Celtic vs Milan, Tuesday 26/11, 19:45 K.O.

Like I said, we had 4 glaring should be definite 100% goals.

We didn't take the oppurtunities and we gifted them goals.

 

Couldn't even speak about this last night I was that * off. I thought after the Ajax game that I wouldn't see a worse performance in the Champions League this year, but * did they do it.

The extremely frustrating thing is, we easily could of beaten them. Home and Away. They are the worst team in our group, but yet again we get spineless performances.

Samaras should never see the captains armband again, yes he is the second longest player in the squad, but the guy can't even get himself into the game at times, never mind push on other players.

Last night showed we lack a serious edge. We also lacked leadership, yet again with Brown being out.

We also seriously lack a goal scorer, if we want to even think about competing next year in the group stages we need a proven goalscorer, who will take our chances, as no one else in the team looks capable of it currently.

One positive yet again though, Mikael Lustig.

I just seriously hope Lenny shakes this team up, half of the team are to sure about their on positions, time to focus on bringing through the youth players that have shown potential.

 

Poor goals to give away. We haven't taking our chances throughout this whole campaign and we've been punished.

 

Who needs to make way for new or youth players. First to go for me would be Kayal, never worth the contract increase after his debut season. Second is izzaguirre again hasn't reproduced first season form. Punt and play the kids now.


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Izzy has been one of our best players this year, Kayal was excellent before he went off injured and it was a big blow when he came off, two players who can't be blamed for last night along with Lustig for me.

 

They deserved the win last night and we deserve to come last in this group

We may have had the ball for long periods of time but the Italians teams we have played against have allowed us that consolation. Very little happened without their say in this game. They effectivly limited us to corners and the odd set piece, nothing else worried them. We can keep saying we were plucky and unlucky but when it keeps happening time after time then you can't keep saying that. They know how to play us.

It's sobering, getting what you deserve from limited play and our lack of quality in the squad's attackers and finishers. Unable to take chances (I 'let' (for what my word is worth) Van Dijk off with that volley, I don't think you can fault someone for hitting a ball to cleanly) in front of goal. Two goals in the whole competition and none of them from a striker. Sloppy at the back with poor zonal marking.

Again Forrest comes in for some unfair harsh criticism. Allegri had a good game plan, knowing that Emanuelson wasn't a natural full-back he had Montolivo double up with him all game giving Forrest a near impossible task without help. They had model professionals such as Kaká making lung busting counter attacking runs which Ambrose and Van Dijk where almost powerless to stop and guys able to finish the chances they get.

Everything about last night was depressing.

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Best player for us was Lustig again. Man is a world beater I sadly expect to see him go to England.

 

Just watched the highlights of the game there, the marking at the first goal is extraordinary. Genuinely some of the worst defending at a set-piece that your ever likely to see.

 

It's horrific, zonal marking at it's worst. For the first one everything stands idly by as the ball comes in. No one took any responsibility.

Second time Sammy in the middle doesn't hold his nerve and chases after the ball leaving a giant gap of space.

There is a fine balance between movement and staying firm in zonal marking. We did it the horrific way.

 

Forster - Should have done better with the first goal, can't really fault him otherwise. 6/10

Lustig - Best player on the night, gives 100% every game. Captain material. Our best player. 8/10

Ambrose - Had a pretty average game, you could look at him for all of their goals tbh. Better last night than his partner though. Comfortable on the ball as always. 6/10

Van Dijk - Not his usual self, played pretty poor IMO. Just didn't look up to it at all. 5/10

Izaguirre - Gave a couple of rash fouls away but one of the better players on the night. Looked good on the ball and pretty solid defensively. 6.5/10

Kayal - Looked decent when he was on the pitch. He always shows for the ball, more than any other midfielder IMO. Could have done better with his chance but he seemed like he was having an alright game. Shame he got injured. 4.5/10

Mulgrew - I hate him in midfield, there I said it. I know some people rate him here but I can't for the life of me see why he keeps getting played in the centre. ESPECIALLY in Europe. Out of his depth I think, very slow and clumsy and his set pieces were awful. Think he played about 2 good balls on the pitch all night. 4/10

Ledley - His presence wasn't noticeable all night. Literally can't remember him doing anything. 4/10

Forrest - Invisible. Didn't do anything again all night. Rarely shows up these days and its incredibly tedious. Still plays like a kid and its extremely frustrating. Bad night. 3/10

Boerrigter - Looked lively to be fair. Tried his best in the first half but slowly faded away in the game. Didn't really beat his man either all night. Better than a lot though. 5/10

Commons - No words here. He was abysmal. Doesn't cut it in Europe for me at all. Far too slow, his decision making was awful and first touch off all night. Not the creative outlet we crave and it shows in Europe. 3/10.

