Maribor are currently playing monopoly with the Slovenian league, having won four titles in a row, and have a very settled, experienced, team.
The season before they eliminated Rangers into oblivion in 2011 they defeated Hibernian home and away, who had Anthony Stokes in their side. It’s worth noting that Edinburgh police arrested 30 Maribor fans following a riot in the city after that tie; this lot have an unfortunate reputation for trouble.
They lost away on Saturday, a defeat which was largely a consequence of their defence having a nightmare, however, among others, they rested key central defender, Marko Suler, who Celtic came close to signing four years ago. They were also reduced to 10 men 30 minutes into the game. It’s unlikely they will be so poor at the back against Celtic.
Dare Vrsoc is their creative fulcrum. He also likes to shoot from distance, with some justification. Whoever in the Celtic team is tasked with winning a personal battle with him will have a great deal of responsibility.
If Celtic leave space at the back Mitja Viler will be the player most likely to exploit. He is lightning fast and will have noticed how Celtic lost goals to pace against Legia. The early scare Gary Mackay-Steven gave us on Saturday further emphasises this vulnerability.
Brazilian-Slovenian striker Marcos Tavares, 30, is Maribor’s royalty. He has scored more goals than anyone in the club’s history, but he is a player who has found his level. He has been over the European football course before so will know how to unsettle defenders.
Macedonian international winger, Agim Ibraimi, scored the goals in the last round which got Maribor this far. He had a couple of unsuccessful seasons in Seria A before returning to Maribor. Good player with tendencies to lunacy.
The fans boo boy is goalkeeper, Jasmin Handanovic, who remains in place despite a disastrous last season. Slovenian clubs throw cross balls into the box to put pressure on him as often as possible. Some early attention might turn the atmosphere inside the stadium on Wednesday.
They score a lot of goals from headers: five of the 12 this season, before the o.g. they benefited from on Saturday.
Our man Blaz in Slovenia tells me they are better than they were when they brought the end of days to Rangers in 2011. Last season’s Europa League campaign, when they progressed from a group containing Russian, English and Belgian opposition, before giving eventual winners, Sevilla a fright, gives an indication of what we can expect.
After those performances last season they knew this could be their Champions League year. Drawing Celtic has put them in a state approaching over-confidence. A shift like we delivered on Saturday will come as a shock.
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8-1, Feck me, more goals scored than fans that turned up.
prestonpans bhoys dam justice for the 5
This “loan with option to buy” is an interesting change of tact from the Celtic with Jason D being the exception, I think
——-
I don’t mind that all, reduces the risk of being stuck with some deadwood. What does bother me, is the strong suggestion that we made a bid for Jerome. Glad as I am that we don’t appear to have got him, I shudder to think who’s next on the list.
Saw an interesting quote from Roberto Martinez back in March
“We’ve got money but I didn’t want to spend it in January,” Martinez told reporters.
“The cash has been here before but in the past they [Everton] have spent £10m in one window, £6m in another window.
“What we have done is bring in loan players, short-term players, and used the young players to accumulate money. It is about spending it a little bit at a time or all at once. I prefer to stockpile for the summer.
“Having to sell players, reduce the wage bill and keep money from other areas to make a big pot is what I’ve been aiming for over the last 10 months.”
Everton of course then went out and bought Lukaku in the summer.
If the club has a long term strategy then we can do something similar. Instead of spending £2m here and £1.5m there and hoping the players come good, tell the fans look we don’t have much money to spend, so instead of gambling on someone now, we’re going to go with what we’ve got and add the money to next summers pot to get someone with a bit of pedigree.
If we had done that last year we could be looking at someone like Jelle Vossen(linked with £5m move to Middlesbrough) or Johansen at Alkmaar(rumoured £5m tag as well).
Instead, it looks likely we’ll be settling for whoever was 2nd or 3rd choice to Cameron Jerome. I can only hope that we were trying to get him in before the deadline, and with that missed, if we get into the CL, we can maybe raise our ambitions to a higher level of striker. If not, don’t just buy someone for the sake of it.
SRS
The MSM can indeed print what they like
We don’t have to accept it
I liked Swalex’s approach to errant media reporting …..go over the score….you’re barred …
We don’t have to take crap from these feckwits
Having my last night of a very enjoyable holiday in sunny glesga.
Dont think I could have done much more ,great day out in perth on Wednesday ,friend sorted full blown hospitality and overnight hotel stay.
Such a pleasant surprise at Paradise on Saturday,the half time round of applause for the team restored my faith in so many things. Had a 15 min conversation with Brian Quinn on Saturday evening in Babbity Bowsers ,he answered all my questions perfectly well .
Even squeezed in a Squeeze concert @kelvingrove bandstand on saturday night .
Met up with a few famous CQN,ers Lennybhoy , Marrakesh Express and the (in)famous and seriously under-rated Tony Donnelly67′
Thank you one and all for such a fantastic holiday !!
HH
Team for Wednesday…..
I going with the assumption that there are question marks over the fitness of Matthews and Lustig
4-1-4-1 (or 451)
C.Gordon
E.Ambrose Denayer Van Dijk Mulgrew
Biton
C.Mcgregor Commons Johansen Berget
Stokes
channelislandcelt
22:11 on 18 August, 2014
Pleasure was all mine mate, glad you had a great time, safe journey home. Until the next time…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
DD
Hope so mate
Stein, evening.
