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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Evening Burgas….
Is your ACCU running doon…..
Smiley thing….
Braw.
I know fholks on here have an aversion to Snyde but the hurting,hurting,hurting hun who was on a few minutes ago was worth listening in for.
Apparently there’s no point being in the CL unless you’re going to win it.
The pain was palpable.
La la loving it. ;)))))))
NEUSTADT
Aye maybe lol
Just been oot with the dogs and felt like a rant
braw !!!!!!
Some Jam for the Sevconians
http://youtu.be/Aw7kvqk-v4s
We’re having a party in the Champons League
Jelly n ice cream in the Champions League
;)))
Aye …..you read some absolute shoite on here at times……
Smiley thing….
Braw.
Celtic players cohesion was shot to pieces after giving away an early penalty followed by a goal soon after and another goal in the opening minutes of the second half – you could say it took some baws to survive this onslought or a maybe a miracle.
ACGR
Cheers for ringtone it will wind up a few huns for sure !!
Our last CL three match package was £84 – how much will it be this year?
Anyone got a link to Brendan’s interview. The one where he speaks respectfully re Israel etc ?
Burnley 78
Think it’s the one mate
http://www.celticfc.tv/tv/video/vod/3843
BOURESOUPRECIPE
As you say last time worked out £28 per match.
I would assume that CFC would not go above equivalent of £30 per game. HH
Celtic were terrible from the first minute. All players except SS were scared,gutless. Sent out in wrong frame of mind,
Had more luck ii. One game than RD had plastic 2 years
Missed penalty, 2 of their players injured in first half
It’s the plastic 2 years that get me…
MARADOMINIC on 24TH AUGUST 2016 7:18 PM
“All players except SS were scared,gutless.”
==========
You a nazi? ;))
BABASONICOS71
I blame you for mentioning SSB:))
As Scott Sinclair!! Lol
Haven’t wasted one minute analysing last nights match . A pure one off we’re through they’re not . Enjoy the moment then move on , hopefully some good new additions and then some great football to look forward to.
This would be a good day for Senderos to – ahem – “fail his medical”.
Wonder if he has one of those – ahem – “old injuries” like Lescott…..
Babasonicos 71
I read your kind message about my post last night.
Thank you.
Hail Hail
This will be one of my more calm and measured posts, so please bear with me.
I posted last night, about an hour after the game had finished, that I finally appreciated how many huns actually posted on this blog.
The following were posts from the same regular poster on here.
A dyed in the wool Tim, a guy we would all be proud to call our friend and happy to go to a Celtic game with.
So, at 7:12 he posted –
We are as one tonight-Hail Hail
………………………………………………………
So far so good…………….then the game starts.
No post after Craig’s great and invaluable penalty save.
8:13
This is Malmo repeated………if no improvement we go out.
8:19
They want two before half time – Sun coming in.
8:27
Can see them getting another penalty – total domination from HBS – We look shit scared.
8:56
F***ing suicide _ we are out.
8:59
Our players are incompetent shitebags.
9;05
Only a matter of time when they score their third -if not.
9:16
Should be 5-0 – we cannot get any second balls – pathetic.
9:17
Like first team V reserves.
9:23
We deserve NOTHING.
……………………………………………………………………..
STEP FORWARD PLEASE (drum roll)……………………………….
MATS NILLOC!!!!!!!
Celtic supporter extraordaire and dyed in the wool f*cking hun.
You are a midden, now f*ck off back to FF.
C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STARRY
;))
Normally its great to get finished work but there was a tinge of regret having to leave that place today.
Favourite moment was getting Zodak The Priest primed and ready to go on my phone, which was turned up to max and then pressing play as i switched the departmental intercom on to filter that amazing sound into the next department for a couple of sevconians pleasure.
My area is sealed off from theirs but i could watch their reaction through a window and it was funny seeing their ears prick up at the sound of music, then the puzzled look at each other and then all around them as they tried to work out what was going on.
Wasn’t as good as this……. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzuM2XTnpSA but it was my rather juvenile highlight of the working day :)
JNP..
Hail Hail fhella
Bournsouprecipe,
That one hits the nail on the head.
This one must be repeated in every conversation, phone-in, posting etc – the whole season……
Whenever financial disparity is mentioned – even with the English leagues…..the answer must be:
“But money doesn’t give a sporting advantage.
Wasn’t that proved in court by the SFA and Rangers (IL)?”
Philbhoy
Took you long enough to see through him :-)
HH
oops…..zodak!
Philbhoy,
Do I win a cyberspace pint for guessing who it was before you revealed him :0)
Good Evening.
Here are a few thoughts about last night’s game…
“Champions Glee”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/08/24/champions-glee/
TET
I give everyone the benefit of the doubt……………………..but.
Hope your good lady is doing good.
And you too.
Keep us posted.
PRESTONPANS BHOY
I will buy you a pint at the HOOTENANNY!
Can you make it?
Hail hail
the celts are there
Dunno if this has already been posted, but this could be the solution to Celtic’s right back problem…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/37163487
Philbhoy,
When and where is it this time ?
…I’ve no idea if big Tam can defend though!
CL thoughts are occupying my mind.How about this wan:
Would I/we/us take a 4 or 5 goal pumping off Real away in return for beating them at Paradise?
Draw permitting,of course.
I would Babasonico.