Celtic - FC Barcelona | Champions League Group H | Tues Oct 1st, 2013

As i expected, we suffer in front of their goal.

1-0 Fabregas and Alexis combine to score off a counter-attack and break the parked bus. Doesn't make the past 77 minutes any prettier though.

Edit: it took 91 minutes for Neymar to finally make a shot on target.

I don't agree Iniesta had a good game. He was not bad - no one was tbh - but it's like forever that he doesn't add anything tangible to help us win a game.

Happy with the win, we were a bit lucky not to concede, as usual this season, but luck also counts. And we are playing good again. This team is starting to look a little bit better than last season's team.  Also very happy with how Bartra is playing, he should be a starter right now, our best defender at the moment over Piqué and Machete.

Forster is an amazing GK. I doubt there are many 2.00 metres GK that can dive and makes saves such as the ones he made to Alexis and Neymar today. Great aerially, very good on one on ones and very good long pass. Only question mark is his foot play. Otherwise, he should seriously be considered as a Valdes replacement.

Very happy with the counter attack play, that is something clearly we emphasis now, counter attack when we can.

I am also very happy with Bartra and the defence in general, for the most part they avoided silly errors which in games like this end up costing you.

I was praying for Cesc to come off for Alexis, even at half time. There is no point having Cesc in that position vs deep line defence, there is no space to make a pass in behind so he becomes quite useless. He scored a goal on the counter, by 80% of the work was Neymar and Alexis. I hope people are not yet again fooled by him grabbing a goal or assist in a game in which he very little otherwise.

Iniesta was very good, Valdes made a key save, Pedro made good movements and I could not fault his effort (even though he did lose the ball in a dangerous area giving them a chance), Alexis made a difference when he came on and Neymar continues to show great quality, taking on a number of defenders and just generally being a danger. He had some half chances he couldnt score if you want to find some negative.

That goalkeeper for Celtic yet again making superhero saves, including the one to deny Neymar in the 1v1.

free_cat wrote:I don't agree Iniesta had a good game. He was not bad - no one was tbh - but it's like forever that he doesn't add anything tangible to help us win a game.

At the time I posted that (around 30 mins into the game) Iniesta was stepping up and participating in a lot of the dangerous players, something we have not seen him do for a long time. But as the match progressed his influence waned significantly. I agree that by the end his match could be described as above average.

I also agree that Forster is a great keeper, but I only watch him vs Barca so we could have seen his best 3 games vs us and be fooled by that.

Kindah meh game, but nice win.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

free_cat wrote:I don't agree Iniesta had a good game. He was not bad - no one was tbh - but it's like forever that he doesn't add anything tangible to help us win a game.

At the time I posted that (around 30 mins into the game) Iniesta was stepping up and participating in a lot of the dangerous players, something we have not seen him do for a long time. But as the match progressed his influence waned significantly. I agree that by the end his match could be described as above average.

I also agree that Forster is a great keeper, but I only watch him vs Barca so we could have seen his best 3 games vs us and be fooled by that.

I missed the first 10 minutes, so agreed. Agreed also on Forster, but you can see some special quality when such a big guy moves and dives that fast.

The Franchise wrote:Very happy with the counter attack play, that is something clearly we emphasis now, counter attack when we can.

I am also very happy with Bartra and the defence in general, for the most part they avoided silly errors which in games like this end up costing you.

I was praying for Cesc to come off for Alexis, even at half time. There is no point having Cesc in that position vs deep line defence, there is no space to make a pass in behind so he becomes quite useless. He scored a goal on the counter, by 80% of the work was Neymar and Alexis. I hope people are not yet again fooled by him grabbing a goal or assist in a game in which he very little otherwise.

Iniesta was very good, Valdes made a key save, Pedro made good movements and I could not fault his effort (even though he did lose the ball in a dangerous area giving them a chance), Alexis made a difference when he came on and Neymar continues to show great quality, taking on a number of defenders and just generally being a danger. He had some half chances he couldnt score if you want to find some negative.

That goalkeeper for Celtic yet again making superhero saves, including the one to deny Neymar in the 1v1.

We should stop criticizing Cesc for the sake of criticism. He was ok and scored and won us the game. Vs. Park the bus defences he adds some aerial power and creativity that helps much more than Xavi's 100.000 horizontal and backwards passes.

He didnt do anything Free, except score the equivalent to slightly harder tap in.

He didnt win us the game, if Neymar doesnt hold the ball up superbly and then play a pass, there is no goal, if Alexis doesnt show great vision and crossing there is no goal. Both those two did harder things in that goal. Why is it Cesc "won" us the game?

All I said was Cesc has no use in these games because there is no space behind, and for the entire game that was true. On the counter, we scored, something you dont usually get from him but obviously we are happy for it.

