Salzburg got back to winning ways on Sunday after losing 4-1 away to third-placed Rheindorf Altach immediately before the international break. The stats from that game are interesting. Salzburg enjoyed 60% possession but Rheindorf forced 66% more chances by playing on the break, scoring twice in the closing 10 minutes as Salzburg pushed for an equaliser.
A point on Thursday would be an acceptable result for Salzburg so they could be caught between trying to defend and playing their normal game. Either way it’s likely they will hold possession for long periods.
No team is completely dependent on one player but this truism is probably tested more by Salzburg and their talismanic striker, Jonathan Soriano, who has scored 26 times in 27 outings this season. Consider for a moment if we had such a prodigious striker………..
Salzburg coach Adolf Hutter must decide how far tp change his usual game plan. Salzburg’s entire strategy is to attack. They have scored 50 league goals already this season, twice as many as any other team, while their goals against record is within a handful of the majority of teams in the league.
My preference would be to tempt them out, have them fall between the two stools of playing their natural offensive game and the more cautious approach they may be tempted to play away in Europe. One note of caution, the Ajax team who beat Celtic comfortably in Amsterdam last season were shredded 0-3 by a counter-attacking Salzburg in the same venue a few months later.
Ajax failed to box clever, we can be smarter. Stop Soriano, closed-down space at the back and play on the counter.
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Afternoon bhoys n ghirls
Im doing Movember for Downs & Proud this year so if anyone fancies donating to me please do so at the following link :-)
https://www.justgiving.com/Tommy-Melly/
Cheers for reading (and hopefully a wee donation)
HH
LiviBhoy
Always fancied trying Ambrose in the defensive mid position after his debut which he absolutely waltzed through. On the evidence since then I wouldn’t have him anywhere near the starting 11, especially for a crucial match, as the next lapse in concentration is never far away with Efe.
HH
Do Zagreb have to beat Astra?
http://donegalnews.com/2014/11/muff-scientist-wins-international-award/
Ah now.The old Derry People for a headline.:-)
hh
Is Denayer fit for Thursday I haven’t read anything?
traditionalist88
If Matthews breaks down which is almost a certainty and Lustig is not fit we may see Efe anyway.
I just feel that the guy needs some confidence. He is a midfielder. That is his preferred position but for some reason Nigeria play him RB and we played him CB to plug a gap. He has done a very able job for a long time out of position. His debut in midfield was excellent. He deserves a chance in his best position. Surely he has earned it. Why he hasn;t been tried there in smaller games I will never know and doubt we will see it now but there is still a Victor sized gap in the midfield and I think Efe could fill it. His errors would be less damaging in a midfield role. He is not a bad player. Efe was very important last season. Seems like a very long time ago everyone was panicking that he wouldn;t make the Juve game and he made himself available even though he probably shouldn;t have. Efe has earned a 2nd chance. He deserves it. I would like to see him tried in the midfield on Sunday. If he isn;t tried in there against lower league opposition then I am afraid it is curtains for him and it is a shame because I like the guy. His backflip goal celebrations will be missed!
LB
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
13:43 on
25 November, 2014
If you had a drink in the county almada street you had every chance of coming out as high as a kyte as it wasn’t club king size being smoked in there….
___________________________________________________________________
BT,
It was always The Cave where I found that to be the case, rather than The County – however I am sure there were many pubs that were similar :-)
Cheers,
BJM.
Livibhoy
I admire the tenacity of your advocacy of Efe as a midfielder, but I’m afraid I don’t agree with you.
Neither is he a full back mind.
The Battered Bunnet
Surely trying him there does no harm?
LB
BJM
i started work in dhss in douglas st june 84, county was local, remember the bookies next door before live racing..the good old days…8))
If Lustig isn’t fit, and I don’t think he will be, Matthews will play. If Denayer isn’t fit then drop Mulgrew back into central defence, definitely not Ambrose. Denayer should be ok.
The only changes from Saturday should be Brown for Commons and Scepovic or Griffiths for Guidetti.
We have been playing our best football recently with a 4-3-3.
Gordon
Matthews Denayer VVD Izzy
Brown Mulgrew Johansen
Forrest Griffiths Stokes
Gary67
I’d go with that team too.
Oh deary me?
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Sport Football Rangers FC
John Brown rips into Rangers stars and brands them a “disgrace” for letting down Ally McCoist
Nov 25, 2014 12:47 By Record Sport Online
BOMBER blasts the players and the board as he launches a staunch defence of the Ibrox manager.
