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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neil canamalar lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
11:49 on 4 October, 2012
kk,
Whose been relegated ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LOL
I found interesting quote on one of the Russian websites.
” Sure, all at Spartak were wrong and did not estimate right value of Neil Lennon. -Simple young guy, red-haired, from Ireland (North Ireland).”
congratulations big fra
OG Rafferty 11:11 ” I am happy to confirm that there are interesting times ahead”
++++++++++++++++
Apollo gave Cassandra the gift of prophesy but the curse that nobody would believe her.
To get round this conundrum she only had to say ” something interesting is going to happen”
Sami’s ancestors would have had to agree ” she’s got you there Apollo”
We live in interesting times – but what time ?
The Onlooker
Prophetsnotacceptedontheirownblog. CSC
How much of a plum does Alan Pardew look now?
Clubs will soon be waving big contracts at Lenny too.
traditionalist88, 11:25 on
New story.
The Youtube Gold may be downgraded but will feature in some form
OG
Would that make it Youtube Silver?
I wonder if there was a clause in his contract for big Fraser being called up.
Nah, Newcastle wouldn’t have been smart enough to insert a clause saying that if he gets an England call up they’d be due another payday!
HH
OG Rafferty
Bring it on!
HH
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
11:44 on 4 October, 2012
ttt, whose the big ass that sits atop the stool
******
Whomsoever it is that be milking the old cow, I presume!
Not sure if it has been said, but maybe DD saying they have been “relegated” is to help in future when Celtic go after them for revenue we have lost due to their cheating….after all they keep telling us they are the same team, don’t they?
Just a thought.
The Onlooker 11:55
Alas, I was never beautiful enough to be given that gift …
I’m more the man in the crow’s nest who can see a storm brewing on the horizon. A dull job but someone’s got to do it
2010 Never Again
I wonder?
Why after all this time has DD now decided to go public with his thoughts. The laptop loyal have been trying desperately for some time now to pull Celtic in to the mix.
Then out the blue (pardon the pun) up pops Desmond and says all these nice things.
Could it be that something is imminent? Something imminently bad for the huns and Celtic are distancing themselves from things.
I’m betting it is about to get forensic and primitive
To those that are saying the ones being critical of DD dont know about business, i beg to differ. To succeed at business you have to crush your competitors and increase your
market share. Not heard asda say that tesco are a great supermarket, not heard microsoft
say ibm are a great company. DD made a huge gaffe and gave succour to those that didnt
deserve it. To want them back at the top table is in essence putting his business interests at risk, not good business sense. DD has been good for our club and i hope it continues. HH
Celtic_First 11:57
Internet bampottery Gold perhaps, but not on Youtube
thomthethim – My late father referred to them as anti-Celtic, Celtic fans.
I know the type. The 90’s were golden years for the vocal minority who take a perverse, miserable pleasure in negativity.
I don’t think it’s particularly a Celtic thing though. You meet people who wallow in negativity in every walk of life.
Like the guys at work who are constantly badmouthing their employers, year in, year out, but who never seem to find the gumption to go somewhere where their genius will be appreciated.
Like the miserable sods for whom the world will forever be going to the dogs.
Like the Sad Sacks, the Eeyores, the I. M. Jollys, the Buzz Killingtons.
Negativity is an energy-sapping, creativity-draining, fun-stopping force of badness.
Wild optimism, irrational exuberance, high hopes and stratospheric expectations: these are the things that change the world for the awesome. (thumbsup)
OG Rafferty
Would that be gold or Gold?
new article posted.
thetimrieper
Not wishing to prolong a debate, but, sport in general and football in particular, actually needs competitors, in order to have, eh, competition.
Therefore it is not prudent to annihilate all opposition, merely to keep them in a place where you can dominate them.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
11:42 on
4 October, 2012
Big hail hail to the lionroars67 & Top Corner
Good to meet you ghents
0-1was a terrible score though :oD)))))
Was good to find out some of the players names :o)
Good to meet you to bud
Yes TC was very helpful with his knowledge of Celtic players, get posting TC
http://www.nextgenseries.com/ Canalmalar click on the link for more info, especially kick off times:0))))))
Got a bit tasty at the end last night. firhill for thrills
OG
Been meaning to ask for a long time …
is your nom de blog ,by chance, taken from a chant heard on the Windsor Park Kop (1979 )?
Sorry if not and I have confused all
Onlooker
Although I don’t agree with dd’s reply to the msm whatever he said was going to be headlined.
As someone posted earlier he will be well in the no and has no need to inflame what’s coming to thems.hh
Snake Plissken re Nedved and Lubo
Agreed on almost all you said with 2 exceptions. Nedved may not have said it but he definitely did recognise Lubo’s genius. The wee man even nutmegged him that night, played him off the park until Nedved was subbed his confidence in tatters. He did not play a full 90 minutes for Juve after that night until late spring the following year. A 28 million pound player. He recognised Lubo all right.
Second exception. Only my opinion course but Moravcik was the most talented player I ever saw in the hoops. Henrik contributed more but the wee man was the best player I ever saw play for us. An opinion shared by Zinedine Zidane who also reckoned that Lubo was the best he’d ever seen.
Definitely agree on all else.