Let’s not be fooled by Barcelona’s home defeat to Alaves on Saturday. If they again rest Messi, Suarez, Iniesta and Jordi Alba, while contriving to miss the target with multiple chances from inside 10 yards, that result might stand as a guide, but I suspect we’ll see Leo, Luis, Andres and co. tonight. With a point to prove.
On the positive side, we’ve played away 26 games in the Champions League proper and avoided defeat only twice, including a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou. Barcelona also took until added time before scoring a winner against us there four years ago. They are formidable, but we appear to perform better when we know the enormity of the job.
We were back at Camp Nou for game six of the group stage in 2013. It was a dead rubber for Celtic and a must-win game for Barca. It did not go well. That experience is a marker for what can go wrong when you play one of the best teams ever to kick a spherical object.
When Brendan Rodgers perused our Champions League fixtures for opportunities to pick up points, he’ll not have invested too much hope in tonight’s game, but it will serve as the ultimate test for a group of players who look more and more like an impressive team with each passing week.
Let’s enjoy it.
Whoever thought that embarrassing yourself with a ludicrous statement was a wise response to a destabilising defeat should be told to walk away from the keyboard. Yesterday’s statement from across the city was cringe-worthy. Appealing to the lowest common denominator is easy, but you play to an ever-decreasing audience.
The alarm signs for Project Newco Rangers are blaring loud. It will not end well.
Celtic’s response reads like they were listening to the Champions League anthem when writing it. You don’t win a fight with an opponent who has nothing to lose. Don’t stoop to their level, it only contaminates you. There will be more nonsense before the Project ends. It won’t be pretty, but try to enjoy this spectacle too.
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Hail hail
Nice !!!
The Barca manager seems to have been ‘mixing ‘ his squad around. We all agree that individually his team have few peers. Might be as good a time as any to play them as they seem a bit disjointed.
Do us proud Celtic.
Big Roy Aitken was a Vg kicker of the spherical object that was Ally McCoist
DESERTBHOY on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:35 PM
GARY67 on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:29 PM
4-5-1 that can quickly becomes a 5-3-2
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Ill go for that as i think Armstrong will play rather than Forrest… jury’s still out on Doris though, can’t see Brendan going back to Gordon but my pref would be a proven shot stopper.
Shameless repost…..
Shout out…..am lookin for 3, Three tickets for the Man C gemme on the 28th….failing that…..2 tickets……failing that deffo 1……ACGR has promised polygamy…..and sex change…..to huv yer babies ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
PAPAJO… fae Muthill
You still lurking ???
Good Afternoon.
Good luck to Celtic tonight! Not expecting any points, but a decent performance and a great learning experience would be welcome.
Here are my latest pieces:
One about someone storming out of Sevco…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/a-transfer-request-at-sevco/
And another about Warbo turning out to not be very good…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/the-warbmeisters-new-clothes/
Paul67,
The last couple of paragraphs speak volumes.
My only concern is that that lowest common denominator might wreak their anger on totally innocent folk, rather than the likes of toilets.
If we lose tonight can we not put out a statement condemning Barcelona and their Catalan flags which are not a recognised flag of UEFA. This must be aunty- (or is it auntie-) spandex or something? I’m sure our right wing KKK will be right on it. Can’t go upsetting spandex wearers.
MWD
Hankray
I dont know, but he is quick and I dont think he got any roastings in the World Cup.
The alarm signs for Project Newco Rangers are blaring loud. It will not end well.
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Been hearing this for 4 years from various sources. Was convinced they would never reach the top flight, but here they are.
HH
Gubbed by Hibs……..statement thrashed by Celtic……….statement.
With the tea lady writing for SMSM these bigots are playing the sectarian card because they know they have nothing else left to play.
We face a bankrupt version of the old songbook, they stare at a fixture list knowing they’ve been found out.
With a convict in charge they have been running on fresh air since 2012 they need help but don’t know where to look so they ask the support to get angrier.
Meanwhile at the big table
PopCorn CSC
MWD,
absolutely….we can turn it into a squirrull…..if we get horsed……getting the SMSM to report would be laalaa land tho ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Paul – THAT ever decreasing audience
still had Shortie and RSTV………. quoting with all the credibility and seriousness it could museter
bear-faced hypocrisy – verbatim.
Until the Broomloan-bound, brown-brogued rogues….. are shamed into impartiality or professionalism then thur unchallenged statements will, eventually succeed in rewriting history.
When’s enough, enough?
Hunguffery.
We’ll enjoy it Paul. We’ve seen this movie before. A bit like The Godfather the sequel could be even better than the original.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:52 PM
That`s good.
Just about the size of it.
Bankiebhoy
Shamed into professionalism….
……my aching sides…..
bluemoonCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
muster…………………..(jeezoh)
and meant to say…………
Quoting a Fan’s Group Club 18-30 or summat…..quoting a Fan’s group and growing that into a concerted reply from “rangers”……………………
Who the hell is over-seeing this panto guff, and why in Ghod’s name are we now not seeing evidence of robust push- back……….???
