Thursday Night Is Football Night - Europa League 2020-21

[Erskine Bridges]

Nothing about the terrible twins?

Rangers ( who play and perform very well in Europe under Stevie G) lose a first minute goal (Helander gaffe) roar back to lead 1-3 (assisted by Otamendie red card) only to be pegged back to 2-3 ( Helander gaffe) and then 3-3 in final minute ( Helander- you get the drift).

A great result but could and should have been better if they hadn’t played a nervous giraffe at centre half. I doubt we’ll see him in an important game again.

Sellick were torn asunder by a decent Sparta team 1-4 at home. There are rumours about disharmony in the dressing room. And rumours about Neil Lemnon and it looked like the Celtic squad had a good go at his carry oot before kick-off.

They don’t look like a squad playing for their manager, I doubt he’ll last out the year.

Apart from Christie (he’ll go to the top) Frimpong and the left back on loan from AC Milan, they were not only rank, they didn’t seem to care much. And the shape of Griffiths! He’d be embarrassed getting stripped beside me!

Well, I think Duffy cares but he didn’t even play as well as Helander. Another big shot Premier League has been who can’t cut it in our diddy league. Julien is a decent footballing centre half but I think he’s fallen out with Neil so he’s dropped for a buddy. Duffy isn’t fit either but not quite as fat as Griffiths.

And Broony is finished. He can no longer get close enough to opponents to foul them and he was never as effective in Europe because refs there don’t give him the four or five free assaults he gets in Scotland before his yellow.

Excellent entertainment for the neutral though with eleven goals and plenty thrills and spills.

[Snake Plissken]

I'm not entirely sure that Duffy has ever been remotely close to being a big shot Premier League player. Championship, yes. PL. No.

Twitter rumours suggest Eddie Howe for the Celtic job.

[Erskine Bridges]

No! Not Eddie Howe! He’s good, he’ll win them the title and we’re all fucking bored with that.

[torres]

Snake. What went wrong when Howe was at Burnley?

Personally I’d get Benitez in to see out the season.

[Satchmo Distel]

Celtic seem to be really poor.

[Lang Spoon]

Bringing back Lennon again was a gaffe up there with Liverpool resurrecting Dalglish. They were fuckin rank the few minutes I saw of the Prague game, beautiful delivery into the box from Christie overhit by whoever they have up front now, Sparta then scoring at the other end in short order.

I'm just terrified that no forehead frowning Hollywood pass monosyllabic Liverpool Legend Iago cunt will rock up at Liverpool after stopping the ten in a row and maybe even getting the Huns in the Champions League group stages when the wheels come off the Klopp bus.

[Snake Plissken]

Snake. What went wrong when Howe was at Burnley?

Personally I’d get Benitez in to see out the season.

Just he didn’t feel comfortable with us and we didn’t feel comfortable with him and parting ways was the best thing to do. Worked out for both sides.

He’s nowhere near worth the hype , mind. His Bournemouth sides in the PL had exactly the same pluses and minuses of his Clarets from nine years ago, suggesting that he’s not really learned anything.

[torres]

Thanks Snake. I’ve never had Howe down as the answer to all Celtics ills but I’m certain he’d be an improvement on Lennon. If it does come to pass I wonder if he’ll bang out 20 million on Solanke.

[Satchmo Distel]

Harry Winks has admitted that his goal from 53 yards was a fluke. Mourinho says he should have claimed he meant it (but Jose was joking here, I think).

Celtic are out with one point from four games and a GD of -8, the joint worst GD across all the groups.

[seand]

Harry Winks has admitted that his goal from 53 yards was a fluke. Mourinho says he should have claimed he meant it (but Jose was joking here, I think).

Celtic are out with one point from four games and a GD of -8, the joint worst GD across all the groups.

Have it Celtic.... Dundalk out with zero points and a mere -7 goal difference after a fairly inept display at 'home' to a resolutely mediocre Rapid Vienna.

[Jah Womble]

Harry Winks has admitted that his goal from 53 yards was a fluke. Mourinho says he should have claimed he meant it (but Jose was joking here, I think).

Must admit I thought he'd spotted the 'keeper off his line at first - I mean, if it was a centre for Bale, then it was way off.

