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.
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Toneloc
Unless you have the inside track and know that your opinion is the correct one you really should hold back on the condescending pash.
MWD
Maybe DD knows that they won their appeal.
HH
Snake Plissken
21:21 on
3 October, 2012
bournesouprecipe
If Jack Rodwell is worth 12M what is Victor Wanyama worth? Or Ledley, Brown, Kayal or even Mulgrew?
That day will come when we qualify for knockout stages and when Hooper gets an England cap and scores then 10 million immediately!! Hail Hail
When did Steven Pressley get the Dortmund gig?
MWD aka Victor Meldrew
RELAX
Terrific performance by the team last night, Lenny’s substitutions tactically astute particularly with the two bhoys already on a booking, showed great faith in the players to play such an attacking system. Most teams away from home would have settled for a point even against ten men. Our manager is building himself a very good reputation very early in his managerial career
ToneLoc
Do you not live in a planet where a very clever business man can at one stroke give a response the MSM want whilst knowing fine well he is using sarcasm at its best!
I presume that you know DD personally and know full well he was being sarcastic
Me? DD doesn’t do many media interviews regards football. Tonight showed you why. Totally out of sync with the supporters of the club. His comments are ill advised and in no way on earth was he ‘being cute’
Just my opinion of course
EDB
I’m good and that was my supper !
Trust you are good ?
Awe Naw…
Don’t say that. ;-))
SOAL I am relaxed. Wayyyy relaxed.
MWD
Bhoys and ghirls how can we go from euphoria last night to ripping into each other tonight all because DD answered some hacks crap questions chill out.
And as I said Dortmund rue previous misses Man city get pen
HH
Soft pen against dortmond
Penalty Man City.
Ball to elbow for me.
Missed chances very costly
Goal Balatelli.
Come on Dortmund.
4 minutes added
A total injustice. City have been ran ragged all night
Hart another great save
It was bizarre penalty decision. That 2 600 tickets for Dortmund fans I found on Borussia supporters website. Interesting information there that Manchester City are not beaten at home in UEFA competition since 2008. C’mon Dortmund.
under 19s beat psv 3 v 1.
a European double for the tick
Both teams going for it yet loads of fans heading for the exits.
ToneLoc
“I always find that the board bashers don’t seem to have a clue about business.”
Bit of a sweeping statement……..
I must have been lucky I suppose :>)
TMWTL,
if as was posted earlier that DD had a wry smile when making his comments
then maybe his comments were tongue in cheek
That penalty for Man City was nonsense. Subotic came in behind in a perfectly natural position arms down but very slightly out for balance.
How on earth could he get his elbow out of the way when Aguero just turns and blasts it at him from 1yd away?
Absolute travesty penalties like that.
Hi Ghuys
With all the conjecture ongoing about the final group league placings ,why don,t we make a deal with Barca that will be mutally beneficial to both teams
We should just tell them that we will let them beat us in the new camp and expect them to do the same for us at Celtic Park
simples
HH
Phil
Looking at the team of City ‘stars’ tonight and I would take our bhoys every time. May not be as talented, but our young guys are hungrey, young and brave.
Danny,
I apologise. threw that out too quick before thinking it thro,
I do know thro my sis in law a son of Dermot and I can assure “never for the money all about making sure Celtic are both sucssessful and sustainable”
Scandalous decision to keep the English team involved in that group.
dena29
That was your fault. I hope you’re proud of yourself! :)
Anybody know what the approximate attendance was at Firhill ?
T4
TTTT
69
dena
Sorry went back to find out what DD has said.
Gave up, can’t be arsed, Cmon the Celtic.
TTTT
43
SOAL – you had to be there!! :-)
T4
Billy Bhoy already beating myself with the proverbial big stick:~((((
LMAO
HH
tommytwiststommyturns
TSOAL
BBC say 53
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
21:41 on 3 October, 2012
TTTT
69
Brilliant….
It was meant to be around 250 according to a tweeter
That pen would never have been given 9 times out of 10.
The rules should be changed to make it fair for every team.
If the ball hits your arm in the box, it’s a pen, takes out the referees and bias.
Just my opinion on DD’s comments = making sure target is still visible for forthcoming decisions ? name and history
ht
Think he said Lennybhoy was bang out of order last night. He’d never received so many texts before in such a short space of time.
Wouldn’t have minded but apparently they kept repeating time after time:o)