Space inside the box when you have the ball at your feet is at premium and whatever you have, closes quickly. The ancient part of our brains kicks in at this point. We become alert to the dangers of the shrinking space.
This reaction is biologically evidenced. The associated rush of adrenaline flushes the muscles with energy but it also obscures peripheral vision. You will know this yourself if you’ve been in possession of a football for as much as a second with defenders closing a loop around you. This is why, from the stands, we can often see a pass, but the player in possession fires off a shot that is easily blocked.
Watch Odsonne Edouard before he passes to Ryan Christie for the equaliser. Running towards goal with the ball, he has to fight against all of these biological factors to suppress the urge to panic into a premature shot.
His presence in the box induces the same adrenaline rush in the Lazio defenders’ brains and limbs: they focus on Odsonne, but the Celtic striker is winning the fight against nature. He maintains enough peripheral vision to spot the slenderest gap at 90 degrees to his right. Ryan Christie is in space and while all others panic, Odsonne pings a pass into Ryan’s path.
You can give players all the benefits sports science allows, train them until they are built like supermen, but the game is played in the mind. That ability to defy the natural instinct and control your body is where greatness lives.
I was troubled at halftime. Celtic did not deserve to be behind but Lazio scored an excellent goal and were clearly a very good team, while Cluj were ahead in Rennes, the result we did not want. The opening 15 minutes of the second half were controlled by the visitors, with Celtic unable to hold possession.
We needed energy from somewhere and Ryan Christie stepped forward. He covers 20 yards with great speed and regularity. His run to the corner around the hour, which created our first chance of the second half, looked like he was propelled forward in a pinball machine. His sprint forward, drop back, then repeat action, change the flow of the game.
It is not just Celtic who seldom score from corner kicks, such goals are the Hen’s Teeth of the modern game. Defenders mark the main threats, while others attack the space most likely to produce a goal. With the inevitable numerical defensive overload and set plays video analysed to within an inch of indecency, corners are the football equivalent of a Brexit deadlock.
But still, when Scott Brown’s shot from outside the box was deflected wide with two minutes remaining, we could dream. Christopher Jullien is as commanding in the air as any Celtic player since Bobo Balde. His sheer upper body bulk make a challenge from lesser mortals futile. His leap and glancing header inside the far post were like a great cruise liner gracefully launching down the slip. We were going to win this, or so we thought.
Fraser Forster had already made an incredible block with the score at 1-1, but in the final minute of added time, his leap to stop the unstoppable volley from Cataldi was the best save I have ever seen.
Crowds react to great save with cheers, or applause on lesser occasions. This save was met with an audible gasp. Shock from the ancient part of our brains was articulated an instant before the subsequent joy, not to mention respect. We were not to be denied.
When Hatem Elhamed went down injured inside the last 10 minutes, Moritz Bauer, a straight replacement at right back, was told to get stripped, but Neil Lennon quickly changed his mind. Instead, there was an Israeli shuffle, with Nir Bitton replacing Elhamed. Celtic went to a back three and two minutes later, Neil replaced Boli Bolingoli with Jonny Hayes. Coming so late in the game, Lazio had no time to react; Celtic were setup to control the middle of the park.
Goodness. In the dying minutes of a game against the top seed with the score at 1-1, we change tactical formation, going three at the back against two strikers. You have to hand it to Neil Lennon. Without this change, Scott Brown is nowhere near the Lazio box to be able to latch onto a loose ball and shoot to secure the corner that produced the winning goal.
It was an absolute masterstroke. Well done, boss.
For most of us, our days are full of small joys and trials. Spontaneous, shared, exhilaration is in rare supply. But, here we are.
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Hot Smoked,
Make sure you drink a pint for me and acgr, I will square ye up when I Finally meet you.
Love is the Law.
Go oot and Njoi yer Pints!!!
PHILBHOY, thanks for that👍
Philbhoy on 26th October 2019 7:38 pm
BIG PACKY !
Well said!
You’re a gent and at the end of the day some things are more important than fitba !!
………………………………………………….
Everything is more Important than a game, a game is about enjoyment.
Well said BP
Respect
the PLC’s inaction, intransigence, complicity (make your choice) is no surprise from a parcel of rogues only interested in preserving their seat at the table
Despicable to a man and shameful they are a permanent stain on the club
I see we have been attacked by Alessandro Mussolini, from Berlusconi’s party, for depicting her grandfather being hung upside down on a GB banner.
We are in good company; she previously attacked Jim Carrey for the same offence.
Alessandro was once a topless model but left that moral high ground to join various formations of “centre-right” (Aye right!) parties. On a TV talk show she atacked and kicked the female Minister for Equal Opportunities, calling her “an ugly Communist who should go and live in Cuba”. She said all Romanians were criminals, and her husband was charged with having paid sex with underage girls.