Samaras - Held the ball up well a few times. But one of his many off days. Again, can't note anything good he done the whole game. Teams have sussed him out and he is completely ineffective up top. 3/10

Stokes and Rogic I can't really rate because they were brought on when the game was dead.



Such a depressing night.

 

Van Dijk scored a goal (albeit it offside), made some good challenges & was more of an attacking threat than any of our strikers. I think that's harsh.

 

That said, he was at fault for a couple of the goals.

 

I thought Commons and Samaras were so bad it was unreal. Not even just last night but in the CL this season overall.

 

Sorry bud but I really don't think you're facing up to reality here. Milan are not the worst team in the group, not by a long way. WE are the worst team in the group and that is why we are sitting where we are.

You're dead right about Samaras though. He's never a captain and never will be. Neil Lennon needs his baws toed for continuing to give the captain's armband to that big jessie.

 

Thought it was an easy game for Milan last night.It was also the 3rd game at home in the competition where the game has been played at the oppositions behest(although we have faced 3 good sides). The failure to impose our game on teams, has been just one of the real shortcomings in our whole campaign. Last night Milan had us playing where they wanted us to go, we gave the ball away to easily through bad choices and probably down to the lack of quality within the side. However it makes last seasons achievements even more impressive.

When you play good sides and Milan are a good side; you cannot make it harder for yourself than it already is. Unfortunately, we obliged to shoot ourselves in the foot on 2 crucial occasions and many other times throughout the 90 mins.

You can argue all day about Zonal Marking against Man Marking, however in both occasions if individuals fail to apply themselves at the appropriate times. You get the same outcome. The 1st goal and 2nd goal (the 2nd in particular, where at least 5 players could`ve dealt with the situation.) were a result of no-one taking the onus to deal with the situation. On both occasions someone has to take responsibility and deal with the cross ball. Van Dijik missed the header for the 1st(about the 1st thing the guy has done wrong for weeks on end) and a number of players left it to each other for the 2nd.

Our play in general was pretty average and the old problems of creativity were prominent throughout the game. Milan decided early on not to compete with the long kicks to Samaras and compete for the knock-downs; we got a bit of success early on but never made anything from the opportunities. We got little quality from the wide areas, plenty of crosses failing to find it passed the first man. Our set-piece delivery was really poor given the quality we have in that area, it was catching practice at times and no adjustments were made to vary the plays.

Our midfield was a huge let-down and De Jong & Poli controlled the match. I think the experiment of Mulgrew in the midfield works in the SPFL, but it`s not been a success in Europe. That has been enforced on us through a number of reasons and for me, he doesn`t have enough(his preference to his left-foot being the biggest hindrance) to play in that area. We also had Kayal,Ledley and Mulgrew playing the same role.Which at times is fine but when those further up the pitch aren`t producing, it doesn`t help going forward.

Plus points last night; Mikael Lustig again proving to be a fine player. Another performance of commitment allied with quality in action. MOTM for me.

Ambrose, one who did take the onus to make things happen going forward. When he carried the ball out of defence it gave Milan something to consider(it shouldn`t have been his choice to make, others were in more suitable roles).

A disappointing end. Given the opposition and the barriers placed in our way, was to be expected.

 

It's a severe worry that we took 65 minutes to get a striker on the pitch, same stupidity that we saw against Karagandy.

Celtic need to spend good money to establish a proper first team, there's far too much experimenting right now, even in crucial games.

Realistically though we couldn't have been in a tougher group and this is valuable experience.

 

Only now coming to terms with what I watched last night.

The Nazis at the Nuremburg Trials had a better defence than we had last night. My Subbuteo players have shown more movement at corners than ours. 20 attempts on goal according to the statistics. How many can you remember?

Shows what happens when you have the money to shop at Waitrose and decide to shop instead at the Barras.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFCV9uIw_Vo"]Green Brigade Tifo v AC Milan 26th November 2013 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Only positive from last night was Lustig hes a * class act. Izzy Kayal and Derk were OK, Ambrose and Van Dijk were pish but they've been good this season. The rest can just * off tbh.

We just arent a good team right now and dont deserve to be in the last 16. We play some of the worst football ive seen its horrible to watch.

 

amazing