Glasgow Celtic

[CelticBhoy]

After seeing Celtic destroy Motherwell at the weekend

I feel rather optimistic with our chances tomorrow night

in Moscow. No doubt Salty will bring me back down to earth

with his 'doomed, I say, doomed' view he has these days, but

let it be said we are well in with a chance.

They seem to be ridden with injuries, if the press is to be

believed, and they will even be without their star goalie.

Let's hope wee Aiden forgets what shirt he's playing in and

scores at the wrong end!

[smokie36]

"He leapt like a salmon!"

Famous victory that....well done Celtic!

[salty]

Spartak 2 Celtic 3:

I can see CB with a big smirk on his face as he tries to fall asleep. Just like mine as i am about to watch Benfica and Barca and very happy that my pessimism was unfounded.

The start was not reassuring. 3 corners conceded in the first 2 minutes and under severe pressure caused mainly from not being able to hold the ball. Garry Hooper was isolated up front and things were not looking good. Incredibly Celtic took the lead on their first attack. Wanyama won the ball passes to Lustig on the right who whipped in a terrific low cross and Hooper getting in front of the defender turned it in after 12 minutes. Hooper had the ball in the net again 10 minutes later but had just gone too early for Samaras cross and was offside. Apart from a freekick Spartak were not creating an awful lot from all the possession and they looked vulnerable when Celtic broke quickly. Celtic however were not able to hold out and Spartak were level 4 minutes from HT. A well placed free kick saw Wilson caught badly, the ball was squared and Emenike made it 1-1.

Celtic made a bad start to the second half. A slightly deflected strike was only parried poorly by Forster the ball was turned across and the big Nigerian put Spartak ahead. Forster should have done much better . Ambrose reactions to the situation also far too slow. Despite being behind Celtic were still playing fairly well. Shortly after a great through ball had Hooper moving through on goal but he was pulled back by a Spartak defender who was eventually sent off by the French referee. With an extra man Celtic now had plenty of possession and were doing a lot of attacking. Samaras dummied a cross to Hooper who cleverly laid if off to the unmarked Forrest just on as a sub. The goalie blocked his shot with his foot but it rebounded in off a defender to make it 2-2. At this stage I was praying that the defence would not cock it up again and hoping for at least a point. Joe Ledley came on after 80 minutes and had a terrific drive which the goalie turned over. If the equaliser was a trifle fortunate the winner certainly was'nt. Izaguirre whipped in a good centre and Samaras beat the defender and glanced a well placed header into the corner of the net for a superb goal in the 90th minute. Celtic saw out the 5 minutes of injury time thankfully mostly in the Spartak half.

So we move on to 4 points in the group and our hopes of making it to the last 16 very much alive. I bet CB looks like the cat who swallowed the canary.

[salty]

2-0 win for Barca in Lisbon makes the Group look like this after 2 games.

Barcelona 6pts Celtic 4pts Benfica 1 pt Spartak Moscow 0 pts.

[CelticBhoy]

No work today!

Party time!

[LeungKen]

Spare a thought or two for Jock Stein.

Born on this day (5th October) in 1922.

One of the greats of the game.

[tmd5855]

Spare a thought or two for Jock Stein.

Born on this day (5th October) in 1922.

One of the greats of the game.

Yes, a great.

Why he never got a knighthood, in being the first british manager to win the European cup. Yet the second British manager to do so, recieved a knighthood.

Strange and unfair

[salty]

Good to see Fraser Forster receive a call up for the English squad. He has been a stalwart for us in the last 12 months. He was poor for the second Spartak goal in Moscow but every keeper has a moment or two when they feel they could have done better.

League Cup 1/4 final pits us against St Johnstone at home on October 30. There were hopes that Celtic might have been drawn against The New Rangers for a first ever clash between the sides. They are also at home so if both come through who knows.

Needless to say I echo the sentiments about the great Jock. A friend and I were on holiday in Swittzerland in September 1969 and went to see Celtic playing Basle in the first round of the European Cup. After a boring 0-0 draw we were passing by the Celtic hotel and Jock was outside in the garden. Seeing both of us with Celtic bonnets he smiled but just as we were about to say hello Sean Fallon emerged from the hotel to engage him in conversation. We were cursing our fellow Irishman.

[salty]

Celtic went back to the top of the SPL with a 1-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead. Not suprisingly after the heroics in Moscow this was a much more subdued performance and the first half winner from Samaras did the trick. He availed of a superb pass from Commons, who was easily the man of the match, to fire past the Hearts goalie. The Hearts goalie Engleman on as a sub for McDonald will feel he should have saved it.

Samaras also hit post while Hearts had a few decent strikes at goal. Celtic escaped when a casual Wilson shepherding the ball over the endline was robbed by Driver whose cutback was met by Paterson who shot wide when he had a good chance. Ambrose however was making it difficult for him by his proximity blocking half the goal.

[salty]

We have got them worried CB.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4597074/Barca-stars-are-wary-of-Celts-threat.html

[Jockstar]

Spare a thought or two for Jock Stein.

Born on this day (5th October) in 1922.

One of the greats of the game.

Will never forget the night he died. The night we beat Wales to qualify. I was just a lad. But my dad was at that game. RIP Jock.

[CelticBhoy]

We have got them worried CB.

http://www.thescotti...lts-threat.html

Love it. A dream double header.

I will take 2 points happily.

[salty]

An easy 3 points at St Mirren today with a 5-0 win. The game was effectively over at HT when Celtic led 4-0. The first 3 goals were as much to do with poor defending as anything else. Good positioning and a tap in by Hooper who was left unmarked from a good cross by Lassad for the 1st. Goalie fumbled a Mulgrew free kick and Ambrose finished from close range for No 2 after 18 minutes. Wanyama got No3 after very poor control by a defender in the area. The 4 th again by Wanyama was a smasher from 25 yards curling it into the far corner.

The 2nd half not surprisingly was a non event and Celtic completed the scoring in the last few minutes from young Tony Watt. He had causes St Mirren problems all afternoon and fittingly he got on the score sheet with a spectacular close range header.

Are you watching Barcelona?

[salty]

Whether Barcelona were watching or not I had as ever my eye on them tonight away to Deportivo. There were 2 up in 8 minutes through Jordi Alba and Tello. Messi lashed in a 3rd. All this after 18 minutes. Then their defensive frailities resurfaced. Stupid tackle by Mascherano gave away a penalty for 3-1. A second Deportivo goal after a corner. Valdes should have saved it. Messi set up by Fabregas finished superbly for 4-2 at half time.

Within a few minutes of the restart silly foul by Busquets and a superb free kick to the top corner made it 4-3. Mascherano then sent off 2nd yellow for catching a forward with his elbow. He probably should have got a 2nd earlier for foul leading to the penalty. Messi then hit the post with a free kick. But even with 10 men Barca were controlling the game and Messi seemed to clinch it with his hat trick goal on 77 minutes. He wriggled out off a tackle held a few defenders off and finished superbly for 5-3. Within 2 minutes Alba breasted the ball down and lobbed it back to Valdes. It went over his head and in for 5-4. Barca held on under late Depo pressure. Even by their standards extravagant entertainment.

With Pique and Puyol out they certainly are dodgy in defence. Mascherano playing out of his best position is like a bull in a china shop. But when you have a genius like Messi and a sensational supporting cast it does not seem to matter. Lenny and co were taking off after our game today to watch Barca in action. He may not have a good nights sleep. Instead of sheep he may be counting goals.

[CelticBhoy]

^ There it is again Salts - that last sentance said it all.

"Instead of sheep he may be counting goals."

Come on old fella. They will be well puffed out after that game.

They have no defence. Messi will be knackered. We are well up for

this one. Our youngish/newish bhoys are dead keen. So my glass is

half full for this one.

To change your quote a wee bit, yes Lenny will be counting goals,

OUR goals. Bring it on.

(Me and both CelticBhoy jnr's will be watching this one!)

[salty]

Barcelona 2 Celtic 1

A heroic performance by Celtic beaten by a goal in the last minute of injury time. With Forster in particular and the defence playing solidly they looked like hanging on for a point under sustained pressure but unfortunately Forrest was caught ball watching in the last minute and Alba scrambled a winner. It must have been one of Messi's quietest games apart from a header superbly saved by Forster.

Celtic had gone ahead when a free kick from Mulgrew headed goalwards by Samaras glanced off Mascherano and in for a og. This was not in the script and Barca pressed furiously for the remainder of the first half and equalised just before half time a superb goal by Iniesta. Celtic fought a terrific rearquard battle in the 2nd half only to be undone right at the death.

If the Celts can produce this spirit in the remaining 3 games they have every chance of making it out of the group. Hopefully this will not be the point that will come back to haunt us.

[CelticBhoy]

That was fantastic. My nerves are shattered.

Robbed in the final seconds of the 94th minute!

We were well due a point there.

Can't wait for the return at Parkhead. Just hope

our lads can last the pace better, they all seemed

to fade badly near the end last night. But hats

off to them as they did us proud.

[nev]

That was fantastic. My nerves are shattered.

Robbed in the final seconds of the 94th minute!

We were well due a point there.

Can't wait for the return at Parkhead. Just hope

our lads can last the pace better, they all seemed

to fade badly near the end last night. But hats

off to them as they did us proud.

Robbed you had 10% possesion i heard lowest ever in the champions league, hardly robbed.

