CAN WE WIN IN MANCHESTER? (Threads Merged)

Why We Cant Win Away (Apparently)

written by Barry Glendinning of the Guardian

Following the highlights of Celtic's defeat at the hands of Villarreal at the Madrigal, ITV presenter and dignity-free Everest Windows shill Craig Doyle asked pundit Robbie Earle to explain why Celtic find it so difficult to win away from home in the Champions League. Earle mumbled something or other about teams setting out their stalls differently on their travels, but offered no reason why this should be - before embarking on a paean to Celtic's holy goalie Artur Boruc that was all well and good, but had nothing whatsoever to do with the question posed.
Celtic's run of defeats on the road in the Champions League proper now extends to a toe-curling 17 out of 18, with just a draw against Barcelona several years ago going some small way towards hiding their shame. While reverses at the Madrigal, Nou Camp, San Siro (x3), Allianz Arena, Stadio Delle Alpe and Old Trafford are not disgraceful, the law of averages suggests eight matches at such imposing venues should have yielded more than a solitary point. Elsewhere in Europe, defeat after defeat at the hands of eminently beatable teams such as FC Copenhagen, Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk (x2), Porto, Rosenborg and the perennially hopeless Anderlecht give every indication there's a lot more to Celtic's appalling run than a paucity of quality among the club's ranks.
So why exactly is it that Celtic in particular and sports teams in general endure such hardship when it comes to playing outside their own manor, with many going so far as to approach a games in completely different ways depending on whether they're playing in their own stadium in front of their own fans or in somebody else's in front of theirs? When push comes to shove, a game of football is just that: a game of football, so why adopt a different, negative tack, as many managers do, for no other reason than that you're playing away from home? After all, look at the success enjoyed by Hull City last weekend when they took the game to Arsenal in their own backyard. Let's examine the relevant factors:
Travel: Obviously jet-lag can affect a travelling team's performances, as can the effects of long coach journeys endured by impoverished sides that can't afford overnight accommodation. Unfortunately for Celtic, they are neither poor nor far away enough to cite arduous EasyJet flights through different time zones as a legitimate excuse.
Accommodation: They might not arrive in town brandishing 35-point lists of ludicrous demands and an official food-taster, but Celtic aren't going to put their players up in a motorway Travel Lodge either. Unless opposition fans are putting late-night calls through to the rooms of visiting players while beating drums and honking car-horns outside their five-star digs, the excuse of being unable to sleep in a strange bed doesn't really wash either.
Climate: Celtic hail from Scotland, where on a good day, the cold would freeze the balls off a brass monkey. The foreigners on their books ought to relish any opportunity to play in the more temperate climates on offer around Europe. Next.
Altitude: As long as geography precludes Ecuador and Bolivia from fielding sides in the Champions League, this is also unlikely to factor against Celtic or anyone else when they play away from home.
Pitches: Yes, it's true that they vary a little in width and length (younger readers may not be aware of this, but the playing surface at Arsenal's previous home, Highbury, was famously only 14ft wide), but never in shape. They're all rectangular, generally covered in grass and each has a regulation-sized goal at each end. Get on with it.
Atmosphere: Whether you're being welcomed to * or Hull, playing in a strange stadium where the vast majority of the assembled throng are cheering on the home side and baying for your blood is likely to intimidate all but the most psychologically strong. But should it? Despite their unofficial status as 12th man, opposition supporters play no part in the actual game, so professional athletes used to playing in front of partisan crowds should not let their performances be adversely affected by the din generated by thousands of people they don't know. Indeed, it could be argued that if anything, it ought to spur them on to greater things. Of course there are some people whose performances can be affected by the atmosphere created by opposition fans …
Officials: Possibly the only factor that can legitimately be held accountable for the fact that, when two relatively evenly matched sides meet, the home team is expected to win. Only the most naïve football-goer would dispute the fact that referees and their assistants are bigger homers than the patriarch of the Simpson family. But while there is no doubt that an understandable desire on the part of many officials to avoid hearing 50,000 people question their parentage or sexual proclivities in unison leads to many home-town decisions, there have been few if any suggestions that Celtic have suffered more than most at the hands of referees away from home.
So having put them under the microscope and stared at them in a Grissomesque fashion at great length, what can we deduce from this analysis of Assorted Things That Seem To Influence Teams Playing Away From Home But Shouldn't? It's difficult to avoid the conclusion that the only thing preventing Celtic and their ilk winning more often on their travels are simple human frailties: insecurity and fear.

