Celtic v Bayer Leverkusen - Thursday 30 September, kick-off 8pm - all comments here

[Winning Captains]

For footballing reasons, rather than financial ones, many Celtic Supporters reckon that the Europa League group stages offers a more enjoyable experience than watching Celtic get pumped 5-0 at home by the likes of PSG. The season before last was a good example of that with home wins over French Cup holders Rennes, our old pals Cluj and of course Lazio. We got a draw in France, famously won in Rome then played the reserves in the final match in Romania after having already won the group to quality for the knock-out rounds.

We played Copenhagen off the park in the first half in Denmark but misses numerous chances and ended up with a 1-1 draw to take back to Paradise, where the wheels came off against a team with less ability than those we'd beaten in the group stages. An early warning light that was.

Fast forward to this week and we are playing Bayer Leverkusen in the second game of the group stages after somehow playing Real Betis off the park in Seville yet unfunny comedy defending gifted them four goals to better our three.

There isn't much optimism around that we can beat the German side, given the injuries that Ange Postecoglou has to contend with. If we can get a win it could transform our season. Hope in heart etc but it will be surprising to say the least if Celtic can do what we did to RB Leipzig when they came calling a few years ago.

Hopefully Callum McGregor is fit, that will help. I'd play Scales at left back as his pace can counter the Frimpong threat down that wing while Jota can exploit his defensive weaknesses. Ajeti needs to turn up if we are to have any chance. Probably a draw I the best we can hope for but you never know...

 

[50 Shades of Green]

Can I take my couch with me .

If we play the way we did at the weekend I fear another humping under the disco lights.

We have to sort out the passing, one or two touch, holding on too long allows them to close us down.

However cmon the hoops.

 

[kelly]

mon the wee bayer ''oh my days'' to score

 

[lennono]

mon the wee bayern ''oh my days'' to score

Jeremie Frimpong has rejected former Celtic manager Neil Lennon's claim that he had agitated for a transfer from the Glasgow club as the right-back prepares for a return to Scotland to face his former team-mates with Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday.

 

[kelly]

Jeremie Frimpong has rejected former Celtic manager Neil Lennon's claim that he had agitated for a transfer from the Glasgow club as the right-back prepares for a return to Scotland to face his former team-mates with Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday.

made the mistake of clicking on it , a nothing story with a screaming headline

 

[lennono]

Just a wee bit mair depression to add to oor woes...

You might not yet be familiar with the name, but Germany wonderkid Florian Wirtz is making the kind of explosive impact that cannot be ignored.

The Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder - a full international at just 18 - is quickly becoming the talk of European football and has enriched his reputation with a slew of records.
After just over 50 first-team games, Wirtz is already being touted as a €100m talent, with Bayern Munich heading the lengthy list of suitors.

Celtic are next in Wirtz's sights as the Scottish club attempt to get off the mark in the Europa League group stage when Leverkusen visit Glasgow on Thursday. Can they tame this supremely gifted teenager?

 

[JamSam67]

Think this is a game we’ll do well to get a draw from, with players out injured .
The only saving Grace is it’s at home and this German team won’t park the bus.
So should be open but if asked would take a draw right now
Result

HH

 

[Cairnsybhoy79]

Jeremie Frimpong has rejected former Celtic manager Neil Lennon's claim that he had agitated for a transfer from the Glasgow club as the right-back prepares for a return to Scotland to face his former team-mates with Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday.

Think it's pretty clear that lenny was trying to blame any cunt and everycunt for his failures even now he's still not took responsibility for how shit we got with him at the helm

 

[Brimcbhoy]

Not looking forward to this, hopefully we can buck the trend and put in a good account of ourselves. Maybe as we're not really expected to win, with less pressure, it may help us.
Straws and clutching I know.

 

[lennono]

If they come at us, which I think they will.......we will struggle.....infact any team that comes at us gets goals.....It's there for any manager to see how to play against us.... Should be an entertaining game though....End to end stuff....Just hope we get more goals than they do.....

 

[Lunatic Harness 2]

We'll be 2-0 up after twenty minutes then 2-3 down at half time , then 4-4 at full time

 

[Cairnsybhoy79]

I'd play scales at lb so at least the balance is right he's played europa games so knows the drill that way it's a hard game.no matter who plays I watched they're highlights last week in bundesliga they were outstanding at the very least it will be entertaining HH

 

[Docco]

Just a wee bit mair depression to add to oor woes...

You might not yet be familiar with the name, but Germany wonderkid Florian Wirtz is making the kind of explosive impact that cannot be ignored.

The Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder - a full international at just 18 - is quickly becoming the talk of European football and has enriched his reputation with a slew of records.
After just over 50 first-team games, Wirtz is already being touted as a €100m talent, with Bayern Munich heading the lengthy list of suitors.

Celtic are next in Wirtz's sights as the Scottish club attempt to get off the mark in the Europa League group stage when Leverkusen visit Glasgow on Thursday. Can they tame this supremely gifted teenager?

