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Posted by PaulJ on 2008-11-07 @ 8:28:21 -0700

Dignity

The days of any romantic link between a Manchester club of some post-war Catholic leaning and a Glasgow club of Jesuit origin have long since disappeared, if they ever existed. The real connection between the clubs is that we have shared some fine players and we both conquered Europe in the sixties with charismatic sons of Scottish miners as managers who acted with immense dignity.

Sons of light, sons of darkness; there is little dignity on the terraces and sensitivity on the part of football fans is pretty rich. United wore blue to make more money at the same time as commemorating 1968, not to insult Celtic. Celtic fans always sing “You’ll never walk alone”, not just to goad us. Those who were there said the rendition was impressive; tongues of angels, tongues of men. Students of sectarian history will know that the calendar is littered with relevant dates so perhaps our lot had been brushing up on their history prior to inviting their hosts to fuck the Pope and the IRA on the 405th anniversary of the Papist Plot (loyalists think of Guy Fawkes as an early Fenian). A plague on both houses in the sectarian divide and on United fans who perpetuate it, in ignorance or otherwise.

It had been implied that Ferguson was showing a lack of respect by fielding a weakened side but Saturday’s early match at Arsenal was more important and the famous who were missing at the start all came on. Ben Foster is our future in goal, Rafael Da Silva was in at right back because both Neville and Brown were injured, John O’Shea was in for Evra probably because he is more suited to deal with the physical side. This night’s midfield permutation was Carrick and Fletcher, with Giggs supporting Carlos Tevez up front; it looked a strong side to me.

I could not get tickets in the ballot so I invited myself to Niall’s house a mile or two down the road and drove through a South London echoing with the noises of war torn Beirut as the locals celebrated Bonfire Night. We watched United begin with a flourish; Ronaldo had a goalbound shot blocked in the second minute and there immediately emerged a chasm in class. Yet the pattern of recent matches persisted; few direct goal chances considering the huge share of possession, and those we had were squandered. Control of the ball was ours, but control of the match was ceded when Celtic went ahead. Rafael gave away a wild free kick on the right and when Vidic headed it out the back line was ragged coming out so when Gary Caldwell headed onwards the much travelled Australian Scott McDonald was just about onside on the Celtic left. Rio was slow to close, probably surprised at the absence without leave of the right back Rafael. For a man off form McDonald’s reactions were outstanding; inside the corner of our area he chested it down and chipped Foster so that the ball described a lazy arc over the goalkeeper and under the bar for a fine goal; 13 minutes 0-1.

From that moment the home side played with immense energy and commitment to hold United at bay. Everywhere we calmly passed the ball there would appear a green hooped dwarf. We played too deep in the first half but still made chances which should have been put away. Minutes after the goal Rio had plenty of time a yard out from the far post after a corner to smash the ball high and wide. Vidic headed narrowly over seconds before the half time whistle and in between Nani put in a right wing cross which begged to be turned in but there was nobody there; our lone striker was not up front but buzzing around everywhere else.

Berbatov came on at half time for Nani and though he did not have a great match the United performance moved up the field and notched up a gear and for a while Celtic were surviving only through guts, effort and sheer numbers packed in the box. According to The Times we had 62% of the territory, 74% possession (an amazing figure for an away side in a European tie), 84% passing success and 100% tackling success. We had thirty shots to their six and thirteen corners to their four and this does not account for all the intricate interpassing just outside the box and the countless crosses that found a hooped shirt in the overcrowded area. Yet Artur Boruc had to make only six or seven saves.

Twelve minutes into the second half O’Shea flicked on a Giggs cross, Vidic headed it goalwards and Berbatov flicked it into the goal but Shaun Maloney was on the line to clear it. On the hour Celtic had a rare attack and might have gone two up had Sheridan’s header been a few inches lower. A few minutes later there was a prolonged and unholy scramble in their area; that it came to nothing was not solely due to gallant defending. There was a lack of urgency in the area and not enough focus and determination to get to the ball. For all our attacking, seldom were the occupants of Niall’s house leaping out of our seats in expectation of the net bulging; we were more often screaming at the screen for someone to shoot.
Evra came on for Rafael and O’Shea moved to the right; you can’t really say right back because the entire game was now being played forward of the half way line. Wayne Rooney came on with twenty minutes to go and Tevez walked off despondently shaking his head; I felt Giggs should have been the man to go because although Carlos was not having a great night he was rescuing us from similar pickles all last season.

