Photo: Vagelis Georgariou biglens.co.uk
We’ve often discussed that the difference between success and failure at Champions League level more often than comes down to which team makes mistakes. In the group stages Celtic were 31st out of 32 teams for the amount of possession they had, and for the number of chances they created, but they were immaculately drilled and progressed while more creative teams failed.
Cluj had less possession and chances than Celtic but also know the route to effective football, finishing on 10 points and being denied qualification for the knock out stage on goal difference.
Against Juventus, home and away, things changed. Defenders twice jumped for balls they couldn’t reach, instead of turning and standing their ground. Twice players were dispossessed inside their own half instead of getting rid of the ball early. These moments led to four of Juventus’ five goals and decided the tie. By contrast, Celtic enjoyed the bulk of possession and chances, home and away, against the Italian champions.
What are the lessons have been learned in our Champions League games?
Xavi has learned not to try to control a clearance from Fraser Forster at chest height. Spartak’s Insaurralde will know to keep his eye on the ball while clearing the ball when last man while Suchy will know not to clatter into strikers inside his own box.
No Celtic player made a single mistake inside his own half in either of the home games against Barcelona and Spartak and as a result, both games were won.
Our players’ normal mode of play, week-in-week-out, is the intercept passes, not cautiously move to a covering position. They also hold onto the ball and take a moment before releasing, activities which don’t often lead to a goal being conceded within seconds, but Champions League football is stunningly different than the domestic variety.
The most important lesson from our Champions League campaign is that Celtic are one of the most effective teams in Europe. We can create goals and defend successfully against the best on the Continent. We will look back on this campaign as the one which put us back on the map, and we’ll look back on the Juventus games as an important stage in our development.
The strategy is working; same again please.
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googybhoy ♥ Celtic
21:40 on 7 March, 2013
tontine tim
21:33 on 7 March, 2013
ElDiegoBhoy
21:31 on 7 March, 2013
TT
You doing well? Getting home anytime soon?
*been stuck in all winter, no sure about coming home finaces drapped I retired
……………..
Let me know if you are coming back.
Try and make it up if you are.
*Will do
EDB I know about Paddy, his wee brother James was in my class in St Marys and is about 2 month older than me so he must be retired
Excellent performance from Spurs
I hope AVB succeeds there …shameful how he was treated at Chelski
Sky Sky GTF
Skkkkkkkkyyyyyyy
GTF
*hums*
TT
There’s been a fair few of us passed through St.Mary’s over the years. And it still looks the same.
David Prouse,
What deal do you have and from whom?
PFayr,
Did you cancel your Sky Sports?
In spite of Neil’s kind words of gratitude to them last night, surely if they are allowed to influence the structure of Scottish football, then all supporters should ditch them.
Leave them with their coveted C.Green pound.
If, when, that day comes, the game is truly finished, combined with the LNS scandal.
!!Bada Bing!!
21:50 on
7 March, 2013
Nah, Just a bog standard €90 Dreambox rigged to the Astra dish pointing at 28.2 and the interweb. Hasn’t let me down yet and i have it for two years. Get everything on it. All the crap Spy churn out and Italian / Spanish / S American football to name a few.
bournesouprecipe
The commentary last night was the most depressing and negative I’ve ever heard at at CL game I wish Celtic TV would sort it out and get the CL games…
A Uni Specs CSC
Its crazy paying pirates like Murdoch anything when you can watch anything you want on the internet for free
Can I Have Raspberry On That Champions League Ice Cream
Ach I prefer the old analog aerials – hardier than all this digital nonsense. If it’s a warm day or it rains, snows or blows a wind Bill Mclaren wouldn’t have described as a ‘stiffish breeze’ my aerial is daffied .
Jimbo
Basel one up, go on FCB, saw lots of Zenith fans in the city earlier and funny enough two Big Fat Blokes from Engurland selling the scarves!!
thomthethim
If Celtic and Shamrock Rovers ever met in competition I would be a little conflicted. I just hope it never happens :)
Hail Hail
Was it only me or does anyone else think PL has aged alarmingly? Almost the way a US President does during one term. (Wish he had they same power!)
Seems also to have lost a lot of weight.
thomthethim
A €90 Dreambox rigged to the Astra dish pointing at 28.2 and the interweb. Hasn’t let me down yet and i have it for two years. Get everything on it. All the crap Spy churn out and Italian / Spanish / S American football to name a few.
