Two weeks ago we spoke about the fine margins which determine results in the Champions League. Last night’s share of the points was a great example. While Borussia Monchengladbach were the better team at Celtic Park last month, they relied on two defensive errors to settle the game. Had Celtic stayed error free they may have won.
Last night we were error free (you could nit-pick about the Gladbach goal) and got a better result. A result which surprises on the upside or downside has the potential to overshadow an actual performance, but our point was deserved.
It didn’t look that way early on. Although Celtic defended comfortably for the first 15 minutes, we were unable to hold the ball. The abiding memory of that period is Tom Rogic with three black shirts around him the moment the ball arrived at his feet. Even long balls to the later-impressive Moussa Dembele were offering no relief.
We didn’t create anything the first time we got possession inside the Gladbach box, but this was the most important passage of play in the game. We retained possession for more than 20 passes, allowing players to settle, and perhaps giving Borussia more defensive duties to consider. At no point thereafter were we pinned back inside our own half.
Dembele had no right to get around the defender and into a shooting position at the penalty. He knocked the ball to the defender’s left and ran past him on his right, in the middle of the box. It took craft and strength. It’s been a while since we’ve had a striker who would have been capable of this kind of move.
Honourable mentions to Scotts Sinclair and Brown. Sinclair clearly worried the Gladbach defenders, who could only outnumber him when he drove deep into their half with the ball tied to his feet.
The most striking aspect of the performance was how we performed defensively. With squad players Emilio Izaguirre and Cristian Gamboa at full back and Mikael Lustig partnering Erik Sviatchenko in the middle you would be forgiven for worrying we might see the kind of disorganisation witnessed at the Camp Nou on match day one.
Instead we looked well-rehearsed, while Craig Gordon was back at his best.
Callum McGregor’s should have won all three points with a gilt-edged chance near the end. That could have made the difference between third and fourth in the group, but a win would have flattered us.
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Mags
I have called you much worse matey.
A typo is surely excusable!!!
Mon the wee Karamoko.
Whit a player that bhoy is:)
Magic.
HH
Hamiltontim, first off, great work in getting that to SP thru yours and others efforts.
Secondly, who are these people (hmmmm heard that before) and who has appointed them?
What is their overall remit? Is it to find offense? Has there been a list of proscribed songs, insults and abusive terms drawn up and is widely available to the general public?
Or is it as follows;
1. Wearing Celtic paraphernalia – tick
2. Looks Irish – tick
3. Sings “Championees, championees..”
4. You get the point!
Surely if you carried such a list in present times, then that could be considered under OBAF.
As the Specials sang “It’s all a load of bollocks….”
HT … thanks. I’ll keep an eye out to see if it gets posted somewhere. If you hear about it being posted somewhere, could I ask you to leave a note on here… much appreciated. I think I have a pretty good idea of what is likely to be in it … and if I am even half right … pretty shocking.
GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 2ND NOVEMBER 2016 11:01 PM
Melbourne Mick 10.53
Before your post I already knew the wee mhan would be a “black boot wearer”
His enthusiasm comes from his upbringing……. I love reading about him keep the posts coming
Macjay……
Whether it’s Ronny or Brendan I want Celtic to do well, in my opinion Brendan is far better manager than Ronny, especially since he is using most of Ronny’s players :-)
(sorry Neg2) most of Brendan’s selections are players that were already there = better manager
(I still blame the players :-)
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Sorry , mate .
Couldn`t resist the quip about Ronny.
I still remember chatting to you just as Brendan`s tenure was being announced.
Don`t quite know why we were so enthusiastic , but we were.
Instinct ?
Our optimism now totally justified.
Dallas
Just read your post about when BMG scored……trust me, every Celtic fan I know look for a reason for us to either lose a goal or score a goal….. It’s what we do……
As you know while “doing the dishes” I listen to SSB…..seemingly one or two calls tonight about Celtic in Germany then the rest about Morton & Ayr……..if we hadn’t have got a draw last night it would have been 2hrs of Celtic negativity, before anybody says don’t listen, I apologise am an addict, and I enjoy their pain even more when “our” Celtic are doing the business….. A point in Germany for me keeps our CL campaign going to the next game
CowieBhoy and MacJay
Thanks for the updates on the fannwho had the fall. My wife and I were about 10 feet away from the partition and to be honest it was horrendous and very upsetting. He came down head first and his back hit the glass/Perspex partition and steel support. He became tangled in netting for a moment and all of this broke his fall and probably saved him and those below him from more serious injury. I’m sorry he has serious facial injuries but it could have been much more serious. I hope the young man has a very speedy recovery.
Paul67
Thank you for answering my question last night.
Clears up a lot.
I knew it could not be true.
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
Must admit not always been black, last two seasons have
been green although luminescent, still good.
H.H Mick
Mit
I suspect the only place you’ll hear about it is on here and mostly it’ll be in support of the decision.
Don’t worry I’ll balance that and relate the true events on here.
Macjay 11.11pm
Am no the best judge, as a bhoy I thought Liam Brady was going to be magic, think I liked him because he went too Juventus………
My optimism is blind……..just Celtic
But Brendan could have sat and let Liverpool pay him but hopefully Celtic have gave him the love of football back…….surely money isn’t everything BR could leave Celtic Park a legend (with the help of Ronny giving him KT)
Good
Golly, Miss Molly?
