Helsinki vs. Celtic 08/08 18:00 CL Live Premier Sports

The pitch is absolutely no excuse and I'll be raging if they mention it. We have the same type of pitch at Lennoxtown, Lennon should never have had them off it all week.

Another sneaky thing we could have done, can't remember which team did this, but they were in the same situation as us, playing away from home on an unfamiliar artificial pitch. They were the last team to train on the pitch before the game and asked to have the pitch watered. When the game kicked off, the home team felt like they were playing on a completely different surface.

 

jaysus dont remind me They will come out of the traps fast I reckon and put us under pressure, if we withstand the first 20 mins I think we will be ok but Im still worried to be honest.

 

Think optimisticaly Ladies & Gents...positive thoughts are the order of the day
Aye,we have a poor away European record but that can be rectified..starting tomorrow!
We have given ourselves a chance with an all important home win...Yes,we lost a goal but FFS we're capable of scoring goals too.

Get the good vibes going....honest tae *,i swear that night at Anfield where Thommo & big Hartson dumped Liverpool oot the UEFA cup...I believe the vibes from the fans emitted right through to the players...it was all positive stuff...a belief,and tomorrow's no different...that night was an extraordinary result achieved by extraordinary players and extraordinary fans...well I believe in the new crop of players so lets get right behind them...even if you are just shouting at a telly

 

Even though we only hold a 1 goal advantage and they have the away goal, I'm still confident of going through. They looked poor last week and if we had our shooting boots on then it would have been 4/5-1

I would like to see Wanyama in midfield with Rogne and Mulgrew at centre back as he is much better there, our team improved on Saturday when Wilson came on, allowing Wanyama to move forward

First goal is vital as ever and the last thing we need is to concede early on as it could be Utrecht/Sion all over again

 

I was a lot more confident that we would win at Anfield than I am about tomorrow night. I actually took £20 off one of my mates over the Anfield match. He was convinced we'd get horsed but I just had a feeling we were taking Liverpool out that night.

 

Will take any sort of result as long as it means us going through. Have every confidence in the squad, but have seen us experience enough collapses away from home in Europe against smaller teams over the past 10 years or so to know we never make it easy for ourselves. They have a more than decent record at home, and it'll be a tough game. Can see us taking a narrow victory or a draw

 

I know what you mean...tomorrow's the unknown a lottery,the team lack full match fitness and we don't possess the class of player we had that night at Anfield but I believe they are capable.

 

I'm confident the players can do what's needed tomorrow! An attacking minded 5 man midfield would be the best option. If Brown and Forrest are out, something like this:

Forster

Matthews - Rogne - Mulgrew - Izaguirre

Wanyama - Kayal

Commons - Ledley - Samaras

Hooper​

I'm going for 0-2 Celtic! Kayal and Mulgrew

 

Forster

Matthews - Rogne - Mulgrew - Izaguirre

Kayal

Forrest -Wanyama - Ledley - Commons

Samaras

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​

 

We'll be a lot sharper all over the park tomorrow night than we were last Wed that's for sure - I just hope we can withstand the pressure Helsinki's likely to bring onto our defence early doors.

Another thing is Wanyama - he HAS to be deployed to centre mid. If he's at CB for most of the game like he was in the first leg we could be in for trouble.

 

Our aim is too keep the game low key for the most part of the game and the longer they go without scoring i can see us growing in confidence. We can't be defensive though or we be leaving with only regret again, Lenny must be gearing the team up to get a goal, we really have to score. If they can get a similar performance like in Udine or Rennes last season then even the win is not beyond us, but i think a draw is what we will be realistically hoping for.

Going to the Kerrydale Suite tomorrow to watch this, just hope the results' better than the past few times i have seen beambacks there of euro qualifiers. If i'm being honest i think we will have realised after the game just how much we needed a third goal last week having conceded at home.

My prediction; a nerve-racking-spirit-crushing-coma-enducing-heart-attack-marathon culminating in the most important 0-0 draw in a long time for the Glasgow Celtic.


