There are games when you are full of trepidation but this isn’t one of them. We face tonight’s foe with the proverbial puncher’s chance. Barcelona come to a venue where their losing rate is well above average. They know we’ve given them a bloody nose here on more than one occasion, and that we’ve progressed enormously since our visit to Camp Nou in September.
Brendan and the players will be looking forward to kick-off. This is what being a football player is all about. Facing off against the greatest players in the world on the top stage.
We have a team full of players on form and with something to prove. They have conquered all before them domestically, so professionally, need to hit a higher target.
You will possibly wonder how long there is to go, look up to find we’re only 90 seconds into the game. The competitive stress will be that acute, but tonight is part of the Great Celtic story. The game will develop the team and the club. Players will be wiser and better because of it, our transformation in a few short months into a Champions League team will mature.
Drink in every ounce of it.
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Brendan might need to rein in the play-it-out-from-the-back stuff for tonight. We got off with a lot of slackness against Kilmarnock which we won’t tonight.
I’d go with a condensed 4-3-3 (no isolated one up front please!), with the wide players filtering back when Barca are attacking down their side.
Gordon;
Lustig, Erik, Jozo/Toure, Izzy;
Brown,
Armstrong, McGregor;
Forrest, Dembele, Sinclair
Go a bit more direct. Play to our strengths – Dembele’s physical presence, the pace of the wide two.
Get in their faces a bit more, track their runs, don’t let them run on your blindside and keep the ball better when we have it. Job done!
SOUKOUS
Good read that, someone on here said TW would outscore Dembele this season, I hope he’s not a gambling man…
This is our twelfth game in Europe to-night and overall I think the team has done well despite a really tough group stage. Stand toe to toe with these guys with a good performance and I will be happy.
2 links on this page sum up the highs on lows of being a Celt (sorry Clumpany, none are yours).
The link to the Tony Watt story is illustrative of so many who have come to be loved by the fans only to go downhill very quickly. Superb talent means nothing without hard work and application, but I sincerely hope it works out for the boy!
The last Lisbon Lions last game shows the pinnacle of this great club and where we will always strive to be again one day! I was at the game and remember it with great memories!
What did strike me about it though was the rubble and building material all around the od stand and track! nae chance of a game going ahead in conditions like the in this modern era!
KTF
VFR
any point I will happily take … celebrate .. dont get me wrong
HH
Of course I should have said it’s our 11th game in Europe…….. Man City still to come.
Aw naw, I know what you mean. the heid (no’ big Caldwell) says a pumping but the od heart says we will prevail in some way!
KTF
Does Mark Warburton Prattle on Too Much
By Ken McNab
MARK WARBURTON has pleaded with the Ibrox support to cut his players some slack over Rangers’ patient build-up play.
The Light Blues gaffer’s Barcelonaesque tiki-taka-style tactics have frustrated some fans who want their team to play Walter Smithesque long ball football – and turn massive possession into goals.
But Warburton is urging the fans to keep the faith over his blueprint following the last-gasp Harry Forrester header that eventually clinched victory over Dundee on Saturday.
He said: “Stats-wise, I think we had 1300-plus passes, that is fifteen passes a minute we dominated with 3-odd chances and, of course, the frustration is we weren’t out of sight earlier. I’m delighted for the boys for their perseverance – they stuck to the game plan and didn’t lose patience or the ball much.
“They understand the crowd were becoming restless as they want to win the game of football, but I thought they boys were excellent and the rewards came in the last minute.
“I hope the crowd understand – and the crowd have been fantastic – that when we have so much possession, we are working the opposition and working them and working them and working them to the point where they can’t kick the ball in the last minute, and they just try and clear their lines and we pick it up again.
“What we have to do is hopefully get the early goal or penalty to ease any nerves and frustration, but keep working them, as a mistake will come and all we’re looking for is half a yard, and if we can exploit that opportunity then all well and good.
“We talk about good players, and we tell them they wouldn’t be here unless they were good players, and to enjoy being good players, and I am delighted for them to get their rewards on Saturday as good players. Yes it is a pity they are not brilliant players but that is where we are”
Barrie McKay came off the bench on Saturday and showed glimpses of the form that earned him a Scotland call-up.
