FC Sion v Celtic: 25/08/11

On Thursday, we play one of our most important games in sometime. Victory is essential. As we saw last week, however, a good result is never assured. Painfully, this was confounded over the weekend when we faced St. Johnstone in the SPL, losing 1-0. A positive performance is key.

FC Sion recorded a 2-0 victory at the weekend in their domestic league, and following their result last week, they'll be brimming with confidence. Hopefully, we'll silence their support early with an away goal.

How would you line-up for the game? Are Kayal and Hooper going to be ready for Thursday? Who will we have in central defence?


I'm confident we'll go through. ILWT.

 

I dread to even think about going out of Europe to this mob.

It's likely though, we're like a rabbit caught in headlights away in Europe. Hopefully that can change on Thursday.

 

Forster
Wilson Wilson Mulgrew Matthews
Forrest Brown Ki Ledley
McCourt
Stokes
​

Thats if Hooper & Kayal aren't fit.

Ledley & Ki doesn't work in CM. That's why Brown is there.

I just hope this doesn't go to penalties.

1-1

 

we're aswell just going for it with two up front. We NEED to win.

 

^^

We dont need to win, if it's a score draw we're through.

 

Forster
Cha KWilson Mulgrew MWilson
Brown Ki Ledley Forrest
Samaras
Stokes

Samaras defending when needed, Stokes always upfront, not on the wing, Cha to bomb by Brown.

If Kayal and Hooper are back

Forster
Cha KWilson Mulgrew MWilson
Brown Ki Kayal Forrest
Samaras
Hooper
​

 

what i meant was we need to score.

 

aye we defo need to score, because if we dont and they do we're out, and if it finishes 0-0 that means its PENALTIES

 

To be brutally honest i don't think we have a chance of going through on thursday night especially if we play the way we have the past two games. I hope I'm proved wrong but i believe it will be another season being put of europe by some * unknown team. I thought this celtic team had the capabilities to go far and do win stuff but i am seriously having my doubts now. If we cant even beat St. Jhonstone at home then what chance do we have playing away in europe with our away record?

 

I think we will line up

Forster
M.Wilson K.Wilson Majstorovic Mulgrew
Brown Ledley
Maloney Ki Commons
Samaras

however I believe this to be a mistake. Assuming that Hooper and Kayal are still out, I would go

Forster
M.Wilson K.Wilson Wanyama Mulgrew
Forrest Ki Ledley Maloney
Stokes Murphy

This isn't a particularly strong Celtic team either, I'd obviously rather not have Maloney or Murphy on the field, but needs must, and we have seen that Stokes, the guaranteed starter up top, doesn't work well with Maloney or Sammy. For this reason Murphy comes in, and hopefully puts in a performance (at least he can hit a penalty!).

Kris Commons has been rank since the start of the season, and if he isn't scoring goals, he doesn't contribute anything, so I'd drop him for this game. Maloney's best position is wide left in my opinion so he slots in there. I would have picked Paddy but I feel that a bit of tracking back will be required so he'll need to settle for the bench again.

Forrest in for Brown, no explanation required really, Brown's *.

Majstorovic was AWFUL on Sunday, I don't want him near the field, so Wanyama, who was alright, keeps his place beside Kelvin.

If Hooper and Kayal make it I'd swap them in for Murphy and Ledley respectively.

I'd love to say I'm really confident about Thursday, but I think we will see a different Sion in a few days, they came to park the bus at Celtic Park and managed successfully. When they broke against us they looked dangerous, particularly the two boys the furthest up (can't remember their names, one of them had green boots and I think the other one was number 14 or 24?), and I think we will see more of this side of Sion on Thursday. Hopefully them playing more attacking football will open up gaps that we can take advantage of. I think we might sneak through on away goals.
​

 

I agree we should go with two upfront, but I doubt if Hooper will be match fit in time, so therefore I would go with Rasmussen and Stokes.Same for Kayal's fitness.And I wouldn't play Majstorovic again for all the tea in China. Majstorovic is one of those players who could cost Lenny his job if he perseveres any long longer with him.

Zalusksa

Wilson Mulgrew Wanyama Matthews

Brown Ki Ledley Samaras

Rasmussen Stokes

 

What I expect:

Forster
Matthews Maj Wilson Wilson
Forrest Brown Ki Ledley Commons
Sammy​

What I want:

Zaluska
Wilson Wilson Mulgrew Matthews
Forrest Brown Ki Ledley
Sammy
Stokes​

 

I don’t appreciate that mentality of just achieving what is required to get by (particularly in an instance where we could push on).

The Old Firm game last season whereby a draw was “enough” springs to mind (and look what happened there).

 

I'm sure Rasmussen isn't in the 25 man squad.

 

Forster

Matthews K.Wilson Wilson Mulgrew

Brown Kayal Ki Ledley

Hooper Stokes

That's the team I'd like to see.

Mark Wilson is better at CB than he is at LB, and Majstorovic should be nowhere near the team on Thursday. I'd play Matthews at RB as I don't rate Cha at all.

Not ideal playing Ledley on the left but Commons needs dropped, and I dunno if I'd play McCourt from the start in this one. Also Forrest is never a left winger.

We can only hope for the best given our embarrassing away form.
​

 

Assuming Kayal and Hooper are out...

Forster

M.Wilson
Majstorovic
K.Wilson
Mulgrew

Forrest
Brown
Ki
Ledley
Maloney

Stokes

 

I completely agree. The team may have lost the league title at Inverness (not to mention dropping silly points mid-season), but Lennon choked last season in the final OF game. In my opinion, he was afraid to go at them and attempt to collect full points. Something I was confident we'd do, considering the form we were on and our past showings that season against Walter Myth's team.

Anyway, I do not want to settle for a draw. If it happens, okay. We'll judge the performance and be happy with the result, but we need more than that. A victory is needed for fan morale and to raise the players spirits.

 

Its going to be a tough one but remember we lost 1-0 to dynamo moscow in the first leg and won 2-0 away from home, we can give that sort of performance again even with the players we have, who knows maybe sammy will give that 1 season wonder performance, and Moscow were a far better outfit than sion are.

 

No question this is a massive game for Lennon and the team. There simply must be a reaction and a big performance on Thursday night. Nothing else is acceptable. Lets hope that Kayal, Hooper and Kelvin Wilson are fit. Getting them back in the side would be a big boost. Both Lennon and the players have a lot to prove come Thursday night. I am looking forward to the game but I must admit more in hope then in expectation right now.