Shootout against Spartak

Still get nervous when I watch this again. Can't remember feeling so drained over a football match as I was after that shootout. Love seeing Tommy Burns diving on top of the players after Boruc saves the last penalty. Went on to beat Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar in the group stages, narrowly beat by Barca in the knockout stages. Wonder how long the fans will have to wait to see us playing like that again and to hear that Champions League theme tune at Parkhead once more.

When we used to be good.

I love shootouts.

I loved that year, watched us draw at home with Milan and go in front twice against Barca live :notworthy

Sean wrote:I loved that year, watched us draw at home with Milan and go in front twice against Barca live :notworthy

We beat them at home did we not? Defending champions as well.

I wonder how Spartak have faired since then.

Legia beat them no problem earlier this year, like knife through butter. Surprised me and other Poles to say the least. Checking the tables, they haven't exactly been doing great in the Russian league in recent years either.

Or maybe they were never that good to begin with? Russian football is pretty poor after all, one of the most overrated leagues in Europe.

polska. wrote:I wonder how Spartak have faired since then.

Legia beat them no problem earlier this year, like knife through butter. Surprised me and other Poles to say the least. Checking the tables, they haven't exactly been doing great in the Russian league in recent years either.

Or maybe they were never that good to begin with? Russian football is pretty poor after all, one of the most overrated leagues in Europe.

Zenit are beasty, they won the Uefa Cup and the Uefa Super Cup in 2008.

Yah, Zenit are exceptions. Shakhtar vs Zenit this year was an amazing match!

The Maestro wrote:

Sean wrote:I loved that year, watched us draw at home with Milan and go in front twice against Barca live :notworthy

We beat them at home did we not? Defending champions as well.

Milan? I could have sworn we drew 0-0 when Gillardino did that awful dive

polska. wrote:Yah, Zenit are exceptions. Shakhtar vs Zenit this year was an amazing match!

What about CSKA?

Sean wrote:

The Maestro wrote:

We beat them at home did we not? Defending champions as well.

Milan? I could have sworn we drew 0-0 when Gillardino did that awful dive

I think that was the year after. After we put Spartak out on penalties, we were grouped with Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar. We definately beat Milan it was 2-1. McDonald scored the winner, fan ran on the pitch and bitchslapped Dida

Pippo Inzaghi wrote:

polska. wrote:Yah, Zenit are exceptions. Shakhtar vs Zenit this year was an amazing match!

What about CSKA?

Not sure. On paper they don't seem that strong, and the few individual talents they have aren't really enough to constitute a great team.

I haven't seen a match of theirs since Janczyk played for them though.

The Maestro wrote:

Sean wrote:

Milan? I could have sworn we drew 0-0 when Gillardino did that awful dive

I think that was the year after. After we put Spartak out on penalties, we were grouped with Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar. We definately beat Milan it was 2-1. McDonald scored the winner, fan ran on the pitch and bitchslapped Dida

Ahh yes! that was the year I saw us play Barca then, when Henry scored that great goal and Messi ran rings around us?

russian league has some individual players in it as good as many big leagues, i would say its foreign players are better then those foreign players in ligue 1

russian domestic player also very technically gifted, among the best in europe in this aspect but many russian team seem very unorganize. the travel in russia is very hectic maybe this is why and players are tired

russian teams best form is when they used to play in europe while it was their off season, during this period they win so many european cups at club level and always successful.

some people say that they are not matchfit and should not be so good, but this infact was the opposite, they had so much rest in between match they that were always fresh and ready. but now that they changed the league to align it with most of europe and they are disadvantage again. also russian training is notoriously heavy and their player among the fittest in europe, this can also make the players more tired on matchday. this is heavily discussing in russia about trying to find ways to ease the work load for players

Sean wrote:
Ahh yes! that was the year I saw us play Barca then, when Henry scored that great goal and Messi ran rings around us?

spot on mate, it's depressing looking back to only a couple years, and coming so close to making into the Champions League Quarter Final, having actually made it into the last sixteen the previous three years. I will never forgive the fans who wanted Strachan out. Look at us now, struggling in the Europa.

the emergence of ukraine as big destination of south american players has also hampered russia. those fantastic brasilians playing for ukrainian clubs used to be the type of player big russian clubs would try and recruit. but they dont have the complete means any more. in recent year the focus in russia has being more about better coaches than players anyway but it is also good to point out that ukraine no longer little brother to russia anymore in football

This was the game against Milan Sean. Just a chance to post this video as I think it's amazing. Skip it to a minute in ... atmosphere on Champions League nights is unbeatable!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ilOSbu1Fjw&feature=related

BUT GOOD THINGS COME, TO THOSE WHO WAIT, CELTIC, CHAMPIONS.

Celtic