{"id":13705,"date":"2018-11-30T08:10:34","date_gmt":"2018-11-30T08:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=13705"},"modified":"2018-11-30T08:10:34","modified_gmt":"2018-11-30T08:10:34","slug":"celtic-diary-friday-november-30-a-win-away-a-win-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=13705","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Friday November 30: A Win Away, A Win Away"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celtic continued their Europa League revival with a win in Trondheim last night that leaves them requiring one point from the home match with Salzburg to progress.<\/p>\n

I think we’d all have settled for that on match day one.<\/p>\n

Although it was all a little tense while watching the game, the reality was that Celtic were much more in control than the scoreline suggests, and the tension was probably more in our minds than out on the pitch.<\/p>\n

In the first half there did seem to be a touch of anxiety , with perhaps a few hurried and therefore mistimed passes in the final third, but once James Forrest aimed a shot at Scott Sinclairs head to help it beat the goalkeeper, the team settled and produced what Brendan Rodgers described as “very,very good ”<\/p>\n

“I am pleased with the result but even more so with the performance. To come under pressure \u2013 knowing we had to win \u2013 to play to that level technically, well it was good insight into the game for me.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The players were calm, confident and they all connected well. They were pressing the game, then their ability \u2013 both technically and with talent \u2013 showed they could control the game. It was very, very good.<\/em><\/p>\n

“James Forrest is very important to us. But I thought the team functioned very well. From the goalkeeper right the way through.<\/em><\/p>\n

“If you want to play like we play, then you need all the players to be in the right positions. James and Scott\u2019s movement from outside to inside was very good.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Forrest is important to the way Celtic play, and lets hope the knock he took late on clears up in time for sunday, but he is a doubt. Its his foot, and to be fair it might well recover in time, but not if Leigh Griffiths keeps standing on it, apologising and then running away giggling.<\/p>\n

Summing up, the manager continued;<\/p>\n

We just wanted to have an opportunity after this evening to have it in our own hands and thankfully that’s the way it’s worked out. You can only look after your own result.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The other game’s result obviously helps us.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Red Bull presumably decided they wanted to guarantee teir strongest team would be in the last thirty two, and Leipzig dutifully pulled over to allow the number one driver to overtake, like they do in Formula One.<\/p>\n

We’ll go into the last game going to win the game.<\/em><\/p>\n

‘It’s very hard to go and just play for a point or a draw. We’re playing a good side but we want to use the whole Celtic Park experience and the atmosphere to push us over the line.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

It will be a fantastic demonstration of what the Celtic support is about and that synergy between them and the team.<\/em><\/p>\n

‘It’s been a great learning campaign for us again. We came here knowing we had to win and to see the players playing with that pressure and that level of control was very, very pleasing. That along with the result makes it a really good night for us.’<\/em><\/p>\n

If Celtic do get out of this group and into the knockout stages, it will be remembered as one of the great group campaigns. The other sides in the group are all very good teams, if not the most famous names in European football, and we won;t, should we qualify , come up against many are better.<\/p>\n

Is it too early to look at flights to Baku yet ?<\/p>\n

Not all of the\u00a0 media were full of praise for what will be remembered as one of Celtics more memorable away performances…<\/p>\n

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BBC Scotland getting right behind the nations champions there, as they endeavour to shine a light on all thats good in our game.<\/p>\n

The players stayed over in Norway last night, a fairly unusual way of preparing for the cup final on Sunday, but it will allow for them to wind down a bit and keep the old body clock regulated, rather than a late night flight back to Glasgow, and endless arguments over taxis at the airport.<\/p>\n

As November draws to a close, everything seems to be back on line after the players and manager slipped off track a few months ago.<\/p>\n

Its difficult to recall how despairingly performances, both on and off the field were viewed up to and including the defeat at Rugby Park.<\/p>\n

If Celtic continue to improve at the rate they have since that then we could be on the brink of a truly memorable season, one to even surpass the Invincible season, and theres no reason to think that the momentum will drop any time soon.<\/p>\n

Well, not before January at least. And by then we could be in possession of Brendans seventh consecutive trophy and a place in Europe after christmas..<\/p>\n

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Elsewhere, the mighty “rangers ” held Villareal , currently sixteenth in the two team Spanish league, to a 0-0 draw at Ibrox.<\/p>\n

That keeps their faint hopes of progression alive, as they need to win in Vienna in their last game.<\/p>\n

After Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers commented yesterday that he would like to see “rangers ” qualify, aling with Celtic, the Ibrox support looked into their hearts , and amidst the darkness therein, found time to create a lovely tribute to the Irishman with a beautifu tifo display, that says simply “Super Rodgers ”<\/p>\n

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Spotted by and credit given to Raymie bhoy on twitter.<\/p>\n

The man behind the display, who had clearly put hours into it, denied this vehemently, claiming it doesn’t say that at all, and he should know, he designed it…<\/p>\n

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Or, as fitzy on twitter , after using hi tec deciphering software revealed, perhaps they have a new sponsor…<\/p>\n

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Something you won’t hear about in the media is the incident that took place shortly after Ibrox man Daniel Candywhatever was sent off for a second bookable offence, when he stamped on an opponent..<\/p>\n

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Some peepil missed that bit…<\/p>\n

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Andrew Dickson<\/strong>\u200fVerified account<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>@mrandrewdickson<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a010m<\/span>10 minutes ago<\/span><\/a><\/small><\/p>\n
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Also… no idea what the appeals process is in Europe or if there even is one – but if there is, it\u2019ll be a travesty if Rangers don\u2019t contest that Candeias red card. Morelos committed the foul and referee was awful all night. Must dispute it if they\u2019re able to and sure they will.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

By lying on the ground and being fouled in a way that led to “rangers ” going down to ten men,the Villareal player outraged the normally placid home support, and one of them raced onto the pitch, but was escorted away…the tv cameras swiftly turning away from the incident.<\/p>\n

Not all cameras turned away though.. and after it was referred to VAR, the decision was upheld, according to our man in the room, Chairman LAO on twitter..<\/p>\n

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Another camera picked up something else , though, which was a matter of concern..the pitch invader.<\/p>\n

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With safety concerns for supporters high on the agenda for Celtics visit to Ibrox, one wonders if perhaps its worth mentioning that the players need certain guarantees for theirs…especially after recent outbursts from the “rangers ” board who condemned the “thug like ” behaviour of Celtic players in the last meeting, at Celtic Park..\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There have been a number of incidents at Ibrox of late concerning supporter behaviour, including coins, batteries, golf balls and attempted assault, which place, to my mind, doubts about player safety and crowd control at Ibrox.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

And thats before you consider racism, bigotry and the smell.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Based on this evidence, Celtic should demand a neutral venue until guarantees about safety can be put in place, and even then they should make it perfectly clear that that should any incidents that are considered potentially dangerous to their players, or any racist or sectarian chants are heard, the team will leave the field of play.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

And will have their own security detail to help them do it.<\/p>\n

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Lets be honest, the police aren’t up to it.<\/p>\n

And I’m not the only person who has lost faith in them…<\/p>\n

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Compare and contrast with how others see the Celtic support…again…<\/p>\n

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MagnusTheSmok<\/strong>\u200f\u00a0<\/span><\/span>@MagnusSmok<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
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