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Celtic v Benfica - Wednesday 7.45pm on Sky Sports 3

Discussion in 'Celtic Chat' started by Sean Daleer, Sep 15, 2012.

Discuss Celtic v Benfica - Wednesday 7.45pm on Sky Sports 3 in the Celtic Chat area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. mygirlmaria

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    Jeez, you never let up do you?As it happens, i am listening and reading/writing.

    You should try it......listening that is, instead of constantly judging.
     
  2. Rossenspeil

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    Pleased with the team tonight.

    I recall seeing us play worse in the CL under WGS and winning, we just never had much in the final 3rd, I think we missed the width and running of Samaras for sure.

    Centre halves did well although Wilson needs to avoid the 'Caldwell moments', Izzy still looks out of sorts.

    Wanyama did well and Brown was outstanding, one of his best games in the hoops for me.

    Commons and Miku worked hard but dunno, there seemed a lack of understanding at times, which can happen with new players in the team, both looked frustrated and I feel we should have started with Hooper.

    Could have snatched it, could have had it snatched away, 0-0 probably a fair result.
     
  3. CelticBhoyDavid

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    Can't believe some of the comments I've been reading. We played pretty well considering the amount of guys who made their Champions League debuts, who our opposition were and that we are still missing guys like Samaras, Ledley, Stokes & Kayal. Plus, I know it was the Champions League, but look at how we played on Saturday compared to today. Was night and day and if I'm being honest I was a wee bit worried on how we would do against Benfica after that miserable performance against St. Johnstone, but the lads done well tonight.

    Yeh we never scored any goals and it wasn't an immense performance but we still played very decently against one of the top sides in European football.

    Brown & Wanyama were totally superb tonight. Wilson & Lustig played together well in defense. One mistake by Wilson but he kept his head and recovered really well under pressure. He carries on playing like that and I'll very quickly change my mind about him. Forrest, although I do like him, didn't really do much and if he's not careful he'll get a very bad reputation ie the penalty incident.

    Overall, I'm pretty happy with that for a first game. Onto Moscow now :50:

    On another note, who the * done that report for the BBC? Butch? :icon_mrgreen:
     
  4. Matt_20

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    Can't argue with this. The type of player people are talking about when they mention creativity being an issue is one we haven't been able to afford for years.

    One thing I'd add is that not having Samaras in the side also limits what Forrest can do, even though he's on the other flank. We were "breaking" on the counter with Commons too many times, slowing the whole thing down. Likewise with Mulgrew, he's not going to take the ball 40 yards, he doesn't have the pace either. You give the ball to Sammy and he will get up the pitch quickly, when there is still space to exploit for all the attacking players.

    If there was to be a goal tonight it was coming from a set piece. Considering the players we had out in midfield and attack I'm fine with that game plan, although we should have had Mulgrew taking the set pieces when it became clear Commons wasn't delivering.
     
  5. Rude Bhoy

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    Started the game well and never really looked out of our depth, that has to be a positive.

    Very disappointing that we didn’t test their keeper though.

    As much as I like Commons playing in the hole, I don’t think it worked tonight. Unlike on previous occasions where he’s had Hooper and Samaras as an outlet, he didn’t have much to aim for tonight, so every time got the ball he didn’t really know what to do with it. The options were very limited. That chip would have been an amazing goal though.

    I thought when Hooper came on and when we went with the 442, we looked more threatening.
    <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->

    <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> BBC are hurting, Hun bigots who have been doctoring attendances all season – vastly minimising ours whilst elevating Sevcos.

    We had over 50k on flag day. The biggest attendance in Scotland for a domestic game thus far this season. BBC tried to pretend only 45K showed up.

    It was a full house tonight. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->
     
  6. Celticnut

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    I think the main focus of the team was on not getting beat tonight. Can understand Lenny really as I believe the most important thing in the CL is to stay in the game until about the hour mark then we can try push things. We never tried to push it tonight though, I have no idea why Watt or Lassad weren't brought on for the final 15-20 minutes.

    This is all still just a learning curve for the manager and the squad. I think Lenny will look back and regret not pushing it in the last 20 minutes. Can't say I'm too disappointed though. I'm just delighted we're back on the CL stage where we belong, that's enough for me for now.
     
  7. monthehoops1888

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    Would have loved Samaras playin earlier i feel he would have ran them ragged....
     
