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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Loving the excerpts from oul’ whisky bugles buik…………….
………………his comments regarding the timely and effective intervention from Dermot are most illuminating…….
when it matters The Big Bhoy stepped in,
quietly and behind the scenes
with some panache……………
secured our modern, legendary talisman………..
Well done Dermot!
HH.
And this just goes to prove how low they will stoop to sell unwanted players…..
http://enematic.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/bbc-collusion-with-the-darkside-confirmed/
Hail hail
Estadio
We France.
Unfortunate malorbhoy has list his invisability cloak.
Just leaves u and 001 boy.o)
I’m glad DD made things clear to SAF BUT it would have been Henke’s decision ultimately
I have just had a zombie walk up to me in Kettering, tell me he is homeless and ask for money. I spotted his five star tracky getting out a peepil carrier from about 60 yards. Told him if he was wearing the hoops he would of got a tenner.
Stoopid zombies
Does anybody have a link to any articles about the 4-1 win for the young tims yesterday? Appreciate it.
brilliant water polo in Lisbon …..funny as……braw…
Dubaibhoy..,
Meanwhile Scandinavian countries can, thats just pish
lennybhoy…supporting neil lennon, wee oscar knox and cfc until i die
19:53 on 23 October, 2013
St. John Doyle (a fairly lengthy posted, apologies but it deserves to be in my opinion):
Yer a good man…
HH
Carlo Ancelotti looks a good laugh
BT
Haha :))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
PSG 5 up
Sebo
BT
France??? :))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
On the subject of homelessness, why does The Big Issue cost so much? It is a wonderful institution but the price is too high to buy every week. Celtic have done a lot of great work with homeless charities.
john o’neil
Highlights on YouTube.
Canamalar,
Try setting up the Qatari Socialist Party and see what happens.
Karim Benzema
What a miss
Thanks Ason. I will look for it.
Vidal with the best dive EVER
….oul’ whiskey schnozz and his comments on Henke are phenomenal………….
…………………wonder how all those shameful bangers in the meeja who belittled his and our efforts feel about themselves now?
Anybody But Celtic – charlatans.
Anderlecht getting a right doing now at home. 5-0 after an hour Ibrahamovic with 4 of them.
Dive of the season by a Juve player.
Surely a penalty to Juve there ?
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Vidal fouled by the grass!
Wee fra.
Googybhoy becomes goofybhoy and jobo becomes hobo so we France isnae bad
Vidal thanks for making my night
PMSL
The Spirit of A.Lee
No, you forget Kevin Thomson at Ibrox.
eddieinkirk
Can your post be downloaded so we can send it to Cameron & Co??
Justafan,
Only if he knew about the bid !!
That wiz a penalty (would have been against us ) :-)
Hail Hail
Man U could do with Henke right this minute………………….
Bankiebhoy 20.56
Bang on about Dermot Desmond.
He is a Celtic Ghod in my eyes.
He sanctioned the contract for Celtic to keep Henrik during the Dalglish era,and he used his contacts to keep him when Manchester United dame calling.
Those who knock, need just look across the city at the mess the lack of a true leader brings.
PL is following the boards instructions ,and the board is heavily influenced by DD.
He is doing what is best for Celtic at every turn.
TT
eddieinkirkmichael Dubaibhoy…….
That was a cracking read. I’m almost embarrassed to put my simple points.
But if we export all our manufacturing industry and have no jobs……who can afford to buy the stuff ?
The idea that we pay foreign firms for our own national resources is just wrong in so many ways.
But that’s what we have thanks primarily to Thatcher and her ilk
Dubai..,
So thats a good reason to forget where I come from and the hardships me family avd friends face day to day ?
Wow you sure your a tim ?
The workin class can kiss my ass, really ?
Alan Green from five live never rated Henrik or Ibrahimovic. What a judge of football he is.
Forrest Gump comes on for Real.
TT.That just forelock tugging pish and you know it, DD has spent nothing on us, he told us so in no uncertain manner.