Something felt a bit strange about last night’s performance, it felt like I’d watched the film before. Then it hit me, this is what other teams do to Celtic in Europe. I had seen this production before, it’s just this time we were dishing it out rather than being on the receiving end.
And not only did that feel good it also made me consider this is just the beginning, if progress continues, if we continue to believe in the manager’s process, this team will be willing to go toe to toe against the very best.
We may of course, receive the odd punch to the guts along the way but if we’re ging to perform as we did last night, like other teams have performed against us, then that will do me just fine. That hope, as much as that singular result last night, has put a spring in the step today.
Take the first goal. Jota and Abada press an unsure backline and the ball goes into the box. Your first instinct is ‘hit it Kyogo’, but not his. He slows down time, he dummies and he drags, and he guides the ball past the ‘keeper. That doesn’t happen for Celtic, it happens to Celtic, doesn’t it? Such composure is often reserved for the opposition is it not? Those laden with technique and vision?
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And the second – a huge save from Joe Hart and within seconds a quick release goes through McGregor and Turnbull before Jota produces that moment of magic, that wonderful cut inside and shot, and even then, that wee deflection, the sneaking in with the aid of the post. When something like that happens, our heads are normally in our hands because some flash Italian winger has done that to us. In fact, he doesn’t have to be Italian, he could be Danish or from the Rock of Gibraltar, given our luck in recent years, but the point is we were doing it in Europe to a good outfit in their back yard and it feels like a role reversal.
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Even the reaction to losing an equaliser came from trying to build from the back, trying to retain possession rather than booting it straight back to the opposition. And yes, it backfired, as it did with the Hungarians second when McGregor and in particular Johnston were caught a little cold, but despite these incidents costing us, that is what good teams do, they show bravery on the ball, they don’t panic and they stick to their beliefs. That approach cost us goals, but if we stick to it and we believe in it, those mistakes will iron out and the benefits of holding firm to those beliefs were evidenced when we scored that second goal.
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And what about that third goal? Yes, a third goal away from home in Europe. That was a proper team effort right there. No selfishness just artistry and creation underpinned by sheer endeavour, and then Abada’s sumptuous finish just inside the post. A top European standard of football exhibited by a team who are still in a rebuilding phase, still learning the demands of their manager and still being pushed to deliver more.
That win last night we’re told secures European football after Christmas, that is likely to be the Conference League we’re told. But let’s wait a second here, this team deserve more, they deserve knockout football in this competition and you wouldn’t put it past them. Bayer Leverkusen and Betis will play open and attacking football against us, that will suit us down to the ground. So, who is to say the Conference League is where we’ll end up? Who is to say we can’t go to Germany and take our chances and then it’s a final shoot out with Betis at Celtic Park.
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This team at long last look as if they believe they belong on the European stage, there is no evidence of being overwhelmed, instead there is a willingness to impose their own playing philosophy on the European stage and that has to be the Celtic way.
After Livingston on Saturday, we were all disappointed and I must say it was frustrating to watch David Martindale set his whole gameplan up to park his team in their own defensive third and try to avoid leaving their own half. After last night you’d have to say you can’t blame the guy.
The fact is it’s up to us to find ways to break that down, because when teams open up against this Celtic team the players are there to hurt the opposition, and domestic opponents will be more than aware of their limitations when it comes to going head-to-head.
Next up is Dundee at lunchtime on Sunday and no doubt much the same will be served up from James McPake’s side at Dens Park. Once again, we’ll all have seen that movie before, but much like last night we’ll have plenty of cause for optimism that the leading men will be those in green and white Hoops finding a way to reverse the roles and impress us all.
Niall J
