Celtic were overflowing with fine performances last night but mostly this was a tactical victory. Ajax dominated possession against Milan and enjoyed lots at the Camp Nou, so Neil Lennon knew what to expect.
Despite playing at home against our lowest-ranked opponent, we never chased the game, allowed Ajax time on the ball, and waited for the opportunity. We had the intelligence across the field to outsmart Ajax, with agility (Forrest), combativeness (Mulgrew, Kayal) and experience in the box (Stokes) to get the job done. We also have perhaps the best keeper in the competition. Shhh.
At some point before the return game in Amsterdam, The Bore may consider that his team deserved to lose, just as Nir Biton deserved his red card. Lunging into tackles inside the box is a recipe for defeat. Take the ball or you take your opponents leg. The noises from Ajax after the game suggested some bewilderment at the defeat; a well-worn track for teams to leave Celtic Park after Champions League games.
I hope de Boer carries that sense of entitlement into the next game, if he does, he’ll have learned nothing and his team will lose again.
Celtic’s area for remedial action is also clear. Over three Champions League games they have not conceded in the first 75 minutes but conceded four times after that point. This is not a complaint, it’s hard to maintain the levels of concentration, not to mention the physical effort, late in a game, but the stats suggest that, at this level, we wilt before our opponents.
The Dutch are known as progressive and tolerant people but the behaviour of Ajax fans (I hear from the moment they arrived at Schiphol Airport) was deplorable, without question the most violent European fans in all my time watching Celtic.
Football hooliganism is nothing like it was in the 70s and 80s but it is on the rise across Europe. Remain ever-vigilant.
On a more prosaic fan issue…. We were not at a pantomime last night. The moment between Nir Biton lunging forward with his studs up and the referee producing a red card was filled by a “Oooh” from many in the home support.
As soon as I heard this I knew the card would be red. Biton may have gone without the sound effects, but we don’t need to authorise the ref to make a big decision.
All this and the Big Glasgow Derby coming up!!
Between now and Sunday you are going to hear lots about the collection on behalf of the Greater Maryhill Foodbank, taking place before the Thistle-Celtic game on Saturday. What a great cause to be a part of.
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PSG 1 up
Juve 1 each
Lennybhoy
Wonderful!!! Was very proud of CQN and the GB last night with the tributes at CP, your tireless work for this cuase and the generousity of so many on CQN.
More than a blog :-)
HH
CRC
oh ****… Rubentus equalizer.
Well done lennybhoy.
I can only agree with previous comments.
Also to the boy jinky and the green brigade.
asonofdan,
Quite simply, think Charlie Mulgrew, lessons to be learened :o)
Eddieinkirkmichael
Interesting post
Quite a few factual inaccuracies tho
I would have replied to you in greater depth
Were it not for your attempt at using this as some for of arguement for independence
auldheid
10:44 on 23 October, 2013
Anyone have this wake up routine?
1. Still here.
2. Wit day is it?
3.Did Celtic play last night?
4. Did we win – yesss
5 Big smile and ready for anything.
Auldhied, if around, a few things to add ! ! !
6. Shattered, cause had to stay up and watch game again, once hame
7. ears still ringin
8. Head still buzzin
9. Had to duck to get through the door, cause feeling 10ft tall, and still a Proud Bhoy
Now add to the list
Hail Hail
Bayer Leverkusen 1 up
..pf ayr..,
Educate us
Don’t understand the grief given to DeBoer for his post match comments. He thought his team were better.
Have I missed something?
Lennybhoy
Fantastic effort from you mate.
For me, guys like yourself and countless others are what makes our club stand out from the crowd.
You embody the spirit of Celtic .
I salute you sir!!
Gerd Muller the greatest penalty box striker in
the history of football…………average footballer
btw.
Canamalar
Too tired buddy
At it all day today from 7am …back in for the last hour or so
More work to do ….shortly
HH
Ibrahamovic back heel flick 2-0.
