Celtic had the chances to put tonight’s tie to bed in the first half in Copenhagen, but profligacy in front of goal and a subsequent revival by the home team mean we have to win the game and earn the right to be in tomorrow’s last-16 draw.
The absence of suspended Ryan Christie and injured Olivier Ntcham leaves Neil Lennon with fewer options than normal. Tom Rogic is a straight replacement for the No. 10 role, but Tom has seen little football in recent months, it will be asking a lot of him to play an entire 90 minutes. The same is true of Mohamed Elyounoussi.
Ahead of the first leg Copenhagen manager Stale Solbakken told reporters he expected Celtic to play three at the back. He read Neil Lennon’s plans wrong, which probably gave Celtic the early advantage. Solbakken compensated at halftime. These are two experienced European managers, how they match up and then how they change their formations during the game, will go a long way to determining the outcome.
I was happy enough to see Newco progress last night. We go to Ibrox three days after the first leg of the next round of the Europa League, better to go when both teams have had a strenuous midweek game than have the home side rest up. There is still work to be done on several fronts.
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big wavy I did say it was my team so yer probably closer than me :)
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 27TH FEBRUARY 2020 12:24 PM
I don’t think Copenhagen have conceded more than 2 goals in Europe in a long time. The imperative is to keep a clean sheet tonight as if they score I would wager on the tie heading to extra time.
We’ve scored 2 or more in our last 8 home games in Europe
Celtic 40- that’s a stat I like, a wee bit apprehensive about tonight….
The Copenhagen goalie is pretty good.
I want Fraser Forster, but if that doesn’t happen…
To many fearties oan here the day! Get intae thum, Yo Ho Ho off we go!
!!BADA BING!!
I’m glad we’re all a bit anxious about it, collectively we’re much better when we’re not complacent
I doubt I’ll be saying this at 8.00 though :)
My prediction of our starting line up is Forster Simo Julienne Ajer Frimpong Brown Calmac Taylor Rogic Forrest Eddy in a 3-4-2-1 not who I would play but I think that’s what we will start with ……..maybe :)
It will be a tight match tonight and the first leg proved it. A penalty save saw us escape with a draw. We need to win the match or draw 0 0. 1 1 means extra time.
Patience is what is required.
I feel it will be a nervous night. I watched the Rangers game last night and they sensed that Braga were there for the taking and even a missed penalty didn’t put them off. A hoof over the top was enough. Braga were poor. only one shot on target.
Copenhagen will be better and will be dangerous. I don’t think they will defend as they need to score.
The pattern of the game could change at different times through the night. I think we have the quality to get us through but I wonder if we are a little short on experience. Frimpong Ajer, Julien, Taylor, Eduoard are short of experience for us in Europe.
2-0 Celtic tonight
The Battered Bunnet on 27th February 2020 12:55 pm
Guapa
21-5-79 🍀 on 27TH FEBRUARY 2020 1:49 PM
To many fearties oan here the day! Get intae thum, Yo Ho Ho off we go!
=====
Exactly :)
Since we stopped the risky passing amongst the back 4 for the hell of it and started playing our football in the other two thirds of the pitch I departed the feartie camp. We have become a better team and are now well on the way to rebuilding our previously excellent European home record.
Long may it continue!
HH
The Copenhagen manager is quoted as saying he would take penalties now. They knocked out Atlanta on penalties in 2018 and took Red Star to penalties this year and lost.
I think tonight will be a tight game. Part of me wants to go with 3-5-2 as I think we will need to score. On the other hand, 4-2-3-1 might provide better defensive cover.
Interesting selection decisions ahead. If playing a back 4, I would be tempted to player Ajer at RB.
If opponents missed as many chances as we did against Copenhagen , then their record is not as impressive as it looks.
HOT SMOKED on 27TH FEBRUARY 2020 2:35 PM
Yep. It sounds great and well done to them but a small bit of scrutiny throws up the fact that they were playing mostly smaller clubs, some tiny clubs, going back about 3 years.
Although it is more current and pertinent, no one seems to want to consider their poor defensive record for a supposed title contender in Denmark so I won’t mention it again. (24 shipped in 22 games. Won’t mention again, promise!).
HH
We will need to beat better teams than Copenhagen if we want to do something in this competition.
All the good work done in the previous round was to ensure we skipped the likes of Inter Milan.
2-0 Celtic
Right. Time for me to prepare for The Emerald Express departure at 4pm.
2-0 seems a logical kind of prediction but, who knows. I just hope we go through.
Cheerio for now.
I too am a wee bit apprehensive about tonight.
No like me.
