Celtic - FC Barcelona | Champions League Group H | Tues Oct 1st, 2013

Brown was an idiot. It's not the first time he has done something like that but with the minimal contact Neymar's reaction was a complete disgrace. He dived in the first half as well and the ref told him to get up but some how never got booked.

free_cat wrote:

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:

eelir wrote:Why? He had a good game IMO.

He is an excellent footballer don't get me wrong but I've never seen as big a diver in all my time at Celtic Park. His reaction to what happened with Brown was completely embarrassing, he should be banned for the way he conducted himself tonight. I don't know how he never got booked for diving tonight. Ruins all his talent with his antics.

Have you ever played football? Do you know how much it hurts any impact with the studs? Your player kicked Neymar in the back and touched him with the studs, probably no playacting there.

Yes at a relatively high level for over 20 years. Browns studs made no contact is was his boot. Neymar wildly over reacted. Don't know how anyone could disagree.

What do you mean "aswell"?

That first half was a dive, but that Brown was an obvious foul? Surely you agree on that?

Forget the disagreement on play acting, you agree it was a foul though?

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:

free_cat wrote:

TenMenWonTheLeague wrote:He is an excellent footballer don't get me wrong but I've never seen as big a diver in all my time at Celtic Park. His reaction to what happened with Brown was completely embarrassing, he should be banned for the way he conducted himself tonight. I don't know how he never got booked for diving tonight. Ruins all his talent with his antics.

Have you ever played football? Do you know how much it hurts any impact with the studs? Your player kicked Neymar in the back and touched him with the studs, probably no playacting there.

Yes at a relatively high level for over 20 years. Browns studs made no contact is was his boot. Neymar wildly over reacted. Don't know how anyone could disagree.

Then you know how much studs hurt, even a very slight contact. Brown kicks him with the boot but very likely he scratches him with the studs. He probably milked a little bit, but we don't really know.

The Franchise wrote:What do you mean "aswell"?

That first half was a dive, but that Brown was an obvious foul? Surely you agree on that?

Forget the disagreement on play acting, you agree it was a foul though?

It was a clear foul. I meant on top of his play acting which happened a few times including another nothing incident with Izaguirre in the first half. Alves was also guilty of diving tonight.

So then play acting, rather than diving, ok.

I think you go too far by suggesting he should be punished.

He wasnt alone, as I said, your Matthews or Commons clearly screaming out in fake pain on that a Cesc tackle where he got all ball. And just before that play he did it again on someone, maybe Busquets, where he won the ball cleanly.

It may not be as dramatic visually as Neymar, but it ends with the same result, convincing the ref to show a card.

The Franchise wrote:So then play acting, rather than diving, ok.

I think you go too far by suggesting he should be punished.

He wasnt alone, as I said, your Matthews or Commons clearly screaming out in fake pain on that a Cesc tackle where he got all ball. And just before that play he did it again on someone, maybe Busquets, where he won the ball cleanly.

It may not be as dramatic visually as Neymar, but it ends with the same result, convincing the ref to show a card.

The one after the fabregas tackle was even worse! I mean, it's HE who steps on Fabregas and yet it's commons who starts screaming? If that would have been Busquets, it would get over a million views on youtube with everyone calling him a disgrace..

harhar11 wrote:

The Franchise wrote:So then play acting, rather than diving, ok.

I think you go too far by suggesting he should be punished.

He wasnt alone, as I said, your Matthews or Commons clearly screaming out in fake pain on that a Cesc tackle where he got all ball. And just before that play he did it again on someone, maybe Busquets, where he won the ball cleanly.

It may not be as dramatic visually as Neymar, but it ends with the same result, convincing the ref to show a card.

The one after the fabregas tackle was even worse! I mean, it's he WHO steps on Fabregas and yet it's commons who starts screaming? If that would have been Busquets, it would get over a million views on youtube with everyone calling him a disgrace..

Exactly! But to most non-Braca fans that does not count. But, Neymar playacting on what was a clear red-card foul is "a disgrace". Those double standards!!!

