I remember a situation several years ago when we had five full backs and converted-full backs out injured at the same time. The injured count for central defenders is not currently as high but the situation is just as critical.
Erik Sviatchenko joins Jozo Simunovic, Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer on the injured list. Kolo Toure is certain to be added to the Uefa squad before tonight’s deadline but will be pushed to be match fit for next week.
Fortunately, the man who has spent more time injured over the last two seasons than anyone else, Mikael Lustig, is fit and able to move from full back into the middle, with Saidy Janko able to deputise on the right.
More words have been written about Efe Ambrose than any other Celtic player this month. It’s quite possible he’ll move on towards the end of the transfer window but he’s set to be given an opportunity to make good his error in Gibraltar by leading an unfamiliar defensive line-up in Astana tomorrow.
If I had a choice, I would prefer Celtic in adversity than Celtic over-confident. We know we will have to protect the defence tomorrow so the match plan should be straightforward.
Astana are not without their concerns either. Kazak media are concerned Astana are weaker than a year ago, due to the departure of Georgi Zhukov the likely absence of captain and top scorer, Tanant Nuserbayev, added to the turmoil at the club this week, caused by Lyon’s bid for midfielder, Nemanja Maksimovic. They will battle tomorrow, but their preparations are far from ideal.
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Cannae believe some people are either shrugging their shoulders, or worse still, cracking jokes about Efe starting tomorrow.
Lets play the real waltz here, this is a shambolic state of affairs to be in.
Reminds me of the bit in The Usual Supsects when after weighing up the pros and cons of a dangerous situation, Kevin Spaceys character says ‘I can’t believe we’re just going to walk into certain death……’
Some short memories on here…..
I have bet Efe to score 3 or more tomorrow. If one of them is in the Astana net we’ll have a chance next week.
Did Celtic players get order to take three days break and stop playing PokemonGo? Kazakhstan is a huge country.
F.C. Astana pitch was supposed to be better than Red Imps after seeing this I don’t think so what a bloody disgrace for a pitch especially a C.L. qualifying tie
https://twitter.com/mcgowan_stephen/status/757894408259985409
Stanimir Stoilov press conference
Stoilov- It’s going to be very tough, complicated game for us. It is one of the games we must be very mobile at the back, play carefully to not concede the goal. Then we can look for our chances for the goal.
-Have you made your mind regarding Azat Nurgalayev?
Stoilov-Yes, he is on the list of the players for that game.
-Celtic did play few friendly games against strong competition…
Stoilov-I think they know the most important game for them is tomorrow,against Astana. Friendly games are friendly games, they do not have that weight.
-Have you learned Celtic game? How much do you know about Celtic football?
Stoilov-We had enough time to learn their game very well. They are the club with amazing history and with the record of tradition. Tomorrow we will see how they will show it on the pitch. We will see how things will go tomorrow.
-Do you think Celtic is the most inconvenient team Astana could face in this round?
Stoilov-Celtic are very good team but we fear no one. Celtic are the favourites to go through to the next round of the competition. The game on the pitch is the answer on all these important football questions.
-What can play key factor for Astana that might give a win against that strong Celtic?
Stoilov-The most important thing is play well organized football, be focused on the discipline of the game and stick to the tactics. We need to be lucky too because you cannot go anywhere in football without being lucky. I hope we will have strong support from stands.
-It is not long time for Brendan Rodgers is a coach for Celtic. You said you watched some of the games that Celtic played with him on the bench. Do you think he managed to bring his football philosophy into this team?
Stoilov-I think it’s not easy to give simple answer on this question. Rodgers is great coach who worked for such big club that Liverpool FC is. What I think is he learned Celtic how to play more the style with passing and movement, more technical game.
“Our away record in Europe has been pretty dismal over the years.”
Glass2/3’s
Small point.
Our away record in the champions league group stages was/is poor.
Our away record in all other European games is not all that shabby compared.
HH
Horses
I was told Billys Hope is worth an each way bet in the first at galway.
Beau Satchel is fancied and has been well backed in one of the later races and I think winter lion is worth a bet at 12 / 1 in the last.
