Champions League Celtic V Young Boys January 22nd kick off 8PM TNT sports 3

No game at this level is easy. We walloped Slovan in the first game and outclassed them but they had their moments. Young Boys are having a very poor season but have a big result in them as qualifying proved.

We should however be looking to impose ourselves on the game early doors and if we believe in ourselves and play as we can we should have enough to pick up three points which should see us into the next phase. The team will pick itself really, I don't think any of the rotation players like Bernardo or Idah have done enough recently to really be demanding a start. So I expect us to line up barring injuries

Schmeichel

Johnston
CCV
Trusty
Taylor

McGregor
Engels
Hatate

Kuhn
Kyogo
Maeda

I can see the game being a little nervy if we don't get an early goal but will go for a 2-1 to us.

 

Biggest game we've had in seasons, it feels..

Rodgers comments a couple weeks ago, I think were with this game in mind.

An early goal would be massive.

 

It's simple if we can't beat the worst team in the format this year at home to qualify for the knockout phase then we don't deserve to be in the Champions League. We have a full strength team and I am certain the players, Manager & Fans will be up for this from the off.

 

Hopefully this will be the game that the real Celtic turn up - the one that beat Leipzig and drew with Atalanta. The crowd will need to play it's part too and back the team 100% and keep the noise levels up at all times and not get on the teams back if they make a mistake

 

On paper we should walk this... Just like the Zagreb game.

If we turn up, we win. They're in honking form this season but we've become a hard watch this last couple of months.

Regardless though, I'm sure we're safe to the knock out rounds. We'd need 4 teams from a group of 8 to get to 9 or more points to leapfrog us and knock us out the competition. We'd also need the three teams under us to leapfrog us - Real Madrid (who probably will), PSV (who will if they beat Red Star and we don't pick up any more points) and Zagreb (who definitely won't)

Red Star, Salzburg, Girona, Strum Graz, Sparta Prague and Shaktar need to win all of their remaining games to leapfrog us. The only ones who that's realistic with their fixtures are Red Star (but that would mean PSV won't be able to go above us) or Shaktar. The rest have one or two impossible fixtures.


PSG and Stuttgart are the other two sitting 2 points behind us but they have to play each other. Stuttgart will qualify as they are playing Slovan first. PSG have Man City.

All moving parts but I think we're safe on nine points, but obviously we want to be as high and safer up the table as much as possible.

 

Biggest game of season, bar none.
It's going to be twitchy, nervy and tight given the huge pressure and expectation from both players and fans.
These guys are no mugs, certainly a level better than Dundee.

Patience is key.
Fans in the stadium have to loudly support team, no matter what - no groans or silence or booing if its not going to plan.
It all transmits to players and makes it harder, ref Brugge.

Encouragement all round is what's required, let's give our team the best chance to win and truly be the 12th man.

 

We are going into this game shaky at the back and far from clinical up front, that's never a good combination. If we play like we have against Dundee and Killie we will be lucky to get a point. The frustrating part is we all know we can play so much better, we just haven't been showing that for months now.

If the players show up and play to the standard they did against RBL we win and win comfortably, if they are nervy and tentative, particularly at the back (as that always seems to spread through the entire team!), we are there for the taking. Unfortunately the performances of late would indicate the latter is more likely currently, but I really hope it's the former. I am anticipating it's going to be a nervy evening.

 

Players coming back at the right time and last night seen a bit of hunger and zip and our game. Kyogo was being noticed making the right moves. Maeda...is maeda.
Can see us winning