Champions League 2012/13 Match Day 3, 23/24 October

[mickee321]

@Rocko

Heartbreaking. Terrific performance, so gutsy and intelligent. Not going to post more now but two points:

1 Ambrose was sensational. That was an immense performance.

2 Can’t agree on Kayal blame. He needed to press that first pass to snuff out the cross and did his best to block the second.

unlucky celtic
great to see players from the Israeli league doing so well at this level, ill have to watch this game later it im not too tired, herself wont be happy tho

Shaktar Donetsk are the time to take away from tonight’s games lads, they were superb in the highlights im watching here

[Mac]

Is Ambrose the lad Mickeeeeeeee dismissed as being pure useless?

[mickee321]

@Mac

Is Ambrose the lad Mickeeeeeeee dismissed as being pure useless?

as a center half , yes

[Bisto]

i didn´t see the full game just highlights…how did hooper play?..from highlights i thought he looked a bit out of sorts ónce or twice… especially when wanyama made a break in second half…hooper looked like he didnt know where to go

[mickee321]

im waiting to get lambasted here over my comment above… :lol:

ok, ill take things seriously or else Rocko will have a coronary trying to dig out threads to pull me up, he’s a decent player all right, center half probably really is his natual positon i would think,

[Rudi]

@scumpot

i didn´t see the full game just highlights…how did hooper play?..from highlights i thought he looked a bit out of sorts ónce or twice… especially when wanyama made a break in second half…hooper looked like he didnt know where to go

Hooper is not suited to playing for a team who are not dominating in my opinion. He’s a good player but quite limited in that if the team does not play to his strengths then he is not effective and his attitude can also be a bit questionable when this is the case.

[Rocko]

@Il Bomber Destro

I don’t believe he need to press at all, he left the crosser to go close down a guy Izzy had pretty much closed off, the ball comes back to the crosser and it’s a goal. At stages in games like that you need to be organised and cohesive and what Kayal did was utterly reckless, Izzy had the situation under control and we were fairly well set up positionally, the key to beating Barcelona is to stay focused and keep your shape. You can’t afford to lack tactical discipline which is exactly what Kayal was guilty of. I wouldn’t mind but he was only on the pitch ten minutes.

I don’t think Izzy was getting close enough and I thought there was a need for Kayal to press. It was then Izzy’s responsibility to switch onto Adriano. This was how it had been operating on our right flank throughout but they had less frequent attacks on our left and Izzy had coped very well by forcing them back and inside every time until then. But I thought he had too much ground to make up that time and Kayal was right to rush out and press.

Anyway it was a minor point and any blame of Kayal is hyperbole really. Ambrose was millimetres from clearing it, Forster was stranded unsure whether Villa or Ambrose would get a touch, Forrest tracked Alba (as he did really well all night to my surprise) but was half a yard behind and couldn’t make it up. There were a few contributory factors and I wouldn’t single anyone out for blame.

[Rocko]

@Il Bomber Destro

Hooper is not suited to playing for a team who are not dominating in my opinion. He’s a good player but quite limited in that if the team does not play to his strengths then he is not effective and his attitude can also be a bit questionable when this is the case.

I thought he was quite decent tonight. A couple of touches that didn’t come off but he worked hard closing Xavi down in particular until Samaras went off and then played the lone striker role which he did quite well. He’s a goalscorer and obviously would prefer more chances close in but when he had Commons or Brown or Forrest or Samaras near him he linked up quite well. Nobody could do much better when there was (understandably) a 30 yard gap between our striker and midfield.

[Rocko]

Some post-match interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJR_sGbPaTo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ4ryyp59ZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYmatBAcIFs

[Fitzy]

I only saw a few minutes towards the end of the first half, thought Celtic were excellent, defended very intelligently and were more than willing to attack when the opportunity arose. Full credit to them, heart breaking in the end.

[Rudi]

@Rocko

I thought he was quite decent tonight. A couple of touches that didn’t come off but he worked hard closing Xavi down in particular until Samaras went off and then played the lone striker role which he did quite well. He’s a goalscorer and obviously would prefer more chances close in but when he had Commons or Brown or Forrest or Samaras near him he linked up quite well. Nobody could do much better when there was (understandably) a 30 yard gap between our striker and midfield.

I don’t think he’s very good when isolated, he’s not really able to take the ball in when under pressure and surrounded. There were a couple of occasions tonight where he came short for the ball and tried to lay it off first time and it went all over the shop. He’s a good player linking the play when he has bodies coming in off him or around him, but when we are under the cosh he is not a player who keeps the ball well. I have the same reservations about Commons but I thought he did very well in this regard when introduced, think Miku would have been more suitable to coming on and holding onto possession. Hooper has a habit of treating the ball like a hot potato when under pressure.