And Warburton also heaped praise on fellow subs Joe Dodoo and goalscorer Forrester for the impact they made.
He told RangersTV: “Joe came on in a wide area, and Harry, likewise to Barrie, has been frustrated, but he’s such a good ball player, such a clever player, and he showed his quality again on Saturday.
“You saw before where he won the free kick after turning the centre-half, and he’s clever is Harry. “He sees the picture early, gets himself in dangerous areas and is not afraid to take risks in the final third. All credit to him for a difficult finish.
“And Joe, who is more of a central striker, he came on out on the right, found himself over on the left, was doing the hokey pokey and then a delivered great ball in for Harry. I’m delighted with the substitutions and the team effort in general and my tactical astuteness.”
Warburton was also delighted with the contribution of Joe Garner, saying: “He came short and dragged their centre-halves out of position. Aerially he is so strong in both boxes and he links up play too.
“When he comes short, players are coming all over him – you saw Kenny [Miller] go beyond to receive in the money shot position, likewise Joshy and Holty, who again covered an amazing amount of distance and showed his quality.”
Firstly a big thanks to my good pall Kenny L , a lurker on here, for sorting my lhads Hampden ticket, thanks a million. Just one for me now..,
Down in Liverpool at the moment, will be at my favourite Lancashire pub for the game tonight. The locals will be engrossed in the Citeh game but they will know I am there.
Good luck to all of us tonight, strange things happen at Celtic Park, sometimes there is someone looking after our club as Bob Kelly once said.
I would love to be there but duty calls. I can see a high scoring 4-3 win for us, Barca have only scaled heights twice this season , pne time against us and the other week away to Sevilla when Messi dragged them away from a mauling in the first 30 minutes.
There’s going to be a show and the Glasgow Celtic will be there.
Hail! Hail!
Why are we posting about Sevco today. ?
HH.
GlassTwoThirdsFull- my fear when we play Forrest and Sinclair against top teams, we get outnumbered in MF and opposition is on our back 4 constantly, these guys will need to play to tactics from BR.HH
Greenpinata on 23rd November 2016 12:59 pm
because I wanted to.
Q) What are you going to do about it ?
A) Absolutely nothing … say it again :-)
HH
BMCUWP,
I’ve just emailed you,hope you got it ?
In case you didn’t, I couldn’t answer your text this morn as I was in a meeting.
When I saw your text on my phone I couldn’t reply cos I forgot to top up my phone after that meeting and doing some shopping. Old age memory loss !
Please email me again but remember I can’t text you back just now, and I’ll probably not get thus phone topped up until Friday ?
Cheers mate.
HH
AWE_NAW_NO_ANNONI_OAN_ANAW_NOO on 23RD NOVEMBER 2016 1:02 PM
Greenpinata on 23rd November 2016 12:59 pm
because I wanted to.
Q) What are you going to do about it ?
A) Absolutely nothing … say it again :-)
HH
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If that’s what floats your boat.
HH.
GREENPINTA
provoking thought police morons floats my boat so thanks
HH
Since KT has been out we do not overlap on he left side as well when he is in the team, keep Izzy defensive with the wide left midfielder providing this function although SS tends to cut in, someone must keep them guessing and get wider of him , Suarez is as strong as an Ox and we need to match him physically I would go with Erik following him everywhere, the rest is fingers crossed play out your skins boys leave nothing in the tank by the end. Hail Hail
Warbsy apart from his “Ooohhh Matron”moment about the thug,confirming my post from the other day,
Joshy and Holty
“When he comes short, players are coming all over him – you saw Kenny [Miller] go beyond to receive in the money shot position, likewise Joshy and Holty, who again covered an amazing amount of distance and showed his quality.”
Courtesy of Awe Naw.
A guy on the golf course this morning said that Celtic had invited an American player over to watch tonight`s game. Anyone know anything about this?
JJ
He also said Celtic players were on an average of £ 14,000 per week. Is that information available to anyone outside Celtic?
