Thursday Night was a Disaster Waiting to Happen

Well, another damning defeat at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, but sure what else did we expect? It might be a nostalgic experience heading back to Lisbon to the scene of our greatest triumph in ’67 at the Estadio Nacional but in reality since we first encountered Benfica two years later in the old European Cup we have never achieved a draw, never mind an away victory.

Thursday night was our fifth time playing the Eagles in Lisbon and each time we have suffered heavily. But the ironic thing about the games with Benfica is that we have had almost identical results in the games at Parkhead in our favour.

In November ’69 we defeated them 3-0 with Gemmell, Hood and Wallace scoring in what was my first game ever at Parkhead. But Celtic went down by the exact same score 0-3 in Lisbon and it went to the toss of a coin and famously it bounced off Cesar’s boot and the ref  tossed the coin again and Celtic won through.

After the match Bob Kelly on behalf of Celtic objected to the tossing of a coin which led to the introduction of penalty kicks to decide drawn games. Interestingly in that first game eight of the Lions played with the sub keeper in Lisbon John Fallon in nets, Harry Hood and big Yogi up front. In the away game Tommy Callaghan and Jim Brogan came in to replace Clark and Hood.

We didn’t come out of the hat together again for 37 years until October ’06 in the new Champions League format. We had another 3-0 victory with goals from Miller(2) and Pearson but once again a 0-3 defeat in Lisbon.

Naka and Sno featured in both games. I suppose when you consider the talent we had available then to now it still doesn’t appear to make any difference to the score lines.

In October ’07 we were drawn together once again; like buses none came for almost 40 years and then two in two seasons. We lost 0-1 in Lisbon but won the home game 1-0 with McGeady on the scoresheet. The Holy Goalie Artur Boric was in nets, Lenny in midfield and one Sean Maloney playing.

In 2012 Celtic went head to head once again with Benfica at Paradise but in a game which bucked the high scoring trend it finished 0-0. We lost the away game 2-1 with the ‘great wall’ Forester in nets, Wanyama in midfield, and Georgie Samaras up front and until Thursday night the big Greek was the only man to score against Benfica in the Stadium of Light in almost 60 years since we first played them.

Thursday night was a disaster waiting to happen. There is something not right about the team, it’s definitely not playing like an O’Neill team. I think also that he hasn’t figured out what his best starting eleven is yet.

Definitely the changes made at half time changed the shape of things and I’d imagine that Sunday’s front line could be Hassan, Duran and Osmand. Giving away a penalty so early is never in the plans.

Gary Caldwell gave away a penalty after 10 minutes against Benfica back in ’06! I think Thursday night also showed that Liam Scales is a must in the back 4. Defenders have to defend and some are lacking in that department, as indeed we are lacking in midfield too. I’ve never seen so many stray passes and two led to goals. One other position which is up for question is in nets? How a keeper can kick a ball straight down the middle to an opponent is beyond me? Big changes ahead for Hearts on Sunday?

As for the Europa League I wouldn’t be too alarmed just yet? We have played the two most difficult games, now we have two at home to hopefully get the points on board? Then we have relatively easier games to come so I would agree with MON that qualification is still on the cards? It’s early days yet, there was never Daffodils blooming in October!

Paddy McMenamin was born in Belfast with Donegal and Tyrone parents. He spent the 1970’s in Long Kesh. He has been going to Paradise since the Benfica game in Nov. 1969. He lived in Donegal for 30 years but now lives in Galway. He returned to University at 50 and became a secondary school teacher of history and English.