Celtic v Rapid Vienna match thread

PauloMN

Looking forward to this tonight, bit of a grudge match of course, but a must win really if Celtic want to progress any further in this competition - anything less than 3 points will leave a mountain to climb.

McGeady may be fit enough to play, and I would like to see McCourt after his recent good form, but himself and Hinkel didn't train yesterday. Caddis a good shout for this home game if Hinkel doesn't make it.

I'll go with a Celtic win - a late goal for 2-1 after a long, nerve-shattering night.

Match is at 20.05 and it being shown on 3e and Five.

Brewster

Hopefully Celtic can get the win, they should have enough to beat Vienna.

PauloMN

Brewster wrote: »

Hopefully Celtic can get the win, they should have enough to beat Vienna.

"Should have" being the operative words. They should have seen of Tel Aviv after going 1 up, but failed. I think if they play like they did in the first half of that match they'll be fine. 2nd half was the worst Celtic performance I'd seen since Artmedia though.

Will need the likes of McGeady, Skippy, Maloney, McCourt to be at their best. I have no doubt Rapid will score so we'll need goals.

I'd like to see:

---

Boruc

---

-- Caddis --- Loovens ---- McManus ---- Fox --

-- McGeady -- N'guemo -- Crosas -- Maloney --

---

McDonald

---

Samaras

---

with McCourt and Killen to come on 2nd half as required. Caldwell and Brown should be benched tonight imo.

That_Guy

Should be an easy victory for Celtic here.

Celtic 4/7 on Paddy Power. They must think the same.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

That_Guy wrote: »

Should be an easy victory for Celtic here.

Celtic 4/7 on Paddy Power. They must think the same.

I don't know what makes you think that

I think they will win but they won't get it easy

That_Guy

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

I don't know what makes you think that

I think they will win but they won't get it easy

They're at home and performing well enough in the league and the home fans will make Vienna a bit nervous imo.

I'm expecting Celtic to get an early goal and boss the game from there. I don't expect a high scoring match but Celtic should come out 2-0 comfortable winners.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

That_Guy wrote: »

They're at home and performing well enough in the league and the home fans will make Vienna a bit nervous imo.

I'm expecting Celtic to get an early goal and boss the game from there. I don't expect a high scoring match but Celtic should come out 2-0 comfortable winners.

Why will the home fans make them nervous they are professional footballer's

As for the outcome I am not mystic meg but hope Rapid will get the draw

That_Guy

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Why will the home fans make them nervous they are professional footballer's

As for the outcome I am not mystic meg but hope Rapid will get the draw

The home fans have always been fantastic when it comes to European matches so tonight should be no different.

Headshot

I remember watching rapid against villa and I thought they were very good

Broxi_Bear_Eire

That_Guy wrote: »

The home fans have always been fantastic when it comes to European matches so tonight should be no different.

Not saying they aren't but as I say the players are professional's IMO the fans help Celtic more than making the opposition feel nervous

That_Guy

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Not saying they aren't but as I say the players are professional's IMO the fans help Celtic more than making the opposition feel nervous

Only time will tell my friend. Either way I don't really care about the result, it's any excuse to watch a bit of football of a Thursday.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

That_Guy wrote: »

Only time will tell my friend. Either way I don't really care about the result, it's any excuse to watch a bit of football of a Thursday.

I don't care in the fact I don't support either team only in the way I don't want my teams biggest rivals to do well

Brewster

I believe there are thousands of spare tickets unsold for tonight's game. I think Celtic Park needs to be full to generate the type of atmosphere that will intimate Vienna. If there are thousands of empty seats I honestly believe Vienna players could get a lift from this.

That_Guy

Brewster wrote: »

I believe there are thousands of spare tickets unsold for tonight's game. I think Celtic Park needs to be full to generate the type of atmosphere that will intimate Vienna. If there are thousands of empty seats I honestly believe Vienna players could get a lift from this.

D'oh!! Disregard my posts then.

Bounty Hunter

Vienna will bring a lot of very vocal fans with them and if there are unsold tickets for this game and empty seats at Celtic park dont expect them to be intimidated. They were very good against Villa when they won on away goals and beat Hamburg (who are a good team) 3-0 so dont expect this to be easy for Celtic at all.

after losing their opener in Israel a win in this game would be huge for Celtics hopes in this competition as a loss would be a massive dent in their hopes for it.

