Celtic v HJK Helsinki - Wed, 1 Aug K/O 19.45 - Live on Premier Sports.

Samaras was playing left wing the majority of the game, when Hooper was deep it was Commons duty to go through as he was practically playing upfront.

Ended up with wee Jamesy Forrest up there at the end of the match that was working quite well surprisingly.

 

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself because its just early season, but it just looked we had no creativity at some points!

I still think we need a target man though!

 

I agree we need somebody who can head a ball by the way but the way we were playing last night never really afforded the oppurtunity for Sammy. Except when Chico got on the end of a cross at the backpost and it went across the box and Sammy should have been running in instead of hanging about at the edge of the box

We were rusty in the final third last night, if we weren't you wouldn't have seen the like of Hooper and Forrest run into each other at one point or Hooper control Izzy's pass that rolled by him at the end of the first half. Usually he'd control that on his way and slot it into the goal.

Just complete rustyness that I hope we get rid of against Aberdeen. We need to skelp them on Saturday to get our shooting boots on IMO.

 

I've had a sleep to mull over my thoughts on the game and what players played well so here goes:

I thought we started off like we meant business and you could argue that we should have been 2 up in the first 5 minutes. Hooper had a great chance after 11 seconds. The fans were up for it and so were the team.

Helsinki slowly worked their way into the game and started to create a few chances of their own but we still looked ok. The game was flowing from end to end for a few minutes near the end of the first half.

At half-time, as I tucked into my pie I couldn't help but think that this was going to be one of those nights where we'd lose a soft goal and would be heading out of Europe.

I was right that we did concede a soft goal just after the break. I was convinced that the game would finish 1-0 to Helsinki. This is why I am so proud of the team for coming from behind to get the win. Two good goals, the first goal was made by Sammy's perfect pass to Hooper.

I do think that we missed a great opportunity to put 3 or 4 past them and cement a comfortable lead for the second leg but it wasn't to be. Now we face a really tough game in Finland. We must be switched on from the start there.

As for star performers, I wouldn't say there was one. I would say that many players had good games. Adam Matthews had a great defensive display and saved us on numerous occasions. Big Vic was composed throughout and looks like he could play at a higher level. Sammy was fantastic for the first hour I thought but then started to lose concentration. I also thought that Brown and Ledley worked tirelessly in the midfield.

The man of the match, though, was the fans. We really were a 12th man last night. And although some fans got on the teams back when we went behind, the majority stayed with the Bhoys and credit for that. The resolute roar after we conceded was fantastic.

Really hope we progress to the play-off round and have the second-leg at home so we can really get behind the Bhoys.

Hail, hail

 

Who would you get rid of and bring in? We've got a massive squad and I reckon we'll only get someone in if we've sold or there's a deal about to happen with one or two of our players. There has to be teams interested in these players you'd get rid of as well remember

 

Yeah, alot of they crosses were crying out for a chris sutton header haha!
It probably is just rustyness, and aye bang In a few against the sheep and go into the away leg with confidence!

I heard there were Man U and Arsenal scouts watching Vic last night?

 

probably the best time for us for them to watch him!

 

I'm not sure who I would bring in, surely the scouting team would have some options though ? A big, physical striker who can head the ball!

 

there was alot of passing it from one side to another i thought if we played a bit more direct we could have scored more goals, a big target man up front would be good to hold up the ball and let players make runs of him, at least we got the win not happy with the away goal tho just hope we dont sit back in the away leg

 

Exactly, I don't know when this all started Hooper sitting so deep all the time, he stopped it when we went 1-0 down and then he scores straight away. Commons was trying the killer pass all the time but none of the forwards were on the same wavelength as him.

 

First i'd like to quote myself from about a week ago

So, that kind of match then. Great result for HJK considering the pressure you gave us in the 2nd half. 1st half was brilliant from us and the first goal feeled like too good to be true, but then we kind of collapsed after that. Tbh, that's what usually happens to teams coached by Antti Muurinen, when they lead the match as an underdog.

Hopefully Mäkelä didn't injure himself too badly, cause with Sadik we are basically doomed in the home match. There's no way he's going to score.

Good luck for next week, and for those who make the trip, see you in Helsinki! :bbpd:

 

i dont understand some people on here, i just watched the match again and i can honestly say i am not worried about next week. we dominated last night in every aspect of the game and remember guys this is our first competitive game of the season, helsinki are like half way into there season. there where long periods in the match when they couldnt get close to us. we will win and no disrespect to helsinki but it wouldnt surprise me if we win like 3-0 but we can easily get a draw and thats all we need

 

Quite happy with the result, would have been better if we got another goal but we can beat them away imo. Thought Matthews was MOTM had a brilliant game.

 

Thing is teams are often different at home than they are away, we are an example of that. I'm still fairly confident that we can make it, it will be tough but we can do it.

 

I thought, for a first competitive game we were brilliant Looked a little rusty and at times didnt know where to go with the ball despite keeping it for long periods but that will go soon, although hjk were rubbish tbh and made us look like barca at times! Well we had midfielders in in defence and at one point near the end vic and charlie our center backs were passing it about near their corner flag lol
No worries for the second leg imo as long as we dont do anything stupid and give something to hold on to, cant see one player in the hjk squad that would start ahead of any of our men.

 

Granted, I've only seen your team one but I don't really see any of your players that could improve our team, maybe I'm wrong. What players do you think would improve our team?

 

I'd agree with Most of that apart from 2 things thought sammy was really predictable and terribly greedy at times yesterday and had a spell in the 1st half where he gave the ball away every time he touched it that went on for about 15 minutes,izzy,hooper etc must do there nut at times,was better in the second half and his pass for hoopers goal was perfect!

Secondly thought the crowd at times were right on the players huffs and puffs all over with loose passes and when sammy and izzy runs were being snuffed out,still when we got going sounded as good as usual!

Think we can go and win there next eeek,no sitting back we've got the width and attacking pace to put an awkward well drilled side like this to bed!

 

Was it just me or did premier sports miss the second goal! They were showing a helsinky sub coming on lol The one good thing about sly is that wouldnt have happened!

 

Yeah mate, I thought my link froze but alot of people said the same

 

Aye the coverage was very poor. I think a sound boom near the Jock Stein net was * as everytime the ball got into that box you could hear nothing but crackling.