A classy lady from a classy bloodline, obviously.
It’s a badge of honour to be criticised by her
Big Jimmy & Paddymacoz: best wishes and hope you both have a speedy recovery.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM
Agreed!
How do we make our feelings known in a way that they will get the message and fuck off?
Bhoycott home games and merchandise?
PETEC, cheers pal👍
Yeah hope Big Jimmy recovers soon, I like his rants👏
Some talk on here that our board are masons.
Do any of us know this for sure?
Or do we all use the same taxi firm?
|If we are sure, can we name and shame?
Some talk on here that our board are masons.
Do any of us know this for sure ?
Or do we all use the same taxi firm ?
|If we are sure, can we name and shame ?
Sorry about duplicate post
Sorry about duplicate post
SFTB,
Magical
Respect for the research.
I did eventually join in with the F Lazio chants and it was more to do with the players antics on the park, They were not even close to the worst Time waster but in the Heat of the Moment.
Celtic has Mega ready to Break through from below.
No plan survives exposure to the enemy.
Win 9. Be clear on message that we done it the right way, the clean way , again…………. then win….. 10 in a row and the hun variants will eat themselves alive, (again).
I want us all to be alive and in the moment to see and feel that.
Tactically (let’s forget strategy)…………..every movement needs a wee bit of “darkness” in leadership.
What is it we all want?
HH.
Philbhoy @7:53
That’s all right
That’s all right
SFTB
The Mussolini family have commanded nothing but respect in Italy.
Well untill they blew Benito’s heed aff and hung him up by his ankles in the High Street.
Lovely family.
Almore,
HH
Wonderful dude.
WOW
PRESTONPANS BHOYS
Nite nite!
BRTH
Thank you. So the judicial panel, at the behest of (RFC), have deemed themselves incompetent? On what basis? Perhaps, they are correct. But it stinks.
I have said all along that it will come (a) shareholder(s) suing CFC for failing in their fiduciary responsibilities. Nothing has changed my mind in this regard. A sad pass, but there we are.
HH
BankieBhoy,
CELTIC
I hope the New York Bhoy is around for the 9.
It is gonnae be mega Tough to get another 9.
God is AMAZING.
Thanks BRHT and the Res 12 guys ….. totally behind you in any action you may wish to take going forward with Res 12….Jim for what it’s worth …Sadly I have always suspected that our PLC Board wanted this problem to just go away…. Well if they get their way there may well be a rift that may never be repaired….The crunch will come when we get shafted and they get their (55)….
Currently the Board know as long as we are winning on the park the majority of our support aure happy …. but when it goes wrong …that majority will squeal it’s NO FAIR ….we have been cheated …but by then they can have no complaints ….WE the Celtic support are financing this corruption …
The only way to bring about change is to STOP PROVIDING THE FUNDS …start with a BHOYCOTT of ALL away games …..no other club want to support a clean up of the game..so they should not expect the CELTIC support to fund them…..
SFTB
Ms Mussolini.?
Actress and singer too..Sexy nuns a specialty..1 LP -Maternal aunt.is Sophie Loren.A Rent a Gob.for the Far Right.
Dreams
Dreams
It’ll aw end up ooor fault……………
Aye!
TontineTim,
Get back on here.
SO the PLC are complicit in the cheating and have been stringing us alone
Who’d have guessed ?
Not me
BT
Me neither!
Hope you are good mate!
BT 8.27pm
Willing partners … or unwilling partners
We are on the cusp of Something Incredible.
I’d like TT here, jibber Jabbering, especially efter that Header.
Gordon?
Philbhoy 8.30pm
Football is a murky business …
Remember one thing .. Celtic didn’t break the rules …
Good to see you posting BT.
Phil
Good boss
GFTB
Guilty by association and the cheating .
Murray and oldco tried to bury Celtic our board tried to keep the old mob alive therefore they denied the fans the chance of league championships and failed in their duty to their shareholders
Petec
Cheers mate , this raised me from my slumber
Tomorrows team
FOSTER
AJER BITTON JULLIEN HAYES
FORREST BROONY CALMAC SINCLAIR
ELYANOUSSI EDOUARD
4-2 The tic
________________________________
Big Jimmy , paddymacoz , bigyininmilan and any other cqners in need of a wee prayer for a speedy recovery , prayer said ……..hopefully a win against the Dons will be a wee tonic too.
Geraldinho
8
3
5
pP
mM
Celtic is Incredible.
No matter what anyone says.
THAT is the BOTTOM LINE.
Gerry, Working alongside a hard worker that Loves fitba and Man UTD especially and he mentioned the Great gift Frae the ALMIGHTY
BT 8.40pm
How many Celtic fans do you know that go home & away who even give a minutes thought to Res 12 ? I would say next to nobody
And how many punters who go week in week out don’t give a stuff about the Huns, Sfa & the Celtic board …