Barcelona vs Celtic, Tue 23rd Oct, KO 19:45

Though I would get the ball rolling on this one, looking forward to the game and hope for a decent performance, but considering it is Barca it will depend more on how they play than how we do! Anyway the team I would line up with barring players not being fit is:

Forster
Lustig Ambrose Wilson Mulgrew
Wanyama
Brown Kayal Ledley Samaras
Hooper

Possible play Commons if Brown doesn't make it. Would consider commons on the left and Sammy up front on his own but hooper is playing too well to be considered for the bench, even if it is Barca.

 

Forster Zaluska Kamenar

Izzy Mulgrew Wanyama Rogne Ambrose Wilson Lustig Matthews

 

Forster
Lustig Ambrose Wilson Izzy
Victor
Brown (if fit) Kayal Ledley Sammy
Hooper


We need every player to have the game of their life if we are to even get close to a positive result. As long as we don't get pumped then it's fine.

2-0 Barca.

 

Yeh same team as I picked above apart from left back, very defensive but could be useful on the counter attack with Sammy, Hooper and Wanyama bombing forward. Loads of pace, Would have Mulgrew in though, Izzy has picked up a bit the last couple of games but I feel he takes too many risks and would be unwise to pick him ahead of Mulgrew.

 

Forster
Matthews Ambrose Mulgrew Izaguirre
Commons Wanyama Kayal Ledley Samaras
Hooper​

That'd be my team.

 

That's some solid line-up there!

 

Forster
Lustig Ambrose Mulgrew Izaguirre
Wanyama
Matthews Kayal Ledley Samaras
Hooper

Id play that, Pique and Busquets are out so they have a tiny team. Set peices will be vital if we have Lustig, Ambrose, Mulgrew, Wanyama, Ledley and Samaras all on. Maybe Commons instead of Matthews, to win and take the set peices.
​

 

i can see us getting something ,we are getting stronger looking with each game and i know its barca but 1-1

 

I need a slapping today, I'm more worried about this than enthusiastic, what a * *!

Hopefully I get better tomorrow

 

I'll obviously be watching my team, but i'll probably be just as excited watching the updates from Moscow...if Spartak and Benfica share the spoils then it's on like donkey kong!

 

I can see Wanyama getting sent off, you know.

It will be nerve-wracking to see how his, er, 'robust' playing style interacts with the Iberian tendency to go to ground as if hit by sniper at the slightest challenge.

 

Playing the best team in the world and the huns are in the 3rd division, don't you just love it!

 

Forster

Matthews Ambrose Mulgrew Izzy

Brown Kayal Wanyama Ledley Sammy

Hooper​

Probably with Sammy as an SS or in a free role quite a lot of the time, however he'd need to track Alves a lot so that's why I have him wide left.

We'll probably lose this one, especially at the Nou Camp but we should give them a right game.


Any Irish lads know if this is gonna be on TV3?

Or even UTV/ITV?

 

Forster​

Lustig Ambrose Wilson Izzy​

Wanyama​

Ledley Kayal Mulgrew​

Samaras​

Hooper​

Extremely harsh on Kris Commons but I don't think this is a game for him at all. We won't have a lot of the ball. We need to try and isolate there full backs 2-1 whenever we get the ball. They allow it to happen when you can manage to get in behind there defence. ​

Have Samaras sitting in the space between defence and midfield and hit his chest with the ball. Hooper needs to stay inbetween the two defenders, which should be Alex Song and Mascherano, who are naturally midfielders, they don't know where to position themselves properly.​

We'll never have a better chance than Tuesday to get something at the Nou Camp, Puyol, Pique, Dani Alves and Sergio Busquets are out. That is the biggest part of there defensive team. Dani Alves' pace manages to bail them out a * of a lot. We need to break down that wing when possible.​

Push them and try and cut off Xavi's supply to Messi, it will force him to come deep. Very dangerous there as well but it's the best we can do. ​

I think that Barcelona will line up:​

Valdes​

Montoya Song Mascherano Alba​

Xavi​

Fabregas Iniesta​

Alexis Messi Pedro ​

That is an extremely attacking side and frail defensively, if we are disciplined enough and break properly we can get at them. Remember this team conceded 2 goals against Spartak Moscow. It's not impossible to get at them, shake things up a bit. We need to be very focused defensively though. That is the major problem, no diving in from Wanyama, no dwelling on the ball from Ambrose and no slips of concentration from Izzy and Wilson. ​

 

Theyre on before us

 

Diplomatic masterclass from you there Doire_Bhoy! Usually, I would never endorse any ethnic stereotype but I'm committing to this one - they are all diving c%£t$!

As for Wanyama...I'm never not afraid he's gonna get sent off!

 

I think that game is on earlier

 

Ha!

It's not so much an ethnic stereotype as an inherent characteristic of La Liga (regardless of the players' nationalities), in the same way that the SPL is widely known to be a more physical league.

Barca will be getting free kicks and we'll be getting yellows and reds left, right and centre if we're not extremely careful.

 

Is Wanyama suspended for this?

 

Ahh, of course they are. I'm forgetting about Eastern KO times.

Whilst on the subject of Spartak vs Benfica, I'm really looking forward to this week! Worst case scenario, Barca hump us (shocker!) and Benfica win - no shame in losing to the best, and 2nd place is still wide open. On the other hand, it could end up being one of the greatest nights in our history! And anything in between those two outcomes is perfectly acceptable!

Bottom line, there is no disaster scenario (barring injuries). There is however, the chance for real glory! Bring the noise!!!