Didnt say anything about Xavi or even Cesc in midfield, all I spoke about is Cesc in the false 9 position.

Really impressed how Bartra has stepped in, full of confidence and dealing situations neatly. Gone are also the gift passes to opponents.

Harmonica wrote:Really impressed how Bartra has stepped in, full of confidence and dealing situations neatly. Gone are also the gift passes to opponents.

Bartra special. Lol.

The Franchise wrote:He didnt do anything Free, except score the equivalent to slightly harder tap in.

He didnt win us the game, if Neymar doesnt hold the ball up superbly and then play a pass, there is no goal, if Alexis doesnt show great vision and crossing there is no goal. Both those two did harder things in that goal. Why is it Cesc "won" us the game?

All I said was Cesc has no use in these games because there is no space behind, and for the entire game that was true. On the counter, we scored, something you dont usually get from him but obviously we are happy for it.

Didnt say anything about Xavi or even Cesc in midfield, all I spoke about is Cesc in the false 9 position.

Neymar did great, Alexis made a very precise cross, but Cesc movement to get unmarked and a difficult header was also very good. Let's not take credit away.

It's not easy to play as 9 or false 9 when the opposition has 10 big guys surrounding you. Even Messi struggles there. I don't think he was any bad at all, but I also would have played Neymar there as I said in the preview.

Just saying, both those things were a bigger part of the goal. Its not a criticism of Cesc to say that.

And its not a criticism to say he should of been subbed or say someone else should of played that position.

Of course its very hard for him or anyone in that position in that situation. So for me, you get rid of the position if its not Messi.

For me, especially after the red, you forget about having him basically in midfield and you put a 9 (or something like a 9, Alexis) inside the box to create distraction.

Again, there was no space for him to play a pass over the top like he likes, so he becomes quite pointless. None of this is a criticism of him, im barely criticising his performance, my problem is tactical.

In any case, it was not Cesc who deserved to be subbed before us scoring, but Xavi.

Or Xavi, either of them. I only said Cesc because he was directly playing in the position I wanted removed and I am still completely unconvinced by an Iniesta-Cesc midfield.

Neymar is a complete and utter embarrassment to football.

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:Neymar is a complete and utter embarrassment to football.

Why? He had a good game IMO.

I think he's talking about the playacting.

eelir wrote:

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:Neymar is a complete and utter embarrassment to football.

Why? He had a good game IMO.

He is an excellent footballer don't get me wrong but I've never seen as big a diver in all my time at Celtic Park. His reaction to what happened with Brown was completely embarrassing, he should be banned for the way he conducted himself tonight. I don't know how he never got booked for diving tonight. Ruins all his talent with his antics.

Well true, he playacted and it was despicable, but the ref call was good. You can even show a red if there is only intent. But, Neymar is the same as many other players, like take the Cesc yellow for instance. Cesc got the ball, and Celtic player went flying. So, in the end if you go by that logic, you should call 70% of the overall players in similar names.

PS; in no way i am defending diving, but considering how many times Neymar and the likes get stomped, hit and "molested" i can see why they do that sometimes.

What diving? I saw one "half dive" where he went down early when he beat Lustvig (spelling?) but allowed his leg to make contact when he could of probably just kept going.

Brown kicked him in the back/side/arm/some of all 3...whos fault is that? Did he milk it? Well yeah no doubt...but Dani Alves did the same thing at least twice and so did Matthews or Commons (im not sure which one is which) on two occasions when they werent even fouls.

You can't really complain about the red card, can you? The foul in itself was a yellow, and then he goes and intentionally kicks at Neymar? How is it not a red?

Sure he playacted, but don't blame Neymar for Scott Brown being a moron..

Yeah agreed, Brown kicked him on the back and Nerman made the most of it, but ultimately Brown is the idiot that kicked a player that was on the ground.

Also ditto on Cesc getting a completely undeserved yellow because a Celtic player dove, even though his tackle was all-ball.

Clearly we won't agree on this, so I'll just leave it.

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:

eelir wrote:

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:Neymar is a complete and utter embarrassment to football.

Why? He had a good game IMO.

He is an excellent footballer don't get me wrong but I've never seen as big a diver in all my time at Celtic Park. His reaction to what happened with Brown was completely embarrassing, he should be banned for the way he conducted himself tonight. I don't know how he never got booked for diving tonight. Ruins all his talent with his antics.

Have you ever played football? Do you know how much it hurts any impact with the studs? Brown kicked Neymar on the back and touched him with the studs, probably no playacting there.

Brown was an idiot. It's not the first time he has done something like that but with the minimal contact Neymar's reaction was a complete disgrace. He dived in the first half as well and the ref told him to get up but some how never got booked.