It just bemuses me that I get so much news about Rangers on here.
ruggygman
I don’t think ambrose can play
HH
My other thinking, is we play McGregor or Commons, but not both…
C.Gordon
Ambrose Denayer Van Dijk Mulgrew
Berget McGregor Biton Johansen Izzy
Stokes
Unfortunately for Commons, i’d go for the line-up above, as offers more energy + pace across the middle of the park.
Hooptastic
Good point…
same line up then, but with Lustig instead of Ambrose… providing Lustig is fully fit.
Ruggy man – like that. Play the big yins. The only player not in there I would like to see is lustig and I would rest young mcgregor.
Channelisland,
Sounds fab. Busy weekend.
Sunday morning spent with black coffee in bed? ;)
….PFayr supports WeeOscar 22:10 on 18 August, 2014
The msm have an agenda. That will never change. Let them get on with it, that contributed greatly to the death of the Huns.
The only way to hit them is to stop buying their papers or refuse to listen to their programmes.
The print industry is on its arse anyway, so they will be gone fairly soon.
Good evening all.
Another busy day and evening. Rumours on twitter tonight we’ve signed Wakaso from Rubin Kazan. Emdy heard? Haven’t read back.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
The Rose of Tralee on RTE…………….
…a bevvy of fine things an’ grand ghirls….
Televisual 1957.
Brilliant.
It maybe boring but it is predictable.
chelsea -1 11/10
English borefest has been easy pickings….
well apart from Everton…8)
Is ambrose banned for 1 or 2 games?
Do we know definitively?
Shoorly it was only 1 game unless he’s fell foul of some ban due to cards carried over.
Ok. Ambrose out lustig in.
Whatever happens we have to be compact. Play as a unit and press press press.
I’d like an away goal.
Not asking much….
If Ambrose is suspended. We should play him anyway under a different name, stick a moustache on him. If we are caught the unseen fenian hand will ensure we get through on a technicality, drive the huns and the media bonkers
RT,
It certainly isn’t asking for much. We can win on Wednesday. Play LG. No Mulgrew midfield shenanigans.
SRS
I do all of that…… but CRC sustain them by advertising with them and allowing to advertise at CP
Easily amused. Reading Herald online about Ashley taking further stake in the orcs. This popped up in a banner ad at the bottom. Well, it made me smile…….
GLASGOW RANGERS FC SALE
glasgow-rangers.idealprice.co.uk
Up To 70% Off Glasgow Rangers Fc
Glasgow Rangers Fc. Compare
Captain Beefheart 22:15 on 18 August, 2014
“It just bemuses me that I get so much news about Rangers on here.”
Captain. Evening.
It really is folk just taking the p1sh.
I know I enjoy mocking the Zombies, especially given their state of perma-rage. Long may it continue.
We can’t have heavy discussions about Palestine every night.
Stein
No, this goes beyond free speech or freedom of the press. Many in the msm see it as their remit to damage the image of CFC (see Jack Irvine). It makes my blood boil the way we seem to roll over and take it. Fergus McCann and Jock Stein would have had something to say for sure.
bankiebhoy1
22:19 on
18 August, 2014
The Rose of Tralee on RTE…………….
…a bevvy of fine things an’ grand ghirls….
Televisual 1957.
Brilliant.
———————–
and they all have beautiful bottoms
tedcrilley csc
Weefra
News i have heard to date is discussing personal term as and medical in the morning.
Well how did we get on with
The cas
see that on there “player is suspended” its “just an administration error”
why would he be stripped to play ?
sub and ready to go on ?
complicet action
Any native scousers on here?
Do you know what Jamie Carragher is saying?
What happened to the Petrofac money?
martybhoy59
Cheers for your reply. Was beginning to think I was invisible again. Lol.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Geordie , oh yeah -that was about right. Only problem was that it was followed by copious amounts of black stout in the brazen heed !
HH
Delaney’s at 19.37, sorry for my late reply.
I think Tom Boyd’s absence from the BBC & Clyde says loads about their policy of not standing up for us. I believe Joe Miller said he had to sign a contract with Clyde that the tribute act would always be referred as Rangers.
He was interviewed on sky sevco news earlier this year and said ‘no one in the press was saying we need a strong Celtic when we weren’t at our best’. Needless to say they haven’t had him on since.
At least the bbc website has it right saying Legia went out on away goals and were not booted out.
I really hope for once we issue a statement about the away goals causing Legia’s interest in the tournament and get Uefa to make a statement explaining everything that went on.
Maybe some at CP like staying silent and playing the victim card,re media.
captain beefheart
22:15 on 18 August, 2014
Stein, evening.
It just bemuses me that I get so much news about Rangers on here.
______
It’s mainly jocular mate, when you live in amongst it, the more ammo the better.
i see some on here opting for the inclusion of Griffiths.. some even quote Henderson, and some Kayal…
Hate to break it to you’s, but given fact these guys havent been trusted with a prominent role in the team thus far… i’d be amazed if any of those 3 make the starting 11.
Evening folks, mate of mine a Clyde mhan, but really a Tim was at the game tonight supporting his home team, was disgusted by the sectarian abuse he, his young son and father recieved for forty minutes before anyone moved in to deal with it…. Stick of rock for first person to guess his occupation…..
Ayrshire is Green and White