Wasn't really impressed by Barcelona to be honest. Take Neymar away and you wouldn't have seen a difference between this match and the match of last year and Barcelona's main problems persist in my opinion.

I get very frustrated when I watch Pedro in attack. He is so concentrated on keeping possession and playing safe that he is completely unaware of how much space he sometimes has in front of him behind him (as he plays towards his own goal most of the time). Always trying to link up closely with Alves or Xavi and not creating any space or width for his team. Sure it is hard to make runs against a defence that plays so deep but even when Celtic played higher up he'd come too far back like he's some sort of midfielder.

As The Franchise mentioned Fàbregas is useless against teams who play deep. Don't want to sound knee jerk but this team has a few overrated players such as Piqué whom if they weren't from Barcelona's youth sides they'd never get into the team. And Xavi is looking to be on a downhill battle with his age. He hasn't looked like the Xavi we know this season.

It was playacting, but also a justified red.

danyjr wrote:Wasn't really impressed by Barcelona to be honest. Take Neymar away and you wouldn't have seen a difference between this match and the match of last year and Barcelona's main problems persist in my opinion.

What do you mean? This year Barcelona's offence was worse, but because defense was better we won.

Truth is , if Neymar didnt exaggerate i dont think Brown would see the red card

[quote="danyjr"]Wasn't really impressed by Barcelona to be honest. Take Neymar away and you wouldn't have seen a difference between this match and the match of last year and Barcelona's main problems persist in my opinion.

I get very frustrated when I watch Pedro in attack. He is so concentrated on keeping possession and playing safe that he is completely unaware of how much space he sometimes has [strike]in front of him[/strike] behind him (as he plays towards his own goal most of the time). Always trying to link up closely with Alves or Xavi and not creating any space or width for his team. Sure it is hard to make runs against a defence that plays so deep but even when Celtic played higher up he'd come too far back like he's some sort of midfielder.

As The Franchise mentioned Fàbregas is [b]useless [u][/u][/b]against teams who play deep. Don't want to sound knee jerk but this team has a few overrated players such as Piqué whom if they weren't from Barcelona's youth sides they'd never get into the team. And Xavi is looking to be on a downhill battle with his age. He hasn't looked like the Xavi we know this season.[/quote]
How can someone be useless when he scored the WINNER!!
Even Messi struggled against Celtic last season! Stop the blind hate!

About the red card incident, Brown kicked Neymar, its a straight red!

Clear contact, but Neymar is the disgrace for exaggerating..

Straight red, not even debatable. He doesn't even make it subtle, he straight up kicks him

the ref was standing right there.. how neymar reacted had nothing to do with the red the ref was going to give it anyways.

Have it recorded and will give a watch when I have the chance. We scored a pretty goal. That ball by Neymar

Didn’t manage to watch the game.
There seems to be some kind of controversy with Neymar involved but seeing the video bar some hardcore Latin America players who receve these love taps all the time I don’t see how any player won’t take advantage of this and provoke the red. Leaving the overreaction aside the hit is clear.

On the team I want to say that luck or no luck we have managed to look solid enough defensively based on the scorelines. Let’s not forget that this time of the year last season we were looking for clean sheets with a magnifying glass on the grass.

Finally I can’t avoid to see how certain players are being overlooked (Song) and others overplayed (Xavi)

also watching the highlights there's a clear handball on 67th minute and no penalty was given...

In the video it can be seen how Brown hit Neymar with the studs and Neymar confirms it. That hurts.

At first I thought that Brown gave Neymar a little tap, but watching the video that I posted, you can clearly see that he hits him pretty hard..

This was something I wrote to my uncle after the Celtic game and thought it would be great to post it here!

