Kayal looks like he’s coming back into some form.
Ambrose and Van Dijk getting dragged all over the shop. Quite naive from the two of them.
Commons looks way off the pace.
Commons sole contribution has been the concession of two cheap free kicks in dangerous areas. I think bringing Boerrigter on for him and giving Sammy a free role might be the best idea.
very flat so far from Celtic
Wenger needs to replace Arteta before he gets sent off.
I think we’ve played well tonight and would only like to see Commons replaced as he is clearly not in the game and doesn’t look at all as sharp as he usually does.
Van Dijk has had a very good game and Ambrose has done well but I’d be worried about the brazen way they have pressed the ball at times in the first half. Good half, Commons has done better in the last ten minutes.
Another facile win in the offing for us tonight. 3-0 already. We’ll win this out handy.
Diego hasn’t even scored yet,alot more goals to come in second half!
We need to change the pattern of the game. They’re playing around the high pressing of the front four very easily and then getting running at our defence. Most of the play is going towards our goal and Forster has made some sharp saves. We look quite ragged and we’re fortunate to be level on the balance of play. Not sure what I’d do to fix it though but Ledley is good at the unheralded chasing/pressing/running/generally ugly work.
We used the same system in the first leg. Centre backs pressed all the way up to their defence sometimes, presumably we have a nominated presser through the middle once we’re all behind the ball and depending on how the play evolves that can be the centre back. It looks dangerous though. I think they’re both playing well but some of our marking when they have the ball out wide has been poor. Izzy has had to mark De Jong at the back post once or twice but ball hasn’t been delivered there.
We’re not doing much with the ball, but that was never that likely. Stokes has been very sure in possession, Samaras has been mixed, needs to be careful on his yellow card. Forrest hasn’t been involved at all, need to get him on it more but he needs to make more of an effort to get on it. Commons started really poorly as you said but he’s got goal side of Blind a couple of times so he’s growing into it.
Their paasing isn’t as good as they’d like to think. They’re all very comfortable in possession but they’ve left a few short and been lucky with a few slips from our midfielders.
Not sure about this pitch at all, I’d ask Forster to put his foot through everything. He’s made a couple of decent saves.
John Collins is really foolish. We haven’t always pressed brilliantly but they haven’t been as comfortable as they’d think in moving it out from the back.
As I just said to @Rudi I don’t think their passing is causing us too many problems. Not saying we’ve been constantly comfortable but I don’t think they’re finding it that easy to work the ball through us.
I’d agree with that. Can’t really remember a clear cut chance. The header which Forster pushed wide was probably their best opening but apart from that we’ve limited them to half chances, definitely think we can punish them in the second half. I’d keep things the way they are for the moment and see how the second half goes. I hope if Commons does come off that it’s not Ledley who replaces him as that will invite more pressure and diminish our threat on the break. The shape of the team has been good but I’m worried we will get caught out by the pressing of the centre backs and the space in behind.
Kayal had to go for that himself but it was a dreadful effort. Glorious chance.
Fuck
That’s disappointing. I think you could ask big questions of Mulgrew in 3 or 4 phases of that move.
Some goal in fairness.
Was Stokes not a mile offside there when offering the square for Forrest? Really poor play if he was.
This is good response from Celtic. Pukki for Commons should be considered shortly.