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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pedrocaravanachio67
15:37 on
20 September, 2012
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Damn – I’ve been rumbled!
I’m puzzled by the verdict on Vic in the post, thought he had a great game in a very packed midfield area. Scott Brown was outstanding, most of the team played well.
Kayal33 15:23 on 20 September, 2012
“Defender didn’t touch Forrest, he hangs his leg back waiting on a touch but catches his toe on turf and falls over”
The contact must have been his boot hitting the turf – hard to tell at that speed and at my view, front row, there seemed to be impaact – but I wasn’t ruling out Forrest tripping himself.
It’s the one aspect of the boy’s game I do not like. He does go down very easily. I don’t want Celtic players indulging in that stuff.
tomtheleedstim
15:33 on 20 September, 2012
”Felt really sorry for the old fella who ripped his ticket up and walked off”
One has to assume he had mental health/emotional difficulties and to that extent might be deserving of sympathy.
Otherwise, a fud.
I would just like to wish Ghod a very happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday Ghod xxxxoooxx xxoooooxxxx ooooooo xxxxxx xxxxxoooo xxxxx
Hail Hail
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.
: > )
Thought the referee was excellent last night
Agreed Commons is every inch a Champions League player and he has been our player of the season so far
Mulgrew Wilson Brown and Forster also didn’t look out of place
If we employ 4:5:1 in our remaining games in the Champions league at best we will qualify for the Europa league. We don’t have a striker that is capable of playing the lone man up front role at this level
As for James Forrest never mind Benfica full back,the St Johnstone full back also nullified his alleged threat
And
Can anyone explain to me why they appear to be wetting themselves over the goal scored by Oscar at Stamford Bridge last night
Ernie
it was He Knives Ugh in disguise ;-)
HAil Hail
If anyone looking for spare tickets for the next home leg of CL I would contact one of the sponsors Gazprom as no one appeared to be sitting in the seats allocated to them
Dont know if anyone sitting near or around the dug out /technical area can confirm this, but did Neil have a wee spat with their coach towards the end of the game? my recollection might be a bit sketchy due to the big pole (cheers JJP-ON )being 2ft in front of me :-)
I was wondering who Mulgrew reminded me of, playing in midfield.
Then I thought, Billy Price.
Any seniors agree, or not?
ernie lynch 15:44 on 20 September, 2012
tomtheleedstim 15:33 on 20 September, 2012
”Felt really sorry for the old fella who ripped his ticket up and walked off”
————
“One has to assume he had mental health/emotional difficulties and to that extent might be deserving of sympathy.
“Otherwise, a fud.”
On-par with the boy that stuck a boot through his television screen when watching the Bill Grundy interview with the Sex Pistols.
fourgreenfields
14:20 on
20 September, 2012
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.
——–
Excellent! Thanks for posting that FGF.
MWD
Celtic did us all proud last night,aye we maybe should’ve nicked a goal early on but as many have said we defended well and never conceded while still looking for a goal,the highlight of all for me though was being surrounded by RGT’s having a few beers and a bit of craic watching Celtic in the CL,who else in Scotland is doing that?
As for Charlie boy’s comments about the mothers,do you think he’s soft soaping the haircut that time forgot to go easy on Ally Mourinho?
Think I might treat myself to a wee listen to last nights Snyde to hear the dumb animals moan.
Life is peachy.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
WITH BOMBER BEHIND A CLOSED PADDED CELL.
The long gleaming corridor of the Big Convalescence Home was brightly lit with the florescent lights above. The sterile odour of cleaning chemicals zipped the air with a citrus like sharpness, faintly nauseating; a burst of screams and shrill barks from behind secure doors exploded in the air intermittently, a salvo of ‘Hello’, ‘hello’ echoed through the passage. The Warden of the Big House for burned out bams stopped at a large heavy door with the numbers 101 above in flickering neon lighting. We went inside. Bomber was strapped to an iron chair in a straitjacket and wearing a muzzle, from which white froth overflowed from the gaps. A couple of assistance unbuckled the large metal-leather studded muzzle so that Mr Bomber could speak- at first he went into a spasm of pink faced fury, spitting out yet more foam from his mouth, various expletives were issued and then one last furious attempt to escape from the chair.
‘Is the foam…normal?’ I asked.
‘Yes. Quite normal Mr Jackson. This is Bomber in a happy-go-lucky light-hearted kind of mood. He will exhaust himself in a moment. He likes to make a scene. If his hands were free he would manually evacuate himself then throw faeces at you. Once he calms down you can proceed with your questions’ answered the Warden in a casual tone as he gazed pensively at Bomber in his crazy chair.
‘Ra f***ing deedz! Whit huv yeez down wirra deedz? Geez ra deedz!’ continued the paroxysm from Mr Bomber as he lurched forward in some futile attempt to bite me.
‘There are no deeds Mr Brown…its all a figment of your imagination…just like we said in councilling a few weeks ago- do you remember?’ said the Warden without emotion.