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I think he is overlooking the fact that we have deserved to win games, weve rarely been trully hammered on the road and in most games eg. Villareal, Benfica etc we have deserved at least a point.Giggs had to dive to win a penalty against us without which the score would have been 2-2 against one of the best in Europe.We also held AC Milan for 90 mins away then they won in extra time, should we not get credit for the 90 mins? I hate it when people criticise our away performances but dont watch the majority of our matches. Our home record however is second to none , weve claimed some big scalps over the years includng Manchester Utd ,AC Milan and Juventus.Does this not prove that we are not afraid? Does this not prove that we are not insecure? Well Barry? You patronising *?

 

"They're all rectangular, generally covered in grass and each has a regulation-sized goal at each end. Get on with it"

What a * fudflap - trying to integrate his idle funnies into the article. Who do you think you are? Peter * Kay? Ignorant imbecile.

"It's difficult to avoid the conclusion that the only thing preventing Celtic and their ilk winning more often on their travels are simple human frailties: insecurity and fear."

Nothing else to say but YOU'RE A *!!!

 

Can we win?...........yes

Will we win?............NO

Could I have a threesome with Lucy Pinder and Michelle Marsh?........yes

Will I have a threesome with Lucy Pinder and Michelle Marsh?........NO



NB.

Celtic's last away win in any European competition.....

MTK Hungaria 0 - 4 Celtic | Football | The Guardian

More than 5 years ago ffs. None of the current team were involved. (Balde doesn't count before some smart * points him out)

 

hahahahahahahaha naw ... the reason why is because there a bucket team no other excuses but a still love celtic fc !!

 

* no chance as much as much as i hate to say it. we are just * away from home and dont have the players. Villarreal for the 2nd half passed us off the pitch and it looked as if we couldnt be bothered

 

No I don't think so. Man Utd. will just show their class and highlight the MASSIVE gulf in class between us and them. Although I'm always hopeful but sadly just can't see it.

 

well guess what there is a famous line folk on here use when people have a go
or slags of celtic .and that is .....all who said we cant do it are you all * HUNS eh!!!.no disrespect there and i know its your opinian but whats the point in supporting celtic oops sorry GLASGOW CELTIC ONE OF THE BIGGEST CLUBS IN THE WORLD .when you all say aw naw its man u!! well * man * u.i will give the team all my support when we play the *.
we will take them remember gravesen isnt here no more.
so get the finger out believe in our heart and soul CELTIC WILL * THEM.
hail hail!!!!!!!!!!

 

the lack of belief from some supporters is disgraceful. of course celtic can beat man ure. the fans saying that celtic cant win are probably the same ones who had written celtic off last season before the league was over. have a bit of faith.

 

If you did, would you get your balls booted?.......YES :icon_mrgreen:

 

* RIGHT WE WILL, NO SWEAT
MON THE HOOPS
GET INTAE THEM!!!

 

So anyone that dont agree with you is wrong...??? people are aloud to think there team can win or lose...we dont have a * given right to win all our games just because we are the celtic.We are one of the biggest clubs in the world fan wise,but on the pitch we are a rather 2nd class team...the facts dont lie....we do well in scotland but against the best in europe we are rather poor when away from home.I think this year we aint going to do so well at home in europe,the money sky is throwing into the epl is going to start to hurt all football in europe.Sadly i think a english club will win the cl for the next few years running.My heart says we can beat anyone in the world but my head says man u will put 3 goals past us,no shame in saying your team might not win...Does that make me a hun....nope it just makes me a fan that aint got his head up his * full of blind faith

 

yep

 

Exactly, i was speaking to a few guys after the game in Villarreal and they said the same thing that our team doesnt deserve the support we give them, did anybody see the Villarreal crowd it was *, come on tae * its a champions league night and they sang like once the full ninety minutes for like 30 seconds, hardly great fans on there part. The stadium wasnt even full either whereas the Celtic end gave it there all for nearly 90 mins and we came away with * all. I think its about time we spend some money to fix the gulf in class between us and other teams in Europe

 

I think its possible as its only down the road compared to other away days, WGS would love to wipe Fergie's smug smile from his face in his own back yard & the fact every * in England is betting against us will have folk like Mick etc play out their skins. Maybe it's just wishful thinking but I for 1 would love to watch that * champions league highlights where those english pundits have to speak about their oh so great Man. Utd getting beat by Celtic at home....2-1, Hesselink last minute header. I can dream.

 

of course we can win

 

yip and probably the ones who left on saturday after we equalised


i really do wonder some times

 

We will win in Manchester. I have no doubts at all.

 

yes we can win, all it would take is for man utds millions to have an off day, and for our lads to be the best they have ever been. i cant see it though. they will just have far to much quality for us. i can only see us taking 3 more points maybe 4 in this group. enough for us to qualify for the uefa. i think manure will be to much for us unfortunatly in both games