Source: Daily_Mail
Don't worry, Arsene Wenger, these new Bhoys are way too green
Celtic are more than the sum of their parts, which is a tribute to them as a team, but also recognition that the Bhoys of August 2009 possess no figure comparable to Henrik Larsson or even Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura, who joined Espanyolthis summer.
But they do have a new manager in Tony Mowbray, summer recruits like Marc-AntoineFortune from West Bromwich Albion and, judging by their 3-1 canter past Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday, freshness and belief.
Mowbray was able to withdraw the likes of Fortune in the second half, while Scott Brown was left on the bench until after the interval.
They have also been buoyed by the historic 2-0 victory at Dynamo Moscow, which earned them their Champions League play-off against Arsenal with the first leg in Glasgow tonight.
But these are largely the same Celtic personnel who finished bottom of their Champions League group last season, when they lost at Aalborg. However, it did require an 83rd-minute equaliser from Ryan Giggs to give Manchester United a point at Parkhead last November.
ATTACK Celtic are about width when going forward. Aiden McGeady is a left-footed winger who switches flanks, with Shaun Maloney, who had a respectable 18 months at Aston Villa, the counter-balance.
Both enjoyed space and time at Aberdeen but that freedom is not likely to be replicated against Arsenal. Given the hyperbole that often accompanies McGeady in Scotland, the 23-year-old could do with producing a major individual performance against Arsenal.
There is a doubt that he has the pace for the Premier League. In the centre of attack are Scott McDonald and Fortune, who faced Arsenal at The Hawthorns in March and did not score in a 3-1 defeat. It means, though, that Arsenal have recent experience ofhim. McDonald is a chunky Australian who began his career at Southampton and he famously scored when Manchester United visited Parkhead last season.
VIDEO: Wenger on Euro showdown...
MIDFIELD
When Arsenal have the ball, wingers McGeady and Maloney will need to be defensive midfielders. 'We can't take them on in an open, expansive match,' said Mowbray.
Celtic may therefore pack their midfield and effectively play 4-5-1. At Dynamo Moscow, Massimo Donati and Landry Nguemo were at the centre of a 4-4-2 line-up.
When Brown did come on it was for striker Fortune. Brown could start tonight with instructions to get forward whenever possible, but not to gamble.
DEFENCE
When Glen Loovens was injured on Saturday, Mowbray switched Donati to centre half. That would be a bigger risk against Arsenal and Mowbray will hope Loovens, will be fit. Darren O'Dea was the other centre half at Aberdeen.
Thomas Hinkel, wanted by Hull, is right back and Danny Fox, just signed from Coventry, is left back. Fox looks comfortably the most mobile of a back four who will betested by Arsenal's movement.
IMPACT SUBSTITUTE
Georgios Samaras. Or 'Georgi Best' as the Celtic View had it following his late clincher in Moscow. The one-time £6m Manchester City striker scored 15 goals in 31appearances last season. Unpredictable.
ATMOSPHERE
The flippant cliche of the crowd being the 12th man does not apply at Celtic. The crowd actually matter, and can be as intimidating for opponents as they are exhilaratingfor Celtic.
On no rational reading of the game should Celtic win tonight, but Parkhead does something to them and to others.
But just beware of their home record...It is nearly 26 years since Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest became the only English team to have won an away leg against Celtic . . .
April 14, 1966 Celtic 1 Liverpool 0 European Cup-Winners' Cup semi-final, first leg
April 15, 1970 Celtic 2 Leeds 1 European Cup semi-final, second leg
December 7, 1983 Celtic 1 Nottingham Forest 2 UEFA Cup third round, second leg
September 16, 1997 Celtic 2 Liverpool 2 UEFA Cup first round, second l
October 31, 2002 Celtic 1 Blackburn 0 UEFA Cup second round, first leg
March 13, 2003 Celtic 1 Liverpool 1 UEFA Cup quarter-final, first leg
November 21, 2006 Celtic 1 Manchester United 0 Champions League group stage
November 5, 2008 Celtic 1 Manchester United 1 Champions League group stage
Celtic's overall record against English opposition
P16 W7 D5 L4 F17 A15