‘Rat Green’s goat ri deedz! A goat a phone call in eez office…texeez. E-mails. Friday morning. Just before a ate ma sugar puffs oot ri ashstray and renawiz confronted wae five yer auld masterminds wae green syringes! Syringes this, syringes that…well a swear oan ma grandsons life a don’t like syringes or yer plastic spoons! Where’s ra deedz?!’
‘Calm down Mr Brown. Calm down. Take a deep breath or Sandy here will have to administer the jag…remember what the big jag is like?’
‘Is he always like this?’ I asked.
‘…a goat a phone call aboot a sheeta paper bit it wisnae wurf ri paper it wiz written oan…hunner grand! Never opened eez moo-f! Emails. Texeez. All day long! Whit could a dae? A jist walked right oat eez office…’ howled Mr Bomber like a demented savage with a number of prominent purpling veins popping out his large bald red cranium.
‘Bomber do you think Ally McCost can stay on as Rangers manager?’ I asked.
A goat a phone call…emails. Texeez. A swear oan ma grand-weans life…aye he kin stay oan. Back inna nine-in-a-row years under Walter we wid aw go oot…Durranty, Gazza, Coisty and me furra Kebab inna pinta Eldorada up ra Auld Virginian wae awrra dossers lyin aboot in their ain pish stained troosers…aye weed git intae a few scraps n’ Ally knew how tae gee a sneaky kick when a guy wiz doon like ri best ae rum! Although a don’t know whit he wud dae if he wuz confronted wae a five year old mastermind! Bit a silence! A goat a phone call! Texeez. E-mails!’
‘Focus Mr Brown- focus!’ said the Warden sternly as he jolted Bomber back to the moment.
‘He wiz unlucky innaw wae rat last minute aqua-seltzer fae Raiff…it wizza Rangers throw in…we own ri f***ing Rangers! It wiz forty yerdz aff-side annaw so it wiz! It’ll be awright oan ri Friday moarnin’! Hunner Grand! Title deedz! A goat a phone call…’
‘Is it okay to go Mr Green?’ I asked the warden of the Big House for burned out bams.
‘Okay lad.’
‘Keif! Keif! Kin yae get ma pal Leggo in here wae me? Kin yae? Set the alarm cloaks fur Judgement day! Oan ma grandsons life…a wid gie up nine-in-a-row furra boatle a Eldorada urra crate a Super Lager ma man Jackson…come back…the deedz! Where’s ra deedz?!’
With that I left the room with the insane screams and hallucinatory outcries from Mr Bomber. Then there was a muffling of his voice as they fastened up the big muzzle again,. Then there was total silence from room 101 as the Warden, Mr Green, closed the doors with a deep clunk- the warden then took me to the Big Houses cafeteria and assured me the lamb was the finest and most succulent I would ever taste. He wasn’t wrong. The wine washed it down a treat. But all i could think of was the weird ramblings of Bomber in his cell…
To be continued.
Keith Jackson.
Chuck fleecing the stupid huns. Obviously a trick question as there is no ‘Rangers’.
Fans will have the chance to win a range of top prizes throughout the 2012/13 campaign by answering a simple football question – where to Rangers play their home games? a) Tynecastle b) Ibrox or c) Hampden – then texting RANGERS to 87070 with the answer or phoning the hotline 0907 595 1972.*
* Texts will cost £1.50 plus your standard network charge, cost to calling number is £1.53 per call plus your standard network charge. Competition closes for entries via Phone line and SMS at midnight on 30th April 2013.
Oscar Knox@Wee_Oscar
@OfficialNeil Thanks Neil very good of you to promote this for me. The support from @celticfc has been incredible!! #TeamOscar :-)
pedrocaravanachio67
15:52 on
20 September, 2012
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Was your view of either penalty box obscured, or just the mid-field areas? If so I would be taking it up with the ticket office for a part-refund as these tickets are discounted.
Happy Birthday henrik
http://twitter.com/celticfc/status/248730294461558785/photo/1
No more from Auldheid – looks like he fell into the dish of the day.
Whenever I hear of the rabble rousing of Chuck Green to the Hun hordes, I think of some old Yorkie, rubbing his hands and saying to himself “Eh lad – where there’s muck there’s brass”.
…and there is plenty of muck isn’t there?
Has fat Sally officially moved from Sevco asset to liability yet?
Britneys article on Sally was surprisingly hard hitting for a childhood Disney star
Hail hail
ASonOfDan
you are right – htis is not funny anymore. These are the ranting of a very angry, bitter and unintelligent man who is just making stuff up as he goes along (but believes it)
The SFA need to bring this choob to heel before he causes real damage.
If I were a motherwell fan I would be confused and ashamed frankly.
We should all be glad Celtic and PL kept out of it! I have not noticed any response to the one short comment PL made the other day. was there one?
On the other hand maybe him and his club are a match made in heaven!
Sir Paul
Is correct..regarding, Victor’s Tendancy tae Dawdle and Cawdle the Ba’…
Victor, needs tae get wi’ the Programme.
