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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I had a look at Blue moon earlier, the City fan blog.
A fair old argument raging about the city fans teaming up with Huns pre match. ‘How the f&&& can any city fan have anything to do with a mob who smashed up our city?…….and, ‘who in their right mind wants to be dragged back in time 300 years?. One reply from an attendee at the Govan Louden..’the pies were great, and anyway we were founded by an Ulster Unionist in 1872’. He/she got slaughtered.
Just listening to Craig Burley on the ESPN rerun. According to him we had an offside goal, a deflection and a defensive error to thank for our lucky draw. Hurting dobber.
SAOR ULADH. 440
Not at all,too busy ripping the pish right out you. Keep going though. God loves a trier.
JIMTIM
I know this flags me as a right sad b…..d,but I think it was the league cup in 75 wi an overhead winner from Tueart.
Total anorak for football in those days,apologies to all.
did the club only get a 10000 euro fine for that illicet banner ?
thought the stadium was getting shut ?
Jimtim,
surprised at that,i was on one of their forums and the vast majority thought we deserved a draw,
most were disappointed with how their own team played
Jimtim,
Seeing as the average age on cqn is around 85 I’m guessing the majority have see them win all their trophies :)
HH
So proud of our club, and by that I mean our whole club, all of us !
Every now and then we remind the football world of exactly who we are and what our club means to us, last night was one of those occasions !
Life’s Good!
Okay – who’s gonna be the first MSM hotshot to twist Brendan’s comments to say that the EPL doesn’t want the Old Firm!?
10K fine. I make that 2% of our draw bonus from last night. So the stadium will stay open to showcase more great nights for UEFA.
Busy day today,
Still shattered from last night and hoarse, One of the best night’s I have been too.
We were magic to a man, on and off the field. There is no other park in the world were you leave feeling like that.
Went to sleep with ears ringing and singing the Dembele song in my head.
I said at the start of the season we were on the cust of a cracker.
Had the same feeling walking up to Beer Sheva and Astana as I did last night. We are in a good place, Let’s enjoy it.
Moussa Dembele,Dembele Dembele.
KLV
Saw wee Paul Hartley ( HHHS ) going into the main stand last night, I bet he’s hoping we rest a few for the mid day visit to Dens.
8,000 quid fine for the flags. I know not everyone will agree, but, for me, I think that it was money well ‘spent’… (i) it was still the right thing to do, and (ii) from a business perspective, given the attention we got, we certainly got more than 8,000 quid worth of ‘free advertising’ from it. So, everyone should be happy with the way it turned out. :)
BMCUW . Is that right 1975 since they won a trophy . ( to lazy to google ) No doubt the sheiks cash has upped their game , they are a good side . But just thought their fans would have remembered the time they won hee haw . . Haven’t been in the Cc for a few weeks ,so haven’t seen your dad and sister , sometime I won’t be driving , enjoyed a wee craic with them .
Gordybhoy . Think you were on the blue moon site , they were a bit fairer , but a few who wouldn’t be out of place on FF . And obviously burley has been on the blue moon site , as his rant was word for word what one city fan posted .
BSR –
I think that his bet may come up. So far Brendan has pretty much played his strongest team. And whilst I obviously want us to win on Saturday, as the game is followed by (everyone’s favourite) International Break there’s a chance here to give some of our Bhoys a good 10-day break away.
bourne, Looking at pics from today’s training and it appears the starting eleven from last night were excused training today.
Picked out the 3 subs OK & Izzy, Ciftci, McGregor,Henderson & Christie and there were faces not seen for a while, Efe,GMS & Kris.
For Saturday I would expect a couple of changes, Brooney for one seemed to be limping heavily after the game.
Would also imagine that Brendan would want to play Jozo & maybe Gamboa.
Good news for The Rangers. They took in £500 for tours of Ibrox.
Bad news for The Rangers. It cost them £1,000 to equip the tourists with hard hats and steel toed boots to ensure their safety.
£500 for stadium tours yesterday, dont spend it all at once, it may need to last!
https://mobile.twitter.com/Liam_O_Hare/status/781496442120724480/video/1
Roger Waters, Mexico City, GB Palestine display.
GORDYBHOY64 on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 5:46 PM
Jimtim,
surprised at that,i was on one of their forums and the vast majority thought we deserved a draw,
most were disappointed with how their own team played
##
That was my view.
They seem to be very touchy though about how much money they have, and how they have bought success.
Oh, and they hate Chris Sutton.
Mind you, they weren’t saying much that wasn’t being said on here last season by the usual board loyalists.
Did the fool blue mooners who took the tour of Penniles Arcade get to see the deeds? ;)
*Penniless
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:25 PM
https://mobile.twitter.com/Liam_O_Hare/status/781496442120724480/video/1
Roger Waters, Mexico City, GB Palestine display.
###
The Club just couldn’t buy marketing or brand promotion like that, at any price.
