Thistle V Celtic - The Actual Game

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

Ok it's now time to talk about the game rather than your "stand" on the seating arrangements. Are we all looking forward to meaty exchanges between Osbourne and Brown? Is Steven Lawless not going to be the smallest man on the park?

I think we should start with same team as last week. I am looking forward to this game hoping we can get our first home win of the season and the three points. I think we do need to start well and play our game and not allow Celtic to dictate the flow of the game. C'mon the Jags!

[uberteeb]

We will either get battered like Aberdeen or win by hitting them on the break. In some ways it actually suits us to play someone like Celtic who will presumably treat this like a home game and go out to score goals rather than contain us and hit us on the break. If Archie can stop Celtic doing what Aberdeen did we will win. And whilst that is a big 'if' you never know, Archie's tactics and team selections have been continually improving (discounting the Baird issue).

[angry gaz]

If I was Archie I'd spend the entire week practising defending set pieces.We're really going to have to man up here. Foxy has been brilliant this season but Ive been alarmed at the way he's fell down when being pushed by opposition players at corners and free kicks and expecting the decision to go his way.Thats not going to happen against Cetic, they'll get every decision going.Especially since the NS will be full of these feckers!

This will be the biggest physical test we've had so far and we'll have to match them.Conrad and Aero are improving with every game but need to step up another level again to deal with the physical side here.

Would start with Jimmy C again too . Match them physically and our footballing side will give us a chance.

[Jaggernaut]

Same team to start as against ICT. Make sure we don't give the referee any opportunity to give them free kicks for nothing around our penalty box. Bamboozle them with our excellent football. Score a couple of goals and concede none.

 

Result.

[Paulo]

I'm sure we will start with the same side. Couldn't really justify dropping anyone from last week's side, even though I'd like to see Forbes get a start in a home game. I'm curious to see what he could bring to our home style of play, when we're not under so much pressure (so maybe this isn't the week for that).

 

The 3 points on Sunday really took the pressure off these 3 games. Hoping this gives the guys a chance to relax a little and try to play their own game freely against Celtic, instead of being desperate to hold out for a point.

[Colonel G]

Still concerned about the lack of a home win. Confused as to why when traditionally it is the case that being at home is an advantage.

Can't question the ability as they've proved that away from Firhill and can't fault the surface.

So if it's not physical, is it the weight of expectation from the home fans causing them to be slightly more cautious?

Didn't expect a lot from the 3 games so the points at Inverness is a bonus, hopefully some of the pressure will be off.

[redandyellowallover]

Still concerned about the lack of a home win. Confused as to why when traditionally it is the case that being at home is an advantage.

Can't question the ability as they've proved that away from Firhill and can't fault the surface.

So if it's not physical, is it the weight of expectation from the home fans causing them to be slightly more cautious?

Didn't expect a lot from the 3 games so the points at Inverness is a bonus, hopefully some of the pressure will be off.

 

I think it's because the opposition are sitting in and making it difficult for us to break them down. Towards the end of last season teams were doing it quite regularly and we were struggling to break them down, such as the successive 1-0 home wins v Airdrie & Hamilton and the 0-0 draw with Raith Rovers.

 

The difference being the teams we're playing are much better than last season so when we get the chances to put them away we are missing them or when we do take them we can't stop the other team scoring. I'd say now it's starting to play on the players mind's and they are snatching at chances slightly.

 

Away from home the onus is on the opposition to come out and attack, which creates space for us going forward resulting in us creating more openings and chances.

 

That's my take on it, but I'm probably wrong haha!

[paralytic thistle]

I wonder if we could have Ewan Norris as the Ref plus Alasdair Ross and Stuart Stevenson as Assistant Referees, with Matt Northcroft for Fourth Official

[Jaggernaut]

Still concerned about the lack of a home win. Confused as to why when traditionally it is the case that being at home is an advantage.

Can't question the ability as they've proved that away from Firhill and can't fault the surface.

So if it's not physical, is it the weight of expectation from the home fans causing them to be slightly more cautious?

Didn't expect a lot from the 3 games so the points at Inverness is a bonus, hopefully some of the pressure will be off.

 

I've only seen the Hibs game at Firhill, and I'd say that it was mostly down to bad luck and great/lucky goalkeeping that we didn't score at least once. Sunday's winner in Inverness showed that a lucky (or us) or unlucky (for ICT) break or two can make all the difference.

[soulful_jag]

If I was Archie I'd spend the entire week practising defending set pieces.We're really going to have to man up here.

Same team to start as against ICT. Make sure we don't give the referee any opportunity to give them free kicks for nothing around our penalty box. Bamboozle them with our excellent football. Score a couple of goals and concede none.

 

Result.

Combine both of these, and we might get a result.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

As said elsewhere we don't really do Plan B or Plan C. All Archie has to do is have the squad practice our weaknesses and then pick the fully fit players that have impressed most in training. As I get the impression they all train well then barring knocks it'll be same again. I don't think we know how to (or want to know how to) play for a draw so no need to change anything tactically.

[thistlenowthistleforever]

Hopefully Celtic play a blinder tonight and then come crashing down on Sunday.

 

A point would be massive for us

[Alan Hansen]

Hopefully Celtic play a blinder tonight and then come crashing down on Sunday.