[Bandage]

This is a great time to be a Celtic supporter. The positive difference between the team now and when Neil took over is significant - fair play to him because there’s been disappointments on that journey too. It’s very satisfying to see how tactically astute and disciplined we are away from home in Europe compared to the games two years ago in Braga and Utrecht. The Europa League campaign last season was very important for the young players’ development and the solid displays in places like Rennes and Udine gave them the belief to take it on to Champions League level. As far as I know, it’s only Brown and Samaras who had Champions League experience prior to this season.

I thought Efe Ambrose gave a masterclass tonight. Positioning, awareness, timing and crispness of challenges and general composure - absolutely outstanding. Kelvin Wilson also put in a smashing second half tackle on Messi too. There must be some quality centre halves in the Israeli League if mickee’s never heard of Ambrose though. Forster was particularly excellent also and all the players deserve credit for the superb display off the ball along with the fact that we carried a threat on the break too. Good to see Izzy continuing to be more like himself - he closed down Pedro completely. Brown was very good indeed and it’s a shame this longstanding degenerative hip problem is affecting him so much - I fear he’ll be forced to retire in the near future because of it. Ledley is top quality - I felt he did a superb job on Messi - and he’s the archetypal team player really.

I wouldn’t be too harsh on Kayal for the winner but, looking at it again, I agree with Totti in that Izzy had the situation under control and there was no need for Kayal to leave Adriano to charge at the player Izzy was shadowing. That said, he still nearly pressed back out in time to get a block on the cross and then the ball flashed over Ledley, Ambrose, Villa and Lustig in that order - each by a matter of inches - before the cunt poked it in at the back stick. A cruel way to lose.

Neil says Samaras has a 10-14 day injury so he should be available for the home game. We have a very good football team here.

[Bisto]

@Bandage

. There must be some quality centre halves in the Israeli League if mickee’s never heard of Ambrose though. .

:lol: :lol:
so the first player we can cross-reference with the turgid shit that Mickee goes to watch and he´s badly exposed…i called mickee4by2 out as a bluffer last week…each day since he´s gone up a gear… :lol: :lol:

[Mac]

@scumpot

:lol: :lol:
so the first player we can cross-reference with the turgid shit that Mickee goes to watch and he´s badly exposed…i called mickee4by2 out as a bluffer last week…each day since he´s gone up a gear… :lol: :lol:

i’m not one to go pulling previous posts from other threads up…well actually I am

@mickee321

nice to see failed ashdod center half effe ambrose is now a top goal scoring midfielder in the SPL

@mickee321

Effe Ambrose most certainly is NOT a center half

@mickee321

In fairness mate from what i have been told after you brought it up last week, Glasgow Celtic have lost even more credability by signing him. I could of done a Totti or Rocko on it and copy and pasted a wikipedia profile but the fact that a player from Ashdod hasnt been chased by the big four clubs over here in the summmer or hasnt been mentioned in any any transfer speculation at all and then hey presto some crowd in Glasgow pick him up for next to nothing probably tells you all you need to know.
Clearly Peter Lawell and his mates in the SFA are doing all they can to ensure Celtic will reamin competitive with the rest of the teams in the SPL given their cousins accroos the city have taken a sabbatical for the next few years.

Effie fucking Ambrose :lol:

There’s another gem of a quote I must find, but maybe he’s deleted it. That’s it folks, the self appointed authority on Champions League and Israeli football

[The_Dunph]

Just googled Efe Ambrose’ age, he has only turned 24. Looking at him i thought he was 30+. He must have got his passport in the same place Kanu got his.

[Bandage]

[quote=“The Dunph, post: 718923”]He must have got his passport in the same place Kanu got his.
[/quote]

Yes, Nigeria mate.

[Bisto]

@Bandage

Yes, Nigeria mate.

obefami martins too i bet…
:lol: :lol:

[Mac]

Here it is :lol: :strokechin:

@mickee321

Il keep an eye on him for you bandage, i only saw Ashdod once last year when they were beaten 2-1 at Beitar and i dont remember anything special at all. i do know he is black and black players dont make good central defenders in general so that is to be noted before we rush into anything
Ashdod have been very consistent last few seasons and their goal this year will be to make the top 6 when the league splits in March.
incidentally, one of their players Nir Biton had trials at Man City and Tottenham over the Summer , nothing came of it as far as i know

[The_Dunph]

@Bandage

Yes, Nigeria mate.

:lol:

[Bisto]

@Mac

i’m not one to go pulling previous posts from other threads up…well actually I am

There’s another gem of a quote I must find, but maybe he’s deleted it. That’s it folks, the self appointed authority on Champions League and Israeli football

:lol: :lol: the 4by2 is getting passed around like currency by his fellow forumites…everybody breaking off a piece…