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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Just watched the highlights again….that ref was for givin’ us nuthin’ ’til the wee voice in his ear said,” Naw….ye’ve been at it aw night. Ye’ve gied Celtic nada….denied them a stonewall penalty….and noo yer no gonnae send aff that Spartak plum?! Naw…..get ‘im aff or yer tea is oot, goat it?! ”
Celtic : class act of the night.
STILL buzzin’!
Embdae know how to bluetooth all your contacts from an old Nokia to a new phone ? Thanks in advance .
31003 – whatever happened to ACID RAIN?
I hear their comeback gig at the Burns Howff attracted some caustic reviews. (thumbsup)
ernie
I believe his court date in glasgow has been put off for a bit also.
Is it not the 12th we are waiting for ?
(Table should have Spartak on 6pts)
izzie’s cross for sammi – i’ve only just seen it properly – so good . not bad for a player who’s ‘a shadow of his former self’
I took a look at the Dunfermline fans forum earlier and it made for good reading. Up until recently I had a vested interest in the club and I have kept in touch with what this provincial club’s fans were saying about Celtic and Newco/Oldco.
I’ll leave N/O aside for now, except to say that they’ve been slaughtered to the hilt by 100% of posters.
There was much praise for our performance in Moscow last night. The blue St.Andrews flag which was flown by the away fans (I missed it) went down well with the DA forum.
I said on a post of about two years ago that this particular blog, Dafc, ran a poll about who they wanted to win the league that season between us and Rfc1872, and it came out 50-50. They also ran one about who they thought had the biggest fan base and that one came out 70% Celtic.
Having said that, there are many on the site who declare their equal hatred/dislike of both halves of the big two, although N/O for many more reasons than us.
hh
goldstar10:
I’m so glad you mentioned that.
leftclicktic
I got the impression that the linesman gave the decision to send off the Spartak player for the foul on Hooper, though I could be wrong, I certainly didn’t think it was the referee.
In all 3 away European ties this season the main official’s performance has been abject. I’m beginning to think that our homegrown referees aren’t as bad as we all thought!!! ;-)
bamboo
are you suggesting that only the unmarried journalists could print the truth ???? :-)
miki67
Thats an answer :)))))
When we reached the group stages all my CL expectations for this season had been met.
But now WELLLLLLLLLLLL anything is possible
*THIS TEAM COULD BE A WEE BIT SPECIAL*
HAIL HAIL
sog- somebody else would have.
Marrakesh Express
Aberdeen fan I know also regularly states his equal dislike for ‘both halves of the Old Firm’ – next time I will inform him that R*ngers are deid and the Old Firm are technically now a team from Tannadice and his own sheepish mob:)
HH
I can still hear the approaching roar of the legal ICBM hurtling towards the hunmentionables……but today, and as often as possible I just want to forget them until I hear of their incineration.
They are mental.
We are Celtic.
No contest. Ever. Never.
Spartak Moskva 2 – Celtic F.C. 3
That’ll do me.
From England:
Celtic were the headline story on TV, thanks to WGS, who is a decent fellow, and a true friend to the club, the manager and the players.
Hooper wil not be picked for England because the national manager is a weak man, who believes in staying on the right side of the press and the power that be. This means he’ll pick a Manchester United reserve over a first-teamer elsewhere.
Brown seems finally to have matured. I think, oddly enough, the chronic injury has made him a better player,
Barcelona will be missing two strong players against us at the Nou Camp.
HT
it was just watching the highlights the linesmans flag stayed down as the ref prepared to blank our claims then suddenly changed his mind, if it was the 5th offical well there is always a first for everything:)))
Thank you for reply.
HAIL HAIL
THE EXILED TIM ——
Looking forward to it . I used to drive 3 hrs + just to watch Pastore . .
Elderly Inter supporting neighbor due shortly . We will watch Zenit / Milan . He absolutely hates Milan . I will learn some more Sicilian insults. He has informed me he is bringing some of his new ” Nero D’Avola ” Super strong – Super rough . I may not care if PSG let me down. ——————-
Bom dia,
What’s that now 21 hours since a Cdeltic victory in the Champions League, Group stages (eat yer hert oot, Iain Crocker) !!!