C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BIG JIMMY
Not seen you on for a wee while, hope your strength is returning and you remain positive.
Just imagine, you could be a hun.
Hope you enjoy a great victory tonight
Hail Hail
KINGLuBO
Nerve-racking scores approaching 90 minutes…0-0, 1-1, 2-1 etc.
Won’t relax unless we are 3 goals in front…so, go for the throat right from kickoff…a whirlwind start…3-0 at half-time…put the kettle on and have a nice cup of tea ☕️ :-)…second half should be a piece of cake🎂
We were very lucky to get Eddy when we did.
A lot of clubs weren’t interested because of the air rifle incident but he hasn’t given an iota of trouble on or off the pitch.
Tonight for me is bonus football, first choice unprecedented quadruple but no problem with second choice quadruple treble. Worst case scenario the double, what I don’t want is for the europa to become a distraction like it did in 2003.
4-1 the incomparable masters of soccer
,
Smiled at ghuys saying too many fearties on. If it does go pear shaped it’s the ‘ fearties’ who will be the ones urging restraint & continued support, whilst the alpha supporters who are now supremely confident will be going ballistic.
Football is a game of fine margins on any particular night anything can happen, a bad decision. a soft penalty, an injury to a key player, a red card anything, Hope for the best but take nothing for granted.
One thing is if it goes to the dreaded penalties we now have a very decent chance. With Gordon in goals we had no chance.
My nephew texted me after F.F’s save in Copenhagen that at that stage his record was faced 22 penalties conceded 11 goals. I have no idea if that is accurate but this ghuy usually knows his stuff.
Obviously since then he was beaten for Killie penalty but still amazing statistics.
Canamalar
‘the incomparable masters of soccer’
sounds like a prog rock band album.
hope well
Enjoy the game.
This is a fine Celtic Team
Corky,
Generalise much ?
WDH,
Coined by my father as far as I know
CORKCELT on 27TH FEBRUARY 2020 3:50 PM
Smiled at ghuys saying too many fearties on. If it does go pear shaped it’s the ‘ fearties’ who will be the ones urging restraint & continued support, whilst the alpha supporters who are now supremely confident will be going ballistic.
==========
Feartie
HH
Oh and WDH,
Fully agree this is a very good Celtic side and sometimes I see shadows of the lions in their play, and I am old enough to remember how the lions made games look simple pass and move
Paul67 et al
I mentioned last that Copenhagen was the venue for a series of meetings between Bohr and Heisenberg in 1941. Actually it was only one meeting but they strung it out a bit. Those in Denmark last week for the game may have noticed blue plaques on buildings with the message “Heisenberg might have slept here”. Things did not go well, the two scientists falling out over the 3-5-2 system. 3-5-2 or not 3-5-2? You know the rest.
Or as Bohr used to say “Let me atom”.
rememberlargscfc
Corkie ….we will win well tonight …
smiley it will be like all your birthdays have come at once thing
Braw
Forster
Jozo
Julien
Ajer
Taylor
McGregor
Broonie
Rogic
Elyounoussi
Forrest
Eddy
Ive went through a couple of permutations in my head in terms of starting line-up… Between 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1
The suspension of Christie and injury absence of Ntcham, I feel forces Lenny’s hand to play a back 4.
I don’t think you can play a 3-5-2, with say a Rogic in beside Broony n Calmac. As the combined midfield 3 need to be strong / hard-working.
You can however accommodate Rogic as a No.10 which is why I think the line-up will be :
———————–Forster———————–
Frimpong Jullien Ajer G.Taylor
————Broony Calmac——————-
—Forrest Rogic Elyounoussi—
—————Edouard————————–
Neustadt, I am expecting us to get through but I have to be honest, I’m like a cat on a hot tin roof. I just can’t relax. I’m trying to think of things to do to pass the time till kick off or at least till the team is announced.,
forget all this talk of 0-0 draw, just score more goals than them and we qualify, simples
Canamalar
it is such an elegant sentence
TM it in every category that fits !
Oh and a few gents I know who saw the lions make comment on the quality of this team
Any victory tonight will do me.
“Stand Up and Fight
Stand Up and Look Into the Light,
Pushing the Clouds away,
Stand Up and Fight”…🇮🇪
Good luck to the Celts tonight, looking forward to an exciting advance towards Gdansk.
Twin strategy required against the Danes; show clinical finishing in attack, avoid infection by cornervirus in defence.
Bada
That selection could line up any number of ways
4-3-3 with Ajer at right back
3-4-3 with Rogic and Moi off Eddy
4-5-1 with Eddy on his tod
3-5-2 with Moi beside Eddy