[MrRed]

Just how good is this Victor Wanyama then? snif snif!!

[salty]

That was fantastic. My nerves are shattered.

Robbed in the final seconds of the 94th minute!

We were well due a point there.

Can't wait for the return at Parkhead. Just hope

our lads can last the pace better, they all seemed

to fade badly near the end last night. But hats

off to them as they did us proud.

Robbed you had 10% possesion i heard lowest ever in the champions league, hardly robbed.

You heard wrong 28% possession. Hardly unique against Barca.

[salty]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19958293

[nev]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/19958293

http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/showthread.php?p=3176989

Even talkceltic are mentioning 90% to barca and saying so what barca had 86% against Chelsea, why are they saying lowest ever possesion in champions league on a Celtic forum, please enlighten me gents?

[salty]

Perhaps this may throw some light on these disparities;

98% of all statistics are made up. ~Author Unknown or There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up. ~Rex Stout, Death of a Doxy

Another stat also on Talk Celtic:

Originally Posted by FCBarca

Some match stats:

Barca with 82% possession and 89% passing accuracy. Celtic with 18% possession and 54% accuracy. Shots 28-6 in favor of Barcelona. 15 corners to 1, 21 total fouls (10-B vs 11-C). One offside a piece.

Hooper was Celtic's most accurate passer with 16 passes from 25 attempted for 64% accuracy. Wanyama attempted most passes with 22 out of 42.

Xavi completed 177 passes out of 182 (Champions League record), team had 849 completed passes out of 954. Celtic team completed 182 passes in total out of 337 attempts.

In fairness to CB he was making the point which all the faithful agree with that it was the timing of the goal which robbed us of a point. I do not think anyone was surprised that Celtic had by far the minority of possession whatever the percentage was.

Finally breaking news: An undisputable statistic from today. HT Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 1

Hopefully this one will look different by full time.

[nev]

Perhaps this may throw some light on these disparities;

98% of all statistics are made up. ~Author Unknown or There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up. ~Rex Stout, Death of a Doxy

Another stat also on Talk Celtic:

Originally Posted by FCBarca

Some match stats:

Barca with 82% possession and 89% passing accuracy. Celtic with 18% possession and 54% accuracy. Shots 28-6 in favor of Barcelona. 15 corners to 1, 21 total fouls (10-B vs 11-C). One offside a piece.

Hooper was Celtic's most accurate passer with 16 passes from 25 attempted for 64% accuracy. Wanyama attempted most passes with 22 out of 42.

Xavi completed 177 passes out of 182 (Champions League record), team had 849 completed passes out of 954. Celtic team completed 182 passes in total out of 337 attempts.

In fairness to CB he was making the point which all the faithful agree with that it was the timing of the goal which robbed us of a point. I do not think anyone was surprised that Celtic had by far the minority of possession whatever the percentage was.

Finally breaking news: An undisputable statistic from today. HT Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 1

Hopefully this one will look different by full time.

Yes agree mate about CB, you was very unlucky to lose like that after holding out for so long, no worries if you lose today you will still walk the league without Rangers there.

[salty]

Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 2

The score did indeed look differently at full time. Kilmarnock deservedly won at Parkhead for the first time since 1955.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20014085

Not for the first time in the SPL Celtic were poor. Big comedown from the display in Europe and shows you are only as good as your last trick.

[salty]

Celtic 5 St. Johnstone 0

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20053650

Looks like the focused Celtic turned up tonight. I wonder like the last round did CB know they were in action.

[CelticBhoy]

I was aware of this one, Salty old son.

Glad to see we have our possession problems sorted out!

[salty]

Dundee Utd 2 Celtic 2

Celtic dropped more points at Tannadice when Dundee Utd scored twice in the last few minutes. Celtic looked to be comfortable but when DU availed of a poor attempt at a clearance in the 89th minute to reduce the deficit they were galvanised. They threw everthing into attack and were rewarded 2 minutes into injury time when a dangerous centre glanced off Ambrose and into the top corner for an equalising goal.

Celtic had gone ahead through Miku midway theough the 2nd half after a superb pass from Watt. The youngster seemed to have clinched it for Celtic when he availed of a poor clearance from the goalkeeper to race through, hold off a challenge, and finish emphatically. But Celtic failed to close it out and were undone by DU's late flurry.

In the opening half both Rogne and Brown missed badly with close range headers as Celtic controlled the game.

[CelticBhoy]

Not a good result, Salty old son.

We have the injury time blues these days!

Not going to dwell on it though and am well

up for our mid-week match with Barca. Can't

wait.

[salty]

4th Round Cup draw

Celtic v Inverurie or Abroath. Have to say I never heard of Inverurie, presumably a non league side. Just see now there are a Highland League side. Big carrot for them to try and get through.

Edinburgh derby in repeat of last seasons Final.