Justafan,
Only the game
bognorbhoyle oscar in my thoughts
19:36 on 23 October, 2013
Defo
Ma son says he was in his class at primary. South Lanarkshire to be vague – don’t want the papers at his door.
P
Juve at it again
Pen to RM
Penalty against Juve for holding. About time!
Ronaldo 2 to 1
heard not laugh at that decision against juve.
Ref given penalty to Madrid as Rubentus player wrestling in box. Is it because it is a ‘big team’?
….pf ayr..,
Excuse me if I dont take your word then :o)
If your going to call a guy a liar then expect questions, no ?
Factual inaccuracies is the same as liar in my book, just to be clear
Jive – justice ( delayed)
Jive = Juve
@kcommons15: Juventus holding players in the penalty area……….never!! Same old
ASonOfDan
Yes.
Gene’s a Bhoy’s name 19:55:
Thank you mate.
canamalar prays Oscar can do it again 19:58:
Why are we all so good if I could be allowed to say…:)
….PFayr supports WeeOscar 19:59:
Cheers mate, look forward to our next swally…:)
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar 20:00:
Cheers mate, smoke break, text you in 10 minutes.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Good evening all
BT
Met your good buddy last night for the first time, top, top bloke. Thoroughly enjoyed my first night with the club. All of them made me very welcome. Thanks again BT for putting me on to them. :))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Eddieinkirkmichael 18:36
Excellent post.
Cowiebhoy
Additionas
20:08 on 23 October, 2013
10. Put on green shirt/tie/socks for work to match big smile
11 Drive to work and listen to Alan Brazil go on about the game on Talk sport with a big smile
12 Enter work with big smile
13 Wish everybody a good morning with a big smile
14 Ask everybody if they did anything interesting last night with a big smile?
15 Watch as zombies dive for cover out of windows, doors and fire escapes with a big….
To be continued….
HH
CRC
nice to see juve get their just dessrts.
Wish we´d had that ref against them
Canamalar
Think what you want
Factual inaccuracies are only lies if one knows they are inaccurate but peddle them as the truth
I haven’t made such accusation ….please don’t try to associate me that
SIR Alex Ferguson’s praise is reserved for a deserving few, most obviously Paul Scholes, Carlos Queiroz and Ryan Giggs. But a more surprising recipient of his unqualified admiration is Henrik Larsson, despite only spending two months at Manchester United.
It wasn’t so much the autumn of Larsson’s career but the winter, coming after his seven years at Celtic and a spell at Barcelona, yet Ferguson describes the Swede as “a real aristocrat”. Ferguson reveals in his new book that he wanted Larsson while he was still at Celtic. “I could have signed him earlier,” he writes. “I was ready to make the bid when he was at Celtic but Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s majority shareholder, rang me and said, ‘You’ve let me down, Alex, you’ve got tons of players, we need him.’ ”
Larsson’s impact, on loan from Helsingborgs in 2007, was immediate. “On arrival at United, he seemed a bit of a cult figure with our players. They would say his name in awed tones. For a man of 35, his receptiveness to information on the coaching side was amazing. At every session he was rapt. He wanted to listen to Carlos, the tactics lectures; he was into every nuance of what we did. In training he was superb: his movement, his positional play. His three goals for us were no measure of his contribution.
“In his last game in our colours at Middlesbrough, we were winning 2-1 and Henrik went back to play in midfield and ran his balls off. On his return to the dressing-room, all the players stood up and applauded him, and the staff joined in. It takes some player to make that kind of impact in two months..”
Was it a spanish ref that denied us umpteen penalties at CP last season against Juve ?
Canamaler…
I understand we, from our perspective, don’t agree with him but I’d have thought the Dutch contingent did.
Weefra
Larkie boys not try to flog one off their new t shirts.
Glad u enjoyed it..
CRC,
Take you weren’t up north today then :-)
Hail Hail