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What were Champions League lessons?

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  1. petec on

    THE EXILED TIM

     

     

    00:36 on 8 March, 2013

     

     

    I agree.

     

     

    Celtic is much more than a Share Price, incidentally there is a massive crash coming Soon IMO, for those with disposable cash watch for Barclays ( and all markets) dropping like a stone, teetering on the brink of extinction, then get involved when it is at pennies (20p a share would return a tidy profit when it is reinflated artificially), ignore the blatant MSM propaganda that has various banks folding. This is about the Globalists getting more Wealth.

     

     

    I watched this yesterday.

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

     

     

    The apparatus is there now to crack down on dissent, facebook twitter etc, before it manifests and the Terrorism laws come into play.

     

     

    The controllers are way ahead of the game.

  3. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PETEC 0044

     

     

    Mustn’t grumble,no sod cares,haha!

     

     

    I’ll be back on around 3am to annoy anyone still around.

     

     

    My take on Juve,btw…..

     

     

    Before we lost the first goal in the tie,any decent ref would have awarded us a penalty.

     

     

    I think the heads were still scrambled from that incident,which led to the disastrous loss of that goal.

     

     

    We never recovered. And on Wednesday,they were happy to let us have the ball in areas where we couldn’t hurt them.

     

     

    Anytime we got near the important areas,we got closed down.

     

     

    They are a very disciplined team.

     

     

    With a peerless-pun intended-playmaker.

  4. petec on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

    01:19 on 8 March, 2013

     

     

    PETEC 0044

     

     

    Mustn’t grumble,no sod cares,haha!

     

     

    I’ll be back on around 3am to annoy anyone still around.

     

     

    My take on Juve,btw…..

     

     

    Before we lost the first goal in the tie,any decent ref would have awarded us a penalty.

     

     

    I think the heads were still scrambled from that incident,which led to the disastrous loss of that goal.

     

     

    We never recovered. And on Wednesday,they were happy to let us have the ball in areas where we couldn’t hurt them.

     

     

    Anytime we got near the important areas,we got closed down.

     

     

    They are a very disciplined team.

     

     

    With a peerless-pun intended-playmaker.

     

    _______________________________________________

     

     

    As PJBhoynyc would furnish with an excellent song..

     

     

    You are a SEER. I’m now too drunk to get that excellent song for CQN, hopefully PJ can drop it once again.

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Jee-zoh,the Thursday nightshift ain’t what it used to be.

     

     

    Not so long ago,we denizens of the deep were regularly criticised for the robust and forthright exchanges we used to have.

     

     

    Now……..nada,zilch,zero!

     

     

    Goes to prove my Mum wrong-for once-though.

     

     

    I canny start a fight in an empty house after all,haha!

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PETEC

     

     

    I’ve never watched that-I’ll watch the episode when I get home.

  12. gerald766 on

    Missed the game last night due to unforeseen circumstances, had it taped, of course!

     

    Watched it tonight, loved it, beaten, of course, however, I thought we played with a swagger,

     

    Lots to learn, of course, however, our squad are short of experience being so young, and not

     

    Used to the cunning of the likes of juveniles,etc., but we shall learn from it, I have no doubt!

     

    The sad thing for me is the fact that we shall not learn under the guidance of Neil Lennon!

     

    It sounds to me from his interview last night that he will move on!

     

    When I hear comments like ‘ rope-a-dope’, ‘on a different level’ coming from a native of this

     

    ‘Fair-‘land’, bearing mind just how inexperienced, and young our squad is then I think he realises just how big a problem he has to change ‘ hearts & minds of the Populace, never mind ‘ play-the-Celtic’ way! We have been fortunate to have this young man in our midst,

     

    both, as a player, and, now as a Manager, however, I think he now sees they’ writing-on-the-wall! To change a Nations perspective is not easy, that’s not his job, that’s just the way things are here, so we, will suffer on!

     

    H.H.

     

    ,

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GERALD766

     

     

    I understand your point-at first,I thought we were in for a bit of Neil-bashing!

     

     

    It is,as you say,unfair on a young family man to have the additional pressures he has on top of being manager of THE FAMOUS GLASGOW CELTIC(*)

     

     

    He cannot be expected to change the mindset of a nation,particularly when there is no desire for it amongst the majority. Not only are they set in their poisonous ways,he has brought it out in many who had previously managed to suppress it.

     

     

    Hatred of him became fashionable,ffs!

     

     

    The worst part of it for him,I think,is having to work with players in order to improve them for other teams.

     

     

    That part,in particular,must be absolutely soul-destroying.

     

     

    If he leaves,he will have my heartfelt thanks and best wishes.

     

     

    But I really hope he stays,and that he gets the backing of the board in the same way he has the backing of the fans.

     

     

    He owes us nothing. Looking back to where we were three years ago,the fans and in particular the board owe him a great deal.

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FORTUNES FAVOUR MIBBES 0226

     

     

    Do you mind,buddy?

     

     

    I was much better looking than him!

     

     

    Of course,he disnae have the benefit of my bespoke trick fairground mirror…….

  18. Ntassoolla on

    I support Glasgow Celtic. Lots of us unreconstructed Glaswegians are not with the program. Some of us are beyond the aims of the most authoritarian of remedial classes.

     

    What will become of us? A season ticket to the owl country? Not a wise move.

     

     

    There have been worrying murmurs of a Mungovian conspiracy.

     

    Worry no more. When we come together the deed will be done.

     

    The Jesuits always worried about they Marist boys having access to the library.

