Dinamo Zagreb dropped points for the second time in 10 league games this season on Saturday when they drew a blank against bottom of the table Slaven Koprivnica. Slaven took only one point from five league games in August, and lost heavily to Zagreb on the opening day of the season, but have tightened up at the back in recent weeks. Parking the bus on Saturday was enough to curtail the Croatian champions.
That blank score line was a rarity for Dinamo, who had scored in all but one of this season’s 18 previous outings. After losing their first leg at home to Zagreb, Aalborg shut up shop in the Champions League qualifier in Croatia and overturned the first leg deficit.
So what can we expect on Thursday? We’ve kept only one clean sheet in the last 10 outings, and that was to lower league Hearts, who missed a penalty and struck the crossbar. Looking at Celtic’s defensive record, Dinamo will fancy their chances of getting a goal. Like most teams away from home in Europe, they will plan to defend first and foremost, and take their chances on the break.
Having collected a vital point away to the top seed on match day one, the group opens up for Celtic if they can beat Zagreb this week, but how should they go about achieving this? If St Mirren, Motherwell, Dundee and Inverness can score against Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb will do so, unless Celtic protect their back line considerably better than they have so far this season. Celtic are likely to need to score two or more to win the game. Without Goals Guidetti, this sounds like a big challenge.
Going on form, it’s in Celtic interests to ensure this is a tight game, deny Dinamo space to break into, and use their own speed to attack when opportunity arises. We’ll need to hold the ball, and that means Kris Commons will have to play, no matter how fit he is, but I would be tempted to give him a deeper role than usual. Johansen and Brown have critical roles to play in protecting the defence but they will need Commons available to bring calm to proceedings.
I see The Telegraph have taken a punt on Craig Whyte, et al’s, Worthington Group being in sufficient funds to mount their threatened legal challenge to Sevco Scotland Ltd, now known as Rangers International PLC, for acquiring the legal entitlement of Sevco 5088 Ltd. Sevco 5088 had irrefutable entitlement to the assets of liquidated Rangers FC but this entitlement was assumed by Sevco Scotland, then owned and controlled by Charles Green.
Green and Craig Whyte both claimed to control Sevco 5088 when the company’s entitlement was assumed by the other company. So what does all this mean? There’s nothing in The Telegraph story that we didn’t know two years ago. Even if a journo had first-hand information from a prime source, you’d have to wonder what value you could invest in what any of these characters say.
Until Our Hero spins the roulette wheel at the Ibrox Casino, everyone’s chasing shadows on this one.
[calameo code=0003901718cdc4362fa2e? lang=en page=4 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
760 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- ...
- 20
- »
Hart slower than me there.
1. 1 Roma citeh
Auld man Totti!
1-1.
HH!!
Totti 38 years old brilliant.
Manchester City.
Relegated, promoted almost invisible. No one knew or cared.
Look at them now. Just shows what you can do with a club.
I think we could learn a lot from them, if we copied their model of running a football club.
Yes, the Howlin’ Wolf in bath street is open and serves Paulaner München.
Yes I’ve just finished my 5th.
Roma are a very good side with an excellent coach.
PSG 2-1
RWE..
Is it allright for former players to openly foist their political views on the Celtic support? Fair question..
I agree, movement and organisation by Roma superb.
Runners, movement of the ball. Naebody called Tebily. Can they keep this pace up tho?
Blantyretim
Will be thinking about you tomorrow with fingers crossed. Take care.
BGX
Not at a game it is not, and especially not at a UEFA game.
tictaewin
Because they have no history in Europe the fans are always docile.
I tell them all the time that they have to make their ground a fortress in Europe and fear no one.
Watch the fans tonight they will sit in their seats .
Just glad to see CL football.
ohits
JL??
Remind me please. Cant remember too much about the post match festivities for some reason.
Plus ca change!
HH
skyisalandfill
The Lum
ohits
Ah got it now. No haven’t seen him. Thanks for reminder though
HH
tictaewin
I would rather give football up forever than watch Celtic turn into a soulless clone of a football club like Man City…
Hail Hail
Starry Plough
BT
All the best for tomorrow mate.
Hail Hail
SFTB…ok your honour..so YOU decide when a man can or cannot air his views…welcome to the Un Democratic Republic of S F T B….
WeeFra
Indeed it was :-)
Sorry just been doing this bloody iPhone update!
Lionroars
I’ve not read the article in full mate but it would genuinely frighten you what she’s had to endure since it.
RWE
The GB didn’t canvas for a YES vote mate. Individual members gave out leaflets but it wasn’t a group decision.
skyisalandfill
See you Thursday in the Pot Still after the game .
zbyszek
Speak to you tomorrow night if that suits?
3/2 kids
Wow… Flying a Scotland flag is bad now?
Maribor beating Schalke 1-0
timmy7_noted
19:50 on 30 September, 2014
tomtheleedstim
17:27 on 30 September, 2014
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
17:40 on 30 September, 2014
Thanks Guys,I only play that one weekend of the year so teeing off is a real Knee trembler for me!!!
—–
Don’t be talking to BlantyreTim about knee tremblers!
BT. All the best tomorrow. Hope the Big Mhan keeps a wee eye out for you.
Back in Scotland after a day in London.
YES! To coin a phrase.
But mind the nights are fair drawing in.
AuldFartCSC
HH jamesgang
Hamiltontim
20:24 on
30 September, 2014
Lionroars
I’ve not read the article in full mate but it would genuinely frighten you what she’s had to endure since it.
That doesn’t surprise me she has had to endure some vile nonsense, its a disgrace and undeserved
Getting to be quite a habit demonising the GB
love them or loathe them they’re not due half the shit they have to endure, from the police the media or some of their own fellow Celtic supporters, maybe if they rustled their sweetie papers in unison with some other sections of the stadium they’d be more appreciated.
RWE
How did you feel when in excess of 30,000 Celtic supporters held up red cards at the 1988 Scottish Cup Final against Thatcher?
Has there been a greater political statement by the Celtic support, ever?
Lionroars
I’ll update you when next we meet mate.
Hamiltontim
My turn, mate. Tell me what is best time to catch you up on the phone and I will call you. Had a pleasure to talk to your good lady yesterday.
Celtic is a Scottish team founded by Scots of Irish descent. I’m pleased to see Scotland flags at CP. There were quite a few seen in the 60s and in Lisbon.
SFTB is the flag moderator now, is he?
FFS
zbyszek
Probably about 9pm would be best mate.
Yes, she said when I got back in that you’d been charming her on the phone :-)
BT
One for ye the night mhate.:-)
HH
Che
Bloody hell, make sure them sweetie wrappers don’t have a political message on them!!
The more flags at CP the better.
Hamiltontim
20:34 on
30 September, 2014
Lionroars
I’ll update you when next we meet mate.
Cheers HT
ohits
The Pot still eh. Hmmmmmmm. (In a Monty Burns stylee)
Looking forwards to it. Hopefully a celbratory couple of drams.
HH
I could have sworn some of the clever football students on here said Maribor had no chance of winning a champions league point……. Well they have one already and are looking quite capable tonight vs a team who were unlucky not to win at Stamford Bridge…
Shalke Quick News in melt down blaming Peter Lawwell and Ronny D for letting such a team beat us………