Champions League Qualifiers 2017/18 | Page 13 | Vital Football

Champions League Qualifiers 2017/18

HT 1-1 (6-1 agg)

We are by some distance the better team and by the length of London road the better footballing side. We really should be at least 3 goals ahead and have looked likely to score each time we've attacked.

We've controlled the game although they obviously got a wee lift after the og goal but their gas was quickly put back at a peep with that Sinclair goal. I'm sure BR will tweak one or two things a wee bit during the break.

I think Rogic would love running at them and would expect to see him replace either CalMac or Griff around the 60 min mark. Armstrong is there to replace anyone who is tiring as is Hayes.

67% Celtic possession btw
 
1-1 away from home at HT. I'll take that. Happy enough! Just don't like how wide and open we are in defence tonight but it seems to be the game plan.
We could easily be winning this game as well although they have also had a couple of close chances!

Should also remember that they have a cracking unbeaten run in Europe when they play at home! So it's not an easy place to win! I'd imagine that's our goal tonight, our aim will be to end that unbeaten run!
 
See that is exactly what I'm talking about, Bitton is at LB, Ajer wasn't even really in the box to defend that and our closest player to stopping that chance for them was feckin' Ntcham!

Jesus! Now another goal for them! This is actually getting worrying now! Again Tierney too far up the wing, Bitton is lost, doesn't know the striker is behind him and is caught VERY under the ball! Easy header for the goal! Fucking awful!
 
They've changed their shape. Twumasi has moved up front so there's now 2 up front for them and we're not changing our shape and system! Brendan, get it fucking sorted! How is he not seeing this?
 
Really quite surprised that Rodgers is playing such an open way at the back given how little experience Ajer has and the fact that Bitton is, as we've very much seen, a converted CB.
 
Rogic on for McGregor and Ralston on for Forrest.

I think we're now using Ralston and Tierney as wing backs and going with a back 3.
Brown and Ntcham still in the middle although it looks like Ntcham will go more advanced and help out the front 3.
 
These changes have killed it! Hartson said we did the same thing against Be'er Sheeva and he's right, I remember that and was confused but they were getting up a head of steam and had scored a goal or 2 and BR just changed it round to effectively just hold on to what we had and see the game out. Didn't concede again but didn't particularly look like scoring.

This ref needs to start fucking booking people by the way! We're getting fouled all over the place!
 
This is the way we play under BR. The emphasis will always be about ball retention and attack. You can't account for an og but you can account for the woeful marking at the back for their 2nd. We have two inexperienced CB's playing tonight which isn't helping matters at all.

This game will be a wake up call for Rodgers in some respects such as not playing such an inexperienced CB pairing again in an away European tie. But the overall philosophy won't change.

The goals have been self-inflicted which will anger Rodgers.
 
There is a certain amount of them that is self-inflicted but there's a lot of down to the shape and set-up we had before as well!

Armstrong on to replace Sinclair! He's moving out to the right side, Nthcam is kind of on the left, Rogic and Griffiths through the middle.
 
What a chance to really kill it from Griffiths! Fabulous pass from Ntcham for Tierney down the left, cracking cross picks out Griffiths at the back post but he skies it over the bar!

Then they go up and score! Bitton beaten out wide on the left, Tierney knackered and can't run any faster to get back at him and Lustig playing CB....he doesn't know whether to close him down or block the cut back....in the end he doesn't really do either and the boy finishes well past the on-rushing Gordon! AWFUL defending once again!
 
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