If you were ever asked what it is like to support Celtic, show them a tape of last night’s game!
Not from a footballing perspective I hasten to add! All Celtic really managed to do was muster enough energy and dynamism to nullify the Ukrainians, who after their early Christmas present of a start looked more than capable of running away with the game and justifying Scoop Guidi’s opinion that they would score three goals. Although the fact that Jiri Jarosik could and probably should have had a hat-trick doesn’t elude me.
Two forced substitutions early in the first half did little to counter that opinion. The loss of half of our defence due to injury that saw a right footed midfielder playing at left back and a 34 year old recovering from back surgery come in at centre half. This did not augur well for our chances of an equaliser, let alone progression from the Group stages of the competition. It goes to show that you can never write Strachan’s Celtic off!
It has to be said though that the introduction of Stephen Pressley as replacement for the unfortunate Kennedy did bolster our defence and added a level of composure that was sorely lacking after the shaky start made by JFK. Paul Hartley played admirably in the left back berth, as did Caldwell in the right back position. I only wish that the latter would adjust his decision making to only doing the simple thing.
In midfield and up front it wasn’t pretty, with the passing always rushed, rarely accurate enough and always lacking the correct pace. With the ball rarely sticking to the recipients boot or having sufficient power to make it to the receiver but warts n’ all football or not we still restricted the opposition to very little chances and only 40% of the possession.
The equaliser when it came really was a thing of beauty. From my berth in the North Stand upper tier I knew that as Jarosik shaped for the shot that the keeper would struggle to do anything other than briefly suspend the balls journey into the net and Celtic got the equaliser that they so badly deserved.
The parity that this achieved was not necessarily deserved via any free flowing football or real endeavour on our part but was earned through a sense of injustice. Make no bones about it this was a profoundly weak performance from the referee and the histrionics (© Neil Lennon – How many times did he say that in the phone-in?) of the Shakhtar team were disgusting to watch at times. I will not over-labour this but the decisions to book Jarosik and JVH were ludicrous.
The winner, when it came was a joy to behold. Make no mistake the feeling of joy and euphoria attached to witnessing your team winning an important match in the dying seconds is better than any other high, natural, sexual or otherwise! I celebrated that goal so intensely I almost threw up!
And what next? Well a return match in the San Siro next Tuesday will seal our fate; a fate that regardless of the score in that or the other group matches will involve European football after Christmas. A draw against Milan will see us qualify, if Donetsk and Benfica draw we are through and if Benfica win we are through! All in all a nice position to be in. It would maybe be prudent to discuss the relative merits of either progression in this competition or dropping into the UEFA Cup but today I am just going to enjoy the result.
Well done Gordon, yes your team has a big heart, but no-one has a heart bigger than you do!
Ps to the couple who left Block 408 with 5 minutes to go (as you do every game) shouting for Donate to go home, GIRUY!
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt