When teams, including Celtic, get it wrong in Europe

438

Let’s be clear, Morton are not a good football team, nor are Hibernian, but the former’s 0-3 win at Easter Road last night demonstrates the uncertainty principle of any game. Turn up with less than 100% hunger and you will find yourself out of the cup.

Celtic cannot afford to field anything less than their top team a week on Sunday in the Scottish Cup quarter final. Morton are a better team now than they were three years ago when they last won at Celtic Park – and we’re everyone’s favourite soft spot.

I watched Manchester City win comfortably away to Dynamo Kiev last night. It finished 1-3 but 1-5 would have been a more accurate reflection on the chances made. The result and performances didn’t reflect the relative merits of each team.  Dynamo are not that bad, City not that good.

City are horrible away from home this season. They have scored 13 goals in 12 away league games, winning only five. More curious is that they also won 1-3 away to Sevilla and 2-4 away to Borussia Monchengladbach. That’s 10 goals in 4 (in total) Champions League away games, not far shy of their 13 goals in 12 Premier League games, most of which were against inferior opponents.

Here’s the thing, Dynamo, Borussia, Sevilla all fancied their chances against City. They pushed high up-field and were shredded as a consequence. Premier League teams don’t make that mistake.

Cup competitions are different from the league, success is all about getting to the next round, and to do that you need to pose a threat, but all three of City’s opponents failed to comprehend the consequences of pressing forward.

All I could think of was our efforts in Molde and Malmo. We took both games to our opponents and were skelped as a result. Away to Ajax we defended deeply and gained a credible draw, at home the open spaces of Celtic Park behind us were exploited by Ajax to our cost.

Dynamo, Borussia, Sevilla and Celtic didn’t know when it would have been wiser to prioritise defending their own 18 yard box.  It’s a big lesson, one which has been evident since Warsaw.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

438 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12

  1. Pray for All Leaders. So if yer opposed to others, Pray for them, Extreme stuff obviously.

     

     

    Great stuff.

     

     

    The Word is So Good.

  2. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    I noticed the `rubbish` Molde beat the team fifth in La Liga.

     

     

     

     

    Incidentally, I noticed some speaking of our `first eleven`. We do not have a `first eleven`. We have a squad and selection is determined by opponents, conditions, game`s relevance and players available.

     

    I think Ronny`s first eleven tonight will be:

     

    Gordon

     

    Janko Boyata Svietchenko Tierney

     

    GMS Brown Bitton Johansen Armstrong

     

    Griffiths.

     

     

    JJ

  3. Good morning friends and a Big Happy Matchday FRiday from a grey, cloud covered but dry and frst-free East Kilbride, 6 miles from New Douglas Park.

  4. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KEVJ if yer about…

     

     

    Re LMS

     

     

    click on the mail address cqnpredictor@gmail.com to reply to CRC and put KEVJUNGLE in the subject box.

     

     

    From: CQN Predictor

     

    Date: 22 February 2016 at 20:14:53 GMT

     

    To: CQN Predictor

     

    Subject: LMS7 – The Fixtures for Week 1

     

    Here are the fixtures for week 1. Remember you just have to pick 1 team- any team – to win – generally a riskier strategy although, if correct, you have advantage of not having then ‘used up’ your choice of those 2 teams. You must send in your selection before your chosen game kicks off.

     

     

    All games kick off at 3.00pm except where stated. If you decide to go for the Capital One Cup Final game (Liverpool v Man City) the outcome will be based on the score after 90 minutes.

     

     

    My own choice this week is TOTTENHAM.

     

     

    Good luck!

     

     

    Jobo

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Morning,Jobo.

     

     

    My nightshift was longer than your sleep-that’s joooost no’ right!

  6. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Bmcuw

     

    I emailed Kevj yesterday

     

    Btw nae luck as I took Spurs too

  7. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BLANTYRETIM

     

     

    Thanks,mate. Let me know your team and I’ll keep your record up to date.

     

     

    I doubt I’ll pick Celtic again…

  8. BMCUW – thanks for your help there.

     

     

    Think we now have 106 taking part though numbers continue to creep up.

  9. BMCUW

     

    Jobo

     

    BlantyreTim

     

    _____________

     

    Morning fella’s – Hail Hail

     

    Well, it’s like this….I’m getting a header saying ‘untitled’ when clicking on the – CQN predictor thingy – link ?

     

    BT – Yer e-mail is coming up saying that I have to try later to be able to read the contents of the e-mail ?

     

    Maybe this clique stuff isny for me ? :)

     

    Solitaire – CSC

  10. Getting a rare chance nowadays at an away game tonight at Hamilton. Don’t expect to see a great match on the plastic surface so 3 points will make me happy.