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:25 PM
https://mobile.twitter.com/Liam_O_Hare/status/781496442120724480/video/1
Roger Waters, Mexico City, GB Palestine display.
= = = = = = =
My emotions were just beginning to settle down after last night until I watched your link.Awesome. ;))
Marrakesh
Wow, The Pink Floyd, huge.
HH
Reflecting on Craig Gordan’s fine display last night, he made two saves in particular that i doubt very much if Dorus De Freis would have got to. Dembele also impressed with his physical strength and ability to hold onto the ball under pressure from defenders and not allow himself be bullied an another aspect of his game that has improved.
When Man City won the FA Cup for the first time in 1904, their manager was a certain Tom Maley – Willie’s brother.
Willie led Celtic to a 3-2 victory in the Scottish Cup final against a now defunct club called Rangers,
HH!!
Still basking in the glow of our Bhoys group Bing the sheik plenty to mutter about, albeit a throbbing heid. That’s the price you pay for the game being on a 11.45am- a full day to party.
Here’s a couple of great articles worth reading. Both very complimentary and educational from south of the border.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/manchester-city-have-celtic-unearthed-the-blueprint-to-stop-pep-guardiolas-early-dominance-of-a7337746.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/09/29/tottenham-to-go-looking-for-man-city-and-fight-fire-with-fire-af/
https://twitter.com/Liam_O_Hare/status/781496442120724480?s=08
bless…
FOLLOWING yesterday’s Judicial Panel decision Rangers will be demanding urgent clarification from the Scottish FA over how they intend ensuring the safety of players and officials participating in this season’s Scottish Cup. The Club has been left shocked by the SFA’s approach to this vital safety issue and by the decision not to seek sanctions in respect of the assaults by Hibernian supporters on Rangers players and officials at the end of the Cup Final last May.
The Scottish FA must have a basic duty of care to ensure the safety of players and officials in matches played in their competitions and at Hampden.
Rangers were surprised and disappointed by the nature of the charges brought by the association believing them fundamentally flawed from the outset and cannot understand why the focus seemed to be on compensating the association for damage to Hampden Stadium and items such as advertising hoardings and LED panels rather than ensuring the safety of players and officials. Rangers are concerned that adopting this approach will not dissuade supporters of other Clubs from coming onto the field of play and/or assaulting players and officials.
Rangers were also astonished by the fact Hibernian, whose Chairman Rod Petrie is Vice-president of the Scottish FA, were permitted to engage the SPFL’s solicitor to fight the charges being brought by the SFA. Using the legal adviser to one of Scottish Football’s two governing bodies to defend charges brought by the other is worrying enough for those concerned with the good governance and integrity of Scottish Football, but it is even more disturbing when the party at the centre of the conflict also has a foot in both camps and is scheduled to become the SFA’s President. Rangers are also extremely disappointed at Mr Petrie’s continued failure to issue an apology in respect of the assaults on our players and officials.
At the time of the Cup Final Rangers shared the outrage and concern expressed by the Scottish FA Chief Executive Stewart Regan. He was very clear: ‘It was appalling. In the UK this is one of the worst incidents of its kind I’ve seen.’
However, four months on from the Final, the Scottish FA have still not held a formal de-brief. Sheriff Bowen has prepared and issued a report. Rangers were pleased to provide evidence to Sheriff Bowen and offered guidance from our own very experienced security team on the failings in policing and stewarding at the match. Rangers remain disappointed and concerned that the report did not address many of the issues raised by our security team. The concerns were raised not to attack individuals for what had happened but with a view to avoiding any repetition of these issues. Rangers would hope all of Scottish Football would be united in agreeing this is paramount.
The continued failure to deal properly and promptly with issues surrounding the Cup Final is alarming and a stain on Scottish football. The SFA must confront and learn from the issues that arose. Rangers owe it to our players and supporters to ensure that the Scottish FA’s duty of care is upheld and that those with authority in Scottish Football create a safe environment for the game.
It should be understood Rangers will not tolerate any of their employees being attacked with impunity.
Only last week Man City won a trophy, the WSL.:-)
HH.
HEADTHEBALL on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 3:09 PM
How Mrs Lustig spent the evening including taking in the game:
I’m on that video you posted, weird seeing myself on you tube. What a night
Another article from a non-Brit source.
Compilation of tweets complimenting our fans and stadium.
http://www.thickaccent.com/2016/09/29/football-fans-rave-over-the-fantastic-atmosphere-at-celtic-park-during-the-3-3-man-city-draw-tweets/
Inter Milan getting gubbed again in europa league
The national broadcaster,just to let us know.reminded it’s listeners the night Celtic lost to ICT.When they do things like this,Jesus they are hurting BIG time.
Pheersy
For all they are funny and thems wo write the statements are aff their feckin heads, they are bringing the game into massive disrepute, yet they can make statement after statement with total impunity.
It wouldn’t be so bad if there was a semblance of truth in them ffs.
HH
A new day another statement from the deranged !