Celtic Diary Wednesday February 13

So Neil Lennon decided to tell Efe Ambrose to get unpacked, pick up his boots and head to the ground. And it was all downhill from there onwards.

Eight or nine players had to be at the top of their game physically and mentally last night, and with Forster and Forrest clearly not match fit, Lustig “not expected to last ninety minutes” (Lennon, post match) and Ambrose still wondering what a week with Nigerian prostitutes  (My old granny was shocked at this, but she thought I said protestants) might have been like, the writing was on the wall.

Having done their homework, Juventus knew exactly where Gary Hooper would be at set pieces, and they decided to impede him-even so far as to  fling him into the net at one early corner.

But when the referee bottles the big decision, then the tactic has to be changed. Someone has to clatter a defender and frighten them.

Celtic could have, and should have won the game comfortably, but all the good decisions we’d had, and all the little bits of luck, evened themselves up last night.

One early booking and penalty would have put a stop to their antics. Especially after one minute into the game.  It was not to be, and when Efe Ambrose misjudged a high ball, Juve were in front. Of course, Ambrose wasn’t focused, and a tired mind leads to tired reactions. Worth noting that the ref actually missed the ball going over the line from the original shot, which was an indication of how poor he was going to be. As did the linesman behind the goal.

Lennon would have been as well dressing the big Nigerian in bra, knickers and high heels and asking him to run up and down the line singing “Bee bop a lu La” for all the use he was. Even when he had the chance to atone with a clear point blank header, he gave it straight to Buffon.

But thats that. A three goal deficit to overcome in Turin. Well, stranger things have happened, but not very often.

whats hardest to take about what was a crushing defeat isn’t the italians cheating, or the poor refereeing. Whats hard to take is that they are not a good side, merely a shadow of great Juve teams of the past. although they do employ the same tactics.

Still can’t figure out how two juve defenders get  booked for fouls in the box, and there is no penalty.

On SSN afterwards, Juventus defender Lickspittle-I think that was his name-denied any wrong doing, and said it was all part of football. Although Law 12 specifically says it isn’t.

Manager Neil Lennon says a miracle is needed in the second leg for Celts to progress, but a decent ref would at least be a start.

“We will compete, we will try and score, we will try and make this tie competitive but its a very tall order now. I am bitterly disappointed. i think the scoreline flatters Juventus, but that is the harsh reality of football at this level….. Some of our football tonight was excellent, and i didn’t think there were three goals between the teams.”

On the referee, he added;

“I thought he was poor. I thoguht he was very pro Juventus. I was disappointed with his performance to say the least. They were being fouled at every occasion. The referee is looking at it. They were putting their arms around players, blocking their runs, trying to pull them down….

The game in Spain and Italy must be very different from what it is in Britain because youcannot do that in the penalty box because it is a penalty.”

SSN had Dermot Gallagher giving his opinion, as a referee, reckons there were a few penalties that should have been awarded, and it “beggars belief” they weren’t. He makes the point that the ball was out of play when the offences started, but the minute the ball returns to play its a penalty.

Technically, he did warn and caution the players , as the rule states, but failed in the next step, which is the penalty.

The referee may have been poor last night, but he is probably wealthier this morning after finding this on his hotel room table.

So, in the cold light of day a harsh lesson is there to be learned, and although its unlikely, there is still a glimmer of hope-a very small one, admittedly, and every ounce of effort is required to get out of this mess we have landed in. At the very least I would feel better if someone jumped into Lickspittles back at the next corner we get, with knees connecting with the back of his head. Might make him reconsider his positioning afterwards.

Murdo MacLoed, Henrik Larsson, Stilian Petrov, Chris Sutton and Joos Valgaeren were the guys who did what last nights lot couldn’t do, and scored against Juventus.

Today, has any  team overcome a three goal lead lost at home and gone on to progress?