Nae bother....we will pump this mob

Hart
Ralston Starfish Calvin Monty
Rogic McCarthy Turnbull
Kabadi Ajeti Jota

3-1 Brown x3

 

[Bridie Bhoy]

I'm not sure who is missing through injury, but I'm going for a less gung-ho and more pragmatic line up (so it will never happen):

Hart
Ralston Carter-Vickers Starfelt (or Welsh) Scales
Turnbull Bitton McCarthy (or Soro) Montgomery
Ajeti Jota
​

Plan to bring on Abada & Rogic after an hour or so, with other subs as required. Hopefully Ajeti will get his finger out and score for us tomorrow as I'm not too happy about relying on him as our only striker and can't see the point of playing 2 out-and-out wingers who do not defend but continually pump in too many crosses to him, many of which he does not even challenge for.

I'm going for a very hard-fought 2-1 victory for the good guys, with a few ups and downs during the 90 minutes! For once I hope we get some luck as we will need it.

 

[kelly]

1-4 for the Germans ,,,,,we learn nothing in Europe and the fabled ange baw is burst

 

[Gary67]

Juranovic added to the crocks list, out with a hamstring injury so we won't see him until after the international break. McGregor and Furuhashi still not available, McCarthy is ok after coming off at weekend.
This could get very messy. Even at full strength this would be a tough game, given who is missing (McGregor, Furuhashi, Forrest, Juranovic, Jullien, Taylor), and just as important those available (Soro, Starfelt, Ralston, Rogic, Turnbull and especially Ajeti) who are patently not good enough, I fear a heavy defeat tomorrow night.
They are lightening fast on the break, their strength is the right side partnership of Frimpong and Diaby, and through the middle they have Germany's lastest wunderkid Wirst playing off Schik. Their defence can be got at but you would need a fast mobile striker, we have a bollard.
No doubt Ange will pick the same midfield and front three as the weekend failure with the only change at LB where its a choice between Montgomery or Scales. Its this stubborn refusal to adapt to suit the players available and/or opposition that will be his downfall.
I'd like us to at least adapt slightly and play Scales and Montgomery on the left to try to stem the Frimpong/Diaby threat. Play 2 in CM with one ahead instead playing Rogic and Turnbull which doesn't work, especially in Europe. Changing to a 4-2-3-1 allows one of the 2 in the middle to man mark Wirst when they are in possession but still leaves the other to close down space and press. Play either Jota or Abada through the middle and drop Ajeti.

Hart
Ralston CCV Starfelt Scales
McCarthy Soro
Abada Turnbull Montgomery
Jota

Whoever he picks I've no real expectations of getting anything from the game, and the last thing we need just now is a heavy defeat. A 2-2 draw at best.

 

[Magnificent 7]

Don't think anyone looking forward to this game under the current injury climate and the obvious quality of the opposition. If Ange goes with an unchanged failing midfield with Ajeti up top it will be a very uncomfortable at best. Hoping against hope but unlikely.

 

[DILLIGAF]

It's going to be a hard slog tonight
I'd have Bitton in as holding midfielder instead of Soro
Soro is a liability who can't ping a pass, can't shoot and is always a late tackle away from a red card
Bitton fucked up when he lost the plot, and got sent off, but he's a better player than many give him credit for
Opinions eh ;-)

 

[Shadow2]

If AP goes with the same team he wen't with on Sunday we'll get pumped! Leverkusen would rip through that midfield like it wisnae even there, desperate times call for desperate measures so I'd ditch the 4-3-3 and go with a makeshift 4-2-3-1 line-up of......

Hart
Ralston CCV Starfelt Scales
Welsh McCarthy
Abada Bitton Turnbull
Jota​

Midfield needs bolstered so I'd throw Welsh in there next to McCarthy just to shore up the defensive side of things, wouldnae normally have Bitton anywhere in my preferred starting 11 but he can pick a pass and shoot from distance on occasion and like I said desperate times call for desperate measures! Ajeti's inclusion is like being a man down before ye even kick a baw so I'd bench him and go with Jota up top.

​

 

[DILLIGAF]

For footballing reasons, rather than financial ones, many Celtic Supporters reckon that the Europa League group stages offers a more enjoyable experience than watching Celtic get pumped 5-0 at home by the likes of PSG. The season before last was a good example of that with home wins over French Cup holders Rennes, our old pals Cluj and of course Lazio. We got a draw in France, famously won in Rome then played the reserves in the final match in Romania after having already won the group to quality for the knock-out rounds.

We played Copenhagen off the park in the first half in Denmark but misses numerous chances and ended up with a 1-1 draw to take back to Paradise, where the wheels came off against a team with less ability than those we'd beaten in the group stages. An early warning light that was.

Fast forward to this week and we are playing Bayer Leverkusen in the second game of the group stages after somehow playing Real Betis off the park in Seville yet unfunny comedy defending gifted them four goals to better our three.

There isn't much optimism around that we can beat the German side, given the injuries that Ange Postecoglou has to contend with. If we can get a win it could transform our season. Hope in heart etc but it will be surprising to say the least if Celtic can do what we did to RB Leipzig when they came calling a few years ago.

Hopefully Callum McGregor is fit, that will help. I'd play Scales at left back as his pace can counter the Frimpong threat down that wing while Jota can exploit his defensive weaknesses. Ajeti needs to turn up if we are to have any chance. Probably a draw I the best we can hope for but you never know...

Good call on Scales
We also need a holding mid to help whoever is in at right back, as their (Leverkusen) speed getting forward, will be an issue
COYBIG