Hair of the Dog – Hamburger (and Benny) Hill
By: Cham | November 5th, 2009I feel we can skip the typical match report on this one. It would look something like this:
Hamburger SV nil, Celtic nil…
According to The Herald, both Scot McDonald and the keeper, who still isn’t Artur Boruc, say Celtic can still qualify out of the Europa Cup Group Stage.
Scotty Mac, a beacon of light and optimism here, said, “There is plenty to build on and more goals would be helpful for everyone. We’d like a few more, but it’s not for the want of trying. We’ve had chances in Europe and we’ve been unfortunate, but we’ll look forward to the two games we have left.”
Because no one in the press pool believed him, or that they just wanted a(nother) good laugh, they brought in Lukasz Zaluska (who, by some token, made some real top-class saves this evening). Zaluska said, “We know this is a very difficult aim, but we had a few good chances and we have to win the last two games now.”
All this coming after what is becoming Tony Mowbray anger-after-a-win, hope-after-a-loss song and dance: “We will try and get the points which are in front of us, and what will be will be … [R]egarding the group, we have two matches left and we have to take maximum points. That has got to be our focus at the moment.”
I don’t know about all that. I’m sure saving the European campaign might look something like this:
Because I generally love European nights, let’s hope I eat these words and Celtic take full spoils at Celtic Park and in Vienna.
Category: Celtic
Tags: Benny Hill, Celtic, Europe, Hair of the Dog, Hamburg, HSV Hamburg, Lukasz Zaluska, Scott McDonald, Steve Martin, The Pink Panther, Tony Mowbray, UEFA CupSubscribe
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I just don’t see Celtic or Rangers getting to the next stage of any of the competitions and to be honest they don’t deserve to
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Celtic need 2 wins, one against Vienna away, and one against Hapoel at home. Then they also need Hamburg to either lose both of their games, or get a draw in one but lose on away goals.
Chances don’t sound too good on this one. Especially since Hapoel has been stunning everyone in the group.
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Hail! Hail!
Have’nae read anything new here in a couple of days, so….
Awful performance today. Nawt more needs said. However, wilst perusing the KDS forum, I became infuriated at the seemingly infinite “Get ye, Mogga” and “Mogga’s signings made us worse” s**t. It is, quite simply, not true.
There are actual facts which dispell that notion:
1. Despite N’Guemo’s penchant for inconsistancy, he does complete a far larger percentage of his passes – of which more are attempted AND more are attempted forward for that matter – than Scott Brown & Barry Robson does, or Paul Hartley ever did.
Former Celtic Offsides Blogger, Matt and I performed a study just prior to his departure. We traced the first fifteen minutes of a match and posted the statistics on this blog. It wasn’t even close. Given the correct partner, i.e. Crosas, N’Guemo is an effective tackler who can pick out a pass and can move the ball wide quickly.2. Prior to Danny Fox’s injury, his offensive contribution, if not his all-around game, was far-and-away better than Lee Naylor. He has only had a couple of matches since returning and today, He had a hand in Heid’s goal and Skippy’s first. That bettered Naylor’s entire offensive contribution of last season.
3. Prior to MAF’s injury, an article linked to the SPL website, perhaps quoted on this blog, critiqued Mogga’s signings. It stated that in matches MAF started for Celtic, we scored 2.3 GPG – highest avg. in the league. McGeady had 2, Maloney had 2 and MAF, himself notched a brace – and was promptly injured. This was his first start since coming back from injury and we scored three.
Today, despite MAF’s inexplicable decision to shoot rather than lay-off to Skippy for the hat-trick, he spent 75 minutes with no service AND doubled AND alone – Samaras out wide and McCourt MIA – AND WE SCORED THREE!I suspect Mogga’s prefered line-up is:
Boruc
Hinkle
Caldwell
Loovens
Fox
McGeady
Crosas
N’Guemo
McCourt
MAF
?However, knocks, fatigue, match-fitness all preclude that line-up on occassion. I will contend, I’m perplexed by his manning decisions sometimes. For example:
1. The inclusion of Barry Robson, at any time, makes no sense. Celtic have shown over recent weeks, with the inclusion of a composed distributor in midfield, we do well. We have shown with a composed distributor on the pitch, N’Guemo does well. We have shown with a composed distributor the centerbacks cope (barely). If Crosas required rest, why not Zhi?
2. Why start McCourt wide-left, then set up the team forcing the play exclusively right? Barry Robson is so one-footed, the opposition plays that foot alone, gives him no time to get the required three touches for control. People claim this match passed Paddy by. No crap! McCourt got nothing.
Yet, when the midfield was screaming for Crosas(or Zhi), Mogga initially pushed McCourt inside, behind MAF – a striker not necessarily a goal threat; whom McCourt has rarely played with, if ever; AND a position McCourt has’nae played this season.We’ve seen what McCourt & McGeady can do on the field at the same time. However, they require a cultured CM to control possession, tempo and distribution. It requires a running CM to sweep behind the front and cover the gap on the touch line between Fox and McCourt. I happen to feel Zhi is an able replacement for Crosas, filling the same roll.
It was a miserable match, but we HAVE seen glimpses of what Mogga wants to do. And we possess at least one line-up that can execute it – all be it, the strikers don’t always finish.
I for one, think the signings, given the money available, have been very good. Also, I will give Mogga three transfer windows to get his team and an additional season to get results. He’s had exactly ONE transfer window and not yet 1/2 season.
By this time FEB, MAR, APR we will see very good football, even if it is only SPL level. We will have moved out all the spuds and clearly defined everyone’s roll.
Ryan M Liddell
YNWAPosted from
United States
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