Rolling-over St Mirren easily tells you nothing about what will happen at the Camp Nou. As it is, we performed as well as any team in Europe would have last night. Inter Milan and Chelsea won the Champions League in 2010 and 2012 respectively after putting on a similar performance to Celtic in the most testing theatre in football.
The manager, players, supporters and everyone at the club deserve enormous credit for their part in this. Celtic’s achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider they live within their means, and this is not a dig at some former domestic rivalry, the most consistent trait of those currently regarded as uber-teams, including Barcelona, is a refusal to limit expenditure to match income over any business period. We can admire the art of this Barca team while looking forward to the day Financial Fair Play regulations inhibit their expenditure to the £200m-or-so a season more than Celtic’s income.
Barca will know they face a difficult task at Celtic Park in two weeks. Our goal came, as I predicted on Sunday, after a free kick inside the Barcelona half was dropped onto an elevated Celtic head inside the box. When the game is analysed I’m sure the coaches will conclude that we should have invited more challenges in similar areas – on the wing, circa 35 yards from goal. This is an easier area of the field to get possession in than the penalty box and, for Celtic, equally as dangerous.
Messi, Xavi and Iniesta got everything right for their first goal immediately before half time. The passing was fast, tight and each first touch was excellent, but this was a rarity. On all other occasions Celtic forced them into a pass which was too tight or too fast, or to simply make another safe pass and try again.
The second Barcelona goal was a consequence of defending too deep to press the cross. It was the kind of goal you lose in the 94th minute on a huge pitch.
Celtic successfully defended corner kicks zonally. For 70 minutes Barca took short corners, almost always to an unmarked player on the wing, Celtic didn’t mark this player all game, which brought a complaint from me every time, but they defended the zones the needed to inside the penalty area. Conceding possession outside the box looked like a conscious decision. Eventually Messi was reduced to pitching corners down the throat of the Celtic defence with predictable results.
There is still have a hard job ahead to qualify for the knock out stage or for the Europa League but we have gone toe-to-toe with every team in the group and have competed admirably with each – which was regarded as an objective as recently as last month. I’m enjoying my football this season.
Click here to read the fabulous CQN Magazine for free, or strain your eyes squinting below. You can also buy a hard copy of the magazine here from Magcloud.
[calameo code=000390171a36dad35d58c lang=en page=52 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
727 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- »
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
21:57 on 24 October, 2012
Jabba and cardihun had lunch with Moonbeams over the summer.
Are we allowed to guess what was on the menu?
St.John.Doyle
22:18 on
24 October, 2012
We need a goalie, CB and forward. There you go………..:)
Ggh
Not to be sniffed at
St. John Doyle
I’d maybe take Messi in the window
St JD
We need kevin kyle .. Sandancer … Shields …. Ian black … Lee wallace … David templeton … And am array of no mark foreigners
Burghbhoy
I would take him in a square go ;)
This article was in June so let’s see what happens now.
A judge has ordered an inquiry into allegations against the administrators who took over crisis-hit Rangers.
Duff and Phelps were formally appointed to the Ibrox club on February 14, owing HM Revenue and Customs £14m.
At the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday, Lord Hodge, referred to a BBC television programme alleging the firm had a “conflict of interest” in their role and called for a full report.
He said he took no view about what the BBC had said, but wanted to know whether the insolvency firm had obtained and acted on legal advice on the question of conflict of interest.
Lord Hodge said he had done nothing until now because he did not want to hinder the process of Rangers going into liquidation.
He told the accountants’ lawyers: “There is considerable public interest in this jurisdiction in relation to the administration.
“I do not want the administration to come to an end without having received that report.”
One of the partners at the firm, David Grier, had advised Mr Whyte on his takeover as early as January 2011. He was also retained by the Rangers owner after the takeover to deal with the “wee” tax case the club was looking to settle with the tax authorities.
When the Ibrox club went into administration, Mr Grier was also involved in the process of trying to save Rangers FC plc, which failed earlier this week when an asset sale and liquidation was confirmed.
The BBC documentary claimed that Mr Grier knew of the £25.3m Ticketus deal Mr Whyte struck for future Ibrox season ticket sales, which effectively funded his takeover.
The programme claimed that this later resulted in a “conflict of interest” as Duff and Phelps successfully appealed to Lord Hodge to find that they could breach the deal, leaving Ticketus to become creditors of the club.
Mr Grier has strenuously denied the allegations and claimed his company were looking at taking legal action against the broadcaster.
He claimed that he knew Mr Whyte had been in negotiations with Ticketus, but thought that it was only in relation to small short-term funding deals, and not one to facilitate the takeover. Previous owner Sir David Murray had struck deals with Ticketus for Ibrox season tickets from 2009 onwards.
Duff and Phelps said the judge’s decision would give them the chance to disprove the claims made in the BBC’s programme.
Joint administrator David Whitehouse said: “Producing this report for Lord Hodge will give us an opportunity to demonstrate that the allegation of conflict of interest by the BBC was wrong and grossly irresponsible.
“We have a well-established conflict checking procedure which was fully ahered to and there was no reason for us not to accept the role as administrators.
“It should be remembered that HMRC withdrew their application to appoint administrators to enable us to do the job. We maintain there is no conflict of interest.