JJ
Not being able to go to the game tonight, or indeed many games, I took to calling myself a fan rather than a supporter of The Famous Glasgow Celtic. Now I realise my mistake – there are so many ways of supporting a club like no other…buying the merchandise, donating to the Foundation through sleep-overs and other creative events, fund-raising for the Res 12 super heroes, crowd-funding for the Palestinian initiative, inter alia, and, like tonight, tuning into CQN to be entertained, thrilled, elated (hopefully) and maybe even consoled by a whole bunch of CQNers whom I have never met but really couldn’t do without on nights like this. Thanks in advance, and let’s make it a good one!
HOT SMOKED
Darlington Ngabe from Portland Timbers, wee chat about him last night..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlington_Nagbe
Celtic will invite MLS playmaker Darlington Nagbe to Parkhead tonight in a bid to convince the Portland Timbers midfielder that his future belongs at Parkhead. The 26-year-old American, born in Liberia, would be available for a fee of around £1.5million. Nagbe would battle with Tom Rogic for the No.10 role. (The Sun)
Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/rumour-mill-celtic-chase-mls-star-brighton-midfielder-ashley-handed-rangers-megastore-aberdeen-sign-celtic-kid-1-4298523
Darlington Ngabe.
https://johnjamessite.com/2016/11/23/the-level-5-handicap-squirrel-chase/
Bada Bing
With three in the middle we should do better than last time (hopefully!). I just think we need to give them something to think about defensively, where they are not the best.
As you say though, Brendan will have a plan.
HH
FAC tweeting that another 2 not guilty verdicts this morning for singing Roll of Honour
Kill the bill
Starry, Awe Naw and Bobby,
Thank you all,
JJ
Interesting that Brendan has used Armstrong and McGregor as full-backs in the last two league games. Maybe with a view to tonight’s game? Not to use AS full-backs, but maybe to get them used to covering defensively?
I had never really heard of the name Dembele before , and now its the “name of the year”, they are popping up everywhere, we have 2, is it spurs has 1, i see dortmund have one last night.
ours to score tonight.
After his free kick against England Moussa should be on direct free kicks to see how he does.
Hot Smoked on 23rd November 2016 1:15 pm
He also said Celtic players were on an average of £ 14,000 per week. Is that information available to anyone outside Celtic?
JJ
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JJ, if you can read the accounts and then do a wee bit of arithmetic you can work it out easily enough. Simple formula: amount spent on players wages divided by number of players = average wage.
You’re no’ working oot the bill in Coias the night!
KTF
Just read the Johnjamessite article.It looks like Ashley who appeared to be holding all the aces , as folded.
has folded.
UNLEASH HELL CELTIC !
Jist dae it !
As for tactics I really don’t know, and I’m sure Brendan doesn’t need my input.
It must be very difficult for any TOP manager ( it’s okay Warbo, just you sit this one out), including Brendan , to try and come up with some sort of ” tactical p!an” against an outfit like Barca ?
The only ” tactic” that I can come up with is for every Celtic man to do ” his duty”, and make massive use of our energy levels, and try and close Barca down as quickly and as often as possible ? In other words, make them rush every pass .
This of course is easier said than done, but if the Celtic players can somehow pressurise Barca into mistakes , then when we do get possession, in that cauldron and somehow manage to keep cool heads, then who knows ?
Two things are certain, a) The Celtic players will have the backing of a fantastic support, and b) Make no mistake, for all their quality and movement, Barcas defence CAN be GOT AT !
Go to it Celts, win every baw………that’s all we ask !
Hail Hail.
Ashley always folds against the huns for some reason.
Canny understand it.
Aw Naw just read the Warbiola article you “Aw Naw’d”.
Whit a fool the guy is; I thought you had fully doctored it but so much of the stupid language is actually his!
“Harry, likewise to Barry” FFS. the man is an embarrassment.
Measure that against Rodgers in a Presser; a massive gulf in class!
KTF
Philbhoy on 23rd November 2016 2:34 pm
Ashley always folds against the huns for some reason.
Canny understand it.
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If JohnJames is right (and he gets a fair few wrong – water from the church anyone?) and Ashley has folded, there will be a sting in the tail.
KTF