Celtic Park tonight will feel a long way from home for AEK players. Glasgow is putting on its best dreich show, looking less like Athens than it should be possible within Europe. The stadium will be packed, something AEK players simply never see at home. The cavernous Olympic Stadium they play in had just shy of 20,000 empty seats when they won their first league title in 24 years. The empty seat count is more commonly around 50,000.
Those of us who lamented the four qualification rounds Celtic must endure are less vocal today. The rigours of competition has made us better prepared for tonight. Both teams are missing injured players, but Celtic are not short in any department. We should be ready.
Irrespective of the environment, AEK are a technically good team who will pose greater challenges than Rosenborg. They are a counterattacking side, who will defend deeply, hoping to shut the game out and steal whatever opportunities they can to break. We cannot allow enthusiasm to attack to blindside us of the practicalities. Respect our opponents’ ability to break and be patient in possession.
It will be late in the game when Celtic should have their greatest fitness advantage. Even if the game is tight at 80 minutes, it could end quite differently.
This is one of the biggest games of the season – answer the call, Celtic.
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Celtic by Numbers
TBB`s post might have been kind. It was certainly accurate.Have Celtic ever asked for your help?
JJ
Good to see PC Lustig again as he’s Offenbach for the big games
Hopefully it will be “A Greek Tragedy”
Slapping on yer opponents face ie lifting your hand has now changed also………just say to the appeal committee your were merely testing to see if the guy had a close shave…
What is the Nir Bitton situation? How much longer is he out?
JJ
I was replying to the wife , i’ll be there in a “min” and typed that instead of “mother” lol.
My historical and statistical analyses shows that Celtic will hand AEK their Samarasses.
4-0.
Standing on your opponents foot……..tying to undo a knot in his laces
Huns 42 penalties v Opponents 17 penalties.
More evidence to support the anti Sevco conspiracy theorist.
The challenge is internal.
Our talent, quality, ability vs our glass jaw.
If you work the numbers this should be quite straightforward.
Unfortunately we are currently trying to decorate the hall through the letterbox at the moment.
Seems to be the way every August.
Davidopoulos Status Report:
Decidedly nervcited…
Wee BGFC…well done young man on your results…I know a lot of hard work went into getting these results, in life you don’t get anything for nothing, only the huns get results without the hard work. Of course your dad is proud of you, as we all are. We want our Celtic bhoys and ghirls to be educated and to be enlightened…all the very best for the future, which hopefully, will always be green and white…
HOT SMOKED on 8TH AUGUST 2018 12:39 PM
From one viewing, a harsh Red; from another, a definite Red. Which one did the SFA/SPFL (?) look at?
Neither. They just phoned Stevie G.
I think this transfer window will determine how long Brendan stays with us
Head butts now legal……..was trying to kill a midgie on opponents forehead
LENNYBHOY on 8TH AUGUST 2018 12:58 PM
Hearing McGinn will be heading back north to do his medical, tonight or tomorrow and deal wrapped up by Saturday. Only spanner is the Agent who maybe trying to get more out of Villa.
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Sorry for being a ‘ticko – not clear on what that means – is the medical for Celtic or Villa? ?
HH
BGFC
McGinn chooses Villa
Use of the elbow on a opponent………raise elbow to untangle hairs in the arm pit
The worst thing about living so close to Celtic Park is that we have a lot more time to kill before setting out for the game…
Us retirees that is…
Is Dedryk Bougatsa playing tonight?
Morelos stood on a players ankle while said player was lying on the ground having been fouled during the European match last week. He does something like that in virtually every game. And he gets away with it.
The decision to rescind the card is shocking but it’s hardly a surprise.
These decisions for newco cannot cost us league titles anymore, but they might cost us a cup. However it’s hibs etc who now stand to lose out even more as the Ibrox franchise benefits from honest mistakes. I hope these clubs grow a pair and speak up.
That said, the more that numpty plays the better. Worse than useless
2 goals for Odysseyone Edouard tonight .
Mullet
Source????
ROBERTTRESSELL on 8TH AUGUST 2018 1:29 PM
Hibs won’t be speaking up. Petrie is far too busy trying to prevent McGinn going to Celtic.
I’d far rather believe Lennybhoy.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM,
Neil Lennon
So Gerrard says they don’t get any decisions
BOOM got one
A lot of innocent Lysanders to these ‘puns’
It is a farce… can Aberdeen appeal the penalty that shouldn’t have been given?
So its OK to kick a player off the ball?
Glendaly – I write more in hope than expectation!
McGinn having Villa medical but nothing confirmed. Celtic still in equation. Personal terms not agreed, ultimately it’s down to McGinn.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Mullet
Whereabouts does he say that? that BBC article where he says we matched the bid and they were in the driving seat?
BSR
loved this bit from Slippy G
“We totally understand how difficult it is to referee these big games and our respect is certainly there. It’s just disappointing for us that we’re on the receiving end this time round.”
Guys a clown
This should be a day of nervcitedness on the blog, not a day of bemoaning not signing a squad player or the red card appeal of a totally ineffectual striker.
But since we’re on the subjects…
If BR wants to leave Celtic (he doesn’t) because we miss out on John McGinn (we might not), then I’ll drive him to his next club myself (right after I’ve dropped John McGinn off).
And if VAR was in use in the SPFL, would Morelos have only got a yellow card? Would Sevco even have got a penalty? Would Derek McInnes be sent to the stands for making my eyes hurt with his tactics?
My understanding is that there’s only one driving seat and McGinn is in it.
Them must have set a world record in the number of appeals that they win whether its red cards or the compliance officer maybe it was the same panel that heard Jack’s last season or maybe they all running scared on Mr Gerrhun.
@ THE BATTERED BUNNET on 8TH AUGUST 2018 11:43 AM
Thanks for the reply.
I agree with the policy in principle, but my issue is it’s poor implementation, both in the fact that we deviate from the supposed policy- purchases of Hayes, De Vries, Gamboa etc (and those are only during Rodgers’ tenure) and that we do not push forward more i.e more signings for value of Sincliar and Ntcham.
I’ve stated before, but in Rodgers’ tenure (in the 6th transfer window now) we have only signed 4 players for above £2m.
As for the “next level”, I believe many would be satisfied with the general approach of buying less but higher quality players which invariably will increase the average cost per player (both in fees and wages). However, this would seem more prudent than signing multiple players of low value, none of whom will make an impact in the first team. Of course, the wage bill will increase but if we intend to operate within the CL and Europa league that is inevitable; we cannot expect an increase in income without a concomitant increase in expenditure.
As for the point on spending to reach the quarter finals of the CL, I don’t think we are close to that and, realistically, spending is required to aid our chances of reaching the CL- that is the main concern. Failure to spend could inexorably lead to a diminution in the quality of the team and, consequently, failure to qualify for the CL and a significant drop in revenue.
There is also the consideration of how much cash we should maintain in the bank- as of last season it was £30m. Is it prudent to have that much cash in the bank if it engenders ill-feeling with the manager because he does not feel that he is sufficiently backed or leads to poorer performances on the pitch?
At the end of the day, it is a balancing act. My concern is that we are too conservative and our conservative approach may be detrimental for the team and, in turn, the club as a whole.
People need only look at where we are now compared to Ronny’s last season. The difference is down to the quality of our manager and (once again), in turn, the quality of our team. Having a successful team really means everything for the ongoing prosperity of our club.
glendalystonsils
See my last post – I’m in the driving seat! Taking these managers and squad players all over the shoap…