Brendan Rodgers would have opened his hotel curtains this morning and welcomed the sight of a cool, wet, day in Astana. Far from the 30° he feared, it’s to be 17° by kick-off, having rained most of the day. That rainwater will help hold the ball up on the plastic surface at the Astana Arena where Celtic play their Champions League qualifier this afternoon.
Astana must be wondering if the clouds are conspiring against them. This is the coolest day of the month there, well below the 31° heat in the city two weeks ago. As any runner unaccustomed to such conditions will tell you, temperature differences like this have a huge impact on performance.
We can be pretty sure Kieran Tierney, Mikael Lustig and Saidy Janko will play, but in what formation and who will join them at the back is open to conjecture. What we can be more certain of is that we’ll pull defenders tight together, with Scott Brown playing the kind of defensive-mid role he produced a year ago in Qarabag.
A great deal of responsibility will lie with Leigh Griffiths. He’ll have space to receive the ball from Roberts and (probably) Forrest. At 25, he’s entering his peak years and is more than capable of winning this tie on his own.
Take a deep breath………..
Directors’ Box auction prize
Courtesy of Celtic sponsor and all round good guys, Intelligent Car Leasing, we have an outstanding auction prize, as the centrepiece of our summer good causes. For the Kilmarnock game at Celtic Park, on 24 September 2016, you can win:
2 seats in the directors’ box
Champagne reception
5 course meal in the Walfrid Suite
Fully expenses bar (pre and post-match)
Half time snacks and refreshments
Car Parking
And a match programme.
There are experiences in life which money can’t buy. This one is now available for you to bid for here on ebay until Friday lunchtime. Two of you, directors’ box, Champagne reception, 5 course meal, free bar, get in there – and tell your pals about it.
Monies raised will go towards our fifth (yes fifth) school kitchen for Mary’s Meals, and our other good causes in connection with Friday’s CQN Golf Day.
And thanks to Intelligent Car Finance. We’re fortunate to have people like this around us.
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CELTIC subs v @fca_kz: Fasan, Izaguirre, Janko, Bitton, Rogic, Forrest, Ciftci.
Today’s starting line up v Astana ko 3pm
CELTIC team v @fca_kz: Gordon; Lustig, Ambrose, O’Connell; Roberts, Armstrong, Brown, McGregor, Tierney; Dembele, Griffiths.
CELTIC subs v @fca_kz: Fasan, Izaguirre, Janko, Bitton, Rogic, Forrest, Ciftci.
I’m happy with the line up. Will be interesting to see the formation they take (looks like 4-4-2).
I don’t think we will lose today.
or is it 3-5-2?
Gordon
Lustig Ambrose O’Connell
Roberts McGregor Brown Armstrong Tierney
Griff Dembele
BIG opportunity for O` Connell .
Big responsibility for Broony.
Hope he keeps the heid.
MOONBEAMSWD
Strength in numbers and a bit of brawn behind it.
I have one major problem with that selection.
I’ll hod ma wheeshed though, an cross my fingers!
Please NOT the pink top!
It MUST be the Hoops surely?!
Astana’s colours are sky blue and yellow.
No colour clash there.
HH!!
BARNEY67 on 27TH JULY 2016 1:53 PM
P.L.`s no starting ?
Well we are going for it by the looks of things. I dont mind that as long as we don’t get done on the counter attack.
Looks like a 4-4-2 to me.Happy with Roberts and MCGregor starting,suggests a genuine intent to score,especially with 2 strikers in the 11.For me,the key to getting a result is confidence;I think Brendan can instill a belief in the players that,unfortunately,Ronnie couldn’t.
Roll on k.o.
COYBIG
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Glass 2/3 full. Not sure I’d have Bitton anywhere near the team as he is the slowest slow person in the hole of slow land. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH 1 HR 5 MINS TO KO!
HH
WEE BGFC
Is that not the team bada got a whisper of earlier?
Must be all that wisdom he’s collected over his many years :)
HH
Very bold line-up. Hopefully not too bold! Glad we have moved away from the failed one up isolated from everyone else anyway.
Bit worried about the back though….
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Good team!
HH
WEE BGFC
I would bite your arm off for a draw today.
Their recent Euro form and home record + our Euro form and away record point to a tough ask.
4-4-2 or 4-3-3 with Griiths, Roberts wide & Dembele leading the line?
Be interesting to see how we line up but it does seem very attacking.
HH!
Why do supporters always want to start games with only 10 men men
4-4-2
3-5-1
3-4-1-2
5-4-1
Yeez are awe mentalists.
MWD
C’mon Cellllllllllllllllllllllllllltic get intae them,
till later all
just stay in the tieCSC
Now would be a really good time for Broon to get his game back on track -)
Right, pub time, H H to all Tims let’s hope we get the right result.
Lest we forget.
Our heritage.
For ever and ever , we`ll follow the boys.
The Glasgow Celtic , the Timaloys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKP60EshQpM
Brendan has gone for a back 3 with height as they tend to pump balls into the box.
KT will be back on the left when needed – he has the engine.
Broony will sit in front of the back 3 as more of a holding midfield when needed.
Just hope we don’t give away too many free kicks in our own half.
Idea will be to get Griff and Debelle involved as often as possible as an away goal will be priceless.
Come on you bhoys in green.
Burgas,
I think broony is on his way to being back on track.
His biggest errors last week was his passing.
In the last few months the passing was the least of the problems.
Hopefully a top performance from oor captain today.
HH
Celtic by Moravcik67
not many better ways to kill 10mins waiting on a game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2ZKQfp7D6U
Just got back in from a half day at work
Pleased with the reports of the weather.
Not sure watering the pitch will help or hinder- I have never seen a good game on a plastic pitch- whatever the weather.
You can get odds of 22/9 (around 5/2) on Celtic winning in Astana so even though I am of the facetious and making excuses tendency (not), I will remain delighted if we win, draw or score in a narrow defeat.
I think we will be slight favourites to win out overall in this tie but I do not expect a win will be easily achieved today.
That said……..
3:0 to the Hoops/Black & Golds/ Pink & Blacks
I think we’ll score.
Scoring away from home in Europe wasn’t a big problem in the last couple of years under Ronny.
It was keeping them oot that proved more difficult.
HH
Bhoylo: will post info later.
BigChipsUK – 10 in a row (2001-2010) on 27th July 2016 10:18 am
Scullyboy (9.01am), have you read the Paul Pogba entry on Wikipedia? He and his agent sound like right chancers. And, in any case, why would Man Utd want to spend £100M on a player that they released for nothing a few years back? He doesn’t look to me like the best player in the world, and his career stats don’t seem to suggest that either.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was just having a wee dig at someone (you had to be there to get it).
Looking to broony and Armstrong to boss the midfield. And Efe to……well……no efe up!
Lustig to sneak an away goal.
SFTB
11/10 yesterday in Hills on their coupon. Couldnae believe it.
Looks like we will be doing most or our defending in their half of the park.
Quick, mobile midfield.
Celtic_Gucks: Didn’t see your post. That’s what I was going to post later.
In the lobster pot in burtonport Co Donegal enjoying pre match lunch with a Guiness to the background of Sean South.
Will head shortly to Dungloe to enjoy a Celtic victory in the Bar across from former Sweeneys hotel.
Mixed weather for she who must be obeyed , so off to Ibiza on Friday for some rays.
BMCUW
Available now at 12/5 with some outfit called Marathon Bet
Weather in goat murdering land:
Broken clouds. 17 / 24 °C
Humidity: 77%. Wind: 19 km/h ↑ from Northeast.