Pre-Season/CL Qualifiers 15/16 | Page 12 | Vital Football

Pre-Season/CL Qualifiers 15/16

Considering they beat Red Bull Salzburg to get this far, it's not an easy draw! They have a good mix of experience and youth!

However, compared to the League Route teams (who we wouldn't have been drawn against) and their draws....let's be glad we got Malmo!

Champions Route:
Astana (Kaz) v APOEL (Cyp)
Skenderbeu (Alb) v Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Celtic (Sco) v Malmo (Swe)
Basel (Sui) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Isr)
BATE Borisov (Blr) v Partizan Belgrade (Srb)

League Route:
Lazio (Ita) v Bayer Leverkusen (Ger)
Manchester United (Eng) v Club Brugge (Bel)
Sporting Lisbon (Por) v CSKA Moscow (Rus)
Rapid Vienna (Aut) v Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
Valencia (Esp) v Monaco (Fra)
 
From STV Sport:

Serbian striker Nikola Djurdic, who faced Celtic previously as a Helsingborgs player, has hit the ground running at his new side, scoring four times in as many games. Strike partner Markus Rosenberg has vast experience and both were on the scoresheet against Salzburg.

Maybe more surprising to Celtic fans is that two of the three goals that put Malmo through were set up by Jo Inge Berget. The Norwegian who failed dismally at Celtic has seven goals in 15 games for Malmo and may have a point to prove if he makes a return to Celtic Park.

Malmo's Adu will be suspended for the first game against Celtic after his red card against Salzburg, as will Markus Rosenberg who has three yellow cards in qualifying so far.


So we REALLY need to take our chances at home and give ourselves a good lead! While they are down by 2 key players, we have to score as many as we can!
 
This is certainly a winnable tie. SIxth in Sweden doesn't intimidate me, but beating red Bull Salzburg is pretty good. We really need to take advantage of the home leg this time. That means starting griffiths, hopefully.
 
So....what team does Deila go with tonight?

Commons is fit, it's been suggested that Ciftci will get the nod up front once again but it has also been suggested that Malmo are going to target Ciftci to try and wind him up and get him sent off.

I think we'll see the tried and tested line-up.

Gordon
Lustig - Boyata - VVD - Izzy
Brown - Bitton
GMS - Johansen - Armstrong
Ciftci

Subs: Bailly, Griffiths, Forrest, Commons, Mulgrew, Ambrose, Stokes/Rogic/McGregor/Janko
I see it as one spot on the bench up for grabs and it will be filled depending on what position Deila feels he needs to cover more.
 
Teams up on the front page guys. Stick some comments on there re the game and team selection. Cheers.
 
Tonight's team

Gordon
Lustig - Boyata - VVD - Izzy
Brown - Biton
Forrest - Johansen - Armstrong
Griffiths

Subs: Bailly, Ambrose, Mulgrew, Commons, GMS, Ciftci, Rogic
 
Glad Griffiths is starting tonight! I hope that's the right decision, always think we're more dangerous with him on the pitch.
Interesting to see Forrest start, hopefully he can play like he did away to Kilmarnock last week, he was outstanding!
 
Need to be up for this from the off. Good that Griffiths is starting.

Forrest needs to come of age and deliver on this stage.
Their right winger Rodic is supposedly their main threat, so Izzy better be up to the challenge. Having said that I'm pretty sure Ronny will have him holding tonight.
 
Good start from Forrest taking on his man and winning a corner! From the corner that wasn't bad but offside when it came back in.

Come on BHOYS!
 
FUCKIN' GET IN!!! Griffiths! Early goal! Exactly what we wanted! Excellent play from Armstrong driving in and a wonderful pass through from Johansen to the ever dangerous Griffiths! Good finish! YAS!
 
Can already see that their fullbacks like to get forward and make runs so Forrest and Armstrong are going to have a busy night. Not typically Forrest's strong point but I've definitely seen an improvement in that part of his game under Deila.
 
Looks as though the Malmo fullbacks are weak defensively though, Armstrong and Forrest look to have the beating of them!

BITON! GOAL! GET IN!
 
Can I just say.....Bitton is some player.....and I always said he would be a player for us.....and I think I may have scouted him before we signed him......YAS! haha!

Another chance, Izzy steals it in midfield, passes through to Griffiths who lays it off to Johansen but it's a poor shot but out for a corner anyway. Nothing comes from the corner on this occasion though!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Latest Celtic News