Celtic face LASK in the UEFA Champions League Qualifying Play Off Round 1st Leg tomorrow night. The first of the double header against the Linz outfit will determine whether Martin O’Neill’s side make it into the Champions League proper this season.
Celtic Noise regulars provide an assessment of Celtic’s Champions League playoff against LASK…
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We go into the tie weak in midfield, weakened by injury at right-back and with no adequate cover at left-back or in goals. Apart from that all is looking good. It’ll be up to our proven Champions League goalscorer to get us through this tie.
LASK have made a perfect start to the season, like us they have three wins out of three.
Predicted Celtic Team (4-2-3-1) Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Duran, Nygren, Yang and Hogh/
Subs: Doohan, Ralston, Murray, Scales, Hatate, McCowan, Forrest, Osmand, Tounekti, Hassan and Montgomery
A win of any description is a minimum requirement ahead of going to Linz next week. A hard fought, nervy 2-1 win.
Gary 67
Oooooft this could be a tough one but we have to get a lead before going there. 1-0.
The Shamrock
I wouldn’t feel comfortable with just a 2 goal lead, but we need that at least. I think they will score, so we must continue our excellent current run of scoring. A nervy but hard fought 3-1 win. (I hope).
Bridie Bhoy
They are a good side that is for sure. There was always gonna be injuries but we aren’t as prepared as we should be so we go into it feeling a bit short on numbers and quality. However we can still do it and any win puts us on the front foot. Will be tight but let’s hope we get a positive result.
Magnificent 7
We definitely need to score some goals, because we will concede. Weak in midfield – and I would play Reo – and dodgy at the back to anyone who presses us, I hope we can come out on top. Next week will be an even bigger challenge. I do hope that we go out and attack them. Sadly, I’m not sure we can do it over two legs.
KetCelt
Watched some highlights of their games from last season and the start of this one and my biggest concern going into this tie is the strongest part of their game is primed to exploit the very weaknesses we currently have.
They set-up in a 3-5-2, play a very aggressive high press and look to dominate and control the midfield through sheer numbers….we have a tendency to mess about far too much playing out from the back which they will definitely try to exploit by quickly pressing our back four hoping to cause panic and force mistakes.
Midfield is also a bit of a concern given they flood the middle of the pitch with bodies and rely more on physicality than technique to overpower teams….our three man midfield coupled with our lack of physicality means we’re in danger of getting outmuscled and overrun like we have seen so many times in the past.
That said the attacking threat we now carry means we’re well equipped to exploit where they are weakest. The fact they are so aggressive in their press and commit so many players forward leaves them wide open at the back, they look especially vulnerable down the flanks and from what I watched they tend to get caught out quite often with diagonal balls into the space behind and balls over the top to the attackers.
If we stick with a 4-3-3 and continue to mess about too much playing out from the back then there’s a good chance we get steamrollered in midfield and our back four gets caught out with their aggressive pressing so I reckon Gary is spot on with his team selection and 4-2-3-1 formation.
Aye they’re a decent enough team, they’re organised, they’re aggressive and they’re quick middle to front but they don’t look that good technically, they lack any sort of creativity and they’re defensively suspect. We are more than capable of beating this mob if we approach this game in the right way.
Shadow2
Hey Shadow couldn’t agree with you more. This is a very dangerous tie. No doubt about it, our defence looks like they’re capable of losing goals every time we are stuck on the counter. I’m afraid it looks like Europa League for us.
AllyBhoy
Like a good few of us I am not overly confident going into this game middle and defensive thirds not strong enough, I would love us to really go for it from the off, but I can see them starting strongly and denying us the impetus of an early goal. Can we take a chance on Reo? He could be the difference maker in this game but would he risk an injury? The delay in getting the replacements in early could come back to bite us in the backside. And if this happens then the blame sits squarely on the Board. I won’t make a prediction just going to keep my fingers crossed.
Mancbhoy670
It is a dangerous tie AllyBhoy but one we are more than capable of winning if we go about it in the right way mate. They look an organised and well drilled side with a specific game plan and two or three players we need to be wary of but this is a side we should be cautious of rather than have any fear of.
Aye we have our weaknesses and how they set-up to play lines up pretty well to exploit those weaknesses but they have some major weaknesses of their own. They play a very risky offensive game that often leaves them wide open at the back and we now have enough talent in the final third to fully exploit those weaknesses.
Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney will have done their homework, they will be well aware of the areas LASK pose a threat and will have our Bhoys prepared for that….so as long as we set-up in the right way (4-2-3-1 to stop our midfield from being overrun) the back four remain focused and cut out the messing about when playing out from the back, then I think we’ll be ok.
Shadow2