Celtic v Shakter Karagandy Wednesday 28th August - 7.45 KO Sky Sports 1

Well its taken me a few days of claming down after Tuesdays fiasco to even be able to post. I am still really in shock at what happened. Facts are while yes we played poorly on the night no question about it we still created enough chances to have won or at worst drawn the game. That for me in a way is one of the most damning aspects of Tuesday. This tie was there for the taking even without our team playing well. That is how distinctly average Karagandy are.
Far to many of are players simply didn't perform on the day. It was in a way a bit like our non performance in last seasons League Cup Semi-Final against St Mirren. The players just didn't sense the danger and play at the level needed. Having said that the finger of blame must also get pointed at the board. The fact that Anthony Stokes was not on the field meant we didn't have a single out and out goalscorer on the field. It was and has not exactly been a secret for a long time that Hooper was for the off this summer unless something surprising happened. That we have not bought a replacement for him has put us in a giant hole we should not be in right now and could cost the club a massive amount of money by not reaching the group stages of the champions league. We are told and rightly so how well managed off the field Celtic are. Well the backrooms failure to have a replacement for Hooper on the field on Tuesday is a major reason we are in such trouble going into next Wednesday second leg.

Having said all that I still think we are capable of overcoming Tuesday's fiasco and making the group stages. But instead of being a straight forward game next Wednesday at Celtic Park is now going to require a Celtic performance of top quality and has no margin for error really. A few years ago the board made a massive mistake in not signing Stephen Fletcher that cost us a league title. The current failure to have signed a replacement for Hooper is leaving us with a massive goalscoring hole which Anthony Stokes as good as he is cannot fill all by himself. I have still hope we can survive and come back next Wednesday but unless a replacement for Hooper is found we are in for a rough ride against quality opposition.

 

i think 433 is less defensive than a 352. With 4 at the back we have two attacking wing backs, but with the 352 we have three CBs on the pitch.

SK are gonna play with 11 men behind the ball, 1 guy may break forward to challenge a long hoof, but thats the extent of their attacking play. As they showed against us, and in their previous tie, whether lucky or not, they can sit deep and make it hard to break down. My big problem on tuesday was how few attempts to play through the heart of their defence were made. Was actually screaming for Stokes to come on cause say what you like, he can link up well, especially with commons. * their height, i'd look to exploit their lack of agility with fast, short passing. Again, think Stokes is crucial - he's our best goalscorer, simple as.

i want to see:

Forster

Matthews Virgil Mulgrew Izzy

Brown Ledley

Sammy Commons Boerrigter

Stokes

Want to see loads of overlapping from the wing backs, leaving Broony and Ledley to alternate sitting deeper with pushing forward. Want to see them going through the middle with short quick passes, high pressure, using the full width of the pitch to try and create space. Can play through the middle or fire over crosses as Sammy and Boerrigter aren't short and their keeper looks lost when a ball is floated in. Should be playing for corners too - we always looked dangerous from them.

If this doesn't work, sacrifice whoever isn't playing well, slap on big Balde and get pumping the ball into him with the rest of the boys looking to pounce on the second ball.

 

I think this is going to be a very tough game. We couldn't break them down when they were playing offensively.i can see them parking the bus and playing 5/6 defenders. They have height all over the pitch so lumping the ball into the box could be a waste of time. We need to be patient and hope the crowd gets behind the team. Too be honest I don't have the confidence that others have,saying we will win 4/5 nil. I think we could get away with 3 at the back and play 2/3 attacking midfielders and two strikers. I just hope Lennon has a game plan and plays the a team capable of wining, even if it means droping people. although not overly confident we scored 4 v Armedia when they parked the bus so I will always have hope and bit of faith. As others said this is the most important game of the season. Regardless of how we do when/if we get the the CL this game will net us 20million and hopefully a few new signings.

 

You will destroy us, i'm pretty sure.

 

high tempo passing and lots of movement are the only way.

We were far too slow on tuesday, going forward and back, like we were being too patient? Need to come at them. I'm not confident. I think we can do it, but if we do that it will take a very good performance. Like i said, they seem relatively good at sitting deep, flooding the defence. We need to attack sharp, right from the off and hope that the pressure, along with the atmosphere of 60,000 celtic fans all with arses making buttons will be enough to make em crumble. If we don't score in the first 25, i reckon it could become uber nervy!

I have faith, just know its going to be tough. C'mon you * hoops!

 

Just take our chances. Can't see us missing as many again and at home there will be even more. 2 goals in first 30 mins and its over.

 

I truly believe Celtic are still gonna move on.

The chances were there on Tuesday ... the club sounds upbeat, the manager sounds upbeat.

I think we're gonna move on.

 

Does anyone think we should try an offside trap against this mob...it could be risky but there just going to punt it up every time looking for the flick ons....none of their big lumps will beat us for pace so it should defuse any attacking threat by keeping them high up the pitch meaning they will have to run with the ball which they're not used to

 

Sail through, 2 early goals and pump them 2nd half

 

Hoping for extra time tbh

 

You're not...are you?

 

:smiley-laughing002: Throwing a game when there's £20m on the line in the hope of generating interest in the second leg of the tie is playing with fire, is it not? Not to mention the fact that it's illegal.

 

4-0 to the Hoops

 

:smiley-laughing002:

I think that might have been said with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

 

Could lose the game or win 5/6-0.

Can never tell with Celtic anymore. Was disappointed with the lack of hunger on Tuesday more than anything else.

 

You caught a few

 

Forster
Matthews Virgil Muldrew Izaguirre
Brown Ledley
Samaras Commons Boerrigter
Stokes​

3-0

 

Ahh. :smiley-laughing002:

 

If we do, your team and fans should still be proud of shakhtyor. Good European adventure so far and guaranteed Europa League place .

Hope to * we do it though, after last season we need to be in the champions league again.

4-0/4-1 Celtic