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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Celtic fans named 3rd best in world, no other British club in top 10 – Sport Witness – http://t.co/wMdvcFPMDr
Thanks for replies bhoys.If you listen to the English pundits Redknapp, Collymore,Chiles,Hawksbee & Jacobs and more,they rave about the CL nights at CP,strangely not shared by local hacks…..
From a Celtic Park Bar Man;
Thanks for your patience on tuesday night.
Thanks for your tips ( £4.50 ) which paid for my bus fare.
I’ve a funny feeling that I met a few of the the grey brigade CQN.
I didn’t know such a huge sub-section of the Celtic Family existed.
Mininum or Living wage, either way, t’was a pleasure.
For Now.
bobbyrussell-it looks very silly and funny ,will suit me.Getting “Filth” tomorrow on a rogue dvd ,allegedly..HH
Music related
in case anyone is interested
Full preview of new album
Arcade Fire – Reflektor
..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBjqUEMlHTY#t=29
KOJO
Well, there you have it! KOJO is,
Santa Claus!
Whooooop-De- Doooo!
H.H.
The Ajax fans I met before the game were good guys. They even apologised in advance for their hooligan element. Warned us there would be trouble, because they have 500 lunatics who cause bother everywhere Ajax go.
SMSM tomorrow. “Celtic lag behind in third place in fan charts”
” For now ” ?
A daft and incongrous way to end a post.
( I was aiming for harmonious ).
TET, looking forward very much to the Barca trip.
Still working on Mrs acgr about getting another ridgeback or two for here. Apart from being brilliant dugs that would rip the throat out of anyone who looks sideways at you, they’ve a long lifespan, so I can bring them when I make the move to Spain.
I just need to convince thon witch I live with it’s the right thing to do…………………mair work required? Or do I just treat myself for crimbo?
fabregas talks….it’s dead good….
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/24/cesc-fabregas-arsenal-barcelona
night all
Delaney’s Donkey
Shucks!!!
We have more than that on here!!!!!!
H.H.
Gerald766
The one’s on here tend to behave a bit better at the fitba though.
Oh! Yeah!
Read on here before a game, re: team selections etc.!
Then after a defeat!
H.H.
mihal,
Welcome aboard mhate:)
Very gracious of you to mention it…wasn’t there myself sadly but your post will be appreciated by the grey brigade when they read it in the morning through one of those big magnifying glasses the ole folks use:))
HH!
Bedtime for this bonzo…
It is one thing being an anonymous keyboard lunatic, quite another being a real world society one.
Don’t post much these days. New baby bhoy at home.
BIG NAN – petition signed.
Good luck.
Just watching Tuesdays game again. See at 84.58 the boer looks like his bolt has fallen oot.
herrdoktor.com
I canny believe this. Broonys vote went to laffatme? FFS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM0HTPlglMM
HAW
Eva Cassidy, Fields of Green White and Gold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwDYBWEDSc
Granda Marakesh Express duly toasted.
Hail Hail young Express
Lassiebeattie
Congratulations.
I hope he lives long and healthy.
LassieBeattie, oops………..sorry I never see your post above about the new bhoy there. Gie him the nipple and he’ll be a grand Tim. Nane o that bottled shite. When he can walk point the bhoy east and tell him to listen for the thunder.
Hail Hail Sister, the mair Tims the better:_))
World Series
Cardinals take game 2 in Boston to even the series 1-1.
They used 3 pitchers aged 22, 22 and 23.
Series moves to St Louis for the next three games Sat, Sun Mon.
.
VMhan..
l will Not be going to the Amsterdam game Now..Will be home in March so hopefully we can attend a Quarter final together..
Will mail you laters..
001Bhoy
Friday Mourning
sipsini @ 00:36
You sit near me. I’m in 110. I often drink in the lounge of The Oak before a game. Come along and I’ll buy you back a beer.
ACGR Supporting Big Nan’s Reveal the Masonic Judge Petition @ 00:59
176 signed resolutions were handed in.
It important every share holder votes Yes to resolution 12. Even if they signed a resolution or have to proxy their vote. Everyone should come along to the AGM and try and get the mic to let the current custodians of our club know how passionately we feel about fair governance of Scottish football.
You may have noticed Canamalar wasn’t posting yesterday.
Delaneys Dunky @ 01:36
“It is one thing being an anonymous keyboard lunatic, quite another being a real world society one.”
