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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gordybhoy64
20:53 on
3 October, 2012
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Hi. Yup thats what he said. Was a nothing question really, just a fairly lame attempt to draw us in that was swatted away – far too much made of this.
Happy too that they are deid – we all know it.
BGFC
5live
12 goals scored by British clubs, only 1 scored by an Englishman – Gary Hooper.
Thought crowds would have been bigger for the Next Gen series. Pay at Gate at Firhill and it would have to cover the Jags operating costs.
T4
Hamiltontim
quite right what matters happened on the park last night
C’mon you bhoys in Green.
Am i the only one who now wishes we were playing on Saturday cos Sunday cant come soon enough
HH
ElDiego
That DD’s a perceptive dude :-)
Off topic but Stanley Jordan and a really tasty jazz Band on sky arts 2 right noo!
HH
Good corporate answers from Dermot tonite; never let the enemy know what you are thinking.
He knows a lot more about the demise of RFC than the media and everyone on the Internet are aware of.
One snippet ..no source but very close to Dermot. Alistair Johnston emailed Dermot early doors to advise Craig Whyte was a shyster.
When things are going well the Celtic support collectively forget the guidance, experience that Dermot brings to the club. If we were on our knees like Zombie FC , we would be praying for a figurehead like Dermot to step in.
His responses tonight were sharp and neutral…his key message was that Celtic have our own gameplan.
up_over_goal
Priceless
HH
TTTT
Sorry mate the correct attendance was 96
LOve
Toneloc
No worries. I am happy to accept informed opinions and trust informed opinions.
MWD
No it’s not in fact on noo. I recorded it. Sorry.
With the game being on Sky on Sunday I’d expect the attendance to fall with supporters from afar staying at home. T.b.h. that’s understandable.
dena
Really hope there’s a big crowd on Sunday to show our appreciation for last night’s achievements.
TET – You’re right that was a bit of a sweeping statement and I apologise for it, I’m sure there are always other opinions from seasoned professionals, I’m just running from the way my board works – HH
skyisalandfill ooooooopppppsssss
too many sherbets?
HH
Well done to Blantyrekev top of the Kano CL predictor league.
How does he manage it ?
Citeh , showing us again that the EPL is the X Factor of football, a few genuine stars being paid way over the going rate to make guest appearances, whilst the local dross fill in the gaps and provide comedy moments.
At some stage (pray God it comes soon) someone will see it for the sham it is, however as long as the money rolls in……
Moonbeams
Think you might find Celtic advertising less and less in DR going forward, although that may not be the case with other red tops (yet). CQN can deliver over 200k supporters via Google Analytics – compelling numbers. the tabloids have lost huge percentages of their audience and with it status and credibility. One wonders if they were quite as hostile in decades gone by as they are now. check out how many likes Celtic have on Facebook and how many the top Premiership teams get, we are miles behind. However the club are addressing this and have new marketing guys on board – the Green Brigade had a banner recently – Always Have Been … Which came directly from the marketing department. In the past few years the supporters have supplied the ideas ie Glasgow’s Green and White. Celtic also invited Paul onto Celtic TV earlier in the season – so they are getting new media. Can only be bad news for MSM. One generation from now and they will be gone.
A late thanks to Lenny and the Bhoys for a wonderful show last night.
Told my mates I was going out for a lucky cig when we were 2-1 down and three puffs in we had equalised, so I’m taking some credit! ;-)
Apologise if already posted but just had a look at UEFA website and they have posted a link to times past – specifically Celtic vs Juve – and well worth a look.
http://en.classics.uefa.com/match=1008610.html
HH
Hamilyontim
agree its the only way to show our appreciation to the players and NFL
I will be there nowhere I would rather be
JUST CANT GET ENOUGH
HH
Great result last night,still to come down to earth.BTW DD is as sharp as a tack,he knows what is going on,he won’t be made a mug of by that shower.Keep the Faith.HH.
sorry Hamiltontim
ToneLoc
No need for any apols.
As I said, I must have been lucky, cos for sure I ain’t the sharpest tool in the box.
Exiled Tim
The whole question of penalties is a joke.
How many are given when there’s not a goalscoring chance?
I would disagree about ball to arm – it’s impossible most of the time to get your arm out of the way.
Then you have 6 ft 6 in goalkeepers with long arms – they should stretch the goals at penalties :-)
lots of talk about keeping this team together, but i think thats very unlikely with the club looking to do an ajax, get them in young and cheap before sell for big bucks if/ when they mature.
but looking at ajax and porto you can challenge and preform at the highest level regardless of being a selling club and more significantly your club can more forward off as well as on the pitch. our scouting system certainly appears to be working well from youth all the way through to senior players.
celtic’s plan is working when we are getting big bucks for your players and when we are preforming at the highest level. we just sold ki for upwards of 7 million and we are in the C/L, if thats not success then i dont know what is.
keep up the good work, dont spend stupid money on overrated players, dont pay massive wages and dont let players contracts run out.
invest in the club build and diversify and we’re on to a winner in the short and long term.
hail hail
Winning Captians.
Fingers crossed on all counts.
MWD
Mancini after match interview”we have to run and fight more”
Tactical genius
Cowiebhoy, fair point.
It also keeps Celtic out of the firing line, nothing contentious for the MSM to pick up and subvert to use against us.
KeepcelticoutoftheirmessCSC
eldiegobhoy:
Just when you thought it was safe…
I have one more for you…Oooah, Samaras, Ooooah Samaras…
I got a few back from some, hamiltontim and yourself included. However, the best one I got was from our very own Gordon…”Hi Lennybhoy (but my Sunday name), still in the Stadium celebrating”. I was green with envy but I consoled myself in the knowledge I was there 26 years ago when Murdo scored the only goal to win our last away game in the big cup.
Oh and I was sitting getting —— as a newt having watched our much loved Greek Bhoy score the winner, which allowed me to think back to a memorable night I had 26 years ago.
Ooooah Samaras, Ooooah Samaras, hunskelper and the spartakskelper.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
googy
He knows ‘the problems’ but only in Italian
But the MSM said we were out after drawing against Benfica?
1/6 from Man City?
Aye right…,
@ChampionsLeague: Joe Hart, @MCFC: We’ve got to be happy with a point. It would have been nice to win, but the group is still alive for us #ChampionsLeague
Just watched our game again and can’t help thinking that Ambrose was the ‘final part of the jigsaw’ …….
Eldiegobhoy
What did DD say ?
bournesouprecipe
22:01 on 3 October, 2012
googy
He knows ‘the problems’ but only in Italian
The Dortmund players kept running pasta the City players and of course out pasta them.
Think it is pasta my bedtime.
Doc is Neil Lennon.
picked up your nite before I went on Holiday.
What year was the Burnley {anglo/scots} game. Sure your Da picked me up at school ?
PeteTheBeat
The pen tonight was ball to hand.
Most referees wouldn’t have given it, apart for a scottish ref against us obviously.
No, imo, the only way to make it fair, no matter ball to hand or not, if it hits your arm in the box, it’s a pen.
67Heaven
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/193199-dermot-desmond-celtic-and-neil-lennon-found-turning-point-in-moscow/
DD interview.
cowiebhoy
22:06 on 3 October, 2012
12/09/1978, according to Celtic Wiki.
I wasn’t allowed to go, being younger. I’ll ask him if the bus did pick ups from the school.
Good holiday?
the penalties debate is a hard one to tackle but if you go down the
“if it hits an arm its a penalty route”
its open to deliberate kicking against arms which would be a nightmare for defenders just my opinion, and even worse I dont even have a constructive alternative
HH