C'mon Bhoys!

 

Best team in my opinion that you have there for seeing this through.

Need Wanyama and Kayal on to help give that defensive cover so we can hopefully not concede. Hope Commons and Samaras keep up their form, Ledley always plays well and Hooper should chip in when he gets a chance.

Would be delighted with 2-0, dreading this match.

 

This artificial pitch will suit Hooper and Commons.
Celts: 3-0.

 

Forster

Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Izaguirre

Wanyama

Brown Kayal Ledley Commons

Hooper​

 

Its all nice and fun to say what team WE'D like to see... but what kinda team do you guys think LENNY will field? Let's say, 10 imaginary quid to who ever gets it spot on!

For me, there's the guaranteed starters first of all: Forster, Matthews, Mulgrew, Izzy, Wanyama, Kayal, Ledley, Hooper. This gives us:

Forster
Matthews CB Mulgrew Izzy
RW Kayal Wanyama Ledley LW
Hooper​

I've played it safe and guessed that Lenny will go for the ol' 4-5-1. Now my major questions are who plays CB, and on the wings? For CB, we have the choice of Rogne, Lustig, or Wilson. I'm gunna say Rogne.

As for the wings? It's hard to predict, not knowing whether or not Forrest or Brown will get over their niggles. I'm gonna go ahead and say that Forrest will make it but Brown won't. Forrest will play on the right, Commons on the left.

Forster
Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Izaguire
Forrest Kayal Wanyama Ledley Commons
Hooper​

I was tempted to swap Hooper for Sammy. Hooper hasn't exactly set the heath on fire this season. Early days, but in the end I guess I'd trust his finishing over Sammy's. Nothing against Sammy, I think he has his benefits, but I'd rather Hooper be there for what chances we make over in Helsinki.

I have a sneaky feeling that Lennon will surprise us with a more attacking formation. We'll see.

As for the game itself, I've learned something important about Celtic under Neil Lennon - we play better when we're in the lead. Once we're ahead, the release of pressure on the players is almost tangible. I've seen it so many times. We go ahead and suddenly we loosen up, start playing that flowing, incisive game more. So I hope to * we score early, then we'll be safe I bet.

My prediction is that there will be goals. I have a horrible voice in my head saying we'll concede first. But then we'll equalize, in the first half, courtesy of Joe Ledley's hun-skelping head.

Second half will be goalless until the last 15 minutes, when - disaster - Helsinki start pressing, and 10 minutes left we concede - admittedly a wondergoal, but it stings.

However, celtic come out a force after that goal, and press for those last ten minutes, carving at their defense, trying to find an opening. The clock will be counting down, injury time now. Looks like extra time will be played. Commons takes an ambitious shot from 35 yards. He fires wide. The away support groans in unison. Helsinki goal kick.

Less than a minute left. Wanyama wins the ball in midfield, sprays it out to Commons who broods down the wing, flirting with his marker, before tearing inside and having a whip at goal from the edge of the D. There's power and curl in his shot, but the keeper pulls off a decent save. He can only parry it back into the box, and - YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!! KELVIN WILSON SCORES FOR CELTIC! KELVIN WILSON HAS GRANTED CELTIC PASSAGE TO THE PLAY-OFF ROUND!!!

Fans invade the pitch, everyone swarming around the man of the hour - Kelvin Wilson. Celtic. Hero. Forever.

 

I'll have a pint of whatever Bhoyyo has been drinking. :icon_mrgreen:

 

Would like to pack the middle of the park Wanyama Ledley and Kayal. Please don't lose an early goal

 

1.Forster

2.Matthews 25.Rogne 21.Mulgrew 3.Izaguirre

67.Wanyama 16.Ledley

8.Brown 15.Commons 9.Samaras

88.Hooper
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24.Zaluska
6.Wilson
10.Stokes
20.McCourt
23.Lustig
33.Kayal
49.Forrest​

HJK Helsinki 1-1 Celtic Charlie Mulgrew