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Press Association ImagesJohn Brown has defended Ally McCoist but blasted the players
JOHN BROWN has today branded Rangers stars a “disgrace” and insisted they’re to blame for the flak Ally McCoist is copping.
McCoist faces a battle to win over his doubters after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Hearts left his side nine points adrift in the race for automatic promotion back to the top-flight.
Those “Ally, Ally get to f***” chants first bellowed 30 years ago could be heard ringing round Tynecastle at the weekend but Brown insists his close friend should not be written off just yet.
The former Rangers defender reckons it’s time experienced pros such as Kenny Miller and Lee McCulloch upped their games because they’re as much at fault for the mess the team finds itself in as the board, which he has labelled “disgusting”.
Bomber, who spent 10 years with the club after signing in 1988, said: “I have to be very critical of the players right now. I have a lot of time for many of them but for the standard of player there, they are vastly underachieving.
“It is a disgrace that guys like Kenny Miller, Kris Boyd and Lee McCulloch – international players – and the experience they have got have been putting in the type of performances they have been. It’s shocking.
Jeff Holmes/PA WireKris Boyd and Kenny Miller
“People can criticise Ally all they want but when you look at that standard of player and the money they are earning and the fact they are going on that park and not producing performances or even spirit, then you have to lay the blame at the players.
“The manager can pick the team but it is down to the players on the park to go and show a desire to win. But there has been a lack of real passion in that team and you have to look at them for that. The players need to get their fingers out.”
Brown then turned his ire on the board and added: “I feel sorry for Ally because if you look at Graeme Souness and Walter Smith, they had David Murray backing them to the hilt.
VIEW GALLERY
“I have got to say the situation Ally finds himself with the board of directors he is working under is disgusting. There’s no cohesion or support for the manager. He’s not had a fair crack at the job.
“To be left in that situation when you are trying to run a football team, there is no doubt it will affect what’s on the park.
“Ally was given a task to get the club back into the Premiership and he is still going to achieve that.
“But by goodness, if you think the off-field stuff does not have an effect on the team you are wrong.
“These directors should be doing more to back their manager right now rather than turning their back on him. It’s embarrassing.”
Brown has seen McCoist win over the raging Rangers support once before and insists he can do so again.
The former full-back was Dundee’s match-winner on that infamous day in February 1985 when the Light Blues hurled abuse at the then young striker.
John Brown hits the winner v Rangers in 1985
But the former Dundee boss – who joined McCoist at Ibrox three years later – went on to watch the current Gers manager earn iconic status with his club record haul of 355 goals as they won nine successive Scottish titles together.
Brown said: “The fans are frustrated by the whole situation at the club. The Easdales and the Ashleys are never going to be accountable. They hide behind the door while Ally is out the front taking the flak.
“I scored the winner that day for Dundee when the Copland Road was telling Ally where to go.
“But can I tell you something. Ally McCoist that day was the one Rangers player who stood out. He was there to miss the chances.
“They had Derek Johnstone, Davie Cooper, Bobby Russell. All big players but no one mentions their performances. It was all about Ally.
“He had the balls to stand up and eventually win the fans over. He has done it once and will do it again.
“This is November remember. Prizes don’t get given out until the end of the season. There is plenty of time left.”
Try your hands at our sports quiz
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Gary67
If Denayer is not fit and Mulgrew slots in at the back who plays in the midfield?
LB
OOPLA ! .
Grateful Dead not Greatful Dead .
Livibhoy Nigeria did,nt qualify for the ACN final stages – I believe. Hail Hail Hebcelt
The County Bar – what a joint!
My Paradise visits started in the early 60’s standing outside the adjacent Forde’s bookies waiting for my uncle to come out to go on the Ewing’s bus for the obligatory lift ower.
Boy’s enclosure in front main stand.
EC67
Having just read McMurdo’s latest deranged ramblings, I had a wee look back at Strachan’s manipulation quote.
While he is accentuating the positives of such a thing, he’s also making it blatantly clear that if such a thing does come to pass it’s categorically been a case of manipulation. Or cheating as some others might say.
Although I don’t think that was the message he was trying to convey he can be very subtle with his message.
hebcelt
Seriously? Shocker. They won it last time didn;t they? I thought they would be automatically in.
LB
Livibhoy
Lenny tried him in there a few times last season, but he doesn’t have the fleetness of foot for the role
For some time many of us have wondered just who is Jack Schitt?
