It’s hard playing away from home in Europe, statistically, the hardest thing we do (harder still than guessing what bizarre nonsense Craig Thomson will get up to next). For all our great Champions League nights, our record on the Continent (or any other continent, as the case may be) is poor.
Hapoel Beer Shiva’s expectations will be low, but their job tonight is remarkably simple: score, then score again, then see what happens to Celtic. They scored twice in two minutes at Celtic Park, and if they can do the same in 80 minutes in Israel, that +£20m pot you’ve been reading about it anyone’s.
We need big performances from our big players, most notably Craig Gordon and Kolo Toure. I’ve no concerns we’ll get what’s necessary from Leigh Griffiths, James Forrest and Scott Sinclair. Therein lies the tactical problem for Hapoel.
They would prefer to play this game as they played Olympiakos: on the break. Instead, they have to chase the tie, which will leave space for Celtic’s fast front three to exploit.
Tactically, this is a very difficult task to prepare for the home team to prepare for, which is why Hapoel are 9-1 against qualifying, high odds for a two horse race. They need to play the opponent, so should defend, but they also need to play the aggregate score, so need to create lots of chances.
Teams who attempt to square this circle often lose the match. Let’s hope.
1-2, Celtic, on the night.
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Can’t see it happening but hope there’s something in the James McCarthy rumour. Not a loan deal though, permanent.
Long term replacement for Brown in the midfield and as skipper, he could walk into the team now and play alongside him for next season or so. We’d probably need to break our transfer record but we’d be getting a leader on the park for the next 5-6 years.
Sell Bitton and Johansen to help finance move, free up some wages.
Barney
21:45 there.
They are 2 hours ahead of us.
(I think!)
FIELDOFDRAMS on 23RD AUGUST 2016 1:20 PM
Absolutely he could.
Michael don`t know much about.
What I was referring to was the recurrent unflattering references to the Kelly`s and Whites.
Hell.
Bob Kelly was at the wheel when we reached the pinnacle.
Similar personnel to last week, but slight change of shape.
Bitton in for Rogic. McGregor slightly ahead of Brown and Bitton in a 4-3-3.
Wide two to come back when defending. Forrest a bit static last week on the first goal when Lustig came out. More switched on this week, please.
Don’t think we will HAVE to score, although even one goal will make it a MUCH easier evening.
Keep it simple. Keep the ball when we have it.
Think it could be a fairly nerve-free 2-1 defeat.
Yer right philbhoy, 2 hours ahead, my bad. ;-0
Afternoon fholks.
Not long now till a 2-1 win seals our CL place.Agree with those predicting we go for it tonight,we scored 5 against them last week so we can open them up.And we’re on the up.Our wide players will be the key,if they are on it we’ll get chances and we have finishers in the team.
I’m nervous but in an excited way.In Brendan we trust.
COYBIG
The posts on last thread about players who hardly run reminded me of an interview with Socrates.Interviewer asked him about his style of play and that he seemed to barely jog and never sprinted,Socrates replied,”He who thinks doesn’t run,he who runs doesn’t think.”Loved the big guy.
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession
Aye, that’s true – so many contradictions. And how come some teams are still stuck in pre-Industrial Revolution times with their workhorses?
What’s that about?
At least Ipswich moved with the times and became the Tractor Boys…
James McCarthy is 25, which is a good age for our team, however I don’t know his height to enough decimal places to give you any further reliable details…
If we try an knock the ball along the back line like we tried against St Johnstone I’ll be shitting myself.
Nae mer eh that patter Brendan.
QUONNO on 23RD AUGUST 2016 1:03 PM
Jock Stein signed only one of the Lisbon Lions.
Robert Kelly signed all of the rest, including one that Jock Stein had punted.
Kelly DID know something about football, but more importantly he knew that Jock Stein knew more about it than he did.
A wee bit hot but its the humidity I tells ya and the humidity is no too bad according to this website
http://www.myweather2.com/Football/Israel/Hapoel-BeerSheva.aspx
Anything above 60% Relative Humidity is no nice, though by twenty oclock humidity jumps hopefully it’s all over but if it jumps above 60% before half time we could see some heavy legs (aha, as opposed to light legs) early in the second half and that is where we need to make sure there is plenty of coal in the petrol engine so the players don’t run out of steam, got that Brendan.
Bhoys
Anyone know of Celtic friendly bars in Cupar showing the games?
None on celticbars
Kikinthenakas
£102,000.
If we are talking boots in the haw maws European games…….then the night Big Jackie scored four at home and we still went out to Partizan must rank near the top for me
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession
Do heavy legs lead to tired passes?
