Cluj warmed up for their second trip to Celtic Park of the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over fourth placed Gaz Metan on Sunday. That followed elimination from Cupa Romania on penalty kicks on Wednesday, although manager, Dan Petrescu made 11 changes for the Cup game from his usual league selection.
Petrescu also made 11 changes for the league game before facing Celtic last time. The gamble paid off in Champions League qualifiers August but the Cluj side who won on Sunday will look a lot like the one we face on Thursday. Making so many changes is brave and I like bravery, you need to take chances in football, but not necessarily in cup competitions.
The stats for their game against Gaz Metan are interesting, Gaz, despite losing heavily and being away from home to the champions, enjoyed 57% possession and had more attempts at goal. This is a counter-attacking team.
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Hoopla
We owe Cluj one.
And the article was read
Don’t underestimate Cluj.
And don’t play McGegor at left back!
Paul67
Cracking EL game in prospect, amazing how Cluj can afford to rest so many players just like we did prior to Hibs, when we played Thistle.
But then I imagine Cluj don’t have to contend with bent officialdom when trying to win their league.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record…
I am worried about the lack of midfield rotation in this Celtic side.
Callum McGregor is a likely starter for Scotland in the international break. Neil Lennon has felt unable to properly rest CalMac despite the excellent form of Olivier Ntcham & Ryan Christie, the return from injury of Tom Rogic and Luca Connell in reserve.
Ideally, we would have rotated between Ntcham, Brown & McGregor for the Hamilton, Partick Thistle & Hibs games.
Instead, McGregor has started every game and we have opted to play with one natural winger at Easter Road. We have so many fine players available on that left-hand side like Elyounoussi, Sinclair, Johnston & Shved. Hayes is a fan favorite for a reason and Morgan is unfairly maligned.
Playing Gordon against Thistle was a great decision and I am happy with the management of our back four.
More imagination in midfield please.
I sense that many Celtic supporters feel that the Cluj game , although difficult, will almost certainly result in a Home victory.
If so, I think the confidence is based on our `poor `performance against them last time.
I don`t think we were poor OVERALL in the game. We just made some uncharacteristic mistakes.That being so, the manager`s selection can hardly be blamed. The team he picked played well enough to win but made some remarkable mistakes.
Cluj are a resilient team . We will have to work hard for victory , take our chances and cut out mistakes.
Timaloy29
I think that Neil shares my admiration of Calmac and finds it difficult to leave him out !
Christie, though, has come on so much that I think we could rest Calmac more often.
HOT SMOKED on 1ST OCTOBER 2019 12:48 PM
I don`t think we were poor OVERALL in the game. We just made some uncharacteristic mistakes.That being so, the manager`s selection can hardly be blamed. The team he picked played well enough to win but made some remarkable mistakes.
Cluj are a resilient team . We will have to work hard for victory , take our chances and cut out mistakes.
___
The 2nd goal wasn’t due to the managers’ selection. It was a simple handling error from Bain that gave away a corner and an inexplicable handball from Scott Brown.
But the first post is a back post header where the striker gets up and over our diminutive creative midfielder at Left Back.
The third goal is just a good ball. It’s a good move and a difficult save to make for Bain. Omrani is first onto it. The goal once again coming from Celtic’s left hand side.
I’d say
a) Neil Lennon picked a risky lineup which costs us the first goal
b) He failed to change it when the team got its nose in front on two ocassions
c) Cluj looked to have way more in the tank than Celtic from 75 minutes onward
HOT SMOKED on 1ST OCTOBER 2019 12:52 PM
I think that Neil shares my admiration of Calmac and finds it difficult to leave him out !
Christie, though, has come on so much that I think we could rest Calmac more often.
___
I love CalMac and would like to see him start vs Cluj in his favored position. But I also like Christie, Ntcham & Brown! Shuffle the pack for the likes of Hamilton!
We will see who starts away to Livi.
Any talk over in Glasgow about this Hurricane Lorenzo. They are talking here about it potentially hitting Ireland around mid-day Thursday and looking at the graphics it seems to be heading straight up to Scotland after that.
