Champions League: AC Milan vs CELTIC, 18th September 19:45 kick off, live on SS2

It's like a Championship club signing one of our fringe guys and using it as a sign that they're on the same level as us though. I think we're an incredibly unique club and that we're hard to peg down in the European hierarchy due to the small league (leading to small revenue) that we play in while, proportionally, bringing in an absurd amount of sponsorship revenue with one of the highest gate totals in Europe. I just don't see us being on the same level (talent-wise, let's be clear. I think we're the top of the top when it comes to status) as Schalke - maybe Ajax though. They've been decimated recently.

If you know Perez then you know he was getting his man. I actually don't think it was much of a gamble, and I don't think they would have gambled that much if it were any club other than Real Madrid.

 

We wur unluky. coud have won but lsot aslong as we beat hem at hme then twere ok

 

Scunnered. Second half we * had them. But as soon as that lad got the ball at 30 yards I knew he was scoring. Second goal...Don't how the fuckj they got a FK (if was an off the ball Brown should have walked...if not then it wasn't a FK).

Anyway, we did not deserve that. Gives me confidence about the remaining games. Hopefully we can maintain that level of concentration and commitment.

 

Completely forgot about him! Yeah I get ya. More of a starting 15 depending on the formation and opposition. I thought Brown had a decent game and picked some nice passes.

"Our 2 starting full backs are quite good and are a huge improvement on what started tonight"

I phrased that poorly. I meant our 2 full backs that are injured and would be considered starters - De Sciglio and Abate. I'd rate them both highly and CB is actually the weak link of our defence when everyone is fit (although the CB's played very well tonight)

Our 2 starters tonight, Constant and Zaccardo, are poor. Plain and simple. Definitely the 2 weak links in the team and they were shown up a good bit despite having a lot of protection from a defensive-minded midfield. The sooner the other 2 are back, the better. Montolivo was badly missed as we had zero creativity in midfield and too often the lads passed it to Balotelli in the hope he'd pull some magic from 30+ yards.

 

I think we'll take 9 points from this group - maybe 10.

Win vs Ajax at home.
Win vs Ajax away.
Win vs Milan at home.
Draw vs Barcelona at home or away.

Cue outrage at any sign of optimism. :smiley-laughing002:

 

Would 9 or 10 points see us through to the last 16? :icon_mrgreen:

 

I'd rather come 3rd than 2nd. That is unless Lawwell's got Messi on a pre-contract in January.

And, to finally take some solace from tonight, we were even more gutted away to Barcelona and still came back a fortnight later and beat them

 

Thought Samaras was poor tonight. His decision making is shocking at times. The one time he really got at their defence he took, what was an ok effort, but he could have slipped Stokes or Commons in. Both were in far better positions and had easy chances to score.

 

Sorry, misinterpreted what you meant. Constant was the weaker one. I thought that Zaccardo was a highly rated player though tonight, against Sammy, he could have taken his sunbed out on the park and not been in trouble.

I asked a Milan fan earlier (who then got banned) about Kaka. There was stories doing the rounds in the UK that the Milan coach did not want him there as he wont fit the system. But the board bought him anyway. Any truth in that that you know of?

 

Any pass to Sammy was telegraphed and he got no joy down the side but with that shot where he ran through the centre I think he had every right and he wasnt far off, poorer than usual on the wing but I dont think he was any worse than most players.

 

What I think too - only had a few genuine opportunities and made a good impression. Gave you an idea why Milan focused so much on shutting him down rather than Matthews. They knew they could defend crosses - a rampaging Sammy? Far more difficult.

 

To be honest I'm still a bit stunned and saddened.

I thought when the 80th minute struck we would at least come away with a draw.

Ah well even if they lose every game in this round I wont hate on NL or the team or anyone.

We are vastly underfunded in comparison to these clubs and any goal, draw, or victory, to be honest, is a great triumph. We should hold our heads high.

 

the glasow celtic will be ther hail hail

miland wil. get pumpes at cdltiv parok

 

Yeah yous had a lot of joy down the right flank and Constant didn't pose too much of a threat going forward (he's naturally a midfielder) although he did cross a great ball in for Muntari's close-range header.

Sunbed :smiley-laughing002: - Zaccardo is a bit-part player that made 1 appearance last year and 2/3 this year because of injury. Abate is the starting RB and then De Sciglio plays both sides (great talent - only 20) but starts on the left with a full squad. If Abate is out, De Sciglio plays on the right so Zaccardo is 3rd choice and is only there for emergencies really.

I wouldn't agree with that. We played 4-3-3 90% of the time last year and now have switched to 4-3-1-2 at the owners demand (Berlusconi is a tinkering fool) and in a 4-3-1-2 we had to trequartista to play in the hole behind the strikers. It's Kaká's best position and the formation was decided before he was bought so I can't see how the coach thought he wouldn't fit that system.

It's too narrow anyway. Lennon was at the Milan-Torino game and (RTE actually picked up on this which was uncharacteristic of them) we struggled greatly against a 3 man defence flanked by 2 attacking wing backs. I thought yous would have lined out with 3 centre halves tonight which would have caused us big problems in my opinion. Would have been a very brave move away from home in the CL but I think it would have left yous better eqipped going forward without there being any more vulnerability at the back as it would have nullified our front 3 even more.

 

Reasons to be positive:

Finishing aside, our performance tonight was excellent. We're not out of our depth at this level. We were the better side tonight.

All of our players are good enough to play at this level, even Stokesy (* the haters). :smiley-laughing002:

Samaras wasn't at his best tonight.

Pukki, Boerrigter & Biton are high quality additions who have yet to feature prominently or really integrate into the team. Once that happens, I think we'll see a big step up from all of our players.

Bring on the Ajax, the Milan, the Barça!

 

I did say we should have played with three centre-halves... :icon_mrgreen:

 

We could have done with Sammy or Pukki up front & Stokesy or Boerrigter on the left tonight.

 

We need to understand where we are in the food chain.


We can punch above our weight, but the last 16 is our ceiling, and even that is a tall order year on year.


I think we do pretty well in Europe given our revenue and league.


The real question is......


How many other clubs fair better in our position.

 

I'd agree with that. Last 16 has always been above our standard but we get there in style and against much more "equipped" opposition.

I'm happy to be in the CL....but don't want showed up. Good performances and a decent points tally.

Imo 3rd spot is still a massive achievement.

 

They definitely seemed to be doubling up on Sammy alright, I know it wasnt a bad effort I just think if he played one of the other two in, particularly Stokes, it was a definite goal. There was a couple of other times he held onto the ball a bit too long instead of just passing it.

Commons was as bad aswell I thought, his free kick in the first few mins was just stupid, how he thought he could score from there I dont know, and his shot in the first few mins of the second half aswell was such a waste.

Composure in the final third definitely seems to be a weak spot for us