Helsinki vs. Celtic 08/08 18:00 CL Live Premier Sports

They are unbeaten at home since Oct 2010

 

So

 

Please Please Please don't lose an early goal

 

I think we could score a few over there if they're not just sitting in like they were for the second half tonight and we should be a bit sharper. They looked nowhere near as good as the Rennes or Udinese teams were last season. I reckon a 2-0 or 3-1 win over there.

 

Lucky a draw does us!

 

It's a question of balance. I'm not saying Ledley is not a good player, I like him. But the midfield you've named above (for example) has Wanyama, Brown, Kayal, and Ledley all in it - that's three get-in-&-mix-it players, and one steady-keep-possession player.

Our main creating players are Commons, McCourt and Sammy, and you haven't included any of them, which leaves us lacking creativity in the middle of the park. McCourt is a more talented player than just about anyone in our team. He just needs the right players immediately around him to give him space and time. We are not nearly utilising him to full potential at the moment.

 

Records are made to be broken and all the other cliches
I'd chew your hand off for a 0 0 just now but its a certainty imo we will lose at least 1 goal

 

I completely agree. 4-5-1 is essential, especially if Stokesy isn't 100%.

Only change I'd make would be Forrest or Commons, instead of Samaras. Jamesy is a quicker and brighter player, and Commons has a better football brain.

 

It's an away game in Europe, mate. I think we need to keep tight, settle ourselves and see how things go. Then introduce our flair players to nick us a goal or two in the second-half.

I'm also an admirer of McCourt's and recognise his ability, but I'm unsure of his suitability for a starting place in the centre of midfield. The players I've picked have better acceleration and can recover quickly if we make mistakes.

Helsinki looked like they could only offer something on the counter-attack, tonight. So packing the midfield, at least from the beginning, could well frustrate them. They'll need to go for it, too.

 

The few times HJK attacked us are signs of what they will be like away from home. They will be a completely different side in the away leg, if we play like we did tonight they will throttle us.

 

Was just saying

 

It's a good general strategy, but to be honest, our squad is just not set up or drilled to do that.

And actually hasn't been for about as long as I've been going to games. The number of times I've seen us play to keep it tight, then concede - and when we're forced to actually go for it and attack, we suddenly become the better team.

I'm not saying go all out attack from the whistle, but let's play to our strengths - and defending a one-goal lead ain't one of them. Vic and Beram will give us enough steel to control the centre, and that's half the battle.

 

they have a couple of speedy players ,and we need to watch out for the counter but we should be attacking to get the first goal when they need 3 goals to put us out then shut up shop time,
inviting pressure on ourselves from the start has never worked for us

 

-----------------------Forster------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Matthews--------Lustig--------Mulgrew-------Izaguirre
------------------------------------------------------
Brown-------Wanyama---------Ledley---------Samaras
------------------------------------------------------
---------Commons-------------------------------------
-------------------------Hooper-----------------------

 

They haven't played many quality sides though. To be fair to them though that is a very good record.

 

Yeah, I know still a great record no matter what league or team you are

edit - they did beat Schalke though

 

Impossible? What a joke you are, we are a class apart from this team.

 

C'mon on Celtic just a draw or win.

COYBIG

 

or a 3-2, 4-3 etc defeat :icon_mrgreen:

 

Dinamo Zagreb beat them at their ground last year 0-1 in the champions league qualifiers.