That Tendancy, wull prevent him frum reaching his Full Potential..
which could be a rosey one..
but wullnae be..
Unless, he manages tae cure his Lollygaggin’ when he hiz the Ba’
Kojo.
Still, Laughin’
Post….then read back on the blog and realised I’ve been gazzumped.
One day I’ll give up the slip-ons and learn to tie shoelaces.
Anyway….last night was nailbiting.
We should’ve had a penalty? Well,so might Benfica have been given one.
I thought the ref was a good yin. Obviously not schooled in the dark arts by Dullass.
JJP-ON
just a big strip of the midfield, wasn’t as bad as i’m makin out, as i said we had to sway from side to side, probably as good a work out i’ve had in a long time. The atmosphere and the overall team performance more than made up for it.
cheers PC67
D’ye win a prize if ye phone the t’rankers compy hotline and say, “None of the above…the games are all played in their heads…..coz ‘raynjurz’ is just a memory.”
Ernie – or beyond his tether at the incompetence of the club. You got in ok I presume?
ASonOfDan 15:59 on 20 September, 2012
“Chuck fleecing the stupid huns. Obviously a trick question as there is no ‘Rangers’.”
Just as there will always be Teddy Boys, Mods, Hippies, Rastas, Punks and Goths – there will always be Huns.
But you are of course right … Rangers are dead.
TET If you are feeling left out on the goodwill and helping others being in your cave here is something closer to home.
http://malaga.guiaon.es/guiaocio/tarde_noche/actuaciones-en-directo/la-venganza-de-don-mendo_1939#sinopsis
¡Un ME GUSTA y entra en el sorteo de 2 entradas para ver
” La venganza de Don Mendo”
por Central Ciudadana a través de COMEDIANTES MALAGUEÑOS!…
La recaudación se destinará al proyecto “una entrada, un juguete. Ni un niño sin ilusión”, que se prepara para repartir juguetes a niños en navidad.
¡El proximo día 26 a las 20:00!
Para quién no pueda asistir pero quiera colaborar en el proyecto se ha habilitado la cuenta: 3187-0427-32-3000500920 de la Caja Rural del Sur
bazzabhoy
11:01 on 20 September, 2012
Philbhoy
Watt was probably thinking “wow I’m 18 and already in my career in making the bench for Celtic the champions league”
Some preppie have to try and see a negative in everything.
It’s not healthy man.
…………………………………………..
How do you think he felt when the injured Hooper got on and he didny?
Negative spin?
An honest question you did not answer.
Mike in Toronto – Yes indeed. (thumbsup)
mickbhoy1888
15:51 on
20 September, 2012
If anyone looking for spare tickets for the next home leg of CL I would contact one of the sponsors Gazprom as no one appeared to be sitting in the seats allocated to them
Yo0u can bet your holiday pay that they will turn up for Barca game.
CL seating arrangements.
What is the point of moving one ST holder and then giving the seat to yet another ST holder who has been moved?
Would it not make more sense to give a slightly reduced season ticket to a certain number of rows/seats on the understanding that they MAY be moved for CL matches.
wonkyradar:
>>>>>>>
Apart from all that, where IS ra bommur these days? If not in Arkham Asylum, then where?
Where will he be next week as McCall fields a depleted team…” coz ah’m consintratin’ oana leeg tytil “…..and bends right over for his lujmeister Moisty.
It would be great if ra bommur could crash their soppy reunion and cause some alcoholic mayhem.
Great post,btw.
: > )
What is Guidi supposed to have said last night on SSB?
What we learned last night……
(1) Plenty of effort but no real cutting edge.This is unlikely to change unfortunately given the squad we have.Where is the attacking creative player to provide goalscoring opportunities for the likes of Miku ? Our midfield are nearly all defending/holding including the missing Kayal and Ledley .
(2) Our style of play is all quite flat …..square passing by the defenders followed by a punt up the park produces in the main the square root of nothing. This was evident at Perth on Saturday as well. Huge credit to Scott Brown and Victor Wanyama for closing down the opposition but little was passed through them, more over their them.
(3) James Forrest is unlikely to be subbed anytime soon, no matter how bad he plays.
quonno
I was told last night the Barca tickets are already getting passed around for £300.
Thomthetim
I’m just too young to remember Billy Price.
I think left mid is definitely Mulgrews best position. He’s not a natural CH and is sometimes very exposed at LB especially against classier wingers. In midfield he has very good workrate and a physical presence, both of which were put to good use last night. Mulgrew’s one of these players who imo must be found a place in the big games, and yet it would have to be at the expense of Ledley Kayal Samaras Commons Wanyama or even Forrest. Its a hard one to call but a problem every big club manager should have. On that note, with every player fit, I’d be interested to see cqn punters’ views on our best eleven with the team shape in mind (not just throwing in our top 11 players). Hypothetically for a Europa Lg Final against say Liverpool.
hh