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.
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summa of sammi….
07:57 on 25 October, 2012
.
Ooops Ooops..
Pat is Your Guid Irish Music..Ha
Summa of OooppsCSC
Cheers
Think i read before theres a celtic club ? That main place for matches..or members only ?
Neil
No naivety.British did control the testing.
Known casualties? Zero.
India has the bomb.
Pakistan has the bomb and one of their most decorated nuclear physicists assisted N. Korea in its efforts.
The bird has flown.
Tragically.
Yet both are still seen as allies of America, the bird was let out the cage by America for exactly the reason Pilger suggests, China.
Known casualties ? What sort of statement is that ?
It’s unlikely there would be any publication of casualties and less chance of remains, however Pilger identifies a casualty and you refuse to accept that for no other reason than Pilger said so, your whole premies is based on your own spin that Pilger is a liar, with zero evidence to support your accusation, except your own spin and a refusal to even consider there may be truth in what he says, typically blinkered when your views are challenged.
Now, can you identify where he lied ?
Good Morning.
The late Michael Marra was not everyone’s cup of tea. For others– he was the full dinner– all five courses!
Personally, I was not the greatest admirer of his voice. That is not a criticism, for I recognise that Michael’s voice was unique to him and had a certain throaty, hoary, industrial quality– which, for me personally, sometimes detracted from his material. Yet it was his voice– his and his alone to do with what he pleased– and indeed to try and change if he wanted.
He didn’t want!
That– on it’s own tells you something you need to know about Marra. He did his thing– his way!
If I wasn’t the greatest admirer of his voice, i’m afraid I would have to instantly add that I was the greatest admirer of his pen– and the brain that was attached to it. He had a great use of words, and perhaps more importantly he had great eyes.
Michael Marra saw!
He saw stories and beauty and ugliness in many everyday things which would pass many of us by. He then had the ability to point those things out in beautiful lyrics, funny tales, operas, operettas and if necessary on the back of a fag packet.
Reading back, I see someone posted his lyrics written about Glasgow– based all around Glasgow’s sociology, history character and motto– and all this from a Dundonian– or should I say a native of Lochee– perhaps a slightly different place to Jute City.
That song sums up Marra for me. He saw Glasgow– or one vision of Glasgow– and told his story. In turn, it was perhaps better told– or sang—by Pat and Greg Kane with beautiful piano and song– literally a real Hue…. and Cry.
Yet without Marra, there was no tale to tell or interpret or sing– and without Marra there would be fewer Pat Kanes– boys who become men– who sing, perform, write and speak their politics, their experiences and their vision– whether you agree with them or not.
In an era when we are bombarded with dumb down entertainment such as the X factor and the like, where supposed “hit” records or CD’s or download or whatever you want to call them these days are manufactured and artificially toned up or down or inside out– then I suppose there is the technology to clean up Michael’s voice and make it more—- Pure!
God forbid and heaven help us.
Michael would never have made it passed the auditions of such a show– not that he would have entered— unless it was to make a point.
Most of us with children will try and steer them on a sensible safe course– school, university, degree in the professions perhaps, and a good solid safe job– and then we will come home and for our entertainment we will listen to the Michael Marras of this world– those who followed a different course, bucked a trend, did their own thing and who possibly endured a few barbed remarks and brickbats in their younger lesser known days for being a little odd… or out of kilter with the rest of us grey individuals and daring to be different.
Michael Marra provided some of the colour of life, some of the distraction from the norm and would sometimes prick your conscience about this or that. Most of all he used his pen to show us that which his eyes saw and to which the rest of us were blind.
We need more Michael Marras in this world– alas– there was only one and we were privileged to share his time.
——————————————————————————————————————–
On other matters here is a wee contribution to Paul McConville’s blog on an altogether different character!
Planes,trains and automobiles– Craig Whyte, John Le Carre & Russell Grant.–
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/mark-daly-reveals-rangers-smoking-gun-craig-whyte-taped-david-grier-of-duff-phelps/comment-page-1/#comment-24167 …
Neil
Enough.
I didn`t say he lied.
Mate,if you want to give credence and respect to Pilger,that`s your choice.
If you want to have a go at Oz,which is a bloody marvellous bastion of decency consideration and multiculturalism in a shitty world,then those of us who live here,unlike Pilger,will be in there.
Because we know better.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
07:13 on 25 October, 2012
‘Money talks-or shouts,rather,as Dylan pointed out.’
Swears, not shouts.
”Money doesn’t talk, it swears”
Macjay…,
“I criticised Pilger as completely unreliable”
That is you calling him a liar
Oh and you do not know better, you prefer to bury your head in the sand, like the Scottish meeja, you are a refusenik finger in ears, no listening no listening, it’s almost as if you were trained by the Scottish meeja.
Gerry Marsden on the BBC Breakfast saying that the best experience he had singing YNWA was at Celtic Park against Liverpool.
Any papers say we would have won in the Nou Camp if Sevco were in the SPL?
BMCUWP
Good article but I can’t agree re the voice. Michael had the voice of an angel. A Lochee larynx made at Smith & Hutton, trawler builders.
We won’t see his like again.
BRT&H not BM….
gretnabhoy- I like it!
On twitter Chris Graham and his wee friend Tagsbear are raging that Aberdeen have blocked the voting right changes in the SPL but I’m sure they said they’re loving life in the SFL.
Stupid zombies lying as per usual with attendances and now this.
eil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
09:11 on 25 October, 2012
Macjay…,
“I criticised Pilger as completely unreliable”
That is you calling him a liar.
Hell,mate.
You`re starting to sound like him.
Unreliable equals liar.You think?
No matter.Think we must agree to differ.
Hail Hail my friend in Celtic. ………..copyright Phillip Strength.
I remember reading an interesting question that was posed on here a few weeks back. Do you want to qualify in 2nd from our CL group and face likely elimination, or 3rd and make a serious attempt at the Europa League. Some mixed replies and it is indeed a good discussion.
However after two night’s of CL footy I flicked onto the BBC website and see the EL games listed and just can’t get interested at all. It’s a tournament that is fading away in the CL shadow.
On current feeling give me another night of adrenalin in one of Europe’s finest theaters against its finest players. Qualification please, 3rd place is cold comfort.
Neil Lennon is the Guvnor.
Administration: St Valentine’s Day
Liquidation: Halloween?
FTT details: All Saint Day?
Title strip: Guy Fawkes Night?
BDO findings: Armistice Day?
Administration newco:Thanksgiving?
Every day: Christmas
Celts in Europe: After Christmas
Jobo Balde
Good morning from a soaking wet heavy rained Costa del sol.
Got back last night from a memorable experience in Barcelona with a brief encounter with BT,OT, and TET and KickinTheass.
NoTice any pattern?
I was reading an article there, Scotsman maybe, commenting on Neil Lennons more mature and relaxed approach.
It got me wondering was that because he is no longer as vulnerable to home results because THEY are no longer around or that he always knew in his bones they were a shower of cheatin bassas with unfair help and now the whole world knows he was right? Or is it a mix of both?
Not actually that important but glad to see him growing in stature and respect.
Published on Thursday 25 October 2012 09:44
Craig Whyte is thought to be taking legal advice ahead of a bid to sue Rangers administrators Duff and Phelps over claims that they reneged on a deal to return the troubled football club to him.
• Duff and Phelps ‘were supposed to get club in and out of administration quickly.
• News comes as recordings emerge indicating that Duff and Phelps knew of Ticketus deal.
Whyte claims that Duff and Phelps agreed on a £500,000 fee to guide Rangers out of administration before handing the club back to him, however he says they dragged out the process to rack up a bill of around £3m instead.
The news comes as new evidence has appeared which seems to show that in spite of their denials, Duff and Phelps did in fact know about Craig Whyte’s deal with Ticketus to fund his takeover of the club.
The BBC claim to have obtained a recording of a meeting between Whyte and Duff and Phelps senior partner David Grier, in which he openly states that the firm was aware of the agreement.
Whyte has consistently claimed that the company had knowledge of the deal and were copied into a number of crucial emails on the subject, which the administrators have denied.