New Rules…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/08/23/your-refresher-guide-to-the-new-football-laws-in-place-for-the-2/
Davido…,
aye, football eh, its another language, physics, anatomy in fact its alien if you think about it
Did TonyD push the fund over the £100k barrier?
Macjay, the comment that finished Michael Kelly for me was the one about the fans protesting against him and his apparent delaying of Fergus’s takeover – ‘they should go back to their peripheral housing estates.’
And some of us think Lawwell’s bad!
Not as nervous as apparently some are tonight. No going for a walk or hiding behind the couch for me. I think we will qualify fairly comfortably. I’ll go for 6-3 to Hapoel.
On the rumour front – Wilfried Bony on loan should we qualify.
Take a look at @joebloggscity’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/joebloggscity/status/768006571775389697?s=01
Apologies if already posted
BABASONICOS71
Socrates (RIP) an amazing player and legend, in the real sense of the word.
Was party to a real bizarre episode:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/dec/05/socrates-garforth-town-politics-courage
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjahs6-xtfOAhXlLcAKHcwoBfgQtwIIKDAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DM8wwx9aF-wM&usg=AFQjCNGSrmiXhtzLuR28xkchPNFqxHpnVQ
Davido..,
deep footprints I think, but your right, there is also tired and lazy passes but shirley we can’t blame the player because the pass decides its knackered or wants to go to bed early or cannae be bothered taking the rubbish out now, can we ?
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 23rd August 2016 1:37 pm
Davido…,
aye, football eh, its another language, physics, anatomy in fact its alien if you think about it
—————————————————————————–
But they don’t have words like liquidation, new club, or cheated. But languages are funny like that – the French don’t really have an expression for being full (as in having eaten lots), and we don’t have a single word like the Germans do for someone who takes warm showers: warmduscher…
Oh CQN…
You’ve been some laugh today.
FIELDOFDRAMS on 23RD AUGUST 2016 1:38 PM
Macjay, the comment that finished Michael Kelly for me was the one about the fans protesting against him and his apparent delaying of Fergus’s takeover – ‘they should go back to their peripheral housing estates.’
And some of us think Lawwell’s bad!
===========================================================
Thanks , mate.
I never heard any of that stuff.
It seems he ended up where he deserved.
Out.
Isreal on a par with legned.
And phannies.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS on 23RD AUGUST 2016 1:40 PM
Socrates (RIP) an amazing player and legend, in the real sense of the word.
Was party to a real bizarre episode:
==================
I renember that.Bizzare yet at the same time so ‘him’. ;))
There was a period around their 2 goals going in where we seemed to lose the plot with who was attacking the player coming to the box and who was staying. Toure was going mental at this at one stage and he ended up looking out of position.
They had a very strong guy who could hold the ball up just off the right side of the box and this caused upset as well.
I hope the team are well drilled on closing down quickly and getting their body in the way of the ball. I’m sure Brown turned his body slightly at their second goal. That can’t be allowed to happen again.
I can’t see us not scoring and I can’t see them scoring 4 or 5.
Give the ball to Forrest and Sinclair after we lose it and let them test their defence. I can see one of their defenders making a last ditch tackle and not staying on the park. Their keeper was dodgy.
The signs are that the players want his badly. I hope that translates to positive energy.
I can hear the studs rattling the dressing room floor now.
Davido,
“paid in full” is an expression alien to some too, aye there’s lots of quirks around the beautiful game, well except when its ugly.
Canamalar
Amen to that, sir.
Davidopoulos on 23rd August 2016 1:07 pm
No’ very much at all……………………….
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers last night expressed his dismay at the disciplinary proceedings instigated by Uefa.
Watched a clip of The Bhoys training in Israel last night, pitch looks very dry and bobbly…
According to PTT Celtic in advanced talks to sign Paddy Roberts on a permanent basis…
HH
Trad88..,
imagine what kind of money being talked about as wages, I’m very septic on this one :)
Gary67 on 23rd August 2016 1:23 pm
You on the cooking sherry? I don’t think McCarthy is good enough to displace any of our current midfield. he was shambles at the Euros. Never a Celtic captain. That’s Eoghan’s or KT’s in years to come!
Whoever pulls on the hoops tonight will need to dig deep. It will be a game win or lose we will use all 14 players as we have Aberdeen on Saturday too. A draw is my inkling.
In terms of Aberdeen game the heavily conflicted Bobby Madden has been appointed. He managed to extricate himself from the celebrations at Ibrox on Saturday to have his chance at dishing out yellow cards to Celtic players.
His targets will be Scott Brown, Kolo Toure and Leigh Griffiths ( for having a big grin after scoring ).
Craig Thomson has found his level in the championship with DUTD v Raith.