– Love it!
Good morning friends and a Big Happy Friday from a fairly grey and drizzly EK. Tension building ahead of the ole Glasgow Derby. Always difficult to predict these ones, recent form counts for nothing, etc etc….
.
Re; The Ole Glasgow Derby..
Mothers in Maryhill will be warning their Kids how to Avoid trouble going to the Glasgow Derby..
‘Remember if anyone asks.. just Pretend to be a Rangers Supporter’
Summa
Morning CQN
Very wet in Shropshire this morning. Been raining all night.
Stat attack time.
I’ve never hidden my admiration for big Sammy. Never hidden my passion for stats either. Combining the 2 from Tuesday night just hammers home how influential the big guy is for us in Europe. In terms of taking the pressure of the defence, the big guy took the ball on no less than 38 times. The most successful combination was Izzy to Sammy. 16 times he took the ball from Izzy. On almost half of those he came back into his own half to take the pass. He also took the ball 6 times from big Fra, and 8 times from Charlie. Clearly our defenders and midfielders look to get the ball to him as often as possible.
In respect of the return leg, it would appear to me that if we can repeat the tactic on Daley Blind and stop him making influential passes, it will go a long way to stopping Ajax. 59 times he took possession for Ajax, but what’s more interesting is the areas that he picked the ball up and the direction of his passes
Whilst Sammy took the ball in the same areas, this guy covered every blade of grass, and was taking passes from the left full back position to the right side of midfield. However, nearly every pass he made was short and backwards or sideways.
68% possession and 598 passes for Ajax, but most of the time the presence of Kayal and Charlie was forcing them into short meaningless passing.
Much the same with Denswil. Knocking plenty of passes to Blind, but pretty meaningless.
Summa
Ha Ha
But the kid would respond ‘who are rangers’. ‘Are they not an old dead team like Third Lanark’. ?
‘Nobody would believe me’.
Twists n Turns
Great analysis and stats.
Sammi is the ultimate out ball and a great threat too.
A few folk were suggesting he lost the ball a bit much but for me he is showing for it so much even in difficult situations and taking the strain from our D.
I think he can be even more of an influence in Amsterdam.
Good Morning Timland.
Where’s Paul?
I hear Paul will be named as a member of Blue Pitch Holdings.
Naughty naughty bhoy
Burnley
Ty.
Looking through all the European games, one players influence seems to stand out above all others in respect of influence in a game. Scweinsteiger. If you look at the effectiveness of his passing it goes a long way to explaining why Bayern are so successful. He took a remarkable 107 passes from his team mates on Wednesday, and he found ( for example) Ribery 27 times, but, each time it was a forward incisive pass. That trend is typical of all his passing. Cutting out the opposition midfield with accurate forward passing.
Pod i……Always had my suspicion’s about him!!!!!!!!!
…..and Bayern had 35 attempts on goal! Teams need to find a way to stop Scweinsteiger, or they will continue to suffer. Bayern look unstoppable to me.
…..at 3/1 to win it……get on:-))
Surely Blue Pitch holdings & Margerita are owned by CQNers going by the number of pledges given by CQNers ?
.
Burnley78..
I Remember when l First came to Oz..There was a Guy from Kilmarnock a Big Big ‘Killie’ fan worked for my mate at Celtic bricklaying..
One Friday night in Our Local a Scottish Pub..l went into the Gents and and noticed the ‘Killie’ fan in the Only Cubicle..next to the Urinal..
l Ran back into the Bar got His Boss and 2 other workmates back into the Toilet and Slowly to start with we Whistled the Billy Boys..
Then ramped it Up..Sure enough..The Killie fan started battering the toilet door in tune with us..
Should have seen his Face when he Opened the Door..;-)
Summa
Top of the morning to you all from a still-dark Fife.
LassieBeattie
01:48 on 25 October, 2013
Don’t post much these days. New baby bhoy at home.
BIG NAN – petition signed.
Good luck.
……………………………
Congratulations on new Bhoy and thanks for signing there are now 2,534 supporters from 36 countries and with five days to go (including today) there should be a large enough support for the terms of the petition to discourage the parliament from kicking it into the long grass, which no doubt they would like to do.
We Scots have many good qualities but examining our faults/weaknesses is not one of them.
The biggest non-story of the year is the fact that David Longmuir will soon be at Ibrox. He was never anywhere else.
Last but not least:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/judgesmasonregister