We began to shoot on sight from distance; it was certainly a tactic worth trying. Ronaldo started it and had two goes as the minutes ticked by; Carrick had one and Rooney one and when they got through the crowd these shots were causing Boruc to have to work and he was not finding it easy to catch them cleanly. Ronaldo courted disaster with just over ten minutes to go, taking a petulant kick at Scott Brown after a tangle of legs in which Brown was not an innocent party. The referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo of Norway, psychology graduate and five times Norwegian referee of the year, was ducking the tricky decisions all match so although Brown made the most of it (Ronnie can’t complain at that) neither player was even booked.
A minute or two later the reprieved Ronaldo made the decisive move. Rio rolled a quick free kick to him. Faced yet again with the entire Celtic side retreating in front of him he let fly a fierce shot from 25 yards which swerved all over the place. Boruc did well to change direction and parry it to his right but the ball bounced free and Ryan Giggs moved in, eyes focused determinedly on the ball even though he could probably sense that Brown was thundering in from his right to stop him at any cost. Seconds before the inevitable impact Giggs’ head met the ball and planted it decisively low inside the post; 83 minutes 1-1.

The crowd went quiet; some of them looked close to tears. Celtic looked tired and the question was, were ten minutes enough for United to win it? We should have done. Ronaldo was taken down and awarded a free kick outside the area for what I have seen several times and think was a penalty; there was certainly a kick inside the box. Evra performed an air shot on O’Shea’s right wing cross and then fell over, and in the 92nd minute Rooney delivered the chance of all chances to Berbatov, three yards from the middle of the goal with no-one to stop him. He touched it, turned and poked it wide. It was the last touch of the match.

A good game, an acceptable result despite the disappointment and Celtic players walked off the field having restored some of the dignity they lost at Old Trafford. With Villarreal being held at Aalborg, United stay top of the group on goal difference and barring a three goal defeat by the Danes have all but qualified. Celtic can dream about progress but their best chance now is with the UEFA Cup.

Posted by Bill on 2008-11-05 @ 15:11:31 -0700

Ryan Giggs celebrates scoring his late headed equaliser
United captain Ryan Giggs celebrates scoring his late headed equaliser

A late header by Ryan Giggs gave United a deserved point in this thoroughly entertaining Champions League match.

The home crowd were ecstatic when Scott McDonald's delightful lob from 14 yards gave Celtic a 13th-minute lead.

United pinned Celtic back for much of the first half, but stout defending limited the Red Devils to half chances.

Ferguson sent on Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov in the second period before Ryan Giggs headed an 84th-minute equaliser from an Artur Boruc parry.

The result leaves United requiring a point for certain qualification, while for Celtic, with Villarreal six points ahead, they must win their last two matches and hope the Spaniards fail to take a further point.

When United took to the field on a crisp Glasgow evening wearing their all-blue strip, you suspected former Rangers striker Sir Alex Ferguson was enjoying a joke.

With a noticeable difference in quality between the squads, Celtic were hoping that the noise and passion created by their fans could unsettle the visitors and embolden their own starting 11, which was minus the talents of the injured Aiden McGeady.

Having played McDonald as a lone striker at Old Trafford, Celtic manager Gordon Strachan gave 19-year-old Cillian Sheridan his Champions League debut, believing the Irishman's physical presence could test Ferdinand and Vidic.

The match started at a frantic pace, with Giggs, partnering Carlos Tevez up front, looking in the mood to inflict damage on Celtic's European hopes.

A brutal challenge by Barry Robson on his international team-mate Darren Fletcher allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to have a crack at goal, though his free-kick sailed a few yards over Boruc's bar.

Celtic caught their breath and began to venture forward with runs by Maloney.

