That was the latest instalment in a long running series of Behind the Couch Celtic away performances in Europe, with the wonderful exception that after Hapoel Be’er Shiva had us on the rack in the opening period of the second half, Celtic put five at the back and closed the game out without any stressful incidents in the final 15 minutes.
There are a few moments worthy of comment:
Hapoel’s penalty came as a consequence of Celtic pressing high up the field for the first time in the game. The home team dropped deep as they were temporarily reduced to 10 men, but when Celtic pressed high to take advantage of an opponent receiving treatment, they easily passed through us, switched the ball left and gave Saidy Janko his first difficult moment of the night.
More on Saidy in a moment, but we cannot allow teams to pass through us so easily. We should never have been caught so high up field. Our alertness, interceptions and tackling were not good enough. Craig Gordon’s block at the penalty was priceless (or at a price of circa £26m, if you’re being picky).
There’s a reason teams who mark zonally at corner kicks don’t mark the penalty spot. It’s because headers from the penalty spot need to be exceptional in order to beat the keeper. Sahar’s goal wasn’t an exceptional header. It bounced before passing Craig Gordon three feet inside the post. It should never have been a goal, and although Craig’s mistake for the second was more evident, the first was as worrying a goal to concede.
We’re fond of talking about “schoolboy errors” in football but Saidy’s lack of awareness of his direct opponent and goalkeeper at the second goal was a classic error from the 9-year-old’s game. I’ll be generous and say he’s not ready for a game at this level. Craig Gordon doesn’t have a let off for this one, either. While his fullback made a mistake, an alert keeper would have prevented the goal and knocked Saidy into next week. Awareness concerns exist for him too.
Whether it’s Craig’s self-confidence, or that the defence don’t have confidence in him, goalkeeping mistakes came perilously close to seeing us drop out of the Champions League last night.
Not that Craig shoulders all responsibility for what was a weak performance. The middle of the park was experimental and looked it. On the back of one of his best games for Celtic a week ago, Scott Brown’s passing, control and influence was miles off the pace.
Scott, Callum McGregor and Nir Bitton were swamped in midfield. Too few Celtic players were showing for the ball, which was thrown forward aimlessly whenever a Hapoel player closed us down. If central midfield is right, your defensive and goalkeeping frailties are less evident, but we were exposed too often at the back last night. There was a period in the second half when watching on TV made it impossible to know where we were going wrong. After a Hapoel chance, we would see a replay, and before it cut back to live pictures, Celtic had lost possession and were again under pressure. This happened repeatedly. Central midfield was the major problem with the performance, if not the result.
Don’t let any of this dampen your spirits. We’re into the Champions League group stage, a fact which will see us break through the £80m turnover mark for the first time. By comparison, turnover was £51m for 2014-15, the most recent season accounts are available for.
Despite the increase in expenditure this season, we’ll pay our bills without increasing borrowing or selling players. We’re on the circuit again, which means we’ll find it easier to attract talent going forward, it means we’ll find it easier to attract commercial deals and pretty much every KPI at the club will become that bit more attainable.
Last night was a transformational day in the life of your football club. We’re back, enjoy it!
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UEFA have issued a strong reminder to clubs that they are forbidden from influencing another club’s team selection in European competitions.
The governing body issued a statement on Friday amid reports Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could be prevented from playing should the Liga leaders draw his parent club Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League.
The Belgium international is in his third consecutive season-long loan deal at Atletico from Chelsea, and with both teams progressing to the last four of the competition, there is a real possibility they will face each other.
Atletico president Enrique Cerezo is quoted as saying that a clause in Courtois’ loan contract stipulates that “a big quantity of money” must be paid to Chelsea to allow the keeper to face his parent club, and UEFA have now underlined their stance on the matter.
European football’s governing body appeared to prohibit any such clause and stated, if a stipulation of that nature was enforced, sanctions would follow.
“Both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations contain clear provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match,” the statement read.
“It follows that any provision in a private contract between clubs which might function in such a way as to influence who a club fields in a match is null, void and unenforceable so far as UEFA is concerned.
“Furthermore, any attempt to enforce such a provision would be a clear violation of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations and would therefore be sanctioned accordingly.”
Ajax oot. Good, Praecepta fancied our chances against about twenty of them outside the BV the last time we played them:))))
Was gonna say.
Hypothetical Contract Clauses…..aren’t worth the ethereal paper…..they may be written on……
ClumpanyterritoryCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
Auld Tam
I think Gary 67 post may contradict you
Sips,
Praecepta is an uncontrollable BAM…..;-))
youngatheartCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
Tam.
I think your well wrong. Uefa. Here clearly states
Parent club cannot have a clause in loan contract that stops their player playing against them for another club unless that player expresses political views . waves illicet banners or displays flags in a sympathetic manner.
That how I read it.
the stadium is in use most days conferences,various functions etc,and the restaurants can be used at any time.i remember for a time they experimented with letting the public into a coffee/snack bar on the first floor but it fell through when playing and management couldn’t get any peace to enjoy a quiet coffee without getting pestered for photos autographs
Stivs….apologies for thinkin yer a Bankie…..stupid me remembers you were takin yer Bhoy to watch the Colts at Cappielow…..locally ;-((
memoriesCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
I reckon we need another striker signed.Someone at,or at least near,the level of Leigh and Moussa,as oppossed to Nadir.
