Arsenal (2) vs Celtic (0)

1

Celtic have it all to do in London tomorrow after their 2-0 reversal in Glasgow last week. That said, it would be a major shock if the former European kingpins went out to Arsenal, who have never won the competition for Europe’s elite teams.

I was advised before the first leg that Arsenal play a techical style at variance to what gets passed up for football by other kick and rush English teams. However, they proceeded to gain the advantage ahead of the second leg via jammy deflections after horsing the ball into the box. Celtic will need to be primed to cope with this primitive form of football.

But we saw in the previous qualifying round versus Dynamo Moscow that Celtic are excellent away from home in Europe and I expect them to go through on a 4-1 scoreline on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.

Celtic:
Boruc,
Hinkel, Loovens, O’Dea, Fox,
Brown, Donati, Crosas,
McGeady,
Fortun, Maloney.

2

the last game was an abomination- Celtic are a better team & should win this handily

3

Celtic must have a decent chance now that Hun plant Gary Caldwell has been left out of the side.

4

*** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE

Celtic team to face Arsenal:

Boruc

Hinkel
Caldwell
Loovens
Fox

McGeady
Donati
Brown
Maloney

Fortune
McDonald

5

Whats this lepjack banging on about…Useless players shouldn’t be allowed to media stuff, captain or not.

Bhoys can bully Wenger purists,
insists upbeat Caldwell ahead of crunch clash

Gary Caldwell is confident Celtic can expose Arsenal’s soft centre in the Champions League play-off decider at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

Arsene Wenger’s superstars cried foul over a series of tackles by Tony Mowbray’s men at Parkhead last week - despite leaving with a 2-0 first-leg lead.

Wenger complained about it again yesterday and Caldwell is looking to get in Arsenal faces and see their reaction. ‘I was surprised to hear some of the comments coming from their camp after the first leg about our “physical” challenges,’ he said.

'Tackles go on in football. It’s part of the game and I don’t think any challenge was malicious on the night. Obviously, you might get caught but, as a footballer, I would take it as a compliment if somebody was kicking me. I don’t think we are an over-physical team but, if it rattled them, it’s something we can use again in this game.

'The first half-hour of the first leg had nothing in it and, if we had got a deflected free-kick goal on the night, then who knows what would have happened?

‘Yes, they’ve got great quality and were probably the better side, but there wasn’t anything in the game. At no point were we over-run or under a lot of pressure defensively.’

Celtic desperately need to score the first goal on Wednesday night to sow some seeds of doubt in the home side and Caldwell i s dreaming of such a scenario. He added: 'If they go 3-0 up in the tie, the momentum would be with them. Their tails would be up and their passing game would come to the fore.

'But, if we get it, we will find out which Arsenal players want to stand up to be counted and want to take the ball when they are under pressure.
'The crowd might not be so behind them and we have to ask that question of them.

‘Obviously, they might come up with the answers but, if we ask the questions, we have done our job. It could be a great night.’

6

Will they be taking cash at the stiles this evening?

7

My beloved Barcelona would never lower themselves to these sort of tactics.

8

Caldwell needs to shut up - he has some absolute gems elsewhere in the media today. When asked about his recent run of mistakes, he said “'If you’re going to make mistakes then make them big ones”. Seriously. Apparently the brave players, the most important players, the ones who take on most responsibility will naturally make more and bigger mistakes than players who hide. Gary regards himself as all of those things and that’s why he’s made big mistakes lately. Eh, I’d prefer if our players made tiny mistakes, if any.

9

[quote=“tipptops*”]

Bhoys can bully Wenger purists,
insists upbeat Caldwell ahead of crunch clash

Gary Caldwell is confident Celtic can expose Arsenal’s soft centre in the Champions League play-off decider at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

'[/quote]

Gary Caldwell:p I feel sorry for Tony Mowbray. He’s a great football man who made regular trips to Highbury during his Ipswich days to watch the Gunners in action. He is a massive fan of Wenger but if he thinks for one minute that he can emulate what Arsene has done at Arsenal with that lot in Glasgow then he is disillusioned. Not even God almighty could convert the likes of Donati or Caldwell into footballers. Celtic, for all their passion and vociferous following spent the majority of the game last week chasing shadows, kicking the likes of Fabregas and Song when they couldn’t get the ball and on the rare occasion that they did they sent the ball towards outer space. McGeady was their only shining light who is really needs to get himself out of Scotland for his own good. Truth be told poor oul Tony was probably better off staying on at West Brom and managing in a competitive Championship where arguably he had better players at his disposal. He’ll probably realise that in hindsight.

10

Is that a windup or are you serious? Arsenal were way more cynical last week than Celtic. Regularly fouled McGeady and ref gave them practically everything. Wengers comments after the game were strange to say the least

11

Celtic are 100/1 to qualify on Betfair.

I’ve had a taste anyway. At that price its worth a few schillings.

I really think they can do it, 3-1 win tonight.

12

The kinda shit that Wenger and his ilk come out with is really putting me off football these days.

13

Mowbray was found out at EPL level getting relegated last year was frankly a disgrace.

Gary Caldwell has a high opinion of himself. Reality check needed for the clown.

14

[quote=“Special Olympiakos”]Celtic are 100/1 to qualify on Betfair.

I’ve had a taste anyway. At that price its worth a few schillings.

I really think they can do it, 3-1 win tonight.[/quote]

Ah stop will you.

15

The Irish > The English therefore Celtic will win

16

Flag and banners, green and white scarves, raised in triumph…

17

[quote=“Rocko”]*** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE *** TFK EXCLUSIVE

Celtic team to face Arsenal:

Boruc

Hinkel
Caldwell
Loovens
Fox

McGeady
Donati
Brown
Maloney

Fortune
McDonald[/quote]

Yet another TFK exclusive - the above team has been confirmed.

:popcorn:

18

I have a feeling that RT are going to be more retarded than usual tonight.

Cue Darragh Maloney with loads of questions like, why is the SPL weaker than the EPL?

Why is Mexican GDP less than US GDP?

19

Don’t be getting offended now before they have even said anything.

20

Fair point. :popcorn: