Back in the old days of the Uefa Away Goals Rule, a 2-0 win in the first leg at home had an 80% success rate at proceeding in the competition. Away goals added a jeopardy for the loser in this situation, they need to score twice but conceding once meant they would have to score four, so they could not be too gung-ho.
AZ have no such worries tonight, they can pile forward knowing they need three goals to win or the same to take the game into extra time, should they concede one. We go into the game knowing they will have lots of the ball and territorial advantage.
In all honesty, I don’t think we are anything close to an 80% chance of proceeding, more like 60%. AZ created enough good chances at Celtic Park to suggest they can find ways beyond our defensive lines. What will worry the home side is how prolific our forwards look.
European football is significantly about game management, especially this early in the season. Think back to Neil Lennon’s first season, when he took a 2-0 to Utrecht. That lead was wiped out within 20 minutes before a total collapse.
Think also about Brendan Rodgers first qualification campaign. Having won the first leg against Hapoel Be’er Sheva 5-2, the Israelis went 2-0 up three minutes into the second half – within a goal of going ahead in the tie. Brendan used all three substitutes by 65 minutes and went a touch catenaccio until full time. When the roof collapses, it is all about how you respond.
However the game progresses, Celtic’s match fitness should be better heading into the closing stages, or extra time, if it comes. We need to be ready with a strategy for these periods of the game.
161 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
HOT SMOKED on 26TH AUGUST 2021 3:58 PM
Extra time, thunderstorm and food poisoning. Anything else?
Them being stranded with no accommodation, their bags are stolen, the only place offering shelter -a Catholic Church (minority in Armenia) them refusing, become ill with heat stroke and arrested by police for loitering and ugliness…..🤣😂
A plague of locusts at half time.
TIMMY7_NOTED on 26TH AUGUST 2021 3:59 PM
Aye and canny say KEE-OH-GO
mogadon mccann talking absolute shite.
a smattering of “ra people” behind one of the goals, i wonder where they came from.
and lets go all out on our inclusivity agenda by celebrating with an all oragnge goalkeepr kit.
Big packy is a fud
mechanical problem for the aircraft necessitating them to be bussed to ankara for an alternative flight (via turkey bhoys hoose the one with the big arrow on the beach).
1
HOT SMOKED @ 3.56
Eddy
Their next shite because hedgehog…
Is that to far?
D :)
The team coach to the airport gets a puncture on a single track road in the Carpathian Mountains and their flight is missed or delayed by several hours.
(NB I haven’t a clue where the hell the Carpathians are) but I hope the Huns get lost there.
Because means be a.
Ffs
D :)
May the fleas if a thousand camals fly up their….
Nah better no.
D :)
HOT SMOKED on 26TH AUGUST 2021 3:59 PM
The intention was to provide a club for the Irish Catholic immigrant community. That doesn’t require anyone having to be excluded.
They are kidnapped by the Peoples front of Judea, and then, subsequently kidnapped by the Judean Peoples’ Front, before being flown, in animation to a darkened forrest and having to battle with the Knights who like to say; “Ni”
The kicker…there are no shrubberies in sight….😉
Adding a bit of positivity relating to our defence, I reckon they have done pretty well so far.
Nothing to worry about for sure.
KINGLuBO
I want us to win tonight but I also see a lot of merit in playing in the Conference this year.
We should win more matches there, thus making more money for Club, likely to progress a lot further maybe even win it,
this year is first & foremost about winning the SPFL, automatic entry to CL Group Stage & grabbing the cash the Huns desperately need.
I won’t be too disappointed if we end up in Conference, maybe take a bit of slagging but we’ll get over that.
Took in the first 35 minutes of the Sevco game, more in hope than expectation. Giving up on it – they are all over the Armenians. Can’t see them losing.
DAVID66 on 26TH AUGUST 2021 4:25 PM
Their next shite because hedgehog…
Is that to far?
Yes a pregnant one. MULTIPLE birth.
Turned huns match off. Alashkert are possibly the worst team I’ve seen in European football – and that includes Inter Cabletel. Pure guff. Impossible to judge the huns against that level of opposition.
Alashkert 🟥
Armenians down to ten men
Jesus h watchin hun game…whos mair pisher???
I reckon the govan galacticos are marginally less pish
I see that the German referee has helped THEM The Home tram just had a player sent off.
How mahy hun players couln’t play because of Covid,I wouldn’t imagine that the players who couldn’t play today won’t be able to play against Celtic pn Sunday.
That Armenian team are unbelievably bad. The one chance they had was holding on until the latter part of the game and hope that heat/jet lag takes its toll on Sevco. And it could have worked if it hadn’t been for the idiot that got sent off.
soory for the errors.
#Breaking Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy, 27, has been charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against three complainants aged over 16 between October 2020 and August 2021, Cheshire Constabulary said
CORKCELT
Love your optimism, man, but I’d like some of what you’re smoking. Win the Conference? With teams like Spurs, Roma, Eindhoven, Zagreb, Feyenoord in it? Think maybe we’re all getting a wee bit ahead of ourselves. Let’s stiffen our back 4 considerably in the next week and see where we are.
It’s interesting to note that while Lawwell sat on his arse, the Champions of Moldova strategized and planned to get into the Champions League Group Stage for the first time. And Lo and Behold! There they are. Just shows what can be done if your focus is on the team rather than your bonus.
OLDTIM67
Good to see you post 👍👍
Just renewed my McAfee Total Protection subscription .
The auto renew annual subscription fee they initially quoted was £89.99 .
I switched off auto renew and was then offered an annual subscription fee of £59.99 .
This still seemed a bit high so I checked McAfee online and got a two year , five device deal for a total of £44.99 .
Anyone else in the same boat should search for the best possible deal .
Alashkeret are pish but that’s 135 mins and Huns have scored 1.
That’s 1 in 135 mins of football against very poor opposition.
On Sunday we attack these feckers and I have £5 on 4 – 1 Celtic.
D :)
Liam Scales will play his final match for Shamrock Rovers tonight against Flora Tallinn as he’s scheduled to undergo his medical at Celtic on Friday.
It is understood all other aspects of the deal – including an upfront transfer fee of €600,000 and personal terms – have been finalised to facilitate the defender’s switch to the SPL powerhouses this weekend.
Celtic led the chase for 22-year-old since early summer despite interest from English clubs, including a Premier League outfit.
It is believed that Scales will be eligible to play for Celtic in the Europa League should they finish out a tie against AZ Alkmaar they’ve taken a 2-0 first leg lead into tonight.
@IrishExaminer
For clarity, that was £22.49 per annum
Suffered through that first forty five minutes, it was like Sunday morning pub football circa 1990. The only things missing were the fullback grabbing a quick touchline fag and the striker spewing his guts up on the eighteen yard line.
OLDTIM67
If I were a betting man, I would say it is a racing certainty that McGregor, Tavernier ( pen ) and Kent will be back for Sunday.
INIQUITOUSIV on 26TH AUGUST 2021 4:54 PM
See you negatonians???
Clap your hands and eat your cereal.
BOGNORBHOY on 26TH AUGUST 2021 4:58 PM
OLDTIM67
Good to see you post 👍👍
I wouldn’t Like me to carry on making errors in my comments, Looks like a 5yr year ols with that trash I just posted.
Cheatin hun