Despite the slenderest margins between the teams over two legs, Rosenborg failed to lay a glove in earnest on Celtic in Trondheim last night. James Forrest, who likes a goal in the qualifiers, connected wonderfully with a shot from a right angle which was visible only on rebounding off the back of the net.
In a sign of things to come, Celtic were composed in possession, even deep inside their own box. This desire to take a touch and find a pass wasn’t entirely successful. Rosenborg pressed high regularly, forcing Craig Gordon into unmeasured passes to the wing.
Kieran Tierney was magnificent, especially in the first half, when he maintained a high position on the left. This gave Celtic their most reliable route to attack.
Rosenborg sprung forward at halftime, causing Celtic some consternation for a period, although Gordon was never stretched. Brendan Rodgers had the luxury of bringing Leigh Griffiths off the bench; Celtic didn’t look back.
Don’t think things are going to ease up. That 1-0 aggregate score saw us enter the final minutes able to concede once without the threat of elimination. That wasn’t the case in either the third or fourth qualifying rounds last season. I hope we’re back in the afternoons for penalty practice.
While we are one tie away from the Champions League group stage, we are also on the brink of making it out of Pot 4. If Sevilla, Napoli, Liverpool or Olympiacos exit the competition and Celtic progress, we will be in Pot 3 for the group stage. Olympiacos are in the champions section of the draw alongside Celtic, but they went out of the competition to Haopel Be’re Shiva last season, who lie in wait again this term.
Sevilla, Napoli and Liverpool are all in the non-champions group, where tasty opponents Nice and Hoffenheim await in the non-seeded section. Sevilla make a Gaudi-esque art form of going out of the Champions League in the qualifiers, to let them concentrate on their main purpose in life – dominating the Europa League. If we take care of our own business there’s a decent chance we’ll move up the rankings.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to our Mary’s Meals appeal yesterday, and to Intelligent Car Leasing, who made the magnificent offer of 4 hospitality tickets for Saturday’s league opener against Hearts. The winner was informed by email a few minutes ago – so check!
505 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
And we’re off!!!
Bancnuanaheireann for me,please.
Last race at Goodwood. 520
BMCUW
That’s easy for you to say/type.hh
Lads, aiming to start the naps season with a bang in the Stewards Cup:
Al Qahwa (3:35 Goodwood)
A soft ground specialist, a decent low draw, O’Meara & Tudhope combination… and you’ve just gotta love those colours… :)
fleagle1888
Eurochamps67 on 5th August 2017 10:10 am
Thanks again Fleagle.
This year I will start with the world’s best jockey, Ryan Moore on
SIR DANCEALOT 3.35 Goodwood Steward’s Cup
Best of luck everyone. Off to Paradise to begin season 2017/2018 Gazebo get togethers.
Eurochamps67
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 5th August 2017 11:28 am
COSYCORNERBHOY is unable to post his selection. It is
PLATITUDE 225 Goodwood.
My Mum’s put up with him for 56 years,so he’s obviously done well with platitudes in the past(!)
And,like me,he expresses his thanks to FLEAGLE.
HH
Just a wee horsey heads up Hamilton racing on live on STV2 tonight 6pm-8pm
Best of luck to all
Cheers GFTB
Big Ben 2 30. Galway. Good luck everyone.
Another Eclipse
Doncaster 1630
Best of luck to all and thanks once again to Fleagle
Rockon on 5th August 2017 9:42 am
Hamilton 7pm Kinglami nap.
Good luck everyone HH
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 5th August 2017 10:31 am
And we’re off!!!
Bancnuanaheireann for me,please. Last race at Goodwood. 520
Might as well start the way I mean to go on…
BULL67 on 5th August 2017 10:36 am
Elysium Dream 240 at Newmarket please.
Cheers Fleagle and good luck all… cmon the hoops
Gweedore Celt on 5th August 2017 12:10 pm
Cheers again Fleagle for running the CQN Naps.
I’m going for
Raucous 3.35 Goodwood
Good luck and happy punting Bhoys!
GRAFFITIONTHEWALL on 5th August 2017 1:00 pm
Cheers Fleagle.
Sir Dancealot 3:35 Goodwood
Good luck everyone. HH
green T on 5th August 2017 1:04 pm
Mainstream 2.25 goodwood
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 01 results (Aug 5th)
WINNERS:
Dim Sam (Abel Handy) @5/4
Losers:
16 roads (The Wagon Wheel)
BMCUWP (Bancnuanaheireann)
Bull67 (Elysium Dream)
Cosy Corner Bhoy (Platitude)
Eurochamps67 (Sir Dancealot)
Fastbhoy (Big Ben)
fleagle1888 (Al Qahwa)
Gerryfaethebrig (Pleasant Surprise)
Graffitionthewall (Sir Dancealot)
green T (Mainstream)
Gweedore Celt (Raucous)
hashadenough (Isabel de Urbina)
leftclicktic (Vaulted)
Nye Bevans RS (Another Eclipse)
Onemalloy (Sir Dancealot)
Rockon (Kinglami)
Som mes que un club (Another Eclipse)
twists n turns (Heatongrad)
voguepunter (Tivoli)
Weet Weet Weet (The Crafty Butcher)
Zihuatanejo (No Selection)
Cheers, fleagle1888
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 01 standings (Aug 5th)
A slow start from this year’s field of 22 runners, with only Dim Sam breaking smartly from the gates, and he establishes the early lead… :)
NAPS TABLE – WEEK 1:
+1.25 > Dim Sam (1)
-1 > 16 roads (0)
-1 > BMCUWP (0)
-1 > Bull67 (0)
-1 > Cosy Corner Bhoy (0)
-1 > Eurochamps67 (0)
-1 > Fastbhoy (0)
-1 > fleagle1888 (0)
-1 > Gerryfaethebrig (0)
-1 > Graffitionthewall (0)
-1 > green T (0)
-1 > Gweedore Celt (0)
-1 > hashadenough (0)
-1 > leftclicktic (0)
-1 > Nye Bevans RS (0)
-1 > Onemalloy (0)
-1 > Rockon (0)
-1 > Som mes que un club (0)
-1 > twists n turns (0)
-1 > voguepunter (0)
-1 > Weet Weet Weet (0)
-1 > Zihuatanejo (0)
Cheers, fleagle1888