There still seems a lot of uncertainty about it’s course but concern is rising here that we will get a belt of it.
It’s likely to be downgraded to a Tropical Storm if & when it reaches Ireland but still talking about very severe winds & extremely heavy rain.
CORKCELT
Moderate breeze in Glasgow by the weekend!
Thanks for your good wishes!
CorkCelt,
Just listened to RTE. They suggest that it will hit the south in the main. Hopefully means that it will miss the west.
Thanks again Paul for sounding the alarm bells about how Cluj prepare for these European games. In the light of the debate on here about the overuse and misuse of some of our players so far this season we can see how some teams throw out the copy book when they come up against Glasgow Celtic. However just looking at how Romanian football is about twenty places above Scottish football in the FIFA/Coca Cola rankings is suffice to know they have a lot of gas.
Very cold 🥶 wind 💨 in ML5, HH
Belgium are ranked No 1 football country in the world, got to be good for Boli.
Like a lot of Belgium’s great players, Boli is able to play for DR Congo.
Petrescu also made 11 changes for the league game before facing Celtic last time. The gamble paid off in Champions League qualifiers
========
No evidence to say that the 3-4 defeat wouldn’t have happened anyway.
We made huge mistakes that night in the dugout AND on the pitch.
Lets not repeat them.
HH
Thanks for the weather updates Bhoys. See the Ref has a reputation as prone to flashing cards.
I may live to regret saying this but I think this might be a positive. My memory of Cluj is they were a shower of dirty Bassas who got stuck in hard from the off. In the first Celtic Par clash I remember one gentleman who gave away 5 bad fouls before Ref gave him a yellow. Hopefully a fussy Ref will put an early end to these antics.
The word hear is that Lorenzo will only hit Cork, so the rest of the country are ok with that :)
Corkcelt
I am in charge of Businesss Continuity at my work(in Dublin) so am watching closely to see if i need to send everyone home on Thursday.
in truth, i’m only worried about my flight on Thursday to Glasgow for the game – ATR72 as well; might spill my beer
Timaloy29
just drop Brown and it all sorts itself out
He can still be club captain and be in the dressing room but just not play as much e.g. Tom Boyd
Clancy reffing the spurs under 19 s game, about his level . Watch out for penalty kicks being awarded, rain stops broadcast 😱
Madrarua……………..
:)
:))))))))))))))))))))
Corcaigh abu!
HH
I believe that if Celtic score more Goals than Cluj on Thursday Night…then The Celts will WIN and victory will be ours !
Never mind Hurricane Lorenzo…i hope that Celtic Blow away this Mob !
HH
“Drop Broony”Aye right.
Next !!!!!!!!!!!
Phils latest piece has MA back in court tomorrow
JC2
James Doleman confirms that on his twatter.
🍀⚽️
JC2 and HAG (!)
10:30 am
Real Madrid 2 down at home to Club Brugge. Half Time.
Turkeybhoy
Brown is in his 13th season (I think) at Celtic and phasing him out is not an unreasonable proposition when we have so many midfield options.
Ntcham McGregor and Christie is a cracking midfield triangle I reckon
Not a tackler in there but we don’t have any, so keep the ball and when you don’t , block the space . No tacklers in most successful English teams
Can’t believe the VAR decision for the Real Madrid goal.
The goal was offside.
The VAR panel need to earn their bonus.
CONEYBHOY,
If Broony was not performing I would agree with you,but week in,week out,he is our most influential player.Plenty of time to phase him out when needed,but right now,is not that time.
Bruges red card and RM equalise.
Now there’s a surprise.
Finishes 2 all. Madrid 1 point from 2 games
Spurs may have a mega mega multi million pound stadium.
But hand on heart their light show can’t even come near ours.
Could be a few goals in this Spurs game.Both defences looking a bit dodgy.
Comment from Neville last nights game about Fred.”He does not score goals,not quick,does not track back,not a great dribbler.For £ 60 million,you would expect him to be at least decent !!!!!!!!.
£60 million.Decent.They live in another world.Tonight saying a top player ,you have to pay £ 100 million.