue
Ha – no but a guy in a Kayak cut me up, in West Nile St.
Barcabhoy @Barcabhoy1
Someone on my timeline made a terrific point that Guidi co authored the article .How widespread were Traynors practices,or was Guidi duped
billy mccallum @billy_mccallum
@alextomo have you asked Rangers if any other journalist run stories by them before publishing? is this done in your journalistic circles?
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alex thomson @alextomo
@billy_mccallum I know of at least one other. No it is not done.
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More fun on the way it seems…
Jeith Kackson ready to respond to todays revelations, complete with poor grammar.