UCL Last 16: Celtic v Juventus Chat

Looking forward to this tonight. The bhoys will go out all guns blazing and if we go out which is likely, we did amazing to get there. Good luck tonight Celtic.

 

Preferably from a penalty. With a straight red for Buffon.

Then I think we'd stand a chance :smiley-laughing002:

 

And a second red to there best defender for arguing over the decision :smiley-laughing002:

 

This just feels like going through the motions at the moment.

Credit to Juve for putting the tie out of sight at the halfway point, though. Even if they rest a few players it won't make much difference, they'll just replace quality with quality (Isla, Pogba, Giovinco etc).

I hope they pull all the antics from corners they did in the first leg, but I can see them being smarter than that.

 

Juve will go through quite comfortably, and i fancy Milan to go through too. It could well end up being an all Italian final, but i'd like to see Dortmund win it.

If, we had got a big decision in the first leg, we might have had a chance. I'm sure it would have been a classic as would the game last night with Man Utd, if Nani - who was causing Madrid lots of problems - stayed on the park. For me, the Madrid keeper missing the ball completely and punching Vidic on the temple was more dangerous, but their you go. Protect the goalkeeper.

At this stage it's fine lines and it's massive blunders from referees that are effectively spoiling the games.

Tonight, we'll have a strong referee. The best we can hope for is a draw. We're up against a right good Juve side and we'll use it to try and develop the teams' ability to keep possession away from home. Big Fraser Forster needs to be on top form and we really need the first goal. Our form has been great one week, poor the next. Juve are super consistent.

It will be interesting to see if we get mauled or manage to compete tonight. For me, we don't have enough up front to cause them too many problems. It's not easy to change the attacking personnel, we have no idea how Miku would do against Juve - we've hardly seen him play.

I expect Lichtenstein is being rested because Samaras is expected to play and Conte would be worried about him. I think we'll setup solid, hope we can sneak a goal, keep it tight and if we can keep the ball out of our net, go all out attack with 25 minutes to go.

It's more Champions' League experience and the main thing is to do well and play good football. We missed Samaras in the last game, hopefully he can do something special that lights up the game.

 

had secretly been beleiving it could be done and would be another memorable game from this campaign , but now the day is here...I feel nothing for tonight

 

Let's win the game. Even giving them the smallest of scares would be an excellent achievement.

 

Do the competition rules allow the use of tasers....

Think this will be the only way Hooper and Stokes can keep the Italian defenders from manhandling them..... off the field of play the actions in the last match would definitely be enough for an assault charge

 

Il doubt they will be able to manhandle Sammy, hes to * big.

 

Every bit of common sense I have (not a lot) tells me that this is near imposible. However if we go into the break 1-0 up ill start to believe. Already have a fiver on 3-0

 

It's all about pride. Very little chance of us going through, just want the lads to put in a performance of the highest quality and leave everything on the pitch. And I think they will.

 

In my opinion a all German final is more likely.

 

No pressure on the team for this game. They are not expected to do anything. So maybe they will play with a bit of freedom and confidence with no nerves. I dont expect a win but just hope they do themselves justice and leave there with their pride intact. I hope all the players play to their best and i can ask for no more than that. Theres always hope though.

 

This!!!

you have pretty much written what i was coming here to write!

i know they had some good counter attacking against us last time but that was never a 3-0 victory,we played superb i thought,did not deserve to lose by that margin,hopefully we can restore a bit of pride tonight,anything can happen!

 

Strange thing to say, but the tactics from the first leg were more or less spot on. Only thing is, when Juventus counter-attacked they had a 2 vs 2 situation. I'd like to see us go for a back 3 to give us the spare man.

With Brown unavailable, I'd leave Kayal out and go with Wanyama and Ledley. They give us a nice balance in midfield.

Hooper and Samaras have to start, they've been big performers in Europe this season. I'd have Commons in the side over Forrest. Forrest gives us pace and width, but Commons drifts inside and is more likely to shut down the space for Pirlo.

I'd go with this:

Forster

Ambrose Wilson Mulgrew

Matthews Wanyama Ledley Izaguirre

Commons Hooper Samaras​

 

If we score in the first 10 minutes, their * will collapse and we will go through

 

I think we'll attack with one winger, Sammy, then second half, bring on Forrest, so we can attack down both.

It's a massive game, even if we are gonna go out - their's no shame in keeping the heid and playing for a good result, but i expect we will go for it.

We still have 90 minutes to resurrect our Champions' League campaign and the only way we can do that is to go direct and hope that someone can run right at the back three, or Sammy can break free and draw out defenders, leaving some space for Hooper to work in.

Sometimes it comes down to determination and how much the players want it. I just hope we play well, frustrate them and have a right good crack at it.

 

Conte spotted a weakness with Commons and it was exploited. When he had chances to shoot, Buffon knew exactly where he was going to direct his shot. Most of his goals go into the same corner, but he's capable of putting the ball anywhere and although he lacks a bit of pace defensively, he's been one of our best players that helped to get us this far.

I'd have him in before Forrest too, partly because i'd like wee Forrest to come on fresh when others have tired. But it probably needs to come from Samaras. This will be the dangerman Conte will be looking to shut down and counter.

I hope Lenny has a plan. Maybe having Hooper wide right and Sammy through the middle.
Then from time to time switch - Hooper through the middle and Sammy out left.

Conte will have a plan, if we can disrupt things first half get a lucky break, Conte will tweak things at half time. We should do the same.

What is imperative though, is that we have pace up front and a physical presence in midfield - exactly like the teams suggested by all you guys - one formation first half, a different one second. If, that is, our defense and midfield can block the one touch stuff from midfield to attack - which destroyed us in the first game.

 

Hopefully we stick to counter attacks and don't leave the defence exposed or else Juventus will use their chances, which I think will be numerous.

Don't think we should throw the towel just yet, but trying to employ attacking and controlling approach at their ground may be disastrous.

 

Keep it tight and solid at the back and take our chances when they come. If we do this we have a chance.

Surely we can create at least 3 scoreable chances in the 90 but can we shut them out?

Intae them Celtic