     

     

    The attacking midfield 3 behind Griff will be Forrest Commons & Boerigter- it’s a “no brainer” selection.

     

     

    As soon as I find my brain I’ll come up with a more plausible selection.

     

     

    Seriously though, I would play Kriss, if fit. We will need to take some shooting chances tonight

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KEVJ

     

     

    I don’t understand why,mate. When I click on the bold print in my 756 post,it automatically begins an e-mail to that address.

     

     

    Mibbe you’ve inherited the same gene I spent so long getting rid of-the innate technophobe gene.

  12. TONYDONNELLY67 on 25TH FEBRUARY 2016 1:54 PM

     

    Disrespect Morton and you’ll get what you deserve……..pumped out the cup, same as you would with any other team in the tournament, or opponents in any other sport, history is full of great underdogs, Lisbon Lions?

     

    _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     

    Feyenoord ?

     

    Raith Rovers ?

     

    ICT ?

     

    Clyde ?

     

    Ross County ?

     

    ICT ?

     

    Morton ?

     

    ICT ?

     

    Ross County ?

     

    Morton……..

     

    Ross County ?

     

    Hail Hail tae ye, ya auld fenian eeejit:)

     

    67 Heaven…’thee’ Original auld fenian eeejit – Hail Hail

  13. KevJ

     

     

    Just go into your” own email account and send an email to this address: cqnpredictor at gmail dot com replacing the “at with ‘@’ and the “dot” with ‘.’ (doing my best here for you mate!). We don’t need a lengthy email, just ask us “can I play”. That way we then get your own email so that we can send you the rules, payment details and thre weekly fixtures for you to make one selection from each week. It really is dead easy to play.

     

     

    I’m aff oot in 10 minutes but hope to be back online over lunchtime when I’ll send out the necessary replies.

     

     

    Hopefully this message might also persuade any remaining non-LMS-cliquers to join too.

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 26th February 2016 8:46 am

     

    ____________________________________________________________________________________

     

    Hail Hail fella, hope yer well.

     

    Aye, it’s as you say or it’s sumthin to do wi ma big donkey ears ?

     

    Always wondered why I had them ?:)

     

    HH

  15. A wee reminder for anyone interested.

     

     

    The Celtic Trust will hold their AGM tomorrow in the London Rd Social Club beginning at 12 noon. You don’t have to be a member of the Trust to attend but voting will be limited to members only. Hopefully, I’ll see some of you there.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  16. Jobo Baldie on 26th February 2016 8:53 am

     

    _____________________________________________

     

    Jobo, Hail Hail fella, hope yer well.

     

    Ye had me in yer pocket there till ye mentioned – clique :)

     

    I’ll try my best.

  17. Loved watching the highlights of the Scottish QF from 97 last night. Cheers St Stivs.

     

     

    That’s when coverage was good… Almost 30mins of highlights and even replays of controversial decisions against us with commentators calling what they seen rather than hun propaganda!

     

     

    How they never got a man sent off is unbelievable.

     

     

    How good was the maestro?? Different class

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    pyfird

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    LARSSONSE7EN

     

     

    Just watching it,at the second goal just now.

     

     

    Moore should have been off early-as usual!-for thuggish behaviour.

  19. Story from the Irvine Times re ex-MP’s comments on Rangers First. Wonder what a “negative situation” is?

     

     

    “Mr Donohoe said: “I want to get due diligence for Rangers First, I want to get articles of association, standing orders, and a constitution – all of which have to be fit for purpose to move this thing forward.

     

     

    “And if we don’t get it, then I have no option but then to walk away from it because I can’t allow my assets to be in any way shape or form affected in the event that we go into a negative situation.”

     

     

     

    Aff tae work we go

  20. Dunno if it’s just me but, I get the feeling that Warburton thinks that…..Ronny is there to be took ?Couple of shrewdy-Warbo signings from Accrington Stanley etc and,…who know’s ?

     

    Nae smiley thing cos…..I worry for Ronny.

     

    The Worrier – CSC

  21. Hamiltontim on 26th February 2016 8:56 am

     

    _______________________________________________

     

    Hail Hail mhan, hope yer well.

     

    Just asking….can ye still join the Celtic Trust online ?

     

    If yes, am gonnae try and talk may pal Tony into it as well.

     

    Enjoy the game tonight fella…they don’t kick-off till you get there :)

     

    Hail Hail, stay safe.

  22. Setting Free The Bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 26th February 2016 9:10 am

     

    ___________________________________________________________________________________

     

    I like it when ye play those kind of tunes on the ole Jungle drums :)

     

    It makes a change fae yer Professor Emerald stuff :)

     

    Hail Hail fella, hope yer well.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12