If Craig Gordon had the fortitude of his more vocal critics he would have crawled into a shell and you would be reading about a plucky Celtic defeat this morning. Fortunately for Celtic, Craig is grounded in solid earth.
He’s overcome greater challenges than his recent loss of form. Great to have you back, Craig.
Credit is due right across the back line, as well as to the goalkeeper, despite the loss of three goals. City have some of the finest attacking players currently plying their trade in Europe. A victory last night would have rewritten record books for English football clubs, but time and again Erik Sviatchenko and Kolo Toure timed runs, blocks and tackles perfectly.
I’m having trouble figuring out how Mikael Lustig can still put that kind of performance in. His fitness levels seemed to be inextricably heading south last season, but he’s back as good as ever. Kieran Tierney is that rare property, a left back with pace and endurance, who can defend and cross. He’ll continue to improve.
Tom Rogic was totally in control of what was an incredibly difficult area of the field to play football. Our performance levels followed the fuel in his tank. When he faded, we faded.
Brown and Bitton did very well too. Scott forced his influence onto the game in the first minute, which set the tempo.
I know Nir Bitton looks like he lacks urgency. In his own penalty area. With City players bearing down on him. On nights like this the easiest thing in the world is to play it long when under pressure. The hardest thing to do is to hold the ball, draw pressure but try to create space for others. It’s what the very top midfield players at the very top clubs do. You’ll remember seeing the same from Nir in the second half.
Hands up if you thought James Forrest had this level of performance in him? His timed run from deep at the opening goal was straight from the training ground, but executed perfectly. We didn’t get him into the game often enough, but his work off the ball created space for Dembele.
Scott Sinclair was another who put in a brave performance; brave in the sense that he held the ball often under intense pressure. He looks like he’s enjoying life in Glasgow.
And what of Moussa? I doubt any of us knew the calibre of player we recruited. It was a gamble for the club and for the player, but it’s paid off for both, and how. His first goal was fortuitous – no bad thing in a striker. His second belied his age. It was utterly gallus. No other word for it.
Well done Brendan. I thought you got it wrong in Barcelona but you went toe-to-toe against the top manager in the world, who travelled home with plenty to think about.
What a great phenomenon this whole Champions League business is. Even Newco earned around £500 from selling stadium tours to visiting fans. Happy to help, guys. High-fives all-round the city.
Thanks for the fantastic support for the Foundation ahead of the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon on Sunday. I’m now carb-loading for the first time in my life. It’s as much fun as it sounds. Any more help greatly appreciated.
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THOMTHETHIM
Haw,you get upset when I disagree wi you. If I’d known that was what floated yer boat,I wouldnae have bothered!
“My target for tonight is to score a goal, hopefuly the first.
Even more hopefully, the first of 3.”
Sftb,
Well you got your wish neebs :)
HH
SAOR ULADH
Welcome back. Been on holiday?
I thought we hadn’t heard from Sour Lhad for a wee while.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 29th September 2016 1:37 pm
Thank You,
Yes the Maldives, enjoyable and warm.
Glasgow last night too, raining there.
——————–
I have been lurking BankieBhoy, and have popped in on numerous occasions.
Glad to see you are all well here.
THOMTHETIM / TET
Big Tom and Celtic are getting rave reviews here in Melbourne
maybe time for the sales people to realise what an asset we have.
H.H Mick
OH! and a cafe for ALMORE.
Can everyone stop agreeing with Thomthetim
All this peace and goodwill would make you sick
I remember when this was a proper blog and anyone who said anything had to arm wrestle Canamalar
Bring Back Grumpy
Big Jimmy… Did you bet on Kaka first goal against Celtic? Shocking! :-)
Mlebourne Mick
Don’t be encouraging him with that Café talk
So UEFA couldn’t match the fine for Palestine!
They only impose these fines to swell their already ridiculous bank account.
TET,
I fin’ the fine, fine.
You do the crime, then ……
Bobby M,
I got slaughtered on here recently for AGREEING with you, by one of the Rottweilers !!
I am now settling down to watch the game again, with a settled pulse rate and a critical , not too critical, eye.
Are Barca being fined for the Catalan flags at the game against us? As far as I am aware Catalonia is not recognised by the UN.
10k Euros = 8k fine for the flag display.
The Huns will pay for that out of their ‘exaggerated’ toilet-wrecking bill.
Thanks, Monkeys!
WITS
If ALMORE gets his cafe then my wee shoap is next :-))
And by the way, an octopus would think twice about arm
wrestling CANALAMAR :-))))
H.H Mick
I have the power to see into the future
.
I foresee a furious period of urgent, ernest activity,
then nothing.
Gone, just-like-that.
SAOR ULADH on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 1:34 PM
The panty wetters on here will be disappointed with the 10k fine for the Palestine flag display that Uefa have just dished out to Celtic.
I’m certain they were hoping for the minimum of a stand closure and a hefty fine. No luck on that front.
Match the Fine For Palestine is currently at £172k
………………………….
