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Which Celtic player impressed most in the Champions League?

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Celtic line up v Barcelona

Which Celtic player impressed most in the 12 match Champions League campaign?

Was it Victor Wanyama starring in defence and midfield, Georgios Samaras with his goals away from home, Fraser Forster for his displays home and away against Barcelona and away to Helsingborgs, Gary Hooper for his goals home and away against Spartak Moscow or perhaps Kris Commons for the nerve to score from the penalty spot at home to Spartak?

Forster and Charlie Mulgrew were the only players to start all 12 matches in the trail that led from Helsinki to Turin as the hoops re-established themselves among the European elite.

The debate over who was Celtic’s best player over the 12 games is certain to spark fierce debate with so many candidates and different criteria to consider.

In no particular order I’ll review the contribution of the main players then throw the floor open to a poll to find out which player made the biggest impact on the Celtic support.

[poll id=”69″]

VICTOR WANYAMA– Had his share of disciplinary issues suffering two suspensions during the campaign but looked truly at home against the might of Barcelona and their celebrated midfield. The African was able to step up to match whatever opponents he faced with his headed goal against Barcelona demonstrating his eye for goal.

FRASER FORSTER– Showcased his ability away to Helsingborgs and caught the eye of an English audience leading to an international call up. Followed that up with stunning performances home and away against Barcelona that saw his image plastered across newspapers the length and breadth of Spain.

GARY HOOPER– Missed the home matches against Benfica and Barcelona but excelled in both matches against Spartak Moscow with two great strikers goals crucial to Celtic’s victories last night. Hooper played mainly as a sole striker during the campaign and was clearly targeted as a major threat by Juventus who took man marking to new levels in their trip to Celtic Park.

GEORGIOS SAMARAS– Some may question the validity of his claim for the Celtic goal in the Nou Camp but there was no doubting his strikes away to Benfica and Spartak Moscow. His last minute goal in the Russian capital ignited Celtic’s campaign following on from crucial goals in the qualifiers against Helsingborgs and HJK Helsinki.

KRIS COMMONS– Certainly took one for the team with a horror injury in the win over Spartak just minutes after crashing in the penalty that took Celtic through as runners up to Barcelona. Opened the scoring away to Helsingborgs and linked up well throughout the tournament with Hooper providing an edge to Celtic’s effective five man midfield.

 

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0 comments

  • hancock says:

    wheres Joe Ledley … best player at Celtic ?

  • hancock says:

    as for having Hooper in the list ….. sad to say but he’s not kicked his own arse since knocking back the Norwich bid

  • Monti says:

    I’m actually excited about the future regardless who goes,we have a great management team,a very good squad,debt free & 30m coming in from the champions league.if we lost Vic & Hooper what would we get for those two,15-20m,not forgetting John park who will have the next Vic & Hooper lined up!HH!

  • Steveo says:

    My vote goes to big Georgious however Joe Ledley should be on that list – we are a better team with him in it whoever we play.

    Hail hail & onto next year as double winners hopefully!!

  • ScottyBhoy says:

    My vote is for Kelvin Wilson. The big man barely put a foot wrong the whole tournament. Wasn’t at fault for any goals (that I can think of) and was commanding in the box.

    Agree with Steveo about ledley. He’s our driving force. Hail Hail!

  • Chris says:

    A better question would be ‘which celtic player impressed the least’. Every celtic player played brilliantly in every champs league game this season, aye even you ambrose lol big forster and hooper – only a matter of time before they play foe england regularly and leave for england aswell i fear, wanyama has been brilliant and if im honest is too good for us to keep for much longer, matthews and lustig have both been brilliant, big sammy has found a new lease of life playing away in europe, brown has been hounding every midfielder hes played against, wilson, mulgrew and ambrose have all been brilliant at reading the game (apart from 1 particular game) and keeping opposing forwards from scoring freely, and there are too many other fantastic performances to mention but the whole.team has done themselves proud this season, well done guys

  • Richard says:

    Kelvin Wilson for me. Lustig also good when playing, as is Matthews.

  • Celtico102 says:

    I voted big Sammy but in truth I agree that the whole team played above and beyond at times.
    Three huge disappointments where Hooper, Efe and Forrest. To be fair to Forrest I think it was his inexperience in massive games that made him look so out of place in the two Juve games but as for the other two I’d go as far as to say they where the main causes of us not reaching the quarter finals.
    We’ve learned a lot and I hope we carry on progressing, who knows quarters next year??
    Hail hail

  • Joe says:

    Scott Brown.

  • BIG VIC A MUST, BUT DO AGREE THAT WILSON AND DEFINITELY JOE LEDLEY WOULD BE WELL WORTH OF MY VOTE, MOST DISAPPOINTED PLAYERS FOR ME HAVE BEEN IZZY WITH HIS VERY POOR DELIVERY IN GOOD POSITIONS, AMBROSE FOR SCHOOLBOY ERRORS TO OFTEN AND MULGREW , BUT HEY THATS FOOTBALL, OOR BANK ACCOUNT WONT BE TO WORRIED ABOUT WHO DID OR DIDN’T DO WELL, 20 PLUS MILLION FOR THE NXT PHASE IN THE CELTIC DOMINATION OF SCOTTISH FOOTBALL AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CHALLENGES, SO PROUD TO BE CELTIC, HAIL HAIL+

  • Mickey1888 says:

    Lustig would have been in my top 3 alongside Forster who kept us in every game & Wilson who also had a great tournament.

  • ewanbhoy says:

    funny how hooper was playing out his skin b4 the january window opened but has been pish since it shut.
    i will happily take the money for hooper and vic and look forward to the new players who come in. i think we will be better next season.
    HH

    • Celtico102 says:

      Totally agree. It might not please a lot of fans but I think he believes the hype surrounding him. When he goes I’ll wish him all the best but to me he’ll not be remembered as a Celtic great. Hail hail

  • Greenjedi says:

    Where are Ledley (the hearbeat of this Celtic team) and Wilson on the list?

  • David says:

    Lustig has been superb. I’m sure if Lenny could go back he would have played Ledley against juve at parkhead

  • paranoidandroid says:

    I voted for big Gorgious, but I also agree that Ledley was superb.

  • Cold_Mac says:

    Commons…?
    Ahead of the most improved squad member, Wilson…?

    Its either him or FF.

  • mark says:

    Big Sammy or Joe deadly but the whole squad played there part in a great campaign, here’s hoping for another next season. HH

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