Finally at Goodwood 455 I was told that Rich and Famous is highly regarded. Also an each way price
I find my surprised I would not play Dembele tomorrow I would play Cifti the reason is he can hold the ball up and allow others to come into the game he also is not afraid to let defenders know he is there.For me Dembele is just a big raw youth who up to know has not done anything particularly well.We need players who can hold on to the ball in order to give our defence some respite. H.H.
AULD TAM
Good point. I find it difficult to criticise PAUL67 for his opinions on how the club is run.
It’s his show,and he provides a platform for us to discuss things.
Besides,we can usually find other more deserving targets to argue with. It’s what Celtic fans do.
We will always have our favourites. Others will have theirs.
And you know what? It’s not just Celtic fans who behave like that. It’s fans of every team in every sport in every country in the world
We all want the same thing,we just see other ways to achieve it.
butsybhoy on 26th July 2016 12:47 pm
Former England footballer Ray Wilkins has been given a 10-week suspended jail sentence for drinking and driving.
needs help think Gazza could give him some advice?
HH
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
God help them both – alcoholism is a terrible afflication.
WITS – Any tips for Goodwood or Galway for today very welcome
HH
Zbyszek
Thanks for the info
It appears that the only opinions that seem to count on this blog are ones that are forever critical of Celtic.
We constantly complain about the MSM being scathing of Celtic, so let’s just give them more fuel for their fire by decrying our Club on one of the most popular fan’s website.
I’ve never claimed that Celtic are perfect but I refuse to criticise on a blog where the likes of the Daily Rag and their ilk look for anything negative about the Club I have supported all my life.
We have known since early June that Simunovic and Boyata were injured and would miss CL qualifiers.
We have known since last season ended that Mulgrew was unlikely to sign/be offered a new contract.
We have known for years that Ambrose isn’t good enough.
So why are we in a situation where we go to Kazakhstan to play a game, which where the outcome would be 50/50 even with a fully fit squad, with Ambrose as our only experienced centre half?
Kolo Toure has been a free agent for a couple of months, if the manager wanted him why wasn’t a deal done before pre season training started?
A monumental gamble, again, on CL qualification.
Hopefully whatever defensive line up BR cobbles together tomorrow afternoon can limit the damage and keep us in the tie for the return at CP.
So here we are 1 day before the most important game of the season and once again Peter and the boys are playing Russian roulette.
We have know for 6 weeks that Boyata and Jozo would not be ready.
We knew the Toure was available. We signed him too late to save a month’s salary.
We knew that Charlie was not signing.
So we take a risk on 1 centre half. Really ?????
And then there are none.
I honestly think that we are 1 month away from the biggest potential PR disaster in the history of our club.
Fast forward to September 1st. when Brendan wakes up not in the champions league, no Sinclair, no Duffy, none of his list signed. Do you think he will say OK “The Rangers” are back and will make up for it or will he say screw this, this is like managing in the Conference. I’m out of here. I know what I would do, and I think I suspect I know what Brendan will do and who would blame him?
I honestly fear this scenario. I pray that I am wrong but this is getting closer and closer.
Peter – Resign now move on let someone who has a different thought process and different objectives and performance goals come in and take us back to where we belong as a club.
Please.
Seville67
NORTHEAST GHIRL. Why complain we can only play the hand we are delt.Brendan is hardly in the door and I believe we are expecting to much of him this early. H.H.
rt rev david hay on 26th July 2016 1:06 pm
glass2/3full
Ajer is out too…an injured thumb!!!!!
and to avoid doubt…we will win in Astana ;-)
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Crikey. Is it snooker or golf we are playing? :-)
Hope you are right about the win. A score draw would be good.
ZBYSZEK
Great to see you posting again!
I know our Polish friends have suffered greatly under the Soviet period and before that under the Romanovs. However in WWII the Soviet Red Army led by guys like Zhuhov wore down the vast bulk of the Nazi forces, which allowed our side to win the war, for which we should be eternally grateful to them!
On the game tomorrow, we should be able to field a team which should be able to contain our opponents. Keep the game simple, 4-5-1 and don’t mess about at the back. Play the way you are facing, even if that means just playing the ball forward in to space and allowing our team to keep its shape. We should not be going there thinking that we need to have the ball all the time, let them make the game and look to hit on the break!
