UCL Last 16: Celtic v Juventus Chat

Aye, Nigeria would usually go in as one of the favourites and then collapse. Hopefully this happens again and we get Ambrose back quickly

 

Im sure a days rest would be good enough you think he'd want to miss it!?

 

i keep having dreams we beat them 2/3-0 at home

 

Yeah, I just have a funny feeling we'll win comfortably at home then draw away. 3-0 win for Celtic at home: Sammy, Wanyama & Hooper. 1-1 over in Turin: Mulgrew and Pirlo. Pirlo to score a topper of a free-kick before Charlie steps up and puts it to shame. :smiley-laughing002: I know that sounds mental but stranger things and all that jazz. My gut feeling's been right for almost every European game this year. Even Barcelona at home.

 

I said the day of the draw I'd give my opinion and write up a good bit about Juve but tbh I keep forgetting and when I remember it's a stupid time like this and I can't be arsed.

However - another bonus (for us) is that Chiellini being out so far has visibly shaken the previously near-invincible defence. They're not exactly in a crisis or anything, but the last couple of defensive displays without him have been mediocre in my own opinion. He was obviously the best of the back three defensively and technically and it just doesn't seem as good without him on the left hand side of the trio.

Probably the best part of the scenario - for us again - is that instead of taking the money route and splashing on someone like Salvatore Bocchetti who they've been linked with for ages to fill the left centre back position, they've went for what is literally a backup option in Peluso. Caceres will almost certainly start with Barzagli and Bonnuci should Chiellini not recover in time for either leg. Beyond the obvious benefit of Chiellini being the best defender, the fact they didn't opt for someone like Bocchetti is probably because he would expect to be a regular whereas Peluso can't really conceivably expect to start many games in general even with Chiellini out.

It's a plus for us, believe me

 

We have nothing to fear, it's starting to look like we got a good draw after all.
Nobody really knows what will happen, maybe Juve have been slightly over-rated.

They score a lot of goals that have an element of luck about them, maybe their luck will run out. We can do this, we just have to go out and show the world another side to our game.

We'll pack the midfield and focus on giving ourselves a chance in the second leg, the question is can we play through them? Can we steal the limelight? Can we outplay them? If we can't we sit in. A lot will depend on how we defend and switch defense into attack and it might be worth having Hooper out wide right and Lassad through the middle. Samaras down the left, then unleash Forest and Watt, taking off a defender or a midfielder.

I'm going to say they will try and isolate defenders and midfielders who are trying to play the ball out on the deck. They will try and force guys to turn back and play it back into defense to keep possession. So long balls into the corner might be a way to get at them.
Or to play the ball to the kick off spot then oot wide.

Lenny and Mjallby will have a plan. The plan might be to play Hooper through the middle and Samaras out wide on one side, then bring on Forest to play down the other side.
In that way we shut them down the first half, then go at them second.

I reckon Lassad is best through the middle or out right and i've a hunch a physical guy up their freaks them out a bit.

 

Against Milan in the cup, Milan didn't look much like scoring, then they through on to big african guys and Juve looked terrified. So, maybe we go with Wanyama and Ambrose up front

 

Do you think Lassad is that physical guy?

 

Juve failed in a bid to take Lisandro López on loan must mean they have given up on Drogba.

 

I defo cant miss Juve-Celtic in Turin. You already know how much tickets will cost? Of course I want to join the green side of the stadium, but here in Italy there's a dreadful mess about tickets for visitors. Any suggestions lads?

 

In the exact same position mate, might just end up in turin without a ticket or buy one for the juve end and see what happens.

 

I'll try with the hoops Club in Wbelfast next week. I really don't want to run the risk of being on the wrong side :icon_mrgreen:

 

Hope you get one then. Funny enough I'm living in Florence but from Beal Feirste

 

So weird. I lived on the Falls for some while. I am currently living in Livorno now (hope you know it ), but have mates and stuff in Bfast and some culchies mate from the six lol. NI tourism office shud pay me thousands quids for the money I gave them. From what part of Belfast you come from?

 

Lassad might be the sort of guy that's not so easy to mark when defenders double up on the striker. Against Aberdeen he scored a good goal, albeit an open goal, playing in the center. He also played out right and did quite well. On the left he wasn't so good.

Hooper can cause them problems in the center too, but we need someone that can offer a physical threat in there. That's why i'm thinking, Hooper has played out wide and came slightly deeper before and played well out their and Samaras out left means we need a target for crosses. Hooper can run at them too and create chances as well as score them.

They will expect to have Hooper up front on his own and the idea is to change it slightly, to give them a completely different proposition, still having to deal with Hooper and Samaras.

One thing is for sure, Lassad isn't a left winger. It would be good to have this attacking option, where Lassad, Sammy and Hooper can also drop back to defend, or to spark attacks.

The other option is Miku, and i'm not so sure about Miku. For sure i like him, and a game like this might suit him better. I like the idea of Lassad being able to offer some height in there, a guy who can hold up the ball, bring others into the game and still finish.

Hooper out wide, means their winger needs to track back and if Samaras can get past players and supply better crosses, Hooper can be stealing in at the back post.

I reckon that's how you get the best out of Lassad. Out left he's not as effective.

This way we force them back and when they are on the backfoot we keep going forward, as soo as you turn back, they love that and really isolate the guy on the ball by closing him down quickly and cutting off the options. This way we could play long too.

 

^Seen that around facebook.

Would look amazing if it happens.

 

Aye that would look awsome!

 

How would that even be done though? Everyone brings a flag and then what? Where they all gonna go?

 

You wave them.