[Official TC Thread] Barcelona vs Celtic, Tuesday 13/09/16, 19.45. BTSport3

Ajer is in the youth team to play Barca at 3PM.

 

Despite all the if's and might or might not happen's in this thread I wish Celtic the best of luck in Barcelona tonight.

 

No am not taking it the wrong way, I keep hearing in private and in public were in a glamorous group. There is nothing glamorous getting humped in a hard group.

Every group we get into the UCL, yes. If its a easy to hard group. We should be aiming to get Europe after Christmas as a target.

You have made a very good point. Barcelona are arguably the greatest Footballing Club the world has ever seen, which Rodgers has taken time out to learn from and educated himself la masia philosophy/positional play. So I hope to see we at least give them a game tomorrow, if not I will be disappointed. I will be more than disappointed if we get our arses handed to us with a Neil Lennon scoreline of 6-1 or something in front of all that Television coverage, on the biggest Club Footballing stage. Also, I don't want to see our players starting to * themselves while under possession that just indicates that the squad of players (at least 11 of them) have no intention of progression of ability. But as someone stated in here we won't be under that pressure, I hope there right.

As for the Man City/No history before oil Billionaires play toy Club, its irritating seeing them immerse themselves into a Football force due to billionaire underwriting especially a Club like them, but its not against the law obviously its a dream come true which has made there support completely ignorant with delusion and using the Sky Sports marketing strategy as there justification of inflating the Footballing Market. For that spunking money mechanism they are doing they have more than enough quality to see past us, fair enough to them. Its just disappointing our billionaire is more interested in his handicap than helping us out for a good midfielder which Rodgers needs and bring us more risk management to get us Europe after Christmas.

For Borussia Mönchengladbach they are good Footballing side, good raw talent, good aggressive counter attacking side. I believe we are just as good as them on our day/night. I think we have the advantage at Home under the floodlights. I just don't see why that is laughable to be honest while I don't subscribe to the Bundesliga argument and that has been already mentioned in a previous post.

 

Kind of what I was thinking. chill a bit, minimalist. We ARE likely the weakest in the group. I do reckon we can finish third but there's nowt wrong with realism.

 

The coefficient states that. I just find it unacceptable that we should be finishing last when theres 6 games to play regardless of the opposition. The competition is a results industry and as a Footballing Club we should be trying to at least make progress finishing 3rd. Barca and City have great quality but that should not make us give up.

 

Cuidnae agree more. Reckon we'll finish * rather than fort, ma sell.

 

You are missing the point.

"trying to at least make progress" - Obviously the team are trying to finish 3rd at least. They are still going out to win every game.

"should not make us give up" - Again, who is saying we are giving up? Both the team and us want us to win every game and the players will give everything to do just that

The point we are making is that finishing anything other than 4th would be a fantastic result for us. Looking at each of the 4 teams in the group, player for player we have the weakest squad. We are expected to finish last. Those are the facts. You finding that "unacceptable" is just ridiculously deluded.

 

Listening to the 90 Minute Cynic podcast and I'm sort of agreeing with one of the guys when he said he'd like to see Rodgers go "* it" and have a bit of a go.

Obviously not going full pelt but I'd rather see us not park the bus.

 

I don't know why you're popping up now when there are replys on post #397. Not surprising when someone disagrees with you and throws in ad hominems.

I would like to think they have the belief to win the group, that kind of positive mentality is needed and I hope Rodgers is giving them that belief.

Player for player is debatable but I honestly can't be bothered to engage into a debate for player to player, but if you want to then batter away. I believe we are stronger than them in certain positions and in areas of our game, and no they aren't facts, you fully believe they are and I don't doubt your sincerity that you believe they are facts, im just telling you that I think we can beat them at CP and get a result away and a few results from home to finish 3rd, which we should be doing. Aye, okay its deluded. I think you have stated that like three or four times to regurgitate it because I disagree :smiley-laughing002:

 

We should anyway, what have we got to lose?

Its worrying (and I hope I am not the only one here who thinks this) if we don't take as a whole a "cup final" philosophy into every single game then were going the wrong way about this campaign.

 

I would rather lose 5-2 and have had a go than lose 3-0 having parked the bus.

The only problem with 'having a go' is that it could very easily end up 7-2 and nobody wants that.

In Brendan we Trust.

 

We are a team coming together and jelling as a team.the players are going to enjoy themselves they will have no fear it will be a tight game i think we can get a point at least

 

OK, here's a wee question to pass the time ..

Lets say its 0-0 with 20 minutes to go.. would you like to see Celtic go for the win and risk losing the point or tighten up and try to hold on to the point for the draw?

My own thoughts would be to go for the win. a point away to Barca would be a great result but i think inviting a team like them 20 minutes to unpick our defence is bound to result in us coming away with nothing from the game.

 

We really need to keep it tight and try to catch them on the break or at set pieces.
It's all well and good saying "have a go", but being on the wrong end of a big scoreline is the last thing this team needs now, as they are just getting up a head of steam.
I feel if we can overcrowd the defense and midfield and frustrate them, then we might be able to scrape a draw by catching them on the break.

I'd play 5 at the back and 3 C/DMs, with Dembele and Sinclair given free run up front.

---------DeVries

Gamboa, Lustig, Toure, Erik, KT
-------Brown Bitton
---------Rogic

-----------------Sinclair
------Dembele

Only thing is, I'd be worried about throwing Gamboa in for his debut on such a big occasion.
I'd also consider playing maybe Armstrong or McGregor as they would probably be more suited to a more defensive game plan than Rogic.

If we can keep the scoreline respectable, or even * a draw, it would give us a huge confidence boost going into the rest of the campaign.

I just fear getting a hammering and the team's confidence taking a huge knock.

 

We need to play on break, I think Sinclair and Dembele can catch this lot out. Only question is can our defence hold out..................here comes the familiar away in Europe roller coaster ride.Hopefully no the big dipper this time.

 

You need to get the ball to have a go. I would like to see us have a go when we do get possession, but I don't think we can go pressing them to win it back, or we will get picked off. One thing we do have is plenty of pace in the team, and I would also like to see Gamboa brought in tonight to add to that. Sit deep and look to play on the counter attack. I would like to see us commit men forward when we do break. This is a free hit as far as I'm concerned. This game tonight won't determine whether or not we progress in Europe in any capacity, but I would sill be wary of what a heavy defeat might do to the morale of the team.

 

De Vries

Gamboa Lustig Toure Sviatchenko Tierney

Roberts Brown Bitton Sinclair

Dembele​

 

I would carry on playing they way we were playing, we would probably get at least a break or 2 to try and * a winner,better than going all out and losing a late one.