[Official TC Thread] Celtic vs Manchester City - Wed 28th September - 7:45 - BT Sports 2

Hard to tell how the game will go I think.

On paper i'd say this City team is the 2nd best attacking side to Barcelona that we've faced in the last decade, their movement, the way they close down, their passing and the quality of their attacking players is a lot better than Valencia, Bayern Munich, Juventus, AC Milan, Man Utd, Arsenal and the other top teams we've faced in modern times who we manged to do well against so it will be more like playing Barcelona than a normal quality side.

Other than Barca this is the only time we've faced a team where I think we could get pumped as this City team are the type who pump teams.

 

:smiley-laughing002:

Aye, i wasn't saying that Zabaleta was * but every team on the planet has an area that can be got at, and with Navas bombing forward and Zabaleta still quite an attacking full back, despite losing pace... I think we can definitely capitalise in that area with Sinclair and Dembele pulling off to the side..

Dembele I think can also trouble Stones and Otamendi and Shooders can get at Kolarov..

We do have it in us. They are red hot but we're in a good place and have our own threats..

Dying for this to come in. Buzzing for it..

 

It's the only way to beat a Pep team for me, let there forwards get nervous about their defence.

 

Goosebumps!!

https://www.facebook.com/CelticFC/videos/1307234555983113/

Tomorrow cannot come quick enough, I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight.

I just hope Rogic is playing but I think Rodgers might drop him to go with McGregor, Bitton and Brown.

 

Dortmund v Madrid should be decent

 

It's hard to get at their full-backs though, the way they've been playing too they tend to leave the full-back areas open and their full-backs go into centre-midfield which then drags our wingers inside to stay with them as they use their full-backs as creative centre-mids.

Guardiola is too good tactically that it's hard to see how we will get any joy out them.

In possession they more or less will set up: (Im guessing they'll play like this but Navas might play instead of Sane or Gundogan with Sterling wide or Otamendi with Kolarov at left-back maybe Iheanacho too and they'll go for 2 up front)

Bravo
Stones---------Kolarov
Fernandinho
Zabaleta Clichy
Sane Sterling Silva Nolito
Aguero

When they are like that we will need to have Sinclair and Forrest either inside on Zabaleta and Clichy or sitting even deeper as like full-backstrying to stop them from passing to their wide players. Then when we get it they will be too deep to get quick attacks.

Dembele and Rogic will need to have great games and manage to hold the ball up for us but Fernandinho is a quality player and will probably keep managing to disposses them.

I think it will be a long night with us struggling to do anything and getting dominated.
​

 

I've had two students request tutoring sessions during the game. *

 

2-1 you heard it here first #HH

 

Tutor them on supporting the hoops!

 

How unprofessional would it be to have the game running on my computer while I was trying to teach them? They are paying me hourly...:smiley-laughing002:

 

What do you teach? Sure we could figure out a way to incorprate the game into it

 

Absolutely crucial our midfield performs tomorrow. If they don't we could be in for a long night because if we keep surrendering possession of the ball they will undoubtedly punish us, I don't think we are a good enough defensive unit to just sit back and try and soak up pressure. We need to have a go.

In fairness I am confident we will do well, our midfield and performances in general have been quite good at home in Europe this season.

Rogic is a must start for me if we are to get anything from this game.

 

Astronomy. They'll be learning about planetary rotation - can relate that to ball spin producing curl on a shot :smiley-laughing002:

 

There you go!

 

Hope Griffiths starts.

We wont get much time in their box and he can take a shot from outside with little time on the ball.

Dembele is more of an attacking striker and a bit of an all rounder but i cant see him scoring from range lile griff can.

 

Rogic is a must start for me. We must play to our strengths at home which is the attacking areas. Now we are in the group stage we need to have a go. The players (and the support for that matter) just need to understand they are a good side but let's chuck this attitude giving sides too much respect. Get tore in back each other up and use the ball well take players on when we can and get some action on the goal.
Let's see how good we are.

 

gordon starting.

 

Just been on Periscope- what is the fuss with Guirdiola?<img src="http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/images/smilies/56.gif" class="inlineimg" smilieid="79" border="0">

 

The pressure will be on Man City for this one. We seem to be massive underdogs.

 

Need to fire a few shots from range. Is there goalie no pish now that Hrat has gone.