Much of our Champions League history was on show last night, apart from the fragility which has accompanied Celtic so often on the road. The game was immeasurably more difficult than any challenge we face in domestic football. The opening minutes were so stressful, otherwise composed players were spooked, but winning is all about how you react when you are spooked. Do you crumble and concede an early goal?
With less than three minutes on the clock, and Spartak about to take their third corner kick, how many of us thought back to early goals lost in the opening minutes of recent European adventures?
Not for this team, who reacted to being spooked by scoring a genuinely top class goal.
It wasn’t until Spartak went down to 10 men that we made them look like Motherwell (the similarity in possession, passing, composure last night and on Saturday are remarkable) but, Spartak going down to 10 men was not the deciding factor in the outcome of the game. Kris Commons should have won a penalty when Celtic were 0-1 up and Gary Hooper was clean through on the goalkeeper at the incident which led to the red card.
Once level, with 20 minutes remaining, the stage was Celtic’s, but a more illustrious (i.e. expensive and feted) Celtic team had the same stage against a weaker opponent in Anderlecht in 2003 but ended up losing the game. Last night Hooper, Izaguirre, Samaras, Forrest and Brown went about their business in a steady and unspectacular fashion, exuding the confidence you need to win at this level.
No result is achieved in this competition without an enormous performance; just ask those who lost in Belgium nine years ago, including the proudest man in Europe last night.
Bring on the Salt ‘n’ Sauce Rangers.
The next issue of CQN Magazine is in the planning. If you would like to contribute an article, or advertise, let me know, articles@cqnmagazine.co.uk.
[calameo code=000390171a36dad35d58c lang=en hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
974 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 26
- »
Yippee
PODIUM?
John Clark Celtic Legend
There’s been lot’s of bad press about plastic pitches but we’ve had no problem with them in recent times. Maybe time for some of the owners of ploughed fields around the SPL to have a rethink.
Didn’t know we got 3 penalties !
Pat
Forza Celtic!
HH!!
Or even they got 3 penalties!!
ernie lynch ——-
Many thanks for yesterday’s Jonathon Richman .
Pablo Picasso CSC —-Way down south.
Surely you deserve to beat any team that misses 3 penalties in 3 minutes
Yeh 3 penalties I missed those. Paul I think you’ve been so excited since the game you haven’t bothered reading your articles b4 posting. I only have you a ‘C’ for your match report last night.
Must say Paul, I missed Spartacks three penalty’s :))
Paul 67
Last nights win really takes the pressure off our return to the Nou Camp, we can go and really enjoy the occasion!!
Countin’ the days till Barca!
Salt n Sauce Rangers- classic!!
I think you meant third corner in the opening minutes as opposed to penalty. We weren’t playing the mow deceased Rangers at Ibrox!
When Lenny said this was just the beginning after being horribly cheated out of the 2011 league title, he could not have been more right.
What a year for the hoops!
Craiginho
Cheshire Cat CSC
Big FF did well to save they 3 penalties…..:-)
Have you, oops, gave you. Stupid phone.
:-)
PAUL67
I was talking about the Anderlecht game to my sis earlier-MON decided not to change his tactics to adapt to the circumstance when Kompany walked.
Neil made sure that mistake wasn’t made last night.
The lads were awesome,like a power-play,once we had the man advantage.
I suspect Spartak aren’t used to such attacking displays from the away team at this level. Only the “top” teams normally try it.
I was proud of them last night,I’m proud of them today,and I will let the bhoys know on Sunday.
Paul 67
I’m only guessing…I think Neil has taken all the positive bits & bobs
from the MO’N and WGS era’s and married them all together.
Neil Lennon is an education on his own. imo
Off oot
May God Bless Paul 67
and ‘Every’ Internet Bampot.
Hail Hail
laters….
‘Steady and unspectacular’ covers about 0.0001% of the glory that is the #9 Enigma.
He is well overdue a public apology at the next AGM.
Mr Whyte purchased an 85% stake in Rangers from Sir David Murray last May for £1 before using a £26.7m Ibrox season ticket deal with Ticketus to effectively fund his takeover.
During his reign, the club ran up debts of up to £134m, including a potential £94.4m tax bill, which led to Rangers calling in administrators in February.
How do they get away with putting this factually incorrect mince out without question ?
Are they all trying to cover up Murrays part in this scandal ?
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
11:34 on 3 October, 2012
Old hun Mortality ( courtesy R.L.S.)
Why the impatience?
This long drawn out saga,as each piece of the humiliating puzzle falls into place,is much more entertaining.
Death of a thousand cuts?
Well,we`ve had 125 years of suspicion.
Now we know,as did our predecessors,that it was well founded suspicion.
I can`t wait for this not to end.
Charles Dickens C.S.C.
That was from STV News website .
Paul67
Re. Earlier comment.
Some players cannot be bought. Paul Mc Stay … Danny Mc Grain … As a club that is what we should be aiming for.
If we must sell then yes at the right price but only if we have adequate cover. Some flexibility agreed …but the qaulity of the team should come first unless finances are perilous.
HH
I’d let big FF take the Pens, he must be getting awfy bored in that goal.
Have I apologised to Kris Commons yet ?
Sorry for my comment Kris it was a stonewaller.
HH
Maybe we should ask for all SPL clubs to get plastic pitches??
It’s a sad day when work gets in the way of CQN.
HH
Paul67
Re all those penalties…..You are bang on Paul.
The referee was shocking :)
Teuchter ár lá
OG can we expect any more enlightenment today? Or have we had our fill?
Paul67- – it just felt like 3 pens ;-)
——
FourGreenFields
11:38 on
3 October, 2012
Mr Whyte purchased an 85% stake in Rangers from Sir David Murray last May for £1 before using a £26.7m Ibrox season ticket deal with Ticketus to effectively fund his takeover.
During his reign, the club ran up debts of up to £134m, including a potential £94.4m tax bill, which led to Rangers calling in administrators in February.
How do they get away with putting this factually incorrect mince out without question ?
Are they all trying to cover up Murrays part in this scandal ?
—-
Yep seems to me Mr Murray (sic) has some of those hacks by the Jimmy Bones
He’s not letting go …
HH
Great result , great performance against a team who matched Barca in Camp Nou.
Samaras is becoming a Euro specialist and again I am delighted for him.
I have defended Sami on so many occasions that I take special delight from all his successes.
My usual stance when defending Sami is ” if you don’t appreciate what he does you don’t understand football” ,
it helps me win the arguments but lose friends.
This season all discussions about Sami begin
” I’m not his biggest fan …. but ”
the tide is turning .
I suppose I should balance this with praise for James Forrest
” I’m not his biggest fan….. but ”
and Gary Hooper
” I’m not his biggest fan….. but ”
and Kelvin Wilson
” I’m not his biggest fan….. but ….. but , but , but he still frightens the life out of me”
Stat Attack
For years journalists droned on and on about our away record in CL
Knuckle scrapers ( and in some instances Celtic supporters ) would trot out the statistics making disparaging comparisons between Celtic and Zombie FC ,
I used to reply ( and still do)..
” Do you get more points for an away win than a home win? ”
The bemused look on their faces was usually followed by my killer line
” It’s not the f*%C&ing Littlewoods Pools”
Our comparison in CL stats overall compare very well thank you very much
Nobody ever reports “Celtic have only ever lost one CL game at home”
I have banged this drum for years , please feel free to use them
Celtic October 2012 Group Games 38
Home Away
W 13 / D 5 L 1 W 1 / D 1 / L 17
Points 44/57 =77.19% Points 4/57 =7%
Total Points 48/108 = 44.4%
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
FoD Group Games 54
Home Away
W 7 / D 10 /L 10 W 4/ D 8 / L 15
Points 31/81 = 38.2% Points 20/81 = 24.69%
Total Points 51/162 =31.48 %
The Onlooker
Enjoyed the trip into Edinburgh this morning, even got in early! Didn’t want to miss any one of my esteemed colleagues!
Now looking at a trip to the Nou Camp – been there before never seen us beat there!
estorilbhoy, 11:47
No, it’s very early days. I have only found out just who is involved today – a surprise as well
They were mad to let McGeady take those penalties.
What a game last night. Celtic were worthy winners with the 2-3 score flattering our hosts. Every one of the Bhoys did their bit. I was looking for Lenny to take off Sammi and leave Forrest on the bench – how wrong I was. Our manager is really growing in football – he has been able to change formations and personnel during games to our advantage.
What a cross by Izzy for Sammi’s brilliant header. Their second goal was a bad one to lose. Fraser made a judgement error in trying to save a wide shot and also failed to get a good contact. However, the play should have been stopped before that as the guy who got the first touch off Fraser was at least a yard off-side at the initial shot. Anyway, the Bhoys did magnificently to keep their composure and dominate most of the second half. Really like the way our team is taking shape. The next two games against the best team in the world will give us a chance to see just how far we have come.
If we had Efe earlier Benfica might have been put away.
HH
o.g.rafferty
11:50 on
3 October, 2012
estorilbhoy, 11:47
No, it’s very early days. I have only found out just who is involved today – a surprise as well
—-
Cheers. Looking forward to your future revelations. Hail! Hail!
FourGreenFields @ 11 38
‘ Are they all trying to cover up Murray’s part in this scandal ? ”
Of course they are .
If Murray is exposed
A lot of big cheese Bankers are exposed..
The SFA are exposed
The Scottish Media is outed for kissing the ass [ and taking the kickbacks from ] of a corrupt cheating spiv.
A few politicians are outed
etc /etc . .
Too dodgy for a skint and desperate Ayr Utd but indulged and lionized by the Scottish Establishment .
I think we should be told