SENTINELCELTS

Morning, all.

It’s a big night for us tonight, probably our last chance to get any sort of European challenge up and running. On top of that, it’s a timely reminder of when we were a force in Europe, before the beancounters and downsizers took control.

We play Celta Vigo at home tonight, one of the teams we conquered on our way to Seville. Back then, few teams would relish being drawn against Celtic in Europe. Admittedly, the chances were that they would get a result in their home leg, but we were a formidable force to be reckoned with, and damn near unbeatable at home. That hard-earned reputation has taken a severe kicking over the years and is little more than a distant if fond memory now, but tonight is an opportunity for both nostalgia and redemption.

We’ve endured a ropey spell around the end of August and start of September but it’s too early to say that we’ve come out the other side yet. The long international break seems to have given us the time to work on improving domestically, but last week’s first half against an admittedly very good Benfica showed us that we have a long way to go if we want Europe to be our benchmark.

Europe is certainly the standard that the fans and dare I say the players want us to be measured against, but try telling that to the suits. I’m beginning to think they’re getting fed up with all the free junkets abroad, the all expenses paid jollies that come with the Celtic blazer and tie. Personally, while I’ll agree that it might be possible to have too much of a good thing, I think I’d be all for the all expenses paid jollies. And a bit of gladhanding the nobs at UEFA might come in handy for another job further down the line.

Not our lot, though. To assemble a team worth a damn in Europe costs too much money-our money, of course, but try telling them that. It’s a lot of effort too, all that looking at videos or listening to agents telling you how brilliant their client is. Then there’s the negotiations to sign the player, just when the missus and kids are wanting a holiday, you know?

Facetious? Maybe. But if anyone can offer a better reason why our lot have turned their backs on the continent’s biggest source of income, I’m all ears. Especially when our domestic TV rights for a whole season cost about the same as Sky pay for any two games down south. But anyway, tonight.

Sunday’s display was our best in a long time, and we will hope to build on that. The Vigo manager will be heartened though by the number of times Hearts cut through our midfield and defence to get a shot away, same as has happened in every game this season. That there is where the game will be won or lost. Will we be able to make enough chances and convert enough of them to counter the ones we will give up? Or does MON have an entirely new gameplan to put on show which will cut out the schoolboy errors that are damaging our season and giving us all hearties?

After such a resounding victory I would expect the manager to name an unchanged side, and if everyone was fit I’m quite sure that he would. However, the hamstring complaint that forced Callum Osmand off at half time probably throws a spoke into that plan. To my mind, it would be foolish to play him again immediately, as he has a history of this problem. Playing so soon afterwards is likely to aggravate it, so I expect him to be rested. And this is Martin’s big dilemma.

He surely can’t take Duran away from the centre, nor drop Hassan, not after Sunday when they were both excellent. But he surely cannot consider bringing back Tounekti either. Yet sticking with his 4-3-3 means exactly that, as Yang is still injured and Jota isn’t in the squad. So here’s a wicked wee alternative for you all (and hopefully the boss) to consider.

Sacrifice the third attacker and go 4-4-2. We’ve all been screaming to beef up the midfield anyway as it is an absolute necessity against better than usual opposition. Stick The Ox in there, a man with extensive European experience and who was badly missed against LASK. You know it makes sense.

Of course, that on its own might not be good enough. There are few mugs around at this level, and Vigo have shown themselves to be a very capable side. We will, as ever, be looking for every player to be on top of his game with no lapses of concentration, no daft tackles and no brain farts. Only a win tonight will be good enough, or we can write off entirely the remaining five games in Europe. And that for a club of our size will be a disgrace.

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Above article by BMCUWP