“Since the BBC documentary we have met Mr Roger Isaacs, who appeared on the programme and was asked for his professional opinion as a forensic accountant.
“Mr Isaacs informed us that he was not shown relevant documentation by the BBC and now, having reviewed the documentation, he has told us that he is satisfied that our firm did not have knowledge of Ticketus funding being used to acquire Rangers in 2011, prior to the transaction being completed.
“We are also cooperating fully with the investigation announced by the Insolvency Practitioners Association and we look forward to that inquiry been concluded as soon as possible.
“We have also referred the BBC allegations to our solicitors.”
The report demanded by Lord Hodge is expected to be ready in three weeks and a further court hearing is likely to be arranged after that.
Burghbhoy
22:20 on 24 October, 2012
********************************
No a bad player but he is very greedy no a team player they can keep him!!!!!!
The bhoy jinky
Love it………hail hail Armagedden is sweet!
The boy jinky.
Ye young Dj’s as thick as his da and a bitter weirdo.
Runs about wae the union bears,no surprise there.
Scud a gaffer!
His screensaver is a divider n compass.wtf.only in there.hh
St.john.doyle.
We be an ok addition to the squad .
Fireman Wally is Baldy.
HH
I am informed, from Miss Prestonpans’ facebook, that our game was the first time that Messi has either failed to score or put in a assist.
Burghboy
Armageddon aint all it was cracked up to be
Ggh
There im back taking drugs again … See what you started
Burghbhoy
22:26 on 24 October, 2012
************************************
A would rather we got the finished product, he is too much of a project
Re January signings I read somewhere last week that centre back Ciani I think that was the name from a French team was on the cards.
Larsson4me good trailer I have read all Jack Reacher books just downloaded last one to kindle, only problem I have is why they have a midget playing a guy 6″4 and weighs 250lbs.
Not a fan of Tom Cruise.
Wee Oscar Celtic Warrior YNWA.
HH
Sipsini…. Did you ever hear my stories about petrol money from the bold mason scott
I remember jjs stag night … When roofy came in with his huns shirt on and the potty lmao
prestonpans bhoys
Not true.
He obviously did not have a goal nor an assist in the 0-0 draw with Villareal in January 2012, for example.
Whatever happened to the centre half we signed in jan… Then he done his cruciate.
I know we cancelled his contract but i hope he recovers and we take him
St.john.doyle.
U have changed my mind, I agree he would add nowt!
The bhoy jinky….the big high is seeing those hooped jerseys strutting their stuff……… Hail hail
The Comfortable Collective
22:31 on
24 October, 2012
prestonpans bhoys
Not true.
He obviously did not have a goal nor an assist in the 0-0 draw with Villareal in January 2012, for example.
Sorry important bit was this season, so I’m reminded !!
Think barca lost 1-0 to chelsea too this year
Great line from brookmyer :
One character described another as “a real Rankers man. All brown brogues and dignity.”
Burghbhoy
Its the greatest natural high on gods earth
also messi would be cup-tied for the round of 16:-)
prestonpans bhoys
That is probably true.
Didn’t want to come across as a correcting smart ar*e.
But would rather correct people on here than have them thinking something inaccurate and being corrected at a later date by some smug hun.
Preston pan
To be fair … The wee man has scored a hat trick in most games this season
But giving birth can take your mojo …… No not le petit merde ;))))))
Bellamy and Keane?
The Comfortable Collective
22:37 on
24 October, 2012
Too true nate.
Miss Prestonpans said to me “I said this season which you omitted” My reply to that smart ar*s comment was “21 next week, when are you leaving home for your own flat”!
Fatheralwaysright.csc
nate=mate
I watched the game in Cusco, Peru and went through all the emotions that have been expressed on the site. Like most, I like to see Celtic attacking but, assessed in terms of defensive tactics and skill, that was an impressive display.
I bumped into a small group of Spanish tourists today – Catalans to be precise – and we had a pleasant conversation about the game and the up and coming one. One man held up five fingers to indicate how many goals Barca were going to score in Glasgow. I told him they were going to get a surprise and I believe it. Viva Celtic!
Pat
Are you sure the catalan wasnt just ordering steak bakes
So if we don’t need to spend £millions on urgent replacements in Jan what should the club do with the money to build for the future.
Or just improve/extend the contracts of our best prospects.
We have to think of the next wave of players to step in when the big clubs come in with offers of big bucks for our stars, as this is what the latest strategy seems to be, sell on after great service and bring through a new group.
Churchill is supposed to have said that democracy may not be perfect but it is the best we’ve got. Well if this is democracy and this is the best we’ve got, GOD HELP US. Perhaps we sould have been warned by the pERHAPS WE SOULD HAVE BEEN WARNED BY THE
St JD
The rewards to guys like vic and hoops are on the table and a good few have signed new improved terms
St.john.doyle
I would be inclined to improve contracts if they will extend. Gives us more value in the market when they do go. If they don’t sign, punt them before they can run down contracts and leave for a pittance or even for hee haw.
Heard tony watt has less than a year left. Anyone know if this is true? If so, we need to gethi tied down pdq.
The beasts mind seems elsewhere tonight. I wonder where ?
HH
The Boy Jinky
22:47 on 24 October, 2012
*************************************
I agree but I was also thinking of some really outstanding youths from around the world as our scouting system seem to have a very good success rate and can be trusted.