Last year, the team was playing tika taka as if by rote. Lots of possession, no real purpose, no player available on the wings to change the match or cause pressure, with predictable results. There was much passing around of the ball in the midfield, few real chances, few opportunities for anything except watching Celtic cheer hard work and work that found them in the right place at the right time. Boom. Loss.
This year, the club had a plan, and you could see it from the outset. It wasn’t just tika taka, it was possession football that probed the opponent for a weakness, happy to be patient until an opportunity presented itself. When Celtic got the ball, almost each and every time, the Celtic attacker was presented by at least three sprites. Closed. There was pressure, and by every member of the team, not just 9 of 10. This meant that last avenue was closed off.
There was purpose and steel, two things that ultimately saw out the match.

The intelligence of this club this season is not to force things. It’s very easy to pass the ball back to the midfield and reset. This is what Martino means by keeping control of a match. Celtic had a few chances, both from dead balls. But from open play? Nothing, because the match was under control. If you lose the ball, get it back and reset. Just one example, Neymar lost the ball to Ambrose, who took off on the break. Neymar tracked back, getting help from Adriano and Busquets. They stole the ball, and resumed the probing. Patience.

What this means is to keep play in front of you, to keep the ball in sight and the play at the defenders’ feel. The few times that things got out of balance resulted in Celtic having a sliver of an opportunity. Turn Pique sideways, or make him run backward and he’s in trouble. When he is bouncing on his toes, anticipating play, he is a hell of a defender. The play of the whole team helps keep the defense in its element.
Bartra roamed forward, Pique stayed home to keep the back locked down. This was the second match we have seen this, with a similar result: not a lot of drama, nor opponent goals. Part of that Barça-style defending was Valdes passing out of the back, instead of hoofing it long. Team attack, team defense.

Martino seems to have given everyone a clearly defined role. Xavi was usually forward, with Iniesta in the traditional Xavi role. Neymar and Alves functioned as wing attackers, and Busquets as a defensive-minded playmaker. The attention, the focus, the orientation was on attack, but patient attack. And when one person was found out or had a lull, there was always a teammate with a key intervention, interception or stop.

Last season, when Bartra was asked to be a traditional defender, something that ALL of our defenders spent too much time doing last season, he looked uncomfortable and clunky. And tentative. Duh. When do our defenders play like traditional defenders? Compare that this this season, with the attacking defense. Bartra owned Samaras today, not allowing him much chance to do anything. Steals, interceptions and runs, Bartra made his second lobbying for MOTM. But again, as with the moving target, it is the next opponent who will find him and our terrible defense out.

Neymar started, and Messi was out. And Neymar was a terror. Yellow card for one player, then another, red for another, movement, passing, faking, constant danger. This unbalanced the Celtic defense, and widened the field for them, because whenever Neymar beat his man, two other defenders were called upon. They then had to run back to defend other players.
To be sure, Neymar made a meal of a couple of challenges, the forehead hooraw, and the Scott Brown “Wait, you aren’t the ball?” moment. But you know what? Even those moments showed that he was capable of getting under the opponent’s (and opposing fans) skin. Boo him all you like, but Neymar is a difference-maker, on and off the ball. People aren’t booing him because he playacts. They’re booing him because he gets fouls called, AND he kicks ass. Get used to it.

The counterattack, some say with a sneer. Barça is becoming a counterattacking team, something that is somehow beneath them. But you know what? During the vaunted Treble season, there were counter goals galore as the defense turned possession, then fired vertically to Henry or Eto’o on the bust-out. If you have an opponent who puts everyone behind the ball, how are you going to generate a real chance on goal? Wait for a sliver of an opportunity, then hit them on the counter. No tika taka, no 45,834 passes, just flying up the pitch and the keeper picking the ball out of the back of the net. Plan B works. Beneath Barça? Maybe. I don’t think so. I rather like it, because now the team has multiple ways of scoring, rather than just passing the ball around and waiting for Messi to make some magic.
And that goal was perfect. The ball was fed to Busquets, who saw Neymar streaking up the pitch. Rather than going for goal himself, taking the opportunity to do something highlight reel that might have failed, he opted for the surer thing, holding up play beautifully until Alexis Sanchez (subbed on for Pedro) came into the picture. A lovely layoff found Sanchez in space with the ball, and time to think.
When Sanchez gets the ball, there are SIX Celtic attackers, all with their attention focused on Sanchez and the ball. Meanwhile, ghosting into the picture on the left side of the box, is Fabregas. Sanchez takes, pauses, and as Fabregas continues his run behind a distracted defense, Sanchez lays the ball in a perfect spot. Fabregas heads across the Celtic goal into the far corner, and that’s that. What a goal.
Counter? Okay, sure. And why not? Meanwhile, your club is still perfect in Champions League and the Liga, until the next test. And I think that’s pretty cool.

free_cat wrote:In any case, it was not Cesc who deserved to be subbed before us scoring, but Xavi.

