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!
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The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 3rd August 2017 8:26 pm
Prestonpans Bhoy
The women commentators are beyond funny:)
The money thats put into women’s tournaments ( Women’s World Cup ffs), could be better spent elsewhere.
The skill level is dire.
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I’ve followed the development of the women’s game since 1994, my lass played it and has won Scottish Premier Titles, Cup and League Cup medals and represented her country in France, England, Eire, Israel and even the Faroes.
The sport at girls and women’s level is free of the venom that attaches itself to the men’s game. That does not mean its not competitive, it most certainly is as my lasses black and blue legs would testify to and I’ve watched very high individual natural skill levels.
However what I really liked was seeing a group of young kids from all social backgrounds grow up to be friends and go on in many cases to enjoy careers that I’m sure playing football helped them to by providing the right kind of environment for character building.
Sure women’s football is of a different standard to men’s but it would be wrong not to provide a platform that girls can aspire to reach and so develop the game,, which is unrecognisable from 20 years ago.
Its nothing like sevco :)
THE EXILED TIM
I expect Alves to win POT.
Huns with whistles will make up for shortcoming by applying the Davie Weir rules.
Disallow valid goals.and interpret pulling of jerseys due to lack of pace and age as acceptable.
He will also be permitted to make career ending tackles with impunity.
This season is vital to huns survival and i expect the last season of honest mistakes to pale in comparison to this one.
FAN-A-TIC
Agree with that 100%.
As I said in my last post to you, the level playing field is a non starter.
HH
For the sake of fairness, Sevco Pedro did not say he had the best squad. Here is what he actually said:
“I always think that, when I’m working at a club, my players are the best, my squad is the best and my club is the best.”
He will say many genuinely strange things throughout the season so let`s not start accepting the MSSM nonsense just because this time they are laughing at Sevco.
JJ
PS Enjoying watching the Rosenborg game on Premier at the moment. . So much better knowing the score.
Auldheid
Ive no problem with girls and women playing football. Its when it gets to Euro Championships, and World Cups that bothers me.
I recently glimpsed an Women’s England game, the England team are the worst for it, they all think they are brilliant, world class according to the English women commentators.
Id say it would be better to be able to play the game first.
Spend money on the grass roots, coaching, community, rather than big tournaments.
HH
PSV Eindhoven heading out of the Europa League, down 0-2 on aggregate to Croatian side Osijek with just over 5 minutes to go.
That result suggests that the Croatian league might be improving and so Rijeka might be best avoided in the CL playoff draw tomorrow.
Auldheid,
When my wean played for Musselburgh she was the biggest girl in the team, to my mind a tidy left back. Due to her height she played centre forward. All I watched was a talented lass trying to win long balls.
manager was male as well btw !
FAVOURITE UNCLE on 3RD AUGUST 2017 9:05 PM
ABERDEEN supporters must be mad.last place to cause trouble, on an island .no escape .
Huv ye no seen that film ‘Escape from Alcatraz’?
3:0 Holland nice to support a team in orange…….for a change…..
Another poor showing from scottish clubs, except us, in Europe but in couple of weeks it will all be forgotten and focus will be domestic game. The spl / spfl and sfa need to get their house in order.
If somethings not broken keep it but if it’s totally useless change it.
Our teams are always under prepared for european football
Why not move domestic season forward to start one month prior to European qualifier campaign and if it improves performances we can move back in line with qualifiers, better prepared teams are likely to get better results
Dont sign anymore shit television deals, we must be the only country in europe that has saw our deal shrink over the last 10 years, wtf is that about if not poor business. The t.v companies, the spfl need to start negotiations with a mind set that if the deal is shite they walk, neither company will want to be seen in a bad light by Scottish consumers.
When new television deal is negotiated ensure club’s spend the money only on quality additions I. E use additional income to sign no more than 3 quality player per club to supplement squads, don’t fill teams with similar standard non Scottish player who simply cost more
Increase size of leagues, promotions, relegation and play offs. End of season last place European play-offs.
Insensitive promotion of youth players into first team based on number of players promoted to first team and the number of games (EMPHASIS ON NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED BY YOUNG PLAYER)
Spfl and sfa supporter rep placed on board of both
Transparent and open practice
Supporters rep on club boards
Implamentation of financial fair play and accompanying penalties for rule breaches
90/10% split of home gate
Think some of these things are a bit to forward thinking for Scottish football fans and clubs.
HH
I’m not a fan of the FA mainly due to the odious effect the eel and sky have had on football.
But the English are doing something right with the amount of success in reaching semi’s and finals at many international levels this year.
They have at least invested some money at youth and development levels and are reaping the benefits.
Unlike in Scotland were al money is used in providing the brethren in blazers jobs and free jaunts as our game falls off the face of the planet.
Refreshing to talk football on here btw!
Stephbhoy 9:35
Some good ideas but i could maybe compress it to
1 Get rid of the blazers and get someone who has some sense in instead.
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 3rd August 2017 9:28 pm
I can think of a few ladies who would take you up on that argument.
