Benfica 1 Celtic 0
Late goals are a sickener or a brilliant end to a game. Tonight, unfortunately for us it was the later after the high of Meelan.. But tonight it’s not as much as a sickener as the Brave Celts tag that seems to get put upon the Hoops- and any other Scottish team- when a back against the wall performance goes pear-shaped or goes well.
It’s wee man syndrome. A syndrome that seems to think that effort over skill constitutes a fantastic performance. Yes, make no mistake I’m pleased that we showed effort and if the application of doing yer job, as you should, were applied not just to the defence but also to the more offensive areas of the field then we maybe would have deserved something from the game.
Yes, we worked hard but oor lack of bravery on the ball, lack of composure and the fact that we couldnae hold oor water for more than two passes at a time mean that we deserved what we got. Benfica played the fitba’ and to quote a famous Argentinean we played the “anti fitba” as we sat in, especially in the second half.
It was a nervous performance from us; it was one of a team that was unsure of the style they were playing but one that was willing to put in the effort to make this style work. The away record is now playing on the minds of both the players and the backroom staff. This was proved in how we set up in, what is now being called the “wattienaccio” formation…a formation, that is taking Scottish Fitba' by storm and also one that bakes performances like tonights.
As oor manager says we paid the price for not keeping possession well. If we had kept possession better then maybe the moments in the game when we looked good would have lasted for longer periods. Only McGeady got passmarks in an offensive sense. In fact McGeady was the only Celtic player to play fitba all night.
Not out of it, not by a long way. But tonight is not up there wie the kick in the gonads as nights of Juve, Lyon and Munich were. Yes I’m disappointed, I’m feckin gutted, but I know tonight’s performance is up there wie the other poor performances I have seen from the Hoops away from home. Only the result and the lateness of the goal make it seem different…
Forza
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4 comments:
Jings, crivins help ma Bobo! An accurate summing up. Until our better players can do things with the ball it will be the same old story. It`s costly to buy players who are at their best when Celtic have the ball. Of the team who played last night that would be Aiden, Broonaldinho, Donati. If available and playing well add naka and JVoH. The top teams have more than 3 or 4 and even not so top teams like Benfica.
Forty five attempts at goal in two home matches and only one goal to show for it, that`s Benfica for you.
Bring on the `Well!
I agree Kevin
We can't whinge at the result, we did nothing to deserve a point.
However WGS tactics have to be questioned. I am Ok with using the Wattenaccio system when away from home just to get a point. fine , great.
However when Hartley was so obviously Donald Ducked after 55 mins why was he not withdrawn?
Spoke to Evil about this afterwards. Would it not have made sense to play Jiri centrally and bring on Naka or JO'B on the wing instead. I would rather have anyone that can run than an injured player who is (not intentionally) playing so deep that he was at times playing (a la Lennon in Porto in 2001) behind the centre backs.
We cannot whinge though if we do not get points because playing the Wattenaccio way is not designed to win games.
Still Euro football after Xmas is my goal and benchmark for succes this (and every) year. If we do not get it, then i will consider this year to be a failure even considering the Milan result.
Hail Hail one and all
disapointing nite again but i think u are being a bit harsh lads.
i must admit i was shocked when i seen the team but on reflection it worked up til a point and meant we weren't 2 down inside 10 minutes like normal.
strachan was pounded for having too attacking a formation against shahktar so fair play to him for having the balls to change it a bit.
in saying that tho i think after about 60/65 mins we should have brought naka and skippy on and went for it.
bringing sno on wasn't the best move but i can see why he did it.
i don't know about anyone else but i think surely the players must learn from the way we played last nite and carry it forward.
u are right benfica deserved to win and had most of the ball etc but 9 times out of 10 thats wot happens in the champions league.
3 away results in 16 games over this round of fixtures backs that up.
killen might not be everyone's cup of tea but i think he done well up there on his own and would like to see him and skippy both start on sat if jvofh isn't 100% for then.
the holy goalie again proved his worth and the sooner we try and get him tied down the better.
Ian- I cover your point regarding ball players in the next post, have to admit I have been disappointed in Donati when the going has got tough though…
Baldy- again I have a go at the “wattienaccio” system in another post…thing is yes, keep it tight but you have to have the players to make this system an attacking option when possible..i don’t think we have, I feel GS is following a coaching manual from the darkside…
Agree maybe we would do it better wie players in correct positions and yes GS sub was strange….
Seven- last night showed that when we cut out mistakes the game is not loused within 10 mins. We can play a tight game wie two upfront ala Moscow…
We have also being saying the players will learn for years…but I cover the options in another post…
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