So what did we learn last night? For a start, when we need to, we can defend effectively and shut up shop, last night was our fourth clean sheet in Europe this season. The 4-5-1 formation, deployed for the opening 65 minutes, was not effective at producing attacking opportunities, although this may be as much to do with personnel as formation.
Emilio Izaguirre was swamped every time the ball went near him, which did little to settle his confidence. It was wise for Neil Lennon to hook him and drop Charlie Mulgew back. I felt sorry for Miku, who looked like a player in an unfamiliar line-up. He is not a lone target man but will do well when we get the ball to his feet. He was only asked to play that role due to injuries Hooper, Stokes and Samaras and will only do so again under similar circumstances. By contrast, Hooper looked the part once he came on. He bullied defenders as effectively as he does in the SPL, a real pleasing point for me.
Victor Wanyama needs to improve his sharpness to make the most of his composure and tackling ability at this level. The perpetual motion of Champions League teams means a fraction of a second off-pace can compromise the defensive formation.
Did you notice how every time Commons got the ball he was thinking “goal”? His turn before crossing from the left belied the meagre money we paid for him. He is every inch a Champions League player.
James Forrest was played out of the game by the full back. He/Neil needed to find a resolution to this challenge but it didn’t happen. He tried to knock the ball round the outside and pass on the inside a couple of times, which was over-ambitions, to say the least. I don’t think we saw him drop the shoulder and take the player on with the ball, which is a pity, as I’m sure he had the taking of his marker. Both Forrest and Wanyama will be stronger on Match Day 2.
The first objective from our return to Champions League football was that we would be able to compete at this level. That achieved, we can look forward to Moscow in 12 days time.
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Asonofdan : I think the most telling part of Charles Green’s statement lies here “…so we ask the fans to get behind the club as they have done so well.I want them out there at the Motherwell game…” He’ll do anything and say anything to get any gobsh1te through the door.
Charlie boy sounds desperate. Wonder why? Income not what he expected?
tomtheleedstim
We also had some problem at the opposite end of ground , ticket machines were not working and tickets had to be checked by turnstile operator.
I’ve just watched the game for the first time on Celtic TV. Isn’t it funny how we all have a different perspective on certain players and the overall performance. I thought we played really well without having a cutting edge. If your only going to play 1 up front at home then you’re going to make less chances than would be expected. Equally we didn’t allow them to penetrate like a Barcelona team will at . Overall not a bad result. Did we give them too much respect, possibly however they are a good team and we are learning. Realistically we were all just delighted to be in the Champions League and everything else is a bonus.
The most important thing about tonight is getting that experience and if we can keep all the players together for the next couple of years, which might be difficult to do, we will be far better equipped to proceed to the last 16 or even the last 8. Finances dictate where we stand in the grand scheme of things and we invariably punch well above our weight which is to be commended. Tonight we had a number of key players out and possibly a couple of players were slightly overawed by the occasion which is understandable considering the average age. I look forward to the next five matches with a positive attitude and no matter the results I can only think that the squad will game immense experience from playing against some top European teams. If we come second in the group I would be amazed and very proud, if we came third I would look on the Europa league as another bonus and a chance to play more very good and very technical teams and if we come fourth lets use this experience to go on and win the league and be ready for next years European Champions League campaign with a little more swagger.
Just to finish by saying the noise at the beginning when the teams came out onto the pitch was something to behold. it makes me so proud to associate myself with those 60,000 in paradise tonight.
Hail Hail
Marti Sandino you may be right he is no fool and after watching that rubbish the other night he knows that the crowds will disappear like the snow off a dyke.
leftclicktic – I think your post is totally philvis! (thumbsup)
Moonbeams WD. – If Sevco could afford to appoint a half-decent manager, they’d be far more consistent with that group of players. I doubt they’re financially sustainable though, the latest moon-howling from Green has an undercurrent of desperation. He needs to ensure as many huns, orcs and daleks as possible turn up for the Motherwell match.
Every penny counts at Ibrox and being out of the Ramsdens Cup will have been an unforeseen tightening of the financial screws. (thumbsup)
Neil Lennon put message on Facebook about 30 mins ago asking people to dig deep for wee Oscar on Saturday , players are all backing wee Oscar charity.
We also learned how much we need a fit sammi, Joe |Ledley and a fully fit Hooper.
That would have given us 3 points last night IMO. Get them back in and we can still qualify from this group.
Mike in Toronto – If last is first and first is philvis, aren’t you last, not first, or at least last and first ?
Mike, I’m glad you asked that question.
The answer is philvis. (thumbsup)
We are at the stage we were at in the summer.
Charles Green wants to be able to blame anyone but himself for the demise of sevco.
It is critical for Sir David Murrays protection that sevco is seen to be destroyed not by Moonbeams Whyte or Green but by either the SPL the SFA the SFL UEFA FIFA or the ECA
That is all that we are witnessing here.
Al these bodies know this and for exactly that reason will not pull the plug on sevco.
We will have to listen to Charles Green prattle on in this manner until BDO start to do some work.
My prediction is that their will be no sevco by Christmas.
Hail Hail
no
My prediction is that there will be no sevco by Christmas.
Hail Hail
FourGreenFields.
that just makes it worse. There was no-one checking tickets at our end, just automated. Unless there were problems earlier which resulted in a backlog.
The orderly queuing disappeared into a chaotic free for all ten minutes before kick-off. Rather ironically just as the tribute to the 96 was being sung – there wasn’t a steward in sight.
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Champions. C’mon Wee Oscar.
I tried to access the link on my phone but the document is unreadable. Can you give us an idea what it contains.
Cheers.
philvis
is your podium chasing automated ?