  8. BhoysInGreen

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    I hope Ambrose is here to play some * football, so we can slot him in with Wilson, enabling Izzy to be dropped for Mulgrew.

    I know Benfica are a good squad, but it's 2 points dropped no matter how you look at it. If we put in the exact same performance in Lisbon it would've been 1 point gained.

    If we build from here tho, Miku/Ambrose/Lassad find their feet and Sammy/Kayal/Ledley come back, we can keep things interesting to Christmas.

    Really missed Sammy n Ledley today.
     
  9. smithy18

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    Just watched the game on sky there and I need to take back what I said about mulgrew his final ball left a lot to be desired but he was probably our most attacking threat in the 1st half and had a really good game
     
  10. CelticBhoyDavid

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    On thinking about it, I agree with this. I really think that Izaguirre needs to be dropped because it can't really go on with the way he's playing. I like the guy but he gave the ball away far too many times with very sloppy passes yesterday (and not just yesterday either).

    If he's dropped then hopefully he will see that he's not an instant starter, no matter how he's playing, and if he wants to be in the first 11 he'll need to fight for it. This could get him to buck up and get him playing like how he was in his first season.
     
  11. Spring Time Gold Member Gold Member

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    joke right?:97:
     
  12. BhoysInGreen

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    The Benfica manager, Jorge Jesus, did not concur with Lennon's assessment of the match. "We deserved victory," he said. "I have said before that Benfica, Celtic and Spartak will fight hard but they [Celtic] did not take advantage tonight."

    (Lenny basically said there was nothing between us on the night.)

    What match was Jorge watching?? Hahah
     
  13. scootz

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    I expected a schooling in all 6 games, so I'm really pleased with that performance and result! Very positive!

    The only negatives for me were Forrest (empty jersey... again!) and Izzy (but at least he's trying to make things happen for himself).

    Unless Benfica were playing possum, then I see no reason why we can't cover the point with a draw in Lisbon!

    Mon the HOOPS!
     
  14. selbybhoy

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    with sammy back and a on form striker we could do ok, struggling to see where the goals are going to come from at the moment
     
  15. gohomeyahuns

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    A * game but im fairly pleased we controlled such a good team (though it does feel like 2 points lost). I think if we had Sammy, Ledley and Hooper on from the start we would've skelped them.

    Though it does bug me that we look a bit boring. We are lacking a bit of imagination and fluency on the ball.

    Scott Brown was rubbish again last night.....wouldn't you agree Butch!? :56:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 20, 2012
  16. Hmrc

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    UEFA had the turn out at 57 759 so the bbx attendance is wrong... Again!

    Thought we done ok against a decent side, however, our lack of creativity made it a poor game to watch. I would have liked to have seen us test their keeper properly. Personally, I felt we were just lacking a final ball or some real quality up front as Miku didn't look CL quality based on what I saw, but their is obviously a player there so we'll wait and see.

    Thought the atmosphere was poor after the initial excitement partly due to the tense nature of the game.
     
  17. scomur1888

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    Am i correct in saying that's 500k in the coffers for the draw?

    Pleasing stuff if true!
     
  18. Cheese - Burger

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    It was a positive peformance, in the the end we came away dissapointed not to have got the win and 3 points.
     
  19. Bamboozle

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    Forrest - calm and assured
    Matthews - some good defending, left exposed as Forrest showed little appetite in tracking back.
    Wilson/Lustiq - when i think of the bombscare nights with Caldwell and McManus at CB, these guys were assured and calm last night.
    Izzy - mixed the good with the bad.
    Forrest - well commented above 'empty jersey'
    Commons - some nice touches, worked hard, lumping high balls to him is pointless though.
    Brown/Wanyama - CL masterclass.
    Mulgrew - did well enough.
    Miku - he's a good player, ran good lines, worked hard, got very little service.

    wait until Samaras, Ledley & Kayal are reintroduced into the team.

    Fit team for Spartak

    Forrest
    Matthews Wilson Mulgrew Izzy
    Commons Wanyama Kayal Brown Ledley
    Samaras
     
  20. TAB

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    My stinking hangover is helped by the fact we gave a decent account of ourselves last night.

    Having been there and seen how Benfica performed, I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that we didn't create more opportunities because the 3 points were there for the taking.

    There was a couple of under par performances, most notably Forrest. He done the square root of * all. With Samaras, Kayal and Ledley missing (three important players to us) and the fact we were up against a good team in Benfica, we can't be too disappointed with the result.