PauloMN

Brewster wrote: »

I believe there are thousands of spare tickets unsold for tonight's game. I think Celtic Park needs to be full to generate the type of atmosphere that will intimate Vienna. If there are thousands of empty seats I honestly believe Vienna players could get a lift from this.

Apparently 20,000 unsold by yesterday, so I'd expect maybe 15,000 empty seats tonight. Combination of things, it's not a CL game, it's a few days before a Rangers game and everyone is skint! It's also on council telly of course.

lisbon_lions

Going to miss this, college is back thursdays Can some kind poster keep us up to speed later as i will be at a pc.

Brewster

PauloMN wrote: »

Apparently 20,000 unsold by yesterday, so I'd expect maybe 15,000 empty seats tonight. Combination of things, it's not a CL game, it's a few days before a Rangers game and everyone is skint! It's also on council telly of course.

Just a sign of the times Paul, some people just dont have the money to shell out 35 pounds on a ticket. Not sure the fact there is an OF game on sunday will affect attendance dramatically given the fact that a limited number of Celtic fans will be in attendance on Sun at Ibrox. Maybe if game was at Celtic Park. People just dont have the cash spare Id imagine.

Eirebear

Good luck ce...cel....ce....nah, your right paul, its impossible!

Was talking to some Vienna fans at lunchtime today, theyve brought a fair amount over with them, and they seem a bit mental!

I reckon the atmosphere will be good tonight, with celtic winning 2-1

Bounty Hunter

Eirebear wrote: »

Was talking to some Vienna fans at lunchtime today, theyve brought a fair amount over with them, and they seem a bit mental!

gotta say their fans were great at Villa Park, singing the whole time and in great numbers.

Eirebear

"Fritzel grand auld team to play for!":p

A Dub in Glasgo

Celtic shot themselves in the foot with the pricing of tonights game especially considering it is free on the TV. The media here have been going on and on about the 1984 match only to change tune and moan about the attention the grudge angle seems to be getting. Without any irony either. In some ways it is just as well some of the more neddish members of the Celtic support are priced out of this as one of them will probably think it a great idea to get onto the pitch to exact revenge for 1984!

I do not think this will be easy at all for Celtic

Bounty Hunter

very attacking line-up from Celtic with Samaras and McDonald upfront aswell as Maloney and McGeady on the wings. You can see the empty seats but they are fairly scatterd about the place and it looks more full than id expected considering what i read in this thread.

1-0 to Rapid after 3mins!!

SlickRic

truly awful from celtic in these first few mins.

deserve to be a goal down they've come out of the traps that slowly and sloppily.

PauloMN

Doesn't even surprise me anymore. Desperate stuff. Parkhead used to be a tough place to score, those days seem to be gone.

Helix

im surprised people expected celtic to have a handy time of it

rapid knocked villa out, and villa are a far better side than celtic

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

im surprised people expected celtic to have a handy time of it

rapid knocked villa out, and villa are a far better side than celtic

the fact that it was an away goals victory might have made people slightly undervalue that but 3-0 against Hamburg had me fearing for Celtic today and now it looks like (when 3e's picture returns ) those fears are coming true, Vienna are a good team and i dont think anyone will underestimate them after this game.

DubDani

In the other game of the group Hamburg is up 2-0 against Tel Aviv after 10 minutes.

Use spoilers ffs.

SlickRic

Helix wrote: »

im surprised people expected celtic to have a handy time of it

rapid knocked villa out, and villa are a far better side than celtic

i for one never expected it to be easy.

but to defend those who believe Celtic are going to win the game; it is Parkhead. most of us still remember it as a fortress; a place where even teams like Milan or Barca can expect a tough game.

and just as i say it 1-1...bad bad mistake. awesome by McDonald though.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

YES! GET IN THERE!

Mr.Nice Guy

That was a great strike.

Bounty Hunter

1-1

McDonald did very well there

PauloMN

Another defensive blunder for goal #2 - but well taken nonetheless. Get in there Skippy!

Now, let's start again.

SlickRic

they're playing some decent stuff now are Celtic.

i'm liking the look of Brown and N'Guemo. McGeady is also playing quite intelligently.