And a midfielder.Can Victor naw just come back?Does he have a clone?Please?
CLONIN’INTHEGLOAMINcsc
Flegs.
Good piece by Marc Conaghan, a political consultant, and Celtic fan, in the USA.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/celtic-palestine-flag-uefa-football-club-fans-hapoel-beersheva-97957668
Anyone point me in the direction of the BR interview,
its on the blog somewhere just canny remember where
GORDYBHOY64
http://www.celticfc.tv/tv/video/vod/3843
HH
THELURKINTIM…
I’ll never forget when Praecepta said…right bhoys backs to wall.
Minded me of the time when I was a pup and me and my mates went into the Waterloo bar, obviously not being any wiser at the time:(
The BV night turned out fine and i had the pleasure of meeting 16 roads as he was a tail ender of the Ajax crew. HH
October 18/19, 2016 3rd match Champions League group stage
1st match day: 2 v 3 4th match day: 1 v 3
4 v 1 4 v 2
2nd match day: 1 v 2 5th match day: 3 v 2
3 v 4 1 v 4
3rd match day: 3 v 1 6th match day: 2 v 1
2 v 4 4 v 3
We are Pot 4 so an away game during the school hols for the first time in years.
mccarthy would be a welcome addition,better than we have.
i like young henderson but the knock against him is his stamina.
Sorry my copy and paste didn’t work properly.
But as Pot 4 team we have an away game during the school holidays.
Sips,
Scary fact is…..youd Av….went to bat for him…..not sure 16 Roads will appreciate that description…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
VALE BHOY on 24TH AUGUST 2016 11:33 PM
I don’t think those numbers are related to the Pot a team comes from. Could be wrong but I thought that the numbers are generated after the draw is made and take into account teams from same city/country etc.. This then determines who plays who and when. We could as easily be 1, 2, 3 or 4.
https://twitter.com/DExpress_Sport/status/768562540934639616
Back page of Mail running with McCarthy on loan story.
STARRY PLOUGH on 24TH AUGUST 2016 11:28 PM
GORDYBHOY64
http://www.celticfc.tv/tv/video/vod/3843
=====
Cheers bud,hadn’t watched it.
Class act oor Brendan. ;)
THELURKINTIM….
:))) you’re sharp as a tack tonight, best I double check what I post:)) ☘☘
BADA BING!! on 24TH AUGUST 2016 11:45 PM
Ambrose and Blackett. That’s one of a start for Saturday coupons this season. Whoever’ splaying Reading.
I think it was Elfsborg that tried to block Mo from playing ;o)
An absolute belter from “The Huddle”
Interesting comments from John Collins on Itv
Saying we need a right back, midfielder and possibly a striker
Would agree with that
Bigdraw Eve sleepy time.
G’nite fholks.
http://youtu.be/Rtde3kgxIV8
FOREVERANDEVER!!!
THE GLORIOUS BALANCE SHEET
First priority is a midfielder. Second priority is another midfielder. Then a right back and a back up striker if we’re being greedy.
Starry Plough,
cheers mucker,he impresses every interview he does
Auld Tam
With respect (copyright Warbiola), I think you’re wrong.
Leicester
Napoli
Club Bruge
Celtic
You read it here first
:)
HH
Well, we’ve eliminated the Champions of Gibraltar, Kazakhstan and Israel to earn the chance to draw CSKA Moscow, Napoli and Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League group stage.
Bring it on!
MoreAirMilesForUsCSC
Sips…..
Did you meet Richie…..guid Tim…..been absent for a while…..no he’s still alive through OldTim…..just…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
GARY67
Thanks for that.
I had hoped that meant an away game as I’m in Gdansk that week.
Still I live in hope.
HH
So Janko is the new Effe.
He had a poor game defensively. So did a few others.
His pass ratio was upper quartile in a crap team.
He never hid all night.
He had mcgregor and Forrest hiding ahead of him for the entire time they were on the park.
Still Sutton the imposter and shock jock has made him the next scapegoat.
Sutton who didn’t just hide but got himself sent off in a huff at Ibrox. Sutton who chucked it at Celtic after Larson departed.
Sutton who played on black Sunday ( not that anyone would have noticed ).
Sutton who failed as a manager at
Lincoln.
Sutton who takes the tabloid pound
Sutton who was in the starting team at Artmedia.
Bhoy67
Feels like Xmas eve with the presents all wrapped right now !
Your suggestion would work just fine for me.
Starry Plough
Thanks re earlier
Brilliant re the Aldi chat earlier
Comic genius.
THELURKINTIM…
Ye I’ve met Ritchie on a few occasions, a total gentleman. Quite a few have stopped posting of late.
Now the blog has become more upbeat due the to play and BR in the helm (maybe not last night) they will return.
I’m hoping to get back in the crowd once this shoulder heals a bit more, catch a pint with you then and a few others.
Need to dig a out film to watch now.HH
We will not know the order of the games and where they will be played until after the draw.
Usually an hour or two after the draw.