I don’t need to see the Club’s strrtegy or indeed see the workings in the margin, but when will we see some kind of response, reaction that the sleekits and the keech merchants are being addressed?
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumph.
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY
Not having that,mate. The sequel was the best sequel ever,but the original knocks it out the park.
Too convoluted. The original was linear,the sequel-apart from the excellent flashbacks which came from the original novel-was too convoluted. And lost a bit wi the replacement of Clemenza wi Pentangelo.
IMO,of course.
French Connection and the follow up,I’ll give you.
Paul 67
I wonder what the Aberdeen fans have planned for Pittodrie in the very near future regarding their status as a new club, I doubt very much they will hold back too much in letting them know who they are, more anger in the aftermath of that no doubt.
Anyway enough about the desperados, I like what BR is doing with the team and the club is on the rise again, I am sure he will not sit back but will look to counter quickly with the pace we have, if we can keep it tight is it too much to look for a point? I sense no fear, that was evident in the qualifying stages , the players are going to give this group their best shot, if we could get 3rd place and a wee run in the Europa post Christmas that would be further success in Europe this year. Good luck Celtic Football Club
Before Saturday I was a bit wary of taking my kids to see our Glasgow rivals but I did and they thoroughly enjoyed it (the score helped).
One thing I would say in regards to “The Statement” is that they must have bloody good eyesight, we were sitting in 112 and never saw these blow up dolls, how could they?
Anyway on to tonight and just hoping we do ourselves proud in the biggest stage in world football, the Champions League.
Green Tea and quiet meeting room for bankiebhoy1……….
;)
Very pleased with Celtic’s response yesterday. Despite many legitimate criticisms of the Celtic hierarchy, they typically handle this sort of stuff well.
A quote from George Carlin comes to mind – “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience”.
Warbler said, ” having read both of them there is no gulf in class between the statements”
He continued, ” there is not one Celtic statement that I would want.”
“it will serve as the ultimate test for a group of players who look more and more like an impressive team with each passing week.”
A team only looks/is as good as its opponents allow it to be. Barcelona will not be in the slightest bit cowed by Celtic’s 23 goals in their last six games. They’ll be more focussed on the 0-2 in Israel and the 0-1 in Gibraltar, and the performance of our players in both those games.
It will take something extraordinary for Celtic to emerge from tonight’s game with anything tangible to show for their efforts… Like perhaps “programming” the players to believe, and play like, they are at Celtic Park, and to play on the front foot whilst keeping it rock solid and as tight as a duck’s derriere at the back.
Rather than getting pushed deeper and deeper towards our own goal and resorting to 89 minutes of last ditch, panic defending, we should try to play to our own strengths and keep the Barca players as far away from our penalty area as we can. If we gain possession we must keep it for as long as possible by way of crisp, accurate, intelligent passing, supported by lots of movement off the ball to ensure that the man in possession always has at least three options to release the ball safely to a team-mate.
It’ll be hard work. Very hard. But it is the only way.
Going to Ibrox on Saturday…….never been there before. By all acounts there will be around 400 RC supporters there.
Any advice? Subway to get there, eg?
Desertbhoy 12.41
Yes still lurkin , had a fabulous weekend watching the Bhoys , a bit apprehensive about tonight but we are in a no lose situation . HH
MReilly67
…….I claim my £5…..ya Nilloc….;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
After twenty years making tea in the City, Warbmeister found an anthem that changed his life…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x34icYC8zA0
MOONBEAMSWD ‘STAND UP ON 15 FOR THE GB’ on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:48 PM
This must be aunty- (or is it auntie-) spandex or something? I’m sure our right wing KKK will be right on it. Can’t go upsetting spandex wearers.
Bad enough we been discussing blow up dolls on the site for past few days without you bringing bondage into it.
SmuttyCSC
MREILLY67 on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:06 PM
Very pleased with Celtic’s response yesterday. Despite many legitimate criticisms of the Celtic hierarchy, they typically handle this sort of stuff well.
A quote from George Carlin comes to mind – “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience”.
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Like the quote.
DESERTBHOY….
Not sure if you caught my post at the weekend but thanks again for cigs few beers for you next time we meet up.HH
It was a pleasure and honour to meet John Fallon on Saturday and his grand daughter BT’s daughter.
ALASDAIR MACLEAN on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:10 PM
Going to Ibrox on Saturday…….never been there before. By all acounts there will be around 400 RC supporters there.
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Advice…. RC, do not bless but carry a gas mask and hard hat!!
On a second note maybe a bit of bondage is what’s required to reunite the blog
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/09/blogs/peter-lawwells-comments-today-were-perfect-no-need-to-say-another-word-celtic/
I always liked Carlin’s statement from the National Institute of Pancakes……….