Down here it’s all about the “Superclassico” Brasil v Argentina (second leg in Argentina at 02:00 UK time) tonight.
Only other thing of “interest” (not sure that’s what yoiu’d call it) is that Adriano has confeesed he’s losing his battle with alcohol and is now giving up his career.
HT
The ref last night was much worse than the other 2 put together.
http://diminbeirut.typepad.com/my-blog/2012/10/corruption-and-influence-peddling-in-the-english-game.html
Just read this..very interesting and abit to coincidental for my liking. Good to seem similar one for the cheating thats happened in scotland.
HT-It would be interesting to see any emails Dallas may have sent to officials ,who have handled our Euro games.
Fantastic last night took me ours to come off the ceiling.
ICT & Ross County……the new OF…..I hate that idea of some kinda symbiosis with a zombie horde. Unsavoury and possibly against the law…..so the msm presstitutes need to be dropping it….and head elsewhere to feed their vapid minds.
: > )
Marrakesh Express,
nice pic of the travelling Tims in Moscow here with saltire front and centre…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/gallery/2012/oct/02/champions-league-matches-in-pictures#/?picture=397075778&index=13
HH
any links to ex player or celebrity tweets?
thanks in advance
bb
SoT
excellent choice
the stronger , the rougher, the better……i believe some of them can reach 20%
not for everyone but i really like it
BIGbones8867 – Fill your boots:
https://twitter.com/planetjedward (thumbsup)
Bada Bing,
I gave up trying to bluetooth stuff of an old phone…couldn’t get devices to connect properly…was very frustrating.
Can you copy all the contacts on to the SIM and then just load in to your new fone and copy them that way?
HH
theglasgowcelticway
16:09 on
3 October, 2012
Fantastic last night took me ours to come off the ceiling.
———————
You wearing your Spiderman jammies again?
TET
Agree that the ref last night was awful but disagree that he was worse than the one in Helsinki. Now that was really, really poor.
PFayr ——-
Her indoors drinks Barolo . Inter man tells her ” yes -that’s a wine for women ”
She puts coca cola in his ” Nero D’Avola ” and tells him it’s to disguise the taste of the paint thinner..
His stuff might be well over 20.
I saw the game on Al-Jazeera last night and post game Souness gave a very generous (fully justified) and fair analysis of the performance. The conversation then turned to the prospect of Mr Hooper getting the call from England – Souness thought it was possible, and that ther had been talk of it. Then they asked one K Dalgleish, next on the panel. He looked blank faced and said ‘ah huvnae heard anything aboot that’… Souness and Liniker looked at Kenny like he was a Martian, and pretty much asked him if he’s been living on Mars. Very funny, but I guess you had to see it…
Personally I think Hoops and FF might be close to getting a call if England have injuries. Just now they are cruising in their group so not in panic mode. If they get like that the phones might start ringing.
Hamiltontim – theglasgowcelticway
16:09 on
3 October, 2012
Fantastic last night took me ours to come off the ceiling.
———————
You wearing your Spiderman jammies again?
No, he’s Lionel Richie. (thumbsup)
philvisreturns
16:20 on
3 October, 2012
Hamiltontim – theglasgowcelticway
16:09 on
3 October, 2012
Fantastic last night took me ours to come off the ceiling.
———————
You wearing your Spiderman jammies again?
No, he’s Lionel Richie. (thumbsup)
——————————–
He certainly has the moustache.
Everyone’s away to check if Lionel Ritchie has a moustache.
bada bing,
I downloaded the Nokia Suite, which allows you to transfer stuff from the phone to the PC and, I assume, back again.
I am a PC ignoramus, although well informed about everything else,(before smarta… comments kick in) :>).
Leftclicktic and hamiltontim:
The Linesman kept his flag down wasn’t him. It was the fifth official…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Great feeling waking up this morning after the night before
When Spartak scored their second goal I thought here we go again, so it was great to see that our team did not crumble like they have in the past
I think that NFL has to be given loads of credit for this, his tactics, subs, etc, I really think this is the beginning for Neil
I would have to hold my hands up regarding lustig, I thought he was a dud, think young Mathews may have a fight on his hands to get back into the team