First time ever shouting for Celtic. Delighted. What will Bernd have to say tomorrow?
Well second, after the first game.
Printable View
First time ever shouting for Celtic. Delighted. What will Bernd have to say tomorrow?
Well second, after the first game.
I assume Neil was invoking Bernd Schuster when he decided to bring on Watt instead of a defensive player. Cogito ergo sum: Bernd Schuster is the true hero of Parkhead.
Didn't see the game, but I assume Celtic prevailed in no small part (though not entirely) on the basis of spirit, passion and work-rate? If so, I like that those attributes still have a place in modern football.
Celtic played some good football. Up until the first goal they were the better side in possession. Barcelona kind of took over from there, particularly in the second half, but really I didn't have the feeling they were going to concede like I did in the last game. It wasn't a surprise that they won in the end. Lennon clearly sent them out with instructions to try and hang on to the ball and make intelligent passes - it was almost very costly on a few occasions when they were caught dribbling and passing around their box, but generally they were comfortable enough.
Barca will make monkeys out of most teams with their dominance, skill and aggressive workmanlike ability to win the ball back.
One of Celtic's strengths last night was their defensive discipline, not tackling unless they had to and an almost flowing intuitive ability to defend as a unit. On individual performances, Forster pulled off 2 or 3 top class saves. Matthews was excellent in the unfamiliar role of Left Back, he was my motm. Lennon has picked up some aces in the last day of the transfer window, Ambrose at CH, Lustig at RB and up front Miku looks a very skillful player. Add in Wanayama at CM and Kris Commons is one talented player who can spray the ball accurately around the park with ease. Brown is at his best these days but unfortunately is debilitated with a chronic complaint.
Celtic have a very good team which deservedly have every chance to take the 2nd spot.
Forster has really impressed me from what I've seen of him during Celtic's two games against Barca.
Wanyama is the most likely player to be scooped up in the next transfer window. Could be Celtic's biggest transfer out since Dalglish.
I see there was a penalty awarded against Man U's Evans last night.
I don't know what else he could have done when the attacking player just appears to barge straight into him.
Was it a good call by the ref?
http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-HIGHLIG...8/Default.aspx
Evans stops and stretches out a leg the other way when yer man changes direction. Looks like he makes himself as big as possible to stop the Braga player getting past with no attempt to play the ball. Looks a reasonable call to me.
Celtic parked 10 men in the box for the entire last 30 minutes of the match.
It worked.
And Angry Ant still to come back in the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Our friend Stokes? I think he'll struggle to get a start.
He'd probably be used as back up when Hooper is injured or for Miku when it's a cold wet evening in Aberdeen and then there's Watt and Sammy the Greek.
Yeah, the camera angle used in the first slow motion replay shows that.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Well he wouldn't start but Lenny is a big fan and I think European football suits him - a bit more technical, and he's the only out and out finisher they have.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
You mean the only finisher apart from Hooper? I haven't seen enough of Miku yet but he looks the part, as well having abundant football skills and a football brain, he's different class to anything Celtic have in that department, apart from Commons perhaps.
I wouldn't consider Hooper a finisher in the sense I'm talking about. Hooper will get you bags of goals in the SPL where you need to beat up lesser sides, but AA is the type of player who can get you goals when you might only have a couple of half-chances. Hooper's not going to know one in from 20 yards or anything, but AA will. Miku looks very good but I couldn't make a judgement on his goalscoring ability.
It was a better call than the other penalty. hilarious swan dive from Rooney. even threw his left leg into the defender.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I'd say it was the official behind the goal who made that call. There was some delay before the ref signaled a penalty.
I think there's some doubt whether he dived or not. Possibly if it was left up to the ref, he would not have called it.
I see that Celtic have elbowed their way to prominence on TV3's CL coverage this evening.
I suppose there's not that much competition from the surviving EPL teams, Man U are already qualified, but Chelsea's game against Juventus should be of interest.
Valencia at home to Bayern is a standout. Bayern probably need at least a draw to have a chance of top spot and if they lose it, they give Bate a decent shot at the 2nd place spot.
'Bout time someone decided to broadcast an Irish team in Europe! :p
As long as European teams find it so difficult to defend corners, Celtic will do well in Europe.
Celtic being a non-European team :)
Has there ever been a worse defended corner in the CL? The funniest bit was that Samaras still made the effort to head it perfectly off the ground, despite the fact that there was nobody there to block it.
ridiculous really that celtics tallest player was left completely unmarked in the six yard box.. under pressure at the minute but id say celtic will hold outQuote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Some record by him, scored in all five away matches in Europe this season - Helsinki, Helsingborgs, Moscow, Barcelona and now Lisbon. The Sky commentator tried to take the Nou Camp one off him but I'm pretty sure he ended up getting that.
Juventus are 2-0 up at home to Chelsea, meaning Chelsea will need to win and for the Shakhtar-Juve result to go their way to qualify. They'll probably just scrape in but still.
Speaking of Shakhtar:
Quote:
Remember Kanu misunderstanding Arsenal's attempts to return the ball to the Sheffield United goalkeeper in an FA Cup match in February 1999? We have had something similar in the first half of the match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Nordsjaelland. The Ukrainian side's first goal came as Luiz Adriano intercepted his team-mate Willian's attempt to boot the ball back to the opposition, rounded the hapless Danish goalkeeper and slotted home.
I suppose the only real certainty was that Wanyama would pick up another yellow.
Benfica did more than enough in the game to win it, though they left the game exposed to a few good half chances for Celtic near the end.
Celtic's defending wasn't as commanding or as good as in previous games.
Valencia move ahead of Bayern on head to head but both are through.
Are Chelsea grasping at straws?
I suppose the silver lining is that Benfica are so awful defensively they will likely concede at least a couple in Camp Nou. Celtic's home record in Europe should see them through.
Chelsea need Shakhtar to beat Juventus in Donetsk. The way they're playing, a win at home to Nordsjaelland is far from guaranteed.
Adriano would want to be shot for that stunt against Nordsjaelland. Disgraceful stuff. He knew exactly what was happening.
John Hartson (on TV3) looks slimmer now than ever he did as a player for Celtic.
I don't know if that's a joke but cancer will do that to you.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Then a draw for Juve is enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
And for sure Juve would do that on merit, as it's beyond our wildest dreams that a team like Juve would lower themselves to dodgy match fixing tactics.
Surely you are not trying to trip me up on a PC rap? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
I guess he didn't get that indent on his skull from the effects of 1000 headers.
this here:Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHv8e1CRCDs
To be fair, Juventus were never found guilty of match-fixing.
I've heard of games where that happens due to individual error/gamesmanship and the team that scores letting the opposition walk one in right after. Don't think Shaktar took that option, so I'm inclined to be critical of the whole squad.Quote:
Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite
I was told their manager instructed the players to give a goal back in return but the players ignored him.
Well, that is pretty terrible.
And Al Capone's only crime was tax evasionQuote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Possibly the prospective bonus got in the way of better judgement for the Shakhtar players.
Well Al Capone did evade tax. Juventus were found to have relationships that could possibly have led them to influence the selection of referees, while the actual evidence showed they made no more attempt to influence selection than any other team. It's like saying Al Capone was the worst gangster for no other reason than failing to pay his taxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by peadar1987