In the recording, Grier is heard to say: “Now, the fact is that we probably did know what was going on with Ticketus. There’s no email traffic whatsoever.”
Shortly afterwards, Whyte adds: “Yeah. So you knew the structures of the deal. You were dealing with Lloyds.”
To which Mr Grier replies: “Absolutely.”
Duff and Phelps says that the words of the recording have been taken “out of context”.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/craig-whyte-to-sue-duff-and-phelps-over-claims-they-were-supposed-to-give-rangers-back-to-him-1-2597705
BlantyreKev09:46 on 25 October, 2012
It’s worth remembering, of course, that both European competitions are in the shadow of the Scottish Third Division.
auldheid
09:54 on
25 October, 2012
Jobo Balde
Good morning from a soaking wet heavy rained Costa del sol.
Got back last night from a memorable experience in Barcelona with a brief encounter with BT,OT, and TET and KickinTheass.
NoTice any pattern?
With all those Ts they must be Tea Total?
BlantyreKev
I posted the question would you prefer qualification or a long run in the Europa… My thoughts at the time were that we were a Europa Cup team… I now think we could qualify for the last 16 and given a kind draw progress. If we go into the Europa I think we could do very well in it..
Am hearing that AT’s recent filming session in Glasgow is due to be aired on tonight’s channel 4 news show ( subject to any major news stories arising today impacting on the programmes content ).
Hail! Hail!
auldheid
09:54 on 25 October, 2012
I think that NL is not under the same pressure on the home front especially from the media. They are the ones who up the pressure after a drop of any points. They are the ones depicting him as a snarling demon but now they are concentrating on cosseting their darling Sally.
Hail Hail
Kev
I’ll take our chances in CL round of 16. Looking at results across the board, it’s a fairly open tourney.
Exclusing Barca, top placed after 3 games:
Porto
Shalke
Malaga
Dortmund
Shakhtar
Valencia
Man Utd
All good teams granted, but few with the quality to look forward to an easy win at Celtic Park!
Bring it on!
I wonder if Chuck still thinks Craigy Bhoy is a goggle eyed muppet he can just forget about?
.
Canamalar..
Don’t know really why You picked Australia for Your.. Rant of the Day..
But All those Posts and Links..
What Stood out was.. “What the British Did to Aboriginals”..
We All know what ‘They’ Did..
So You Slag off Australia because you Dislike the British..??
Again we know what ‘They’ Did..
What would You like ‘Us’ to Do..?
Why Pick on MacJay when he thinks of Your chosen Scribe of the Day.. In The Same way as You think of the MSM in Scotland..
Baffled..;0)
Has Her Indoors made You Sleep on the Couch again..;0(
Summa
Scotsman cosying up to Neil?
Where were you when he could have done with support?
Scribes and Pharisee lamb eaters.
Stick it.
Barca completed 883 passes out of 996 (89% efficiency).
Celtic completed 182 passes out of 337(54% efficiency).
LONGWAYTOGOCSC
ernie lynch
rangers in administration is the gift that keeps on giving…
estorilbhoy, 10:10 on
Won’t be on tonight’s programme. Probably tomorrow
No more weans for the unemployed, sick, disabled people, ESA claimants etc.,……….
Two is your limit says I D Smith!!!!
Feguck’s sake…………
Where are they going with this??????????
TBM
TheBarcaMole
10:54 on 25 October, 2012
‘No more weans for the unemployed, sick, disabled people, ESA claimants etc.,……….
Two is your limit says I D Smith!!!!’
I suppose abortions are cheaper than child benefits.
Summa of Sammi….
10:19 on 25 October, 2012
Gentleman.
TheBarcaMole 10:54 on 25 October, 2012
I D Smith – he’s almost as repulsive as the original IDS.
estorilbhoy, 10:10,
There will be a blog later today giving a taster of what you can look forward to
Blantyrekev,
The complexion of the EL becomes clearer when the third placed teams drop into it, e.g. Chelsea, Man City.
I just hope that we have European involvement after Santa.
It would help prevent any January player sale.
Twitter comment on the money
Hush women, the Sky men+the Daily Mail men want to use the paedophile man to get at the BBC men. So depressing.”