If the opening exchanges were characterised by passing and shooting that lacked precision, the opening goal was an example of perfect finishing.

A speculative header found Gary Caldwell at the edge of the United box and his cushioned header set up McDonald, in the inside left position, who remained composed to lob Ben Foster, in only his second start, from 14 yards.

It was Celtic's first goal in the Champions League this season and the first conceded by the cup holders.

United responded by increasing the pace of their play. Michael Carrick, Tevez, Fletcher and Ronaldo had Strachan's men pinned back.

Ferdinand volleyed an awkward ball over from three yards, a Vidic header was cleared off the line by Celtic captain Stephen McManus and the same player went close from one of many United corners.

Former Villa striker Maloney offered the home defence occasional relief. On the half-hour mark he cut inside from the left wing and rifled a dipping shot directly at Foster, who gathered well.

United looked most menacing when they played the ball quickly through midfield. In one such spurt, Giggs seized on an error by Paul Hartley, ran at the Celtic rearguard and ought to have tested Boruc.

Instead he slid the ball wide of Nani and the chance to equalise was gone.

For all the Red Devils' superior technique and movement, in open play Celtic were able to frustrate the visitors on their raids.

On numerous occasions, Caldwell and McManus and a retreating midfield got in the way of United's efforts at goal.

Strachan will have been satisfied at the workrate and intelligence of his players. Scott Brown, Barry Robson and Paul Hartley hounded the Carrick and Fletcher incessantly and for the greater part, held on to the ball when they could.

Ferguson's half-time talk encouraged United to up their game at the re-start, but not before Maloney curled a long-range shot in at Foster.

In a raucous atmosphere, the Celtic fans cheered their team on as they stymied successive waves of United attacks.

Caldwell cleared a dangerous low cross by Tevez, then a low left-footed shot by Ronaldo found the grateful gloves of Celtic's Polish keeper Boruc.

Substitute Berbatov came close when his flick-on from five yards was cleared off the line by Maloney.

Rooney came on for Tevez for the last 20 minutes and his first involvement in the game was a long-range shot which Boruc turned round the post.

With just six minutes remaining, United levelled the match.

Boruc was unable to hold a thunderous swerving shot by Ronaldo from 25 yards and in rushed the veteran Giggs to head home as Boruc lay helpless.

United could have snatched a victory in the final seconds when the ball was played into Berbatov.

His shot on the turn whipped past Boruc's right-hand post and Celtic's slim chances of reaching the knock-out stages remained intact.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson, Hartley, Scott Brown, Robson, Maloney (O'Dea 75), McDonald (Hutchinson 81), Sheridan (Donati 63).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Naylor, Nakamura, Caddis.

Goals: McDonald 13.

Manchester Utd: Foster, Rafael Da Silva (Evra 66), Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani (Berbatov 46), Tevez (Rooney 71), Giggs.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Park, Evans.

Booked: Nani.

Goals: Giggs 84.

Attendance: 58,903

Referee: Tom Ovrebo (Norway)

bbc.co.uk

Posted by Bill on 2008-11-03 @ 5:06:56 -0700

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson believes Parkhead has the best atmosphere of any football stadium he has been to - and his opinion is shared by World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash, Ferguson paid tribute to the Celtic fans and their ability to inspire the players. He also highlighted the fact only Barcelona have won at the ground as evidence that the midweek match will not be straightforward, even though his side have recently hit red-hot form.

Ferguson told the Sunday Mail: "Parkhead is THE best I've experienced. The players were just talking about that the other day - Vidic and Ronaldo were saying it's the best atmosphere they had ever played in. Credit to the supporters for that because they don't half raise the roof.

"It's obvious the Celtic players react to it given the results they've had. You are going to have to run that extra yard or you will soon be found out by them. It won't be easy. Only Barcelona have won at Parkhead so that tells you everything."

However, despite hailing the atmosphere, Ferguson thinks Celtic's post-Christmas European campaign will be in the UEFA Cup, not the Champions League - with United and Villarreal reaching the last-16 of the premier tournament.

www.celtic.vitalfootball.co.uk