Hail Hail
Motherwell to lose for sure
Imagine another cup humping. Mc Call would be unconsolable
Hail Hail
Philvis,
At sporting events (and blogs, I suppose), aren’t you supposed to be quoting John 3:14, not Revelations 1:8. And shouldn’t your answer be ‘who do you say I am?”
All these years, we have spent worrying about Kojo’s true identity, when it appears that God was posting amongst us.
There have been considerable debates on here about what constitutes Celtic orthodoxy. Perhaps we need a CQN SCDF.
No sevco by Christmas?
I guess that means we’ll be Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time!
tomtheleedstim
Was it a print at home ticket? They seem to never work. The stewarding is abysmal outside the park. The supervising steward has a card that overrides the turnstile but never uses it. They just keep telling people who have ticket problems to go to the ticket office.
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
.
What did we Learn from Last Night..?
Hmmmm..
Drop* Sammi.. Drop Points..
*Includes being Injured..;0)
Summa
I thought that we had Benfica running scared,early in the game.If we had scored in the first 15mins.,we would had won the game comfortably.Oh for Sammi last night.
I agree with a previous comment about Leckie in the Sun.On the ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast,this morning,I picked up a free copy to glance at.The man is an idiot,well I could say more,but maybe better if I don’t.HH.
From last thread.
miki67
14:17 on 20 September, 2012
My best laugh today is this quote from Chunky as he lies his way around the globe at the expense of the stupid huns :
“We are speaking to ESPN/Disney next week”
Micky Mouse signings for t’rankers to be announced soon.
: > )
********
Celtic play in the SPL and Champions League. The The Rangers Disney!!
oldonesthebestcsc.
What’s Leckie said now ?
Hurting Hun .
Not a bad result considering the opposition last night. The tactics we used would probably be correct for the away games in the group. Dare i say we could have done with Sammy last night. He really worries these European teams, and hopefully he will be available for the next game. The same could be said for Ledley and Kayal. The boy up front like Paul says looks a player. I think with the right team selection and tactics we can get something in Moscow and Lisbon in the return game. We have to hope that Barcelona have 2 off nights when we take them on. But i am pleased we are just playing at this level once again.
It’s Christmas time
There’s no need to be afraid
At Christmas time
We let in light and we banish sevco
And in our world of plenty
We can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world
At Christmas time
But say a prayer
Pray for the other ones
At Christmas time, it’s hard
But when you’re machine gunned
There’s a world outside your window
And it’s a world of dreaded fear
Where the only thing flowing
Is a bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there
Are the clanging chimes of doom
We’ll, tonight, thank God, it’s them
Instead of us
And there won’t be games at Ibrox this Christmas time
The greatest gift they’ll get this year is Ally
Where nothing ever grows, no brain or fivers flow
Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?
Here’s to them
Raise your glass for every tim
Here’s to them
Underneath that burning sun
Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?
Feed Chuck Green
Feed Chuck Green
Feed the Chuck Green
Let them know it’s Christmas time and
Feed Chuck Green
Let them know it’s Christmas time and
Feed Chuck Green
Let them know it’s Christmas time and
Hail HAil
ASonOfDan.
No mate – they posted the ticket to me. I saw no-one having ticket problems.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo – Automated? I don’t even know how to use the coffee machine at home. (thumbsup)
Mike in Toronto – Ad Majora Natus Thumbs (thumbsup)
Awe Naw
Their There. The important words were: No Sevco.
JJ
The problems with people getting into the ground last night may explain some of the rather understated attendance figures that have been bandied about.
Jungle Jim
Oh it is a very bad habit I have got.
I blame DBBIA … cos he is not around.
He is such a grammar Nazi – he is the Jock Stein of the CQN literary world – when he´s around I buck up my grammar game
Hail Hail
My prefered formation is 433 for the SPL and 451 for Europe along the lines of
SPL
Forster
Matthews Wilson Ambrose Izzy*
. Kayal Wanyama Ledley
Samaras
Watt Miku
*(play him in spl and hope he gets form back)
EUROPE
Forster
Matthews Wilson Ambrose Mulgrew
Lassad Brown Wanyama Ledley Samaras
Miku
Now obviously injuries and suspensions would make it very rare I’d get to pick those teams, but we have plenty of options in those cases
ernie lynch
No that’s just down to the don’t say anything good about Celtic attitude of the Sevco media.
Paul67
To be honest I suggested the hooper for izzy change after 30mins. Izzy was so low on confidence and we needed two up front to keep the ball up there.
I thought the atmosphere at kick off was incredible, very loud YNWA, glad I was there.
I left feeling we never really went for the win, but a point against benfica is not bad. Did want a home win to get off to a flyer though! Hopefully a fit sammy, hooper & ledley for Moscow.
Philvis
You a St. A bhoy?
Celtic – AMGD
Sounds like Charlie trying to drum up a bit of enthusiasm for the ‘well game
Many of the sevco fans seem to be reaching the end of their tether with Sally and his under performing tribute act. Crowds are down already after the initial novelty value. Pretty soon bills will be shelved and……well you know the rest.
Dejavucfc
Awe Naw
Tell DBBIA you are simply using both grammatical and spelling licence to enhance the entertainment value of your posts as well as the drawing of attention to and emphasis of the fine sentiments of those erudite comments.
JJ
The Green Man is a typical Yorkshireman. No doubt he would take that as a compliment.
His ramblings are becoming less funny, because like Michael McIntyre, the novelty wears off pretty quickly.
Green’s bluster is also having less impact on those who have decided to follow Sevco as they realise Calamity is utterly hopeless as a manager – they are always the last to catch on.
The Murderwell game is absolutely massive for the future of the short-lived Sevco. They really can’t afford to lose.
Jungle Jim
Well thank you but I would prefer not to portray myself as having missed primary 2 ;-)
LOL
HAil Hail