     

    Access to the Marxist library was their worst nightmare.

  19. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    NTASSOOLLA

     

     

    Another of your old boys slipped into the country the other day,and immediately went into deep-cover..in Ayrshire!

     

     

    He’ll stick oot like a sair thumb,good-looking,sartorial and intelligent.

     

     

    God knows how I blend in when I’m home……

  20. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    gerald766 @ 02:26

     

     

    I fear you’re right – am hearing rumours about Man C whispering Lenny’s name in the corridors. I dismissed it as I believed he’d be a Celtic mhan to the end (which he will anyway) – but why on earth should he stay here and put up with the nonsense he has to tolerate? He’s given us his best, and has proven he’s one of the best managers in Europe. Sadly, tabloidism still ensues all over.

     

     

    And to be quite blunt, I’d reckon he be more valued at Man C by the supporters, who in my own limited experience, don’t entertain tabloid journalism as a means to defining their opinions. They enjoy good football, and don’t demand 100% winning results or target players either way .Also, the setup at Man C is not about quick turnaround for a fast get away – it’s investors are in it for the long haul. The proof is in the money invested in the stadium and its’ surrounds, and the investment made in youth development, which is where Lenny thrives bestr.

     

     

    I hope what I heard today is nonsense, but it’s feasbile, and perfectly understandable.

  21. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    BMCUW @ 02:43

     

     

    As I watched the video further in, I realised I’d done you a massive dis-service.

     

     

    I consider you much more handsome than him ! In actual fact, the more I saw, the more I thought he was quite ugly – although not quite as bad as hun-ugly.

     

     

    Yours platonically. :))

  23. Ntassoolla on

    BMCUW I’d prefer if you used “our old boys” or more secretive “the old boys.”

     

     

    Is FFM still applying to Tulliallan?

     

    He doesn’t talk to me. He probably thinks I’m blocking his application.

     

     

    But I’ll give him this, limited little fella that he is. He was at least able to spot that I don’t do the personal. I’d say ad hominem, but that would just put the Jesuits on guard.

  24. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FFM 0259

     

     

    Aye,I know it’s my round next!

     

     

    Still ok for the 27th? No idea of the post-split fixtures of course but what the hell.

     

     

    A few others expecting to join us-maybe we can pay a pilgrimage to Boots Corner and toast absent friends.

     

     

    He of whom I speak-in particular-would of course be a welcome addition if he can get some leave.

     

     

    Does The Foreign Legion permit leave?

  26. Ntassoolla on

    Offski in 5.

     

     

    I’ll bookmark and come back to you in a few days FFM. Can’t say fairer than that .

     

     

    Ah’ll effin police ye. As Matt McGinn might have put it.

  27. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    NTASSOOLLA

     

     

    I doubt FFM would even apply to join the golf club at Tulliallan.

     

     

    And as for me,I would only ever go there to see where possibly the finest player I ever saw in THE HOOOOOOPS grew up.

     

     

    St Mungo’s sounds like some school. I think I should do some digging about it.

     

     

    The ones I went to were completely unremarkable,apart from the disparity in the teaching standards.

  30. Ntassoolla on

    “Puppets in well rehearsed collusion” from The Wicklow Boy by Christy Moore.

     

     

    And all the queen’s c’s,

     

    And dirty OB’s

     

    Couldn’t help Humpty

     

    Get over his sneeze.

  32. Tom McLaughlin on

    I don’t believe for a second that Neil has any intention of walking away from this, at least not for a few years yet.

     

     

    But if he does, and it’s down to his treatment in Scotland, I sincerely hope he has the strength of character to tell the world exactly why it has come to pass, rather than slipping away quietly with a few well-chosen platitudes.

  33. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    Ntassoolla @ 03:00

     

     

    Interesting approach to make me talk to you, which clearly works. I’ve wasn’t in a position of ignoring you or not talking to you before, but I was tonight, until you made that post. Do see where I’m coming from? We are in a space time continuum anomaly where you are the god. Since I’m stuck here, I’m going to try and be the Jean Luc Picard of your Borg Entity and shoot you down with a wee zap from the flux capacitor of the Star Ship Enterprise, the most powerful hand zapper in the world, and would blow your head, [italics please?] clean off.

  36. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TOM

     

     

    I believe Neil’s daughter lives down Manchester way,which might be a factor.

     

     

    As for giving it both barrels if he leaves,I can see arguments for and against.

     

     

    Anything he says will be used against him for their own ends,and nothing he says will make us think any better of him than we already do. Also,none of it will be news to anyone who actually gives a damn.

     

     

    He’d be wasting his breath,IMO.

  37. Ntassoolla on

    St Mungo’s was a collection of about twenty building s from Duke St in deepest hundom to Kennedy St on the borders of the Garngad. United under a Marist confederacy.

     

    As one grew older the progression was to Duke St. How one aspired to Duke St.

  38. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FFM

     

     

    Total agreement about Iron Maiden.

     

     

    Religion,hmmmmm……… Your call,bud. Each to their own.

     

     

    Me,I avoid religion,and stick to believing.

     

     

    Saves on the collection plates,but also means that I don’t have to adhere to someone else’s interpretation of believing.

     

     

    Just me,and God. Who doesn’t speak much.

  40. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    NTASSOOLLA

     

     

    If you ask ACGR nicely,he might invite you there for a nice wee bit of Stornaway Black Pudding.

     

     

    Highly recommended. Not so the pub on the corner diagonally opposite.

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