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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And all this while I’m trying to figure out how to rotate and save a PDF file without paying for Acrobat Pro.
This is the stuff of legend.
Ross, catcher for Cubs, in his last game, he’s 39, hits a solo homer.
6-3 2 pot top of 6th.
Wee David Ross; thought he was great at the Redsox.
Steps up to the plate there and I say ‘Go on, wee man – slam one out the park in yer last game’.
Obliged.
lol.
Thanks for the updates on the draughts ,lads.
The chess just starting in Perth , Western Oz.
:-0
Macjay
Who won the Melbourne Cup?
How many drunk and disorderlies?
Still 6-3 to Cubs after 7
My God, the Cubs are blowing a 6-3 lead.
After 108 years. The curse hitting again.
Indians go 6-6.
Incredible sporting drama.
My o my oh my.
Indians with an RBi and a 2 run homer even the game at 6-6.
Cubs closer hasn’t given up a home run since June.
He did have a long stint last night.
Rain was forecast for 11pm and now it has started
Yep, throws the fastest fastballs around but Davis chased everything and you could see some kind of meaningful contact coming.
Raining now. Game delay at 6-6 in ninth?
That would be nerve-shredding.
‘GG on 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 2:49 AM
Macjay
Who won the Melbourne Cup?
How many drunk and disorderlies?
========================================
A fair few d and ds, to use the local parlance.
Some cuddy or other.
Melindana or some such .
Meanwhile , back with the cerebrals
Safrica 3 for 20
Fantastic throw to get the last out in the middle of 9th and prevent a score.
6-6 headed for bottom of 9th.
Chapman pitching again in bottom of 9th.
Does he have anything left in the tank?
Looks done, GG.
And with that, a 98mph fastball, lol.
And he throws. 98mph high fast ball.
Here we go 10th innings.
Delay of game
What else can this game throw up?
At least I can get back to my PDFs
‘GG
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/nov/01/almandin-wins-melbourne-cup-lloyd-williams
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 4:05 AM
Yep
Anagram of Melindana.
Cheers BMCUW.
I saw some discussion about it the other night but I hadn’t seen anything today
10th Innings starts after rain delay.
Cubs score. 7-6 with 1 out.
Intentional walk and Cubs have bases loaded with 1 out.
8-6 and bases still loaded.
Cubs regain a 2-run lead. Unreal.
Insane.
Huggy Bear now pitching for the Cubs…
Indians down to their last out.
A 2 out walk.
6-5. Walks will come back and haunt you.
Jeez-us, now 8-7 Cubs but Indians have the winning run on base. One big hit and they’ll take it
6-5 I meant. Tension getting to me too.
Cubs win 6-5
Steve Goodman smiling down on them
https://youtu.be/JtyOq-SU0Ec
Cubs nail it.
108-year wait gone.
Epic stuff.
That was epic.
I need a shower before I go to bed.
Worth reposting
https://youtu.be/JtyOq-SU0Ec