We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack
Schitt!’
Well, thanks to genealogy efforts, you can now respond in an
intellectual way:
Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt.
Awe Schitt was married to O. Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, and owner
of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.
s
In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt. The deeply religious couple
produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, FullaSchitt, Bull
Schitt, and the twins Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt..
Against her parents’ objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high
school dropout.
After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced. Noe Schitt
later married Ted Sherlock, and because her kids were living with them,
she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe
Schitt-Sherlock.
Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with
a rather nervous disposition who was nick-named Chicken Schitt.
Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were
inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens
brothers in a dual ceremony.
The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens
nuptials.
The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse.
Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world.
He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.
Now when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack Schitt,’ you can correct
them.
Sincerely,
Crock O. Schitt
Livibhoy,
Nigeria are oot Africa cup of nations.
Bada,
Aye mate.
LiviBhoy
14:25 on
25 November, 2014
Kayal or Biton
BT,
I left Holy Cross in 1985 and moved over the road to Bell College, so The County, Ewings and the Crown were all frequented at that time – although as I said preference was always the Bay Horse.
In the centre of town for a Friday / Saturday favourites were always Jilts and The Cave – happy memories ;-)
Cheers,
BJM.
Bjm
jilts was mobbed back then 3d’s…..ooooft….
You’ll always see the strength and weakness’s of your back up, when you have Mikael Lustig.
He’s as reliable as ole Gary the rigger Gillespie.
This years europa league group has been useless ,as far as a good beer drinking trip is concerned ,Last year we had amsterdam a great beer drinking city(and not the gassy piss heineken),not as good as last time I was there for 5 days and got to all the great specialist beer bars.but by far the best trip was the week spent in Belgium when we played Anderlecht,
ans as Belgium is the greatest beer brewing country on the planet,it was (apart from the result),the best away trip ever
bournesouprecipe
14:38 on 25 November, 2014
You’ll always see the strength and weakness’s of your back up, when you have Mikael Lustig.
He’s as reliable as ole Gary the rigger Gillespie.
————————————————————–
And yet he’s our most consistent player. What an achievement [indictment].
BT,
Jilts was (and I think still is) the regularly busiest pub I had ever been in – couldnae move in the place – I was always impressed by the MASSIVE screen they had for playing the pop videos of the day, very much ahead of their time in that respect (well for Hamilton anyway).
3D’s was the later venue of choice also, preferred it to Park Lane – although the latter was flavour of the month for while (as well as the Rococo club)!!!!
Jeez – you have really got me reminiscing today :-)
Cheers,
BJM.
Bada Bing –
Celtic are on 8 points. Zagreb are on 3. If Zagreb don’t beat Astra, they cannot catch us, even if we were to lose our 2 remaining games.
Tom-thanks.HH
DELIASMITH 1349
IMO,Gordon Strachan made those comments to tip us off.
Not just Celtic supporters,btw. ALL fans in Scotland who have an interest in fair play and in sporting integrity.
I reckon he got wind of things,and didnae like it anymore than anyone else,outside of Ibrox and Hampden.
the token tim
12:48 on 25 November, 2014
Livibhoy (FTLT)
Yep Ekeren was a good trip indeed. Cracking strike from Oh Mikey, Mikey saw us through.
Even though its on the outskirts of Antwerp, we stayed in Ghent. The wee town of Ekeren didnt know what had hit it though. Bars and carry-out shops probably made more dosh that day than in a normal month!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
##############################
Nice wee red lights too…. Was on that trip, my first European adventure….loads of memories
Ayrshire is Green and White
The Battered Bunnet
Only remember him playing there against Raith Rovers but I will take your word for it mate.
I feel sorry for big Efe. Always available and always does his best.
LB
Request for tom mclaughlin or anyone who may be going to Oz at Christmas . Got a fragile parcel for Kano that I’m trying to arrange delivery off . If anyone can oblige , sannabhoy@gmail.com .
Thanks
Davidopoulos
How did fans notice Efe was rusty when he came on? :-)
I think Denayer’s withdrawal was a precaution, as he did play on after he got whacked.
Matthews will fill the RB berth, Denayer and VVD as you were.
How many full matches do we get out of Lustig and Matthews, Forrest too in a season?
Even if they play well when they are fit, are they worth the money?
Not in my book.
Livibhoy
He’s playing like a guy who bet all of his confidence on heads, and it came up tails.
One for the manager to sort out. And given Efe’s enhanced contract, it needs sorted.