You need over 2mb of broadband though.
You can test your bandwidth here:
http://www.speedtest.net/
Thomthethim
Not yet …ESPN …has gone ..that was easy ..sevco TV
However i watch rugby boxing and cricket on sky
thetimrieper, No it is a derogatory term, basically it would be slagging off people who have no or very slight Irish Links but who portray themselves as Irish usually in a silly manner eg cavorting around on Paddy’s day dressed up like a Leprechaun. Now in some cases like I outlined the people might deserve a kick in the erse. However on this site it is being used by a couple of posters against Scottish born Celtic Supporters who are proud of their Irish links.
googybhoy ♥ celtic
Think brambel must have had a hard life…only thirteen years older than corbett.
Or that ageing gene that “jonny the Tim” inherited :-))
Guess I won’t be going swimming this weekend!!!
http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/03/07/Sharks-shut-down-beaches-in-Florida-VIDEO/5671362683575/
Hail Hail
eldiegobhoy
21:23 on
7 March, 2013
SuperSutton
Thanks for your continuing updates on the subject but just a question to you. How would Chris Sutton have fared against ZM in your view?
————————
Excellent question. With Lubo’s delivery and with Henrik also in the mix, there is no system which would keep them out. So you would have to seek a system which limits the opportunities. Man marking them certainly didn’t work when you think of the number of near post headers Henrik scored from at corners. And Sutton, Mjalby, Balde, et al. would always pose a threat in the middle and back post.
My recommendation would be to not concede corners against them.
thetimreiper
And on St. Andrew’s night do we have a lot of joke jocks?
On Burns Night are there Fake Freemasons, Bogus Bards, and Artificial Ayrshiremen?
Calling Irishmen Paddy is offensive enough (unless you know that to be their given and preferred name). Making judgements as to who has the right to claim their inheritance is one of the characteristics that makes me distrust many forms of Narrow Nationalism.
For the record, I am a Scot, a first generation Scot born of 2 Irish parents. I was allowed to identify as Scots by 2 tolerant parents. Many Scots I encounter make it hard for me to share their nationality because I want to celebrate my proud inheritance too. They too are overfond of the phrase “Plastic Paddy”
Nothing but the same old story.
Wasn’t the old guy with the white beard in Only Fools and Horses a banker before someone told him to become an actor?
Basel 2 up, that’s better..
starry
Was that on CQN? 【ツ】
Sky SFA and UEFA
We’re caught in a trap
Elvis CSC
David Prowse
Buster whatsit? I believe he had been a bank manager. Always preferred Grandad
Jimbo
Uncle Albert was a sailor
Gareth Bale has 6 cards for diving, in last two seasons
Vladimir Weiss (remember him) has 7.
jimbo67
22:05 on
7 March, 2013
Yeah, that Buster guy.
Starry
Sadly, the latter! Mais, je ne regrette rien.
bournesouprecipe
22:07 on
7 March, 2013
overrated cheat,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
David Prowse-HH
Embdae on here stayed at Callas de Mallorca Complex?
!!Bada Bing!!
22:10 on
7 March, 2013
Thumbs up!
Peter Scarff @ 19.16,
You ask Ntassoolla whether he just posts to annoy fellow-CQNrs. IMO you’re being ever-so-slightly selective: why don’t you ask the same question of those who denigrate Scotland in every possible way?
prestonpans
Weiss? – dived at Hampden
jackie mac as long as you’re just listening then it’s only impurity in thought.
Indeed
corkcelt
Agreed its use is derogatory, but to those who kinda jump on the
irish bandwagon with as you say have tenuous links. I did say
that there would be many on St Patricks day.
I think we agree somewhat. My parents came from Tyrone and i was
born in Glasgow, im the worst type , an Irish/Glaswegian. :-)
¡ǝɹǝɥdsıɯǝɥ uɹǝɥʇnos ǝɥʇ ɯoɹɟ sƃuıʇǝǝɹƃ
(from Santiago de Chile on an impossibly slow internet connection)
Friesdorfer
You know it’s gone now the old school??
I went to take some pictures for my kids and it was just a big empty space!
Dudewhere’smyschoolCSC
bournesouprecipe
22:12 on
7 March, 2013
prestonpans
Weiss? – dived at Hampden
agree, wiz it a world record like anything else they :o)