I’ve been trying to interpret the Champions League group all evening. It’s an exciting draw. The world’s biggest box office team will come to Glasgow, a chance for us to marvel at, and test ourselves against, Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and the rest. We also have a sporting chance of finishing second or third, either of which would be acceptable.
For me most of this analysis is irrelevant for now. The two most important games are the first, Benfica, and the last Spartak Moscow, both at home, so for now, all that really matters is the 90 minutes at Celtic Park against Benfica on 19 September. Beat Benfica and you go to Moscow in the following game with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Can we beat Benfica at Celtic Park? Benfica have lost all three games they have played at Celtic Park, twice in recent Champions League history, but they are not a pot two team and we are not a pot four team for nothing. They have played only two league games this season and did not benefit from being tested by a Champions League qualifying competition.
In short, playing Benfica in the first game, when we will have played twice as many competitive games as they have, is ideal. We will be ready for them.
Tomorrow is a big day. Who was it said ‘perfect day to bury bad news’? While some of us are busy trying to keep a server online as transfer speculation reaches its annual crescendo, what chance last year’s accounts will be released?
If they are (and I have no information on this), you can count on some very bad news. Losses will be frightening, which sheds some light on some of the earthy tones from Neil Lennon today on just how big a result the win over Helsingborgs was.
We needed that win. We needed Messi and his pals to help us sell 60,000 ticket packages, and to prompt Celtic fans to go out and buy some of the many thousands of season tickets still available.
Let me leave you with a word that came out from the Spartak camp tonight. Andrey Tikhonov, Spartak player until he became a coach at the club last year, said, “Barcelona are favourites from the group. We and Benfica will be fighting for second place.
“Celtic are outsiders. The Champions League competition is about very good technical football. It has nothing to do with running after the ball that somebody kicked forward.”
Beat these clowns, Celtic.
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I’m hearing from some dubious, ahem, workmates that – Aberdeen’s Andrew Considine might be on the secret list ?
Ten Men Won The League
09:40 on
31 August, 2012
Fulham accept £7m bid from Aston Villa for Clint Dempsey
IN the context of the inflated EPL transfers thats a good bit of business by Villa, he’s a smashin player and a goal machine in midfield or up front
Estadio
when the gorbals grows up the buckfast will be dropped as it is here in cambuslang
‘gies a bottle of wine fae the fridge’.
I have seen it shunned should the temperature not be just right.
off to the docs
Lennon n Mc….Mjallby
10:05 on 31 August, 2012
Where’s Cueller these days? That would sicken hunnery no end.
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So would – Goodwillie for half a £mill !!!
KevJungle – Murdo..10 men Championees..1979
10:08 on 31 August, 2012
I’m hearing from some dubious, ahem, workmates that – Aberdeen’s Andrew Considine might be on the secret list ?
Hopefully the list is so secret nobody at CP knows about it
Kevjungle….lenny as a Celtic man knows the exact button to press in a celtic mans head heart and soul …
Like mulgrew an appreciation 2nd time round is there to be found…
Good enough?
3 championships in a row and twice last 16 in the champions league is enough for me ….
It makes sense
During the Scotland News segment on BBC Breakfast yesterday morning at 7.25 the only item of sport reported was Andy Murrays win at US Open – no mention of our win and achievement in reaching CL Group stages.
Forward 24 hours and same news segment reports results of Hertz and M’Well matches last night together with Fat Sallys and CG’s ‘punishments’ from SFA – no mention of our CL draw !!!
Surely this isnt editorial bias by a bitter Sevcovian at the Beeb or am I just being paranoid !!!
Twitter is destroying SSN’s much hyped ‘Deadline Day’ show
Will new social media make SSN redundant in circa 5 years time?
pauloantony
10:10 on 31 August, 2012
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Yeah, me too m8.
Hail Hail
Kev
Was never keen on him.
Kayal33
10:10 on 31 August, 2012
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:0)))
Hail Hail
Bada bing .. I remember masses saying Charlie mulgrew simply wasn’t good enough.. That he was Aberdeen class .
3 championships and twice last 16 of CL
KDC 1008
In the context of an inflated transfer market,ou may be right.
He is 29,so at his peak,but that significantly reduces his sell-on fee.
He has also averaged around 10 a season at Fulham.
Aston Villa need a striker who can bring them more than that,I fear.
They had better hope that there are some r-e-a-l-l-y poor teams in that league this year.
Del Piero ?
