15 Aug 2016 23:16:06
Ed
It's very rare that I'm confident about a BIG Celtic match but for the first time in about 5 years I'm reasonably confident that we are going to put this to bed in the first leg by completely dominating hapoel
Key players out for them
Their own inexperience
Our improving set up
Our emphasis on attitude and mental toughness and confidence
I think there is a surety spreading across the east end for this specific match
Indeed ( perhaps ) the stars are aligning
I think we will get the balance right. We have a manager whom the opposition manager cannot predict and that sets us in good sted
They will really struggle with the stadium and a full house. When they played the Greeks the stadium was 35% full and the Greeks were in a poor way
They stumbled past sheriff and highlights suggest a lot of luck ( 3 penalties no less )
I think we have the experience and the mental toughness to get this done and I am supremely confident
Put it this way. We will ( over the 2 legs ) have more possession more corners more shots more chances more everything ( IE more of the things that normally matter over 180 minutes ) and barring some rotten luck or a game changing moment ( sending off etc) I think we will be fine with a couple to spare
Prediction
Celtic 3 hapoel 0.
15 Aug 2016 23:54:01
We should win it in the first leg but you need a good ref they will be diving all over our box.
16 Aug 2016 00:03:14
Paradise I would snap your hand off for 2-0. I am more confident now with The new signings however I can't see us dominating this team. I feel they will score and we might get a 1-1 or a 2-1 win. Hope I am totally wrong and you are spot on but from what I know this is going to be very difficult. A clean sheet would be great but who knows but with BR in charge maybe just maybe!
16 Aug 2016 00:53:50
I am confident of a. 3 nil as well as I am happy with the way B Rodgers has set up the team and the way the players have responded . With nearly 60,000 behind us I don't think the Israeli team will be settled or confident .
Of course as you say Paradisewon things can go wrong on the night but I think we will make the Promised Land.
16 Aug 2016 05:15:56
If the team goes into this game with the wrong mentsl attitude, i. e one of we are playing so well and so confidently, that we will win easily, they are setting themselves and us, up for a night of misery, they will have to apply themselves in a professional manner, the Israeli team are no mugs, but if Celtic stay focussed they should win, hate all this talk of all the money we will get when we wualify for the champions leaque, let's concentrate on getting there first.
16 Aug 2016 07:59:51
I think we will score home and away
Unfortunately I think we are likely to concede with CG between the sticks.
I think we will have enough over the two legs - fingers crossed PR is fit for the away leg.
16 Aug 2016 08:59:33
I think having Toure involved will have a big impact on how CG performs, We look a lot more composed on the ball when he is there so no need to put pressure on CG with balls to feet. Cross balls a different matter they are worry and i'm nervous everytime he comes out flapping at fresh air.
Does anyone think CG will be dropped for tomorrow night?
16 Aug 2016 10:13:33
No chance buddy ddv has only just signed and it would be too much of a risk at this stage. He will probably need a few games in the league first to build up an understanding with our defence he may get the shout in the cl groups though.
16 Aug 2016 11:11:38
That's probably the call of the evening for me, Stan. If either keeper makes a serious mistake then there will be a lot of room for questioning the manager. "Why persist with error-prone Gordon when we've signed a new keeper", "why play a new player in such an important game". I can't call it, thankfully it's not me that has to. But that's where managers earn their stripes.
16 Aug 2016 11:46:40
I think having Toure involved, will have a big impact on the way the whole team performs, with his experience and ability to marshal the defence.
16 Aug 2016 06:44:58
Aindoh
If we respect them too much and opt to keep possession without threatening or opt not to press high in first 20 minutes at home then it's twenty minutes we will never get back across the 180 minutes
Confidence is okay. It's crucial. It does not mean toure thinking he's baresi or Maldini or brown thinking he's Luther Matheus. Not that type of arrogance. In talking about KNOWING that you should have enough to win and going it with the attitude to reinforce that very point
As old bhoy says we are going to the promised land, that much we can agree on
Note
Confidence does not equal smug
One wee point
We won't win the effort and endeavour battle at this stage. That is matter for us to match their effort and endeavour because they'll be playing to ECL finals noting the newness of it all ( and we have to be careful on that point )
But still a clean sheet for me and 3 goals to the good
Ed thoughts?
{Ed007's Note - Hapoel Beer Sheva are a poor side and as I said at the time, football wise it's one of the easiest draws we could have got, Astana was a trickier tie. Everyone's going on about them beating Olympiacos but how many of them watched both of their matches? We would have hammered the Greeks and at home I expect to hammer this mob}
I'm in total agreement with you except I'm still not confident about keeping a clean sheet but I do expect us to take a lead over there, I'll say 3-1 tomorrow and 1-1 away from home
16 Aug 2016 11:55:15
Ddv has an ankle injury does he not?
16 Aug 2016 12:50:01
Ddv is injured will train later this week according to reports.
16 Aug 2016 19:20:42
2-0 would be a perfect result. Score first over there and they need to score 4 withoutus stealing another. And with SS and possibly PR at some capacity we would likely nick another on the counter attack.
16 Aug 2016 20:06:45
Aindoh, I don't expect an experienced manager like Rodgers to send the team out to play with the wrong mental attitude . We have lost many games in Europe, but I don't think it was the wrong mental attitude that lost them .
Give Rodgers and his managers some credit .
16 Aug 2016 20:59:15
Agree with you there, Oldbhoy, that's one of the big differences between Brendan and Ronnie.
16 Aug 2016 22:28:22
For me I reckon 3 1 Celtic, with Gordon in goal we r prone however we should have enough over 2 legs 2 beat this mob. One of the better draws we have had in a while and starting fast, like we should have against astana, and I can see us taking a commanding lead. I understand the virtue of patience in Europe but when u get in a teams face, get them on the back foot from the off and make them play your game u usually win, specially at home with a full crowd. Go for an early goal and be in control of the tie.
Hail hail.