Celtic (A) - Pre-Match Thread....

[eversince 76]

0.5m€ for a draw.
1.5m€ for a win... (which equals 7 weekly wages for Yaya!!)... :)

Seriously, spurs are the match of the week. As KDB and Nolito will be out for Sunday I would like to give Sterling, Silva, Gundo and Dinho as much of a rest as possible even on that rainy stormy Wed night up north.

Celtic should be a match for Navas and Fernando, 1 half each for Silva/Gundo, same for Sane/Sterling.
Maybe Delph could get some minutes? Last update said he could be back after Swansea. Any news there?
@karen7 Surely you'll follow a pre-match presser, do you know when?

I expect a win, as Celtic should have too many problems to cover our level. Nolito and Sergio could have some fun...
Even a draw wouldn't be a disaster for City. Winning the group would be perfect, but 2nd is good enough. Shouldn't be a problem to achieve that.

Whenever we finish 2nd in the group we tend to draw one of the top 2-3 sides that are left in it. No problem? I'd like to think otherwise. I agree Spurs has a much better team, but that won't make Celtic an easy victim. Far from it when it is their first homegame in the groupstage. Nor do I expect us to beat Barcelona twice.

Delph hasn't played a lot this term and coming back from an injury my guess is Pep will pick another moment to give him minutes. If he's fit at all. And even if he's fit I rate Fernando in that position to Delph anyway.

With KdB out (I guess), I expect Pep to play both Silva and Gundogan, as well as Fernandinho. With Fernando to come on or maybe start (but that would be Pep ajusting to the opponent, a thing he never does do). To me it's just a matter of who he will play out wide from Nolito/Sterling/Sane and Navas. Nolito will be able to play and he likes a battle. He will have learned his lesson to keep a cool head and stop button it around.

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

Whenever we finish 2nd in the group we tend to draw one of the top 2-3 sides that are left in it. No problem? I'd like to think otherwise. I agree Spurs has a much better team, but that won't make Celtic an easy victim. Far from it when it is their first homegame in the groupstage. Nor do I expect us to beat Barcelona twice.

Delph hasn't played a lot this term and coming back from an injury my guess is Pep will pick another moment to give him minutes. If he's fit at all. And even if he's fit I rate Fernando in that position to Delph anyway.

With KdB out (I guess), I expect Pep to play both Silva and Gundogan, as well as Fernandinho. With Fernando to come on or maybe start (but that would be Pep ajusting to the opponent, a thing he never does do). To me it's just a matter of who he will play out wide from Nolito/Sterling/Sane and Navas. Nolito will be able to play and he likes a battle. He will have learned his lesson to keep a cool head and stop button it around.

Might be too much of an ask for Gundogan to play another game and we don't want to burn him out

Fernando imo because he has improved this year and will allow Dihno to go further forward

Nolito and Sterling with Dave behind Serg

 

[Rammyblues]

Only change I foresee is Nolito for KDB at the moment.

 

[Ric]

Might be too much of an ask for Gundogan to play another game and we don't want to burn him out

Fernando imo because he has improved this year and will allow Dihno to go further forward

Nolito and Sterling with Dave behind Serg

Yeah, I think 3 games in 7 days might be too much for Gundogan. I'd probably put him on the bench with one eye on Spurs.

 

[Bill]

i'll take any win. with 6 points in the bag its a good place to be going to barca.

 

[blinkblue]

I think the team pretty much picks itself apart from the full backs.

Bravo

Zabaleta - Otamendi - Stones - Clichy

Fernandinho

Gundogan - Silva

Sterling - Aguero - Nolito​

Caballero, Kolarov, Sagna, Fernando, Delph, Navas, Iheanacho.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Think we'll see Pep looking slightly towards the weekend with this one. Fernando in midfield probably for Gundogan and the wide men will be Nolito and Sane with Navas and Sterling to play at Spurs. Standard fullback switching and Kolarov to get a rest. Slight rotation but still an extremely good side that should be way too much for Celtic.

------------Bravo

Zab Otamendi Stones Clichy

Fernando Fernandinho Silva

-----Sane Aguero Nolito

 

[Bluep*ss]

Just had a thought when catching up on reading this thread -

Did Gundog play at Wembley for Borussia against Bayern in the CL Final - / a couple of years back ?.

PMSl.... I forgot Celtic lost in Gibralta and Israel.

 

[Inter Me Nan]

Just had a thought when catching up on reading this thread -

Did Gundog play at Wembley for Borussia against Bayern in the CL Final - / a couple of years back ?.

PMSl.... I forgot Celtic lost in Gibralta and Israel.

Gundogan did play in the final.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Mate - it is utter shite. Anyone can win six in that league.

If we don't win 4 or 5 nil it will be a shock.

They've beaten better sides than us at home over the years.

Think we will win but city need to be clinical, early goal to silence the crowd would help.