Qarabag v Celtic- Wednesday 5th August, K.O 17.30, live on BT Sports

Hope we get Skenderbeu

 

:larger:

 

They are winning 3-0 now after getting beat 2-0 away to Salzburg

 

i know mate...didn't see that coming though.

 

YEESSSSS!!!! WE * DID IT!!!!

* me, we can never be allowed to play on a pitch like that ever again. Good on the boys defended well!

 

I wish UEFA would just be honest and call it what it really is: the Money League. UEFA like to suck the dicks of the rich clubs, even soul-less nothing clubs with * all history like Man City.

Keep politics out of football (if you are Celtic) but it's ok to have your political banners if you are Barecelona. UEFA are a joke with their one rule for some set up.

 

Celtic should hope for Dinamo Zagreb. They're not very good. Molde should easily have beaten them, but managed to throw it away, missing 2 (out of 3) penalties in the game and got a red card.

 

I know this ain't the greatest Celtic team we've ever seen but they've come a long way in 12 months. This time last year we were being roundly pumped by Legia and watching Berget and McGregor. Been a steady improvement over the year.

 

We were solid enough to grind the game out and go through by a single goal which is the hallmark of any top side. Nothing spectacular, just good organization doubling up and good timing in the challenges.

All-in-all a good build up to the main event, i just hope we can be a bit more convincing, no matter who we draw.

 

I also think that if you finish #3 in the Champions league group, you get into the Europa league.

 

Couldn't agree more

We also missed Brown in the middle of the park at vital points last year in the qualifying stages.

Having him in the side makes big difference.

 

So far ,through tonight are

FC Astana (Kaz) Take this

CSKA Moscow (Rus) don't think we can get drawn against

BATE (Blr) Want to avoid

 

Job done. Professional performance, we had a lead to defend and we did it. Frustrating at times, but the pitch was awful.

Defending was very good tonight, Biton, izzy and Virgil the stand outs, Broony as well.

Will need to play better in the play off, but the bhoys did well tonight in difficult circumstances.

 

As long as we don't get drawn against any obscure Polish teams im happy

 

Midfielder Stuart Armstrong also addressed the media after Celtic progressed to the #UCL play-offs in Azerbaijan.


SA: "It was a tough game. We knew they had to come out and do something to get back in the tie."

SA: "We were happy to keep our shape and go on the counter and we knew if we scored it would be a huge advantage."


SA: "I felt it was very well-played by ourselves."


SA: "It was one of the most difficult games I have played in, in terms of getting something out the game and sticking to a plan."

SA: "It was a tiring game. It was nice to have the water breaks. The second half was challenging and the surface wasn't great."

SA: "It was fine lines. You had to concentrate at all times because you couldn't rely on the surface and look away at any time."

SA: "I'm not aware of who we could face. I'm just happy to get through, recover well and we will take the next game as it comes."

SA: "We're optimistic & excited about the next round & hopeful of achieving the ultimate goal of getting into the #UCL group stages."

 

much better , pitty we can play moulde next

 

Job done!! That was the main aim of tonight. Despite it being an uncomfortable 90 mins watching it, it was actually a good performance.

One shot from the best player in the Qarabag side, we didn't give them a sniff. Lustig and Izzy defended the wings, Van Dijik and Boyata were solid in defence. As was last season, Bitton, Brown and Johansen were at the heart of the team performance. Bitton was composed in possession and covered off the ball into the Qarabag strikers feet. Brown and Johansen took it in turns to stop Richard having any opportunity to dictate the play. Johansen shown the energy and drive of last season. Armstrong and Mackay Steven worked well in the wide areas and helped out in defence when required. Ciftci was given a hard shift tonight, didn't get much joy from his teammates or the * of a ref.

Griffiths, Commons and Forrest came on to continue the good work of those they replaced. Forrest with a good run on a hoaching field late but chose the wrong option. Although he was like most of our players in advanced areas of the field, let down with the use of the ball.

We let ourselves down a bit tonight with our use of the ball tonight. We created a good chance with Johansen after some good work by Armstrong. Aside from that it was pretty sloppy stuff. The pitch was as feared, a shitehole. My local park is in better nick than what we played on tonight.

I hate moaning about this given we proceeded, again the main thing about tonight. However we made it hard for ourselves on numerous occasions with poor use of the ball and bad decision making. The Forrest chance is just one example of the aforementioned problem, but there were others who were just as guilty. We have to be better when we reach better opposition.

In the 1st leg we seen that they liked to play out from the back, more often than not into the Baldy Brazilian was the prime choice. The centre half's were pretty poor on the ball(like the 1st leg, the guy with yellow boots) and continually gave the ball away. The same happened tonight, gave the ball away cheaply. However instead of being composed on the ball, we rushed/were too eager to get the ball moving forward. We didn't build the play and exploit the space. You could excuse this with the playing surface. Again, we have to better against better opposition.

Anyway, ref was an utter * . Defended very well and dealt with a potentially difficult situation, considering all the variables.

 

http://www.talkingbaws.com/2015/08/...-a-qarabag-player-as-ref-blows-for-full-time/

 

No you can't. . Molde should easily have beaten Dinamo Zagreb, but managed to throw it away, missing 2 (out of 3) penalties in the game and got a red card.

You should hope for Dinamo Zagreb. They were not very good.

 

40 mins and we find how high we are seeded for next round