Celtic v Ajax 22 October 7.45pm KO

I think we need to do the unexpected against Ajax and give Big Amido Balde a start against Ajax, that will throw their match plans.

Stokes and Pukki are two link-u strikers with no goalscorer to link-up with.They're not a partnership. I would go with Stokes and Balde upfront for this must win match.

Forster

Lustig Ambrose Virgil Mulgrew

Forrest Kayal Ledley Samaras

Balde Stokes

 

If we had went and won today and Commons didn't get injured I would have been full of confidence for this. Now im kinda worried about this with no Lustig or Matthews and no Commons it looks like.

Still can't wait and I'm sure under the lights with a packed Celtic park we can do this!

 

Balde should start imo.

 

..............Forster

..Fisher Ambroae Van Dijk Izzy..

......Kayal...Mulgrew...Ledley.....

Forrest.........................Sammy
.................Stokes....................


This is what I would play.

 

Not enough creativity there for me. I'd either like to see Kayal left out or Mulgrew in the back 4. Play Stokes/Pukki off the other.

I also think Lustig will make it.

 

I'd also not be totally against Balde starting. I think he has something.

 

It won't be far off that but hopefully Lustig is fit.

This is a young Ajax team who shouldn't be underestimated. They have some decent young players that won't be intimidated by the atmosphere at Celtic Park. Obviously the stand out of these young players is Viktor Fischer. Their senior players like Blind, Moisander, De Jong and Sigporsson are arguably better than what we have in those positions.

They are arguably a better team unit than AC Milan. If we continue playing the way we have in the CL then we could get a result. If we change it and adopt a more attacking approach like we did against Juventus then we could easily come unstuck and be beaten. Even though they are a young side they are more experienced than Celtic at this level.

Folk saying we will gub them are being overly optimistic/borderline arrogant.

 

Away to twente later tonight,hope they get pumped,il be keeping a close eye on their score.

 

I think that will be the team he picks, but with Pukki playing instead of Balde. Can't see him starting him in a match this important when he is barely giving him time in the league.

Either that or Ledley in for Pukki and Stokes playing the lone role, in a 4-3-2-1.

 

That is less than ideal for Ajax having to play an away game on a Saturday night when they have an away European tie on the Tuesday night. Twente are one of their main title rivals and Enschede is near the German Border on the other side of The Netherlands. Lot's of traveling over the next few days for Ajax.

 

I don't think this is going to be as easy as some are making out, they were robbed against Milan and the barca game wasn't a fair reflection of how they played.

 

Then again, Barca and Milan were seriously underwhelming against us (or we stifled them, however you want to view it)

 

There are no easy CL games these days. I'm expecting a very nervous tightly fought game but it's one despite injuries and Brown's suspension I think we can win.

 

Agreed look at the players we had missing when we beat Barcelona.

 

no goals yet between Twente and Ajax looks like this will be a tough night for ajax.

 

Twente just scored.

 

good goal from Twente

 

Good now Ajax will have to go all out..


Hopefully a couple injuries

 

Ajax playing ok so far tonight 16 attacks from them.

 

Ajax see themselves as a mini Barcelona cause they play the same possesion football.....that is a good thing for us because we have demonstrated that we can defend that type of football with relative ease.

What we struggle to defend is the quick counter attacking football as seen against Juventus, Milan, and the Fabregas goal a few weeks ago.

I think the way they attack will suit us to a tee