Prior to the Helsingborg match, we had all the usual stats about Celtic’s poor record in the Champions League and European competition away from home. Since Neil Lennon has been in charge, things have changed a bit.
Back-to-back away wins in the Champions League, albeit qualifiers, but a win is a win. Any win is difficult but away from home in Europe is always difficult to achieve. It’s also a quite unusual occurrence so well done Celtic for doing such a good job versus Helsingborg. I guess, now, the main thing is to ensure that we can finish what we have started.
I would suggest that the game is nowhere near over, however, the Swedes would much rather be in the position we are in than the one that they are in.
I was talking to a colleague before the game and we talking about how noisy Parkhead could be next week if we are still in with a chance of qualifying. I have to admit, this is the first is a long time that I have been so fired up for a match so far in advance.
Remember if we do qualify, it’s worth approximately £15m to our club. For us, that’s a massive amount of money. It also increases our chance of retaining the league championship and it gives the chance of re-entering the champions league next season as well.
I think it’s safe to say that next weeks return leg could be the biggest match at Celtic Park in several years.
I have written, in the past, about Champions League nights and as we all know, there’s nowhere better than Celtic Park for a Champions League match. A floodlit Celtic Park at full capacity with the famous theme playing beats just about any football occasion that most of us have been part of.
Two nil away from home is a lovely advantage to have but what are your thoughts on it, are we good enough to go through? Were Helsingborg off form and should we expect a more formidable opponent next week?
I don’t think that they were off form. They created a lot of chances, defending and passed the ball well and looked dangerous at times.
I think it was obvious to see that they are a decent team who can cause damage. Fraser Forster had a good game and kept us in the tie with a few outstanding saves. I feel towards the end of the game when the Swedes were chasing the game, they were getting frustrated which can only be a good thing. They were committing more fouls later in the game. Hopefully this a sign of fatigue and frustration.
When you look through our team, I don’t feel that Beram Kayal played at 100%, I don’t feel Emilio Izaguirre was at 100% either. We hit the woodwork and were very unlucky when Georgios Samaras shot wide after his run down the left.
We have a lot to be positive about and I for one, will be going to the game in a confident mood. I think our players have to go in with the same mindset but also make sure that they are not arrogant about things going into the match.
The next thing to look forward to if we do get qualify for the champs league will surely be at least a few new faces in the squad. We all know that we can’t match the premiership for wages or many other leagues but how many clubs can offer an ambitious player champions league football?
Not very many in the UK. The English clubs, when in the Champions League, aim to win it so really are only looking for the top end players. Top end players that we would be unable to offer a similar wage to.That leaves a big opportunity for us to step in to offer a deal to a player who is a top player but maybe not quite at the top end of the premiership & champions league winner yet.
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Always love European nights at paradise.
These are the nights that have been robbed from us by EBT fc.
Not convinced with Beram Kayal at the moment although he might need time to get better after a long injury. Celtic need to play as if the tie is still 0-0. If we concede an early goal it could be squeeky bum time but a quick goal for us will seal the tie. I hope Wanyama plays defending midfield rather than centre half.
Clearly we threw some players back in due to the importance of the tie / experience who were less than fully fit. Now we are in a very strong position and with Wanyama available again we should be in much better shape for the return.
They put in a lot of effort to take the lead, Forster did well but nothing overly magnificent for a keeper of his ability. When they tired early in the 2nd half we could / should have scored another 2-3 goals. We have nothing to fear in the return leg. Take the initiative and keep them under pressure for the full 90 mins and they will wilt long before the end. A goal will wrap the tie up and then we can unleash some of the young guns who are bursting with energy / ability and the last thing Helsingborg will want to see.
Kayal has looked off the pace for some time, Izzy needs proper cover in front of him, still some way short of his best but it wil come. If playing Sammy, he’s best as lone striker, Hooper never had a single opportunity to even get a shot at goal the service was so poor. If we play Hooper then give him a partner / service and he will score goals. Let Commons roam about another huge danger for them.
Lively up front, sure to look for balls over the top so be alive to punts but really we should easily take care of this side. The real challenges lie ahead with a big step up in quality.
Steven1888
Nice article.
I think we were a bit fortunate not to concede over there before Neil changed our formation and got us going again.
I have no real concerns over Izzy. Sometimes it works out that he can bomb forward in games but away from home in europe is rarely one of those occasions. Saw signs toward end of last season that he was coming back to his best. His may still be a bit tentative due to nasty injury last term.
I have no concerns re Beram. Last season he took an age to come back to form from injury. But come back he did and was great towards the end. perhaps we have to accept that some players are slower to recover from injury than the likes of Henrik etc.
Great to have Scott Brown back. He was immense last year and looks up for it this year too.
Sammy the jesus of cool. What can you say. He has won me over. He got such stick a while back that I thought it would be unlikely that he would recover but to his credit he kept at it – thanks in no small part to encouragement from Neil and the staff – He is now looking like the player Man City thought they were getting.
Helsingborgs on Wed will be nervy. They will have to come at us which will suit Sammy. Wanyama will be back. All will be well at full time.
I expressed my concerns about tjos ham
damn smart phones typo! hehe!
I expressed my concerns about the 1st leg but although we went through with 2 goals I would hardly say they were an easy team to beat… if it was not for forster things would be very different right now… HIF have got goals in them, but anyone ive spoken with seem to have the opinion that HIF are a bunch of pig farming hillbillys… the 2nd leg will be tough going I reckon! HH!
Either Helsinborgs is a far better team than anyone gives them credit for or we are decidedly average and made them look good. I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle. I think we will be ripped apart by far better teams as things stand at this moment and I think we lived very dangerously during the first leg. Helsingborgs were more than capable of having men go forward and were particularly good at robbing us in our own last third. Our defence needs to be much tighter and less carefree and we didn’t really trouble their keeper all night.
Yes, I know our ratio was better and often that is all that is required, but they will feel robbed. How many times have we been the better team, had more of the possession and had more shots on goal but just couldn’t get that killer touch and then the other side have scored from that one of very few attempts? The positive is, for us, that we haven’t hit form yet and have only started our season.
We’ve had a gruelling few weeks of travel, which was insane if you ask me, and have picked up several injuries as a result, so this is by no means Celtic at its strongest. Most importantly, even with not playing fantastically, we have managed to do what we’ve found almost impossible in recent years – back to back away wins.
That’s a huge psychological boost and I’m sure Lenny will be making sure the bhoys know that it sets them apart from previous teams. The second leg will be tough and I think we will need a 2-0 or at least a 2-goal lead in the match to stop it being as nervy an affair. Helsingborgs will be out for blood I suspect and we will have to dampen it. Sellout crowd will help massively and I don’t think they’ll know what they’re letting themselves in for.
Have no fear for Wed v Helsingburg Forster there for a reason to do his job which he did very well and they shourly cannot score three goals at Paradise?
Forster hopefully will do too teams what Gorman and a few others did to us on many occasions Got too go for the win by playing attacking football on the GROUND from kick off!
I don’t fear next Wednesday because i think our attitude thus far – even after 2 nil win – is not to take it for granted.
If we get through i would love to see Real Madrid come to Celtic park – the prestige!!!