I would just like to remind you that when you hijacked CQN after the GB’s flag display that I wondered if you would be around the blog ‘a month from now’ because you didn’t actually post much about Celtic. I wasn’t wrong was I? You totally disappeared off the blog in the interim. Yet here we are again when the flag protest becomes topical again due to the UEFA and you show up again calling people panty wetters. All that’s missing is your puerile #snigger
Did you notice that Celtic played Man City last night. Do you have anything to say about it?
I don’t really think you’re a real Tim. Just a kiddy on one.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
UEFA realised that a large fine would cause a tidal wave of bad PR and went for a nominal amount.
They could have saved themselves time and face by not trying to punish clubs for things like this.
Paul 67,
‘Even Newco earned around £500 from selling stadium tours to visiting fans. Happy to help, guys.’
Did ‘same club playing out of Ibrox’ return the £328,248.71, that is owed to Manchester City, yesterday? Maybe they did the tours, pies and rolls for free and will deduct that figure from the settlement?
Who knows?
DAVIDOPOULOS, correct.
They have been put in their place by the GB. They had to impose some sort of fine to save face.
Thom
Again I agree, do the crime etc, but the fine is telling, a token gesture by uefa, the club got millions of free positive publicity, a small price to pay me thinks.
HH
The UEFA fine is just a routine slap-on-the-wrist that gets doled out to dozens of clubs .
The support for shown Palestine gained world-wide respect.
D Currie is a Tanner clone – just another hurting hun who cant help himself.
He should remember what happed to Burley.
Apropos uefa sanctions…
I see our old friend Mr Z will be watching his sides upcoming game against the current cl champions from the comfort of his own kanapa.
HH
Now if uefa had any decency about them they could donate
the 10000 euro fine to £1720000 already raised!
notholdingmybreath csc
Tom English on BBC site, headline
CELTIC ROCK MANCHESTER
It’s a big change from May 2008, when the headline was
RANGERS WRECK MANCHESTER.
Aptly sums up the difference in the two supports.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 29th September 2016 1:55 pm
Believe what you like, your opinion of me is of no significance whatsoever.
Was at the match last night, thoroughly enjoyable.
Were you disappointed?
THOMTHETHIM
Lesson learned,I hope. Don’t do that again!
Seriously,it’s a blog. We all know we all have the same thing at heart. Arguing about incidentals is what friends have always done.
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:39 PM
Absolutely marvellous account of your evening .
There`s a great phrase ” Bringing history alive ”
Nothing beats the personal account.
SAOR ULADH on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 2:15 PM
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 29th September 2016 1:55 pm
Believe what you like, your opinion of me is of no significance whatsoever.
Was at the match last night, thoroughly enjoyable.
Were you disappointed?
…………………………
I’ve already posted my feelings about last night. You mention that you were there last night as an afterthought. You’re first recourse today was to post about the fine. Hmmmmm
I think I nailed you in one.
Smiley thing.
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY
I think we all did.
BIG JIMMY on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:46 PM
I think that the criterion is…………..Was the ball netbound at the time of the deflection.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 29th September 2016 2:20 pm
Ahhh, yes , i saw that post earlier.
Always enjoyable to see your thoughts down on paper, so to speak. It also gives other less unfortunates like myself, who’s penmanship would not be to your standard the opportunity to get an insight into what you were thinking and your emotions at the time.
You should start a blog….
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:46 PM
The difference between Forrest then and Forrest now is ……………….
Brendan.
Perm any one of six.
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 2:16 PM
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:39 PM
Absolutely marvellous account of your evening .
There`s a great phrase ” Bringing history alive ”
Nothing beats the personal account.
………………………..
Thanks MACJAY. It was a marvellous night. With the huge difference in resources between Celtic, Ajax, Steaua and similar big teams from smaller leagues, and those so called “elite” teams from the big leagues that are awash with money, I was beginning to believe that these huge European nights at Celtic Park might become a thing of the past. Was I wrong?! The Bhoys gave us a great night that will live in the memory for a long time. I’m still feeling pretty tired. We use up a tremendous amount of nervous energy watching these games. I know how you felt taking the break from the game until you knew the score. I’m heading in that direction too :-))
so proud about all things celtic last night ……sorry to go off topic but genuine question…Did Warbutron get reported by the ref for his antics after Aberdeen defeat on Sunday ??
SAOR ULADH on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 2:26 PM
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 29th September 2016 2:20 pm
Ahhh, yes , i saw that post earlier.
Always enjoyable to see your thoughts down on paper, so to speak. It also gives other less unfortunates like myself, who’s penmanship would not be to your standard the opportunity to get an insight into what you were thinking and your emotions at the time.
You should start a blog….
……………………..
It’s O.K. I’m finished with you now. You’re dismissed. We now know Celtic have been fined by UEFA. No need for you to trouble us any more on the subject.
RODDYBHOY
Warbo has till monday to accept 1 match ban,Neil Francis Lennon got 6 for less
RODDYBHOY
One-match ban,I think.
Precedent does not count in Scots Law.
Originalsadiesbhoy @ 2.31
I totally chickened out from watching it live on TV last night …recorded it and watched knowing the score and was still a nervous wreck the last few minutes !!! I can handle big games like that when watching for real at the ground as you are surrounded by fellow celts but at home with the Mrs telling me to calm down or stop kicking the dog is not good for the ole ticker !!