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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corkcelt
19:52 on 24 October, 2013
Creepy, crawly bhun…l!!
Evening all
First of congratulations to Marrakesh Express on the birth of his granddaughter – bet she’s a wee star.
Now a request. Can I please ask all bloggers to stop posting predictions of how we are going to do in the remaining Champions League games and whether we would be better off in the last 16 of the CL or the last 32 of the Europa. I know we can all dream but c’mon guys the hard work is just beginning. I love this campaign because we do look handy at this level but so do our rivals. I’ll predict we’ll manage to score between 3 and 12 points ( inclusive) and come 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th. But whatever I bet it’s not boring and will be exhilarating
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
We were all in the restaurant together angelgabriel, I walked out to the match with my mate Mick and Jungle Jim. We met you and your bhoy on the road, you asked me where I came from and I introduced myself.
scullybhoy
I reckon that wee coward James Forrest would kick your heid in,good job yir lacking in brains.hh ya hun
VP
I think scullybhoy may have been being sarcastic
Yep scully, an out and out coward if I ever saw one. I swear to God I started to feel a bit faint in the stands with the tension as the Ajax Keeper tried to psyche out our coward. Did he react, did he what. Can’t remember who made that post, I know he got slaughtered at the time. Not sure If it was a suspected bhun or a genuine Tim suffering a mid-life crisis.,
sftb
I’m no having that.
sftb
Probably but in poor taste and timing given the lad’s health problems lately.
VP Some guy made a post 4 or 5 weeks ago calling wee James a coward. A good few of us gave him his answer. Can’t remember who it was, scully was just being sarcastic, I can assure you.
VP and EDB
I am one of the consistent defenders of James Forrest’s ability as a game changer for Celtic so I find it hard to believe that the post was anything other than a sarcastic comment on whoever leveled that accusation against James a few weeks back.
It is hard to convey sarcasm in print
corkcelt.
Is sarcastic something to be proud of regards James?
What a surprise! I had no idea Russell Brand was such an intelligent, articulate and angry man. Link to his interview with Paxman below
http://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2013-10-24/russell-brand-lets-rip-on-jeremy-paxman/
I think yir man was turning a mirror on hypocrisy.
I’ll defend him for it.
Too many judges on here nowadays or should we revert to a :-) code? I doubt there’s a emoticon for sarcastic or post modern ironic though…
sftb/corkcelt
I apologise if so,red mist there,picking on wee Jamesie.
scullybhoy
ur ye a Hun ?
VP KO’d by fearless Oscar Knox
:))))))))))
Sittin reading with the auld
Neil Young – Harvest album playing in the background
EDB, scully intended the post to portray the courage of James in taking on the penalty and putting it away so emphatically in the most of trying of circumstances, He was having a go at the clown who called James a coward, not at James. Surely you can understand that.
Leftclick
Is it mellow? Give me a wee loan of it when finished.hh
Cork Celt and El Diegobhoy
Saw Scully’s post re wee James and think the sarcasm was aimed at posters to the site not JF. As it happens I thought after the league cup final v Killie he was a bit timid fir a while – understandably – but since this season when fit I think he’s been really good – and I was one if the fewon this blog who stuck up for him after the first leg in Karagandy believing his supposedly appalling miss was actually rather a decent save.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Corkcelt 20.16
Ah ! Thanks for that . In the restaurant I was at the opposite end of the
table from Kikinthenakas, so I guess you were at that end.
So many CQN,rs in the one place to remember them all while socializing.
Now I know why Mararbhoy carries a list.
On the subject of James Forrest,the wee guy is a class act.
With an injury free run of 10 games or so he will get even better.
Fitness & confidence go together.HH
http://t.co/gXB57i1Xo5
Do any of them pay tax?
Sorry if already posted
C’mon the Redsox – 1-0 up, three to go for the World Series.
Do it for the bombing victims, and the fightin’ Irish.
Boston Strong!
If the GB want a new song, rip out the chorus here (at around 2min) and adapt it for us.
A stormer of an anthem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR4tTQVjHUI
DJBEE
£270,000 how long did they get away with it :))
VP KO’d by fearless Oscar Knox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7jeb_D08XA
Scullyboy: ignore the arsehole
WTF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fNvi6xG-5Y
leave in to the experts ! ……braw
wits the score with the name calling? very un-CQNs like…
I see the class bullies are in tonight.
Oh dear but am i surprised Mister Kelly!
http://www.scotsman.com/news/michael-kelly-trade-union-has-a-lot-to-answer-for-1-3154189
Billy Bhoy 05
20:52 on
24 October, 2013
Scullyboy: ignore the arsehole
—————————————-
bit strong mo chara!
Marrakesh Express, sorry. See by the time I’d read your post and replied I’d knocked twenty years off you:-)
Cheers gramps, I’ll raise a dram to you and your family later.
Acgr
Has Canamalar and P67 both been banned from the blog?
ACGR Supporting Big Nan’s Reveal the Masonic Judge Petition @ 17:47
Glad to have had a positive effect.
senga @ 17:52
You can have a share of the kickings from zombies if you wish?
Marrakesh Express @ 18:14
Glad to have made an impact.
celtfish @ 18:57
It was a pleasure to meet you. Glad you enjoyed the seat and left uninjured.
HH
Morrissey the 23rd
21:07 on
24 October, 2013
Must have joined ernie lynch and went for a hap!
hap=nap
Roll on Poppygate
Evening Timland from a cool hun free mountain valley.
Marakesh Express.
Mucho congrats Granda.
HH
Masty
It was suggested that earlier that Scullyboy was maybe being sarcastic: he not nearly intelligent enough to be sarcastic