You seem to have an agenda against Xavi,again with the comment about his 100 horizontal and backward passes.I think he has completely busted that myth this season with his passing.Some of his one touch passing near the box has been sublime this season and he has created a lot of chances.I read a stat that he has created the most chances along with Cesc for the team.All along controlling the midfield too.
Lets also not forget that our 2 best performances have come when he has played at his best.Against Levante and Sociedad.It is at once a vindication of his continuing importance to the team and worrying that we can play at our best level only when he is at his best.
At the start of the season you had said that he didnt deserve to start and that all he offered are 2 m passes.He has proved you wrong on both counts.Based on performances this season he starts.

alexjanosik wrote:

free_cat wrote:In any case, it was not Cesc who deserved to be subbed before us scoring, but Xavi.

You seem to have an agenda against Xavi,again with the comment about his 100 horizontal and backward passes.I think he has completely busted that myth this season with his passing.Some of his one touch passing near the box has been sublime this season and he has created a lot of chances.I read a stat that he has created the most chances along with Cesc for the team.All along controlling the midfield too.
Lets also not forget that our 2 best performances have come when he has played at his best.Against Levante and Sociedad.It is at once a vindication of his continuing importance to the team and worrying that we can play at our best level only when he is at his best.
At the start of the season you had said that he didnt deserve to start and that all he offered are 2 m passes.He has proved you wrong on both counts.Based on performances this season he starts.

Obviously I don't have an agenda vs. Xavi. But he was never useful vs. park the bus teams, even when he was at his prime (remember Inter or Chelsea games for instances, or those games were Madrid parked the bus... Xavi nowhere to be seen). He has done well vs. Levante and Real Sociedad true, but they didn't park the bus. He should never play vs. a park the bus team, now or when he was at 100% unless you are looking for a tie or a very low scoring game.

Also, surely he deserves to start but only because Iniesta is not at top form and we haven't given a chance to see if Roberto can play as well as he did in pre season. Cesc has been better than him even in midfield, so Cesc + Xavi should be the starters.

The Sanchez wrote:This was something I wrote to my uncle after the Celtic game and thought it would be great to post it here!

Last year, the team was playing tika taka as if by rote. Lots of possession, no real purpose, no player available on the wings to change the match or cause pressure, with predictable results. There was much passing around of the ball in the midfield, few real chances, few opportunities for anything except watching Celtic cheer hard work and work that found them in the right place at the right time. Boom. Loss.
This year, the club had a plan, and you could see it from the outset. It wasn’t just tika taka, it was possession football that probed the opponent for a weakness, happy to be patient until an opportunity presented itself. When Celtic got the ball, almost each and every time, the Celtic attacker was presented by at least three sprites. Closed. There was pressure, and by every member of the team, not just 9 of 10. This meant that last avenue was closed off.
There was purpose and steel, two things that ultimately saw out the match.

The intelligence of this club this season is not to force things. It’s very easy to pass the ball back to the midfield and reset. This is what Martino means by keeping control of a match. Celtic had a few chances, both from dead balls. But from open play? Nothing, because the match was under control. If you lose the ball, get it back and reset. Just one example, Neymar lost the ball to Ambrose, who took off on the break. Neymar tracked back, getting help from Adriano and Busquets. They stole the ball, and resumed the probing. Patience.