Let’s be honest, we are far removed from being a CL team at present. A season in the EL would give BR time to bring in more of his own players and ideas, while playing against teams closer to our standard. Getting into the CL is great but getting horsed home and away by teams with far better players does nothing for me!
HH
Gordon
O’Connell Lustig Tierney
Janko McGregor Brown Armstrong Izaguirre
Roberts
Dembele
Defend deep and try to hit on the break.
“Kolo Toure has been a free agent for a couple of months, if the manager wanted him why wasn’t a deal done before pre season training started?”
Gary,
Player didn’t fancy joining at the time?
I’m not sure why the player didn’t come earlier but what I do know is that it sometimes takes a player moving at a completely unconnected club before a long chain of events (other signings) to happen.
Clubs don’t like to wait till the last minute before signing a player but players and agents do.
HH
Gary67 – our posts are almost word for word the same – how can the board not see it ?
Seville67
MWD –
At least you left out your signature 3-letter offering (GTF).
BMCUW –
I just find it very hypocritical of JF to come on here and slaughter the host so regularly for the content of his editorials, then use CQN to advertise his own blog articles.
NORTHEASTGHIRL
That’s ok,it jooost means yer a happy-clapper. There are plenty of people on here who share your views.
My Dad,for one.
I take your point about mineshafters doing the MSM job. I disagree with it. As I said to AULD TAM earlier,Celtic fans all want the best,we just don’t always agree on how to get there.
Welcome aboard,btw. It’s dissent which makes a conversation interesting.
I’d have Efe partnering O’Connell with Lustig & Tierney either side.
Geordie Munro
Fair point – although it’s still not great.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Agree about Ciftci. At United he liked to come short for the ball and slip in a pass for someone coming in from wide (GMS or Dow) to go through on goal.
We could do the same with Roberts.
Auld Tam
are you capable of answering a question asked of you?
Peter Lawell GTF. Just for you.
MWD
AULD TAM
I didn’t disagree,mate. Far from it.
I like his articles. As a rule. Post the link,most will click.
That’s all he has to do.
SEVILLE 67. We on the outside have no idea how hard Celtic have tried to bring in new players we also have little idea of who they have tried to bring in.Brendan I am sure will understand the difficulty in competing for new players I am sure he will have thought all this through before he decided to join us.I think you need to be patient it takes time to build a new team.It also takes time to trim a bloated squad I think it will be very interesting to see the team in 12 months and compare it with the team now. H.H.
One thing is for sure we are going to see if BR and CD can get a team together with the right tactics to get a result when we are stretched for experience in certain positions. I hope we can get a least one away goal.
WITS – Thanks, will have a wee wager on them.
HH
GARY67
SEVILLE67
As I’m off to my cot anyway,can I suggest that your posts boil down to…
The Cry Was No Defenders
WITS,
A boy who knows his horses told me to have a go at Artful Artist in the last race at Galway, what’s your thoughts?
According to the daily rectum Celtic are in ‘crisis’ again. This time a defensive one.
Oh how they love to use that word when talking about us. Girfuy. 0-1 to us tomorrow.
Meeting over and Homeward Bound.
limestreetstationCSC
MBWD
Thanks for your wise comment, didn’t realise that not being critical of my club meant I was a Happy Clapper!
There is a time and place for Mr Forrest to post his opinions, maybe on his own blog. If people want to read them then fair enough but I would prefer not to.
Paul is entitled to a little more respect on his own blog in my humble opinion.
Given the shortage of numbers and if Efe has to start I’d stick him just in front of O’Connell and Lustig, anchor man kind of role, pack the middle and give the two full backs slightly more freedom to get forward(obviously not Artmedia levels of freedom).
We can win this game.
HH
Sevco looking at Henrik’s Bhoy seemingly….
traditionalist88
Given the shortage of numbers and if Efe has to start I’d stick him just in front of O’Connell and Lustig, anchor man kind of role,
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That’s not a bad idea at all. I’d be happy(ier) with that.