Mmm —–
Take your pick —–[ depends on who you read ]
Sydney FC
Celtic
Sion
Braga
Southampton
Arsenal.
We’ll see
Kenwye Jones rumour
Everton’s imminent signing of Bryan Oviedo from Copenhagen would seem to indicate they are no longer in the running for Russell
Kenwyne Jones has just rubbished rumours of a loan move away from Stoke
Lennon n Mc….Mjallby
10:12 on 31 August, 2012
Kev
Was never keen on him.
__________________________________
Once he started to bang in the goals
your keenness would surface. imo
btw is – keenness a word ?
Did somebody drop an acid on CQN again?’ Andy Considine, Ugly Betty and the Return of BIg Mick!!
I’m out of here before it get really surreal..
Being linked with a season long loan for Everton’s Ross Barkley. Totally underwhelmed with this one.
I take it clubs are waiting for Jim White to start his shift on Sky later before all of the madness kicks off?
Andy Thom spotted at Ross Hall.
Looking for a sick line.
Ryan Babel just bought himself out of his contract with 1899 Hoffenheim – is now a free agent.
Ibrahim Afellay probably off to Schalke 04.
Gregory van der Wiel may leave Ajax for PSG, Euro 5m.
ASonOfDan
10:16 on 31 August, 2012
Being linked with a season long loan for Everton’s Ross Barkley. Totally underwhelmed with this one.
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In Neil we trust.
So Sevco are hoping to flout existing laws in the lower division?
timely articles by oor Paul,Phil and other sites should bring the situation to light.
(all coordinated by PL of course)
;)
Lisbon1967:
Wonderful city, and easy to get around on the Metro system. Benfica station is just beside the ground. Find a hotel near any station on that line ( which terminates at the south end at the main railway station with stops all the way to the beautiful town of Cascais.
Some cheap accommodation, nightclubs and great little bars close to Rue de Boa Vista. The Old Moorish part of the city has some great bars too. You’ll love it.
Wish I was going.
Iniquitous
Chris Humphreys rumour won’t go away. Surely Templeton of Hearts would be a better option if we want another winger. Better player, scores more and can play on both wings.
On this F5 Friday, I must confess to being a bit of an outsider.
I’ve never been an F5 button man, preferring to sit back and relax with my hand on the mouse directing that little cursor arrow to the refresh symbol in the address bar.
Call me old fashioned if you will but it’s just the way I am.
OK just one more and then I’m off for a final ramble on this glorious last day before …..TOMORROW, TOMORROW I LOVE YOU TOMORROW!
Anyway, I noticed that some were asking after the health and well being of our resident antipodean curmudgeon – Sydney Tim. Can I just say that know yer man and have spent many an Aussie evening wallowing in his unrequited admiration for the mere whiff of our great CEO’s discarded socks.
So I got in touch with the good old Sidney CSC in Cheers bar on George street and they informed me that the two of them have cast off the cloak of mutual distrust and thinly disguised passion and now are bosom buddies -(if you’ve ever studied bosoms as I have you will know that they comprise a couple of ti……..oooops sorry!) .
They actually filmed the moment when Peter met Sydney and shared a jar or two of Tooheys.
Sydney Tim and Peter Lawwell settle their differences
Hail Hail
Estadio
a ship called dignity – The BBC should be abolished, every single one of their parasitical employees sacked and forced to fend for themselves in the real world (I hear ASDA is hiring), and their assets sold off to Rupert Murdoch. (thumbsup)
Kayal33
I take it clubs are waiting for Jim White to start his shift on Sky later before all of the madness kicks off?
Possibly, if they can drag him out of the local Wetherspoons in time
pauloantony-A good Celtic bhoy McManus but now slower and injury prone,Ambrose will be CB signing.Russell very exciting forward, would set CP alight.
Ten Men Won The League
he does appear a tad under the infuence when he does the dedline day show
A SON OF DAN
We’d be better wi IRAN BARKLEY.
At least he could punch SALLY’S lights oot………
La Gazzetta dello Sport claim the prospective transfer of 21-year-old Uruguay international winger Gaston Ramirez from Bologna to Southampton is in its final stages. The pink paper reports that only a few details need ironing out before a move said to be worth €14m is made official.
It would rule them out for Del Piero.
Marc Degryse spotted at Tebay Services on the M6 (Northbound) eating a roll and Cumberland sausage.
Deadline is 11pm in england, is it midnight here?
Kayal33- Agree,Humphrey would be another squad filler, no thanks.
blue articles ghosted