Fifty-six yards, though - that's even farther out than this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ohETTxU5nM

[Tactical Genius]

Must admit I thought he'd spotted the 'keeper off his line at first - I mean, if it was a centre for Bale, then it was way off.

Fifty-six yards, though - that's even farther out than this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ohETTxU5nM

If that was a forward pass to Bale, you can see why he normally passes only 10 yards square and backwards.

The BT pundits were really getting on my nerves. Their clear narrative is the games was going to be about Alli and they were going to credit everything good Spurs did in the game to him.
Granted, he played well and actually put a full shift in for the first time since the 2017/2018 season (he has been a highlights player since).
The stand out players yesterday was Ndombele who put in a performance that showed why half of Europe were after him and the Striker Vinicius whose goal and link up play have shown we might have a plan B when Kane picks up his inevitable 10 week ankle injury going for a stupid tackle in a part of the pitch he shouldn't have been in the first place.

[My Name Is Ian]

Ian Darke was *really* weird on BT Sport last night. He seemed to have a real bee in his bonnet about Ludogorets 'not trying', and repeated the assertion on Twitter after the match.

[Uros Predic]

I'm not watching the game but have spotted that Mourinho made a quadruple half time substitution in Spurs' game at Antwerp. Has that ever happened in a competitive game before? Has anyone managed five changes at the break (Mourinho saved his fifth until the 58th minute)?

Blackpool made a quadruple change against Doncaster on Tuesday night... but midway through the second half rather than at half time.

[BallochSonsFan]

Another European night and another lead Rangers surrender against Benfica.

Gerrard deserves a lot of credit. Last season things went pear shaped after the winter break to Dubai. This year it's arguable that the team are far less reliant on Alfredo Morelos for goals. He's playing a different role this season where he isnt the focal point of the attack so things dont break down so much if he's off his game. He's adapting to that role and is starting to perform well - its to the benefit of Rangers where they can no spread the threat around more of the forwards and attacking midfield options. A very timely reminder for Morelos that he isnt irreplaceable too as there's no doubt hat his head had been turned by transfer talk and that he's eager to move on.

But the problem in the 2 Benfica games was something that Gerrard still needs to work on.

Substitutions.

In both games it was clear that the midfield were dead on their feet. They weren't able to keep up with the passing and movement of Benfica as the game progressed. In both games that team was crying out for a couple of substitutions just to freshen things up and get a bit more energy onto the park. Gerrard needs to learn when to make substitutions and how to make them that'll change the momentum of a game.

[Satchmo Distel]

No TV access for me so posting here based on Guardian live scores - Celtic scored two early goals in Milan but the home side now leads 3-2.

[ursus arctos]

You don't have Univision?

[Satchmo Distel]

I didn't know they were showing it. Thanks for letting me know.

[Satchmo Distel]

Celtic have now conceded the most goals in all the groups.

[jwdd27]

Arsenal made it 5 wins from 5, in front of some fans as well.
But I'm afraid I've kicked them out of the competition because they wore a dark blue change strip at home.

[Duncan Gardner]

Why don't Celtic sign some defence?
The big centre backs are fackin mince
10 in a row? We couldnae care less
Ye got battered by a village near Inverness

[Gangster Octopus]

And folk wonder why I don't like the Hun as well...

[3 Colours Red]

Arsenal made it 5 wins from 5, in front of some fans as well.
But I'm afraid I've kicked them out of the competition because they wore a dark blue change strip at home.

Denis has explained the situation on Museum of Jerseys:

Essentially, Rapid’s European home shirt is green with white sleeves, which would be considered a clash – especially in terms of colour-blindness – but their away is red and they don’t have a third. Uefa’s rule for such scenarios is that the home team changes and this is in face the third time since the beginning of 2016-17 that they have worn a kit other than red and white at home in Europe.

[Duncan Gardner]

And folk wonder why I don't like the Hun as well...

You prefer reading the Sun/ Express/ Mail/ Telegraph?

[Duncan Gardner]

A senior/ currently resting OTFer has texted to compare that effort above to the Bard of Berkshire, Pam Ayres. It's a privilege to be in company with the Hungerford Heaney