As I said it gives girls targets to aspire to and at least there is coaching now by professional men’s coaches, as well as the likes of my lass who took coaching courses and helped Celtic at one point with their Coaching in the Community program.
There are 12 Ladies who have played more than 100 times for Scotland, I’m pleased to have watched at least half of them that my lass played beside or against.
Jennifer Beattie
Ifeoma Dieke Cumbernauld Cosmos
Gemma Fay Ayr Utd
Julie Fleeting Ayr Utd
Suzanne Grant Glasgow City
Pauline Hamill
Joanne Love
Kim Little
Rhonda Jones
Jane Ross
Leanne Ross Falkirk
Megan Sneddon Kilmarnock
Re TV deal, an extra million or few wouldn’t really help us where as it would help every other team attract better players. Or am I being short sighted as better competition and overall product would improve Celtic too?
Will the Moderator look at all the sexist comments tonight? Terrible.
The blazers couldn’t give a flying feck about the state of Scottish football at any level. It’s all about masonic self interest and the one club in the country which embodies that.
Even when they bring in an ‘outsider’ like Regan , they make sure he is right on message.
A total purge is required. Pity it won’t ever happen.
Problems down Tynecastle way….
New stand millions over budget and completion now two months delayed .
Likely to have to play 9 away games of first thirteen matches. Home games at Murrayfield.
Tynecastle Park may not even be available when the second round of matches begin and having swapped most home fixtures for away ones during the first round……
So …..building cost over-runs and management costs over-runs and cost of Murrayfield…..
Maybe Budge is not the saviour but just a very naughty girl!
HH
SC Cashpoint win 4-2 on aggregate. I’m putting money on them to go far in the EL ;-))
Thirds63 on 3rd August 2017 9:58 pm
Problems down Tynecastle way….
New stand millions over budget and completion now two months delayed .
Likely to have to play 9 away games of first thirteen matches. Home games at Murrayfield.
Tynecastle Park may not even be available when the second round of matches begin and having swapped most home fixtures for away ones during the first round……
So …..building cost over-runs and management costs over-runs and cost of Murrayfield…..
Maybe Budge is not the saviour but just a very naughty girl!
———–
Budge into some money laundering :O)
Thetimreaper,
Get a grip of yourself, folk are only having a laugh
Auldheid
I dont think i would ever pay to watch women’s football.
Imo, a bit of perspective is required.
Football players should learn basic skills first, men or women.
Do your talking on the park, not on camera.
Way over the top hype about the England Ladies Team.
Unrealistic.
HH
Just watching a rerun of the game. Jamesie needs to slip it square to Tom Rogic for a tap-in 2-0 but tries to chip the keeper and fluffs it.
But I’ll forgive him.
Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Emma Willis well worth a view on BBC iplayer. Her Irish connections are really interesting. Fast forward about 25 mins.
UnitedIrishmenCSC
TTR
Get a grip.
Almore….
Was settling down to watch but since I had no idea who she was I didn’t bother!!!
JOBO BALDIE on 3RD AUGUST 2017 7:48 PM
6 minutes added.
Sheep The Faith
……………………………………………………..
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
:))))))))))))
It is easy to question the standard of women’s fitba but the commitment has to be admired and it’s refreshing that the players do not cheat.
Yorkbhoy your correct I coUldale have but I wanted a wee release following another shite euro performance from club teams in scotland
Think is its the supporaters as customersoon that know what is right as we are paying customer but only in football is the customer ignored
If change does not come soon worse will come
Ttr if television deal grew in line wit has established of Europe we would be stilling on a 70 million per year deal. The low deals alongside increases everywhere else has had disasterious effect on the game, 70 million would make a he’ll of a difference in relation to our competitors I. E the other small/ medium size European nations, that’s the onesame knocking our teams out of European compedition so early
ALMORE
I know some of the guys who produce that show.
Honest and brave of Emma Willis to allow her ancestors unsavory past to be aired.
They told me about a Hollywood actor who freaked out when he discovered a not so distant relative was an SS officer who had committed war crimes.They edited that side of the family out of the show completely at actors insistence.
Third63: EW is a BBC presenter and easy on the eye. But more importantly, her delving into her family background and her interpretation of her Irish ancestry is really insightful.
Think there has been a lot unfair comment in relation to the ladies football tonight.
Have a read of this..
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/irish-women-s-soccer-pioneer-who-conquered-europe-1.2783185
Fan-a-tic: I was impressed with Emma’s interest/presentation/exploration/ pride in her background. I thought it was quite open and devoid of the usual editing of such programmes.
Wee Emma is always worth a watch…
Fan a tic- been writing up some stories of my previous employment, can i get your email via P67?
Hi Guys,
Does anybody know of any supporters buses going to home games from the south of England, particularly north of London?
The standard of womens football has been steadily improving in recent years , with the exception imho of goalkeeping .
Brazil v Oz. KO in a couple of hours.
If anyone`s interested.
Macjay
I agree with you on that