 

A point would be massive for us

 

We will win eventually at home so this Sunday will do for me.

[Tob Jag]

I think if we play the possession and passing game we can then I have a feeling we're going to be physically attacked by frustrated 'nutters' like 'Broon' etc and a few cards will be shown. I just hope none of our boys get hurt and we don't panic but keep the heid and score three magnificent goals and a dodgy penalty and stick it right up em!!!!!

 

C'mon ra Jags.

 

PS I'm actually not worried if they are magnificent or flukes but as long as we score more than them and have a magnificent celebration!

[Garscube Road End]

We must keep playing the way we have been, even if we are getting pumped. This side just don't lie down and make us proud no matter the result. My feeling is that Celtic will have a wee bit too much for us, Give it everything we've got, we've nothing to lose.

[Lenziejag]

Really, for us to win I think that Celtic will need not to be at their best. However, Sunday's result will have given the team confidence and will also have lessened the pressure. Same team as Sunday, try to keep it tight at the back and get forward as much as poss. Still hoping for a good result

[stillresigned]

I'm not definitely saying we'll win, but I think we'll give a good account of ourselves. Celtic traditionally allow other teams to play football, Auld, Aitken Grant and Brown not withstanding, that being the case they might be in for a wee shock. I fully accept that as a bunch of individuals Celtic are certainly much stronger than we are. However, as a team I'm honestly not convinced their exactly on a different plain. Hopefully, Celtic will think they only have to turn up, if they do we've got a real chance IMO..

[The Earl of Hathaway]

Hmm . I'd like to think Celtic winning tonight might do us some good since they still have some interest in the Champions League

[David Stevenson]

Hmm . I'd like to think Celtic winning tonight might do us some good since they still have some interest in the Champions League

I was hoping for a draw with a deflating last minute equaliser for Ajax, but it wasn't to be. Celtic are without doubt the strongest team in Scotland, but as Morton proved, they are not unbeatable. I would expect our players to be well up for the game and confident after the win at Inverness. We can do it.....

[northernsoul]

I honestly think we have to score first if we have any chance we have of getting a positive result.

 

Edit: And I think we can.

Edited October 22, 2013 by northernsoul

[Lambies Lost Doo]

Same team as ICT with Forbes, Elliot and Lawless available to come on. We've got a chance.

 

[Chachi]

Maybe we should try a sneaky fake corner of our own on Sunday!?

[Blackpool Jags]

(Ahead of Sunday)

 

 

The Gaffer’s Prayer:

Our Archie who art in charge,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

on the pitch as it is in the dressing room.

Give us this day our deserved three points,

and forgive us our Hello Hello song,

as we denounce Arabs who trespassed against us,

and lead us not into hunnery,

but deliver us from Lennon.

For thine is the kingdom,

the North Stand, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

A Jag.

[Jaggernaut]

(Ahead of Sunday)

 

 

The Gaffer’s Prayer:

 

Our Archie who art in charge,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

on the pitch as it is in the dressing room.

Give us this day our deserved three points,

and forgive us our Hello Hello song,

as we denounce Arabs who trespassed against us,

and lead us not into hunnery,

but deliver us from Lennon.

For thine is the kingdom,

the North Stand, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

A Jag.

 

 

That should be posted in the Thistle dressing room.

[read'n'yell]

We're going to have to alter our style of play on Sunday or we will lose. Not being negative, but the possessional tactic waiting on other team to make a mistake before bursting forward, simply won't work. Seen Celtic a few times, and the one thing that differs between them and everyone else is they press very high up the park. Casual passing between our defence won't be allowed like it has against every team outwith Aberdeen. Ross County caused us a lot of problems when they pressed high, but it's a difficult thing to keep up the hard work of pressing defenders. Hopefully their exploits last night will have them sit a little deeper but can't see it - 5 days to recover is plenty.

 

The question is what tactic to adopt? I don't think we are a team that can sit in and absorb all the pressure, we are a team that relies on the attack. A key part of success will be if our forward four manage to keep the ball in the Celtic half for decent amounts of time. Usually it's our defence in possession then a quick pass through midfield for a counter attack. Thinking about it, I'm not sure there is another way this team can play? Discussed there not being plan B's in games but perhaps it's just our team can only play this certain way. If we work as a unit and take advantage of Celtic probably thinking they will walk through this game then I think we could do well. Long ballls won't work, Celtic seem to keep a very stagnent back line in the league so the diagonal ball through the defence could work well - the type of thing Craigen is excellent at.

 

Personally, Bannigan would be on the bench for me in this game, everyone will have to work 100% and in the last 6/7 games I feel he hasn't - as well as countless slack passing and not back tracking. Really feel Forbes should get a shot, he always impresses me and is someone I think could actually take on Celtic. But I can't see Archie dropping Bannigan, this is his chance to prove he is good enough to play at a higher level. In that regards it will probably be the same team as last week.

 

For Celtic, Mulgrew is a great player and we will really need to watch him, hopefully he is at centre back where he can dictate less of the action. The rest of their team, outwith Brown who does his job well, isn't anything too special. Don't see any reason why we can't match them man for man, if everyone digs deep, but Fraser Foster will take some beating.

 

Anyway, the closer it comes the more positive I feel, and if last season is anything to go by, Celtic are prone to dropping points after winning in Europe.