Celtic vs Barcelona (ITV. 7.30pm)

I don't think he's been that bad.

 

Well at least we won't have to deal with Messi
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/messi-ruled-out-for-celtic-game.1380455305

 

Fixed that for you

 

I'd go with a 5-3-2 for this one:

Stokes

Commons

Mulgrew---Brown

Izaguirre------Ledley------Matthews
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Van Dijk---Ambrose---Lustig

Forster

Gives us the option to defend with a back 5 and not be totally overrun in the midfield by having 3 lads in the centre. The wing backs can get forward on the counter safe in the knowledge that we'll always have at least 4 people staying back. I think we should aim for 0-0 for the first hour, then bring on Samaras and Boerrigter when they're tired and stretched. Hopefully we can scrape a 1-0 but I'd be pleased with a 0-0. At this stage it's just about getting points on the board and getting off of zero. The longer we're on zero the harder it is to get that monkey off our back... Barca will be holding a grudge and we have to be even more wary than last time.



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Pukki over stokes. IMO Pukki looks the better finisher compared with stokes.

 

Aye, Stokes have been missing a few sitters recently.

 

I did wonder, but I couldn't be arsed to go back through 18 pages

 

No, no, it's not that. Have a look in Pub.

 

He was horrible yesterday. Totally at fault for the second goal as well. If a Killie player can get by him as if he wasn't there i'm not too confident for Barca.

 

The Messi injury thread in the pub section is worth taking a look at.

 

He screwed up. Don't think he deserves dropped, though.

 

Sammy, as for every CL game, is a must start. Scored how many goals in the CL last season and this season?

 

Sammy will 110 per cent definitely start. That's how it goes.

 

Celtics odds slashed!!

William Hill

Celtic from 8/1 down to 11/2
Barca from 1/4 down to 2/5

Very interesting.

 

Would play Pukki instead of Stokes. We won;t have enough of the ball to justify Tony starting and we need all the pace we can get on the break.

 

You can still get 9-1 with Totesport( and there is loads of 8-1 still about) however I have always thought the Hills odds compilers are better than any others when it comes to Scottish teams so I hope they are right to react to Barca's injuries more than the other firms have.

 

We always have a chance at Celtic Park, might be slim but still a chance. Can't wait

 

Good news if Kayal is back. I would go with 3 in midfield then

Lustig--Ambrose--Van Dikj--Izzy
----Brown---Kayal--Mulgrew----
Commons----------------Sammy
-------------Stokes------------

4-0 Celtic

 

Not sure i'd throw Kayal straight back in. Derk might be a pretty useful weapon on the counter attack with his pace and his final ball is generally pretty good, something we've struggled with.

This is all a mind *, good luck Neil