The disappointment felt around Celtic Park by last night’s 0-0 draw with Sion was echoed on twitter.
Despair was the order of the day as Celtic toiled through 90 minutes with only Cha Du-Ri excempt from criticism.
By late afternoon news of Kelvin Wilson’s dead-leg had spread quickly across the social network setting the tone for an evening of frustration.
New twitter recruit kcommons15 looked a shadow of last season’s hero stuck out on the right wing but the former Derby man sounded a note of optimism tweeting: ‘Disappointed on the whole for not getting a goal but clean sheet is vital. High hopes for thurs. Bring it on!!’
On a very similar note joe16led added: ‘Disappointed that we didn’t get a goal today but clean sheet was key. Keep the faith! Bring on Sunday.’
Taking a more direct view BTWCelticShow are confident of success next week tweeting: ‘And in other good news, that swiss mob is complete crap. If we get kayal and hooper back next week, we are good. Donedeal.com.’
From early on it was obvious that the fluent football that swept Dundee United aside on Saturday wouldn’t be repeated.
The insightful bobbylennoxwarned: ‘We are making heavy weather of this.Hardly been in control and created few chances.Sion’s def & mid have been pretty comfortable #celtic.’
At full time he added: “I think it was pretty obvious Mark Wilson isn’t comfortable at left back. Kelvin & Dan with Wilson at rb & Charlie at lb.’
Taking a sensible Scandinavia view on the matchCopenhagenCelt tweeted: ‘First everyone expected Celtic to beat Sion big time. Now everyone acting like Sion is huge favourites. I would rather play 0-0 than 2-1.
The added: ‘I don’t get why scottish people thinking in extremes. Either we’re top of the world or otherwise we think half the team should be sacked.’
Theecomicsnob found little to laugh about claiming: ‘Just sad that we are so pathetic in Europe these days – 4-5-1 at home to Sion. The glory days are long gone.’
Taking a look at Sion’s problems and the fielding of ineligable players the_eriugena: ‘ To those knocking Neil and team’s performance. We missed Hooper and Kayal (and Izzy) but we’re going through regardless as Sion will be disqualified.
celticghirly67 asked: ‘And how many ineligible players are FC toberlone playing?
Looking at the display of referee Marijo Strahonja the_eriugena added: ‘‘Had we scored early, and the referee’s decisions held up a lot of the movement, I think it could have been an easier game.
‘World Referee web site offers the chance to rate tonight’s ref Marijo Strahonja and write a report too http://t.co/EOma5Ql #Celtic.’
CelticNewsAtTen offered individual player ratings with Ki his man-of-the-match: ‘Ki 8 our best player at times passing good as always drove forward a lot with little or no support brilliant player and my motm.’
Looking ahead if not forward to next week’s nail biter in Switzerland BanterBhoys reckon: ‘Word on the street is, Paddy is taking his ‘special boots’ he occasionally lends to Messi to Switzerland with him.’
Similarly upbeat TheHumanTorpedo believes: ‘As frustrating as we were tonight I’m still optimistic we’ll go through. Clean sheet could be vital.
‘Tactics/formation wrong tonight but criticism has to be seen in context. Injuries seriously restricted options & quality on offer to Lenny.’
And finally from Dublin, putting aside the loss of Gary Hooper and Thomas Rogne ahmebertiee switched her admiration to: ‘Cha is MOTM for me. Excellent tonight!
‘Huge task for us next week in Switzerland. All to play for – at least next week we’ll hopefully have Kayal and Hooper back.
‘Rangers got beaten?!? YAY. #lasttoknow. Samaras the scapegoat again? He won every ball in the air – and stop being depressed over it: we’re still in the tie! #bringonnextweek.’
CLICK HERE for Luzern threaten action over Sion draw
CLICK HERE for SFA back Euan Norris on red card
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its quite simple if he changes the teams formation again and plays samaras we are out!! as long as samaras remains part of lennons plans we WILL NOT win the league!!
As poor a performance as I can remember, especially in Europe. Inept, Clueless, Pathetic and Sion must be stunned to have coped so easily.
Without Izzy our attacking options have greatly diminished, minus Hooper we are virtually toothless and to then put Stokes wide left meant we were pub like.
If Samaras is “Needed” for set pieces, play him in bloody defence, he is no threat to the opposition up front.
We will need a completely different attitude to gain any hope in the return leg. But having seen this story before I seriously doubt it will happen. Thankfully we didn’t meet a team of any reasonable standard or we could realy have been embarassed.
I agree with Neil Lennon. Samaras is an easy scapegoat. He was given a job to do and won most of the balls in the air in the first half. If he is told to win the knock-downs how can he be criticised when there is no one there for them.
The manager was right commenting on the criticism of Samaras but must take criticism for the tactics he employed, although he has been hampered by injuries. Stokes was played in the wrong position. Mark Wilson had his worst game in a long while. Kris Commons needs a month to work on his fitness. He has obviously had a problem over the summer and has not been able to train properly. Hence he is still carrying 1/2 a stone to a stone in a weight he should have shed by now.
The board must see what is happening and must purchase a striker and a centre-back in the next ten days. Not to do so will probably cost us the league. I do think Samaras is a scapegoat but I also think he is too inconsistent, and to be honest not good enough to play for Celtic. However, having him in the team focuses criticism on him alone and lets others, just as culpable, off the hook.
I think Celtic will go through as I believe we will score in Switzerland. However, the next 6 games against better opposition might reveal some uncomfortable truths about the actual progress made recently. Scottish football is even more woeful than any of us care to contemplate. Last night was the annual reminder.
One thing from last night, our RB next week must be Cha, his pace will be vital.
it is rediculous that Samaras is getting all the abuse again, Stokes did absolutly nothing last night and deserved to be subbed
had Samaras had the right partner who was going to be running onto all those headers he won we would have scored plenty
Again Commons seems to get a free pass becuase he had a good 6 months(so did Samaras at one point)
i can not understand ANYONE sticking up for samaras.
he is one of the worst strikers at celtic i can remember. what is it 3 goals in 2 years?? at a time when scottish football is rotten!! he cost us the league last year and will do again give one of the youth team players a chance instead of him! total waste of space cant pass, cant score, cant win headers, cant hold the ball up, cant read the bloody game. but i suppose we can always fall back on he is big and can run fast!!
The Inverness games cost us the league, not Samaras
Attitudes like this are the problem, I can show you any number of games where he wins almost every header but some people would never see it becuase they will always have their eyes firmly shut and think Samaras is terrible every single game and Paddy McCourt is fantastic all the time