What this means is to keep play in front of you, to keep the ball in sight and the play at the defenders’ feel. The few times that things got out of balance resulted in Celtic having a sliver of an opportunity. Turn Pique sideways, or make him run backward and he’s in trouble. When he is bouncing on his toes, anticipating play, he is a hell of a defender. The play of the whole team helps keep the defense in its element.
Bartra roamed forward, Pique stayed home to keep the back locked down. This was the second match we have seen this, with a similar result: not a lot of drama, nor opponent goals. Part of that Barça-style defending was Valdes passing out of the back, instead of hoofing it long. Team attack, team defense.

Martino seems to have given everyone a clearly defined role. Xavi was usually forward, with Iniesta in the traditional Xavi role. Neymar and Alves functioned as wing attackers, and Busquets as a defensive-minded playmaker. The attention, the focus, the orientation was on attack, but patient attack. And when one person was found out or had a lull, there was always a teammate with a key intervention, interception or stop.

Last season, when Bartra was asked to be a traditional defender, something that ALL of our defenders spent too much time doing last season, he looked uncomfortable and clunky. And tentative. Duh. When do our defenders play like traditional defenders? Compare that this this season, with the attacking defense. Bartra owned Samaras today, not allowing him much chance to do anything. Steals, interceptions and runs, Bartra made his second lobbying for MOTM. But again, as with the moving target, it is the next opponent who will find him and our terrible defense out.

Neymar started, and Messi was out. And Neymar was a terror. Yellow card for one player, then another, red for another, movement, passing, faking, constant danger. This unbalanced the Celtic defense, and widened the field for them, because whenever Neymar beat his man, two other defenders were called upon. They then had to run back to defend other players.
To be sure, Neymar made a meal of a couple of challenges, the forehead hooraw, and the Scott Brown “Wait, you aren’t the ball?” moment. But you know what? Even those moments showed that he was capable of getting under the opponent’s (and opposing fans) skin. Boo him all you like, but Neymar is a difference-maker, on and off the ball. People aren’t booing him because he playacts. They’re booing him because he gets fouls called, AND he kicks ass. Get used to it.

The counterattack, some say with a sneer. Barça is becoming a counterattacking team, something that is somehow beneath them. But you know what? During the vaunted Treble season, there were counter goals galore as the defense turned possession, then fired vertically to Henry or Eto’o on the bust-out. If you have an opponent who puts everyone behind the ball, how are you going to generate a real chance on goal? Wait for a sliver of an opportunity, then hit them on the counter. No tika taka, no 45,834 passes, just flying up the pitch and the keeper picking the ball out of the back of the net. Plan B works. Beneath Barça? Maybe. I don’t think so. I rather like it, because now the team has multiple ways of scoring, rather than just passing the ball around and waiting for Messi to make some magic.
And that goal was perfect. The ball was fed to Busquets, who saw Neymar streaking up the pitch. Rather than going for goal himself, taking the opportunity to do something highlight reel that might have failed, he opted for the surer thing, holding up play beautifully until Alexis Sanchez (subbed on for Pedro) came into the picture. A lovely layoff found Sanchez in space with the ball, and time to think.
When Sanchez gets the ball, there are SIX Celtic attackers, all with their attention focused on Sanchez and the ball. Meanwhile, ghosting into the picture on the left side of the box, is Fabregas. Sanchez takes, pauses, and as Fabregas continues his run behind a distracted defense, Sanchez lays the ball in a perfect spot. Fabregas heads across the Celtic goal into the far corner, and that’s that. What a goal.
Counter? Okay, sure. And why not? Meanwhile, your club is still perfect in Champions League and the Liga, until the next test. And I think that’s pretty cool.

good post brah

harhar11 wrote:At first I thought that Brown gave Neymar a little tap, but watching the video that I posted, you can clearly see that he hits him pretty hard..

how biased can you get? it wasnt a red, its no science

We are the ones who are biased? FFS, even a madridista said that it was a red! Neymar exaggerated the contact, but brown intentionaly kicked Neymars back. Don't think for a second that the celtic playrrs wouldn't have done the same in Neymar's position. Heck, stokes stepped on fabregas ankle and it was HE who started screaming from "pain".