PauloMN

So shakey at the back though, any time they (Rapid) get it past midfield they get a shooting opportunity.

Also, am I missing something.... Wilson ahead of Caddis?

Much better from Celtic in the past 10 mins.

Mr.Nice Guy

Does anyone else find it really hard to make out the scoreline on 3e? It's so tiny.

PauloMN

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Does anyone else find it really hard to make out the scoreline on 3e? It's so tiny.

Yep, it's pretty small, but at least they show it. Was watching Liverpool the other evening and for long spells there wasn't any scoreline.

Celtic have had a few chances, need to be taking one of them. Thought Rapid could have had a penalty a while back with Caldwell.

PauloMN

Another wasted set piece. We're missing Naka for the free kicks, and the corners have been poor for a while now.

PauloMN

Good night Vienna. Can't see progress now. Bottom of the group and still have Hamburg x 2 and Rapid away.

Ah well, there's always the league.... :rolleyes:

A Dub in Glasgo

What a waste there at the end. I thought Celtic done well although the set pieces have been very poor.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

That_Guy wrote: »

Should be an easy victory for Celtic here.

Celtic 4/7 on Paddy Power. They must think the same.

Told you they wouldn't get it as easy as you thought :)

Brewster

I guess its a disappointing result. I think Celtic will have to beat Hamburg and Hapoel at home and pick up two points away from home. That would give them 9 points and it should be enough. No guarantee though that Celtic, given their awful away record in Europe, can get two draws away from home. Another very disappointing week all things considered.

CHD

What happened to Scottish football?

A Dub in Glasgo

No money to compete against the Europeans leagues and the EPL with poor players thinking they are superstars eg Caldwell

Brewster

CHD wrote: »

What happened to Scottish football?

I think a lack of resources has had a big impact on the standard of Scottish Football. Rangers have no money, and while Celtic have more, I am not sure they have spent what they have wisely. Its affected things big time. Celtic Park use to frighten teams, not sure its the case anymore as I said earlier in thread, especially when stadium is not full as was case tonight. I think Celtic's european form was always build on their home form, now they can't even win at home. They have only won one of their last 6 or 7 games at home, which is not good enough.

PauloMN

I'm as bemused at the team selections as when Strachan was manager.

Crosas seems to have been forgotten about. Wilson not good enough at this level, I can't understand how Caddis was not there instead of him - was he not fit?

When I saw the subs coming on - McGinn, Killen and Robson - I resigned myself to a draw (at best). Seriously, SPL maybe, but Europe...

Pass marks for N'Guemo, Maloney, McGeady (although he was marked out of the game a lot) and Fox. Samaras made a bit of a nuisance of himself but seemed to wander out of position a lot. Caldwell and McManus were just dire I thought, and Wilson was poor with half his passes going to Rapid players. Brown... meh, tried hard but we're just not seeing the talent everyone bleats on about. Skippy - great goal, but not brilliant otherwise.

What has happened Celtic.... where's the Suttons, Hartsons, Larssons, Lubos??

Eirebear

I thought even though the result was poor tonight that Celtic flattered to decieve a little bit.

They seem very unorganised in midfield at the moment, and i was very surprised at how often Scott Brown gave the ball away tonight. He seemed very off form to be honest, not his usual snappy self at all.

Celtic had plenty of the ball, but apart from mistakes at the back from Vienna, they didnt create many chances. Especially considering their keeper looked shaky at set pieces.

Speaking of set pieces...what the hell where Celtic up to when defending them? 8 or 9 player in a straight line, all an arms length apart...im fairly sure that could leave them open in the future.

premierstone

tbh I think Mowbray's biggest dilema will be deciding who to get rid of first Mick or Gary 'i think im fcukin Xavi' Caldwell - I said it at the start of the year that Loovens and O'Dea should be the first choice centre half partnership and I have seen very little to change my mind

PauloMN

premierstone wrote: »

Gary 'i think im fcukin Xavi' Caldwell

lol.

I agree on O'Dea though, can't wait until he back off loan. He is without doubt a better option than Caldwell, and, based on recent form, McManus also. I really did not like Loovens much before but he has definitely improved. Maybe he just looks good in the mix of Caldwell and McManus but I agree with you - think him and O'Dea would be worth a shot together.