Melbourne Mick 11.16
He’s still young……as long as he is kicking a ball he will learn what boots he will wear
I think from now on he will be a black boot wearer
Get him a pair of Adidas beckenbaur :-)
Good point in Germany last night – plenty of positives to take from thr game. Our central midfield trio of Brooney, Stewy and Big Tommy were very impressive. Dembele fed off scraps throughout but anything he did, he did it very well including a superb penalty. On a side-note Bhoys, two of us are heading over from Ireland in a few weeks for the Celtic v Aberdeen cup final. We had originally planned to go the Celtic v St Johnstone game but that was subsequently postponed due to our involvement in cup final. Do any of u Bhoys know where i’d get my hands on two tickets for the final (I’m not a season ticket holder but travel over very regularly from the Emerald Isle). CorkCelt and Almore can both vouch for me – i’m a true Celt. All help greatly appreciated. HH
Wouldnt it be great…naw wouldnt it be Walfridesque for Celtic PLC to pay all the court costs of all the fun loving Celtic supporters (GB or not) that they hand over personal details on?
Now do that; not only have you got more than a team but we would have more than a PLC in our midst.
But then again an empty stomach is not a very good political adviser.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 2nd November 2016 11:00 pm
was it Havard Neilsen?
Evening All.
Not had the chance to read back since yesterday.
I don’t think we will end up with two points from this group.
Good victory for HT and the others who have campaigned long and hard against the act.
The Government needs to review the reasoning behind the act itself and be far sharper when it comes to legislation. It is not a crime to admit you have the legislation wrong and either go down a different route or redraft the wording so that it is clear and concise and not open to malinterpretation and misinterpretation.
Well done HT etc.
Keep tilting at windmills. It keeps you sane.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
yes I forgot.
HT
outstanding!
Scott Brown has the highest pass completion percentage of any player from a British team in the CL at 96% and is 11th overall.
Mags
If you mean the footballer from Salzburg, it was Kampl. The guy who scored against Tottingham tonight.
thetimreaper on 2nd November 2016 11:36 pm
sssshhhhh…god ahhmighty..when he reads stats like that no wonder he wants to unretire from Scotland.
FFS!
Keep a lid on it will ya?
Mags 11.31pm
I know I shouldn’t…….
But do you ever post about the team, our last game, our next game or even a game the other week (unless it’s the old firm)
The board & old firm is your bag….. Fair play but surely you must even bore yourself at some point
Anyway….. There is no point of a blog that always agrees but in my opinion the same goes the other way if a blogger(s) just want to be unhappy
SamartiansCSC
Cqn…. Good night and good bless…..remember we live in good Celtic times
Ps. Re the Barca game at Celtic Park, whilst they are still a phenomenal side they are certainly not the same team without Iniesta. Believe it or not they tend to struggle without him. He will be out for another two months. As a point of interest keep an eye on their results while he is out.
Gerryfaethebrig on 2nd November 2016 11:39 pm
maybe you should look back. Dunno. I tend not to post about upcoming games as i dont see the point otherwise youre wrong.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 2nd November 2016 11:38 pm
ah I see. I was trying to remember who the blond guy was. Kampl dyes his hair you know :)
You should have stopped at “no thoughts”
No thoughts on Inverness
No thoughts on cup final
No thoughts on Barca or Man City
Probably loads of thoughts on the Hogmanay fixture……sometimes it’s the ones who kid on they don’t bother are the ones who talk (post) more than others
You do love an “auld firm comment” (get the mods to check back) …….
Anyway…… Still in the mix with the big boys roll on match day 5
Just watched the CL highlights package.
Big Jock once said that football without fans is nothing. That statement has been uncontradicted for decades. However, tonight’s Legia Warsaw v Real Madrid game might question that! Not only was is 3-3 but all six goals were simply stunning.
What a tragedy that bad behaviour by a lunatic minority deprived tens of thousands of Polish fans to miss out on a classic game of football.
That’s the lad who lodges free in ma hoose just walked in the door a full 18 hours after me returning from Germany
He tells me that the fella who fell was wanting to return home today but the medical people advised him against it due to a punctured lung and his facial injuries
One lucky guy as were those Celtic fans who were standing below him
World Series Game 7
Cubs get a solo lead off home run in 1st.
Good start. 1-0 middle of first.
And then for no reason they changed it to The Auchenhowie Management Team
Indians score a run bottom of the 3rd to tie game 1-1.
HAMILTONTIM on 2ND NOVEMBER 2016 9:41 PM
Why is Legia’s stadium empty?
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I was under the impression that Zbyszek had won the Polish lotto and snapped up every ticket going – fulfilling a dream that he would watch his beloved Legia against Real Madrid and NOBODY was going to bug him. ;))
—
Meanwhile in Hollywoodland…
Game 7 is on the knife edge. ‘Mon the Cubs.
Craig Gordon just scored a run for the Cubs.
Brilliant multi-tasking, big man…
Cubs score 2 in the 4th and lead 3-1 bottom 4th
Too soon for this?
https://youtu.be/7Hmz8CwzElg
lol GG.
The Ghostbuster celebrating the Cursebusters.
KCraig Gordon (aka Krisd Bryant) just got his second run of the night. 5-1 Cubs.
108 years in the making.
Only Bartman can stop them now…
Indians score 2 runs on a wild pitch. 5-3 with 2 out bottom of the 5th.
Cubs have Lester pitching on short rest. 2 days I think.
After 5 it’s 5-3 Cubs.
Game is finely poised.