I can get to fuck\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I know its not a real account, Lawwell isn’t on twitter, unsurprisingly, but the humorous tweet kind of summed up how some incontinent fans are viewing the Roberts scenario.<\/p>\n Manchester city are just being tough negotiators. Thats all. They don;t want him, we do, and they’re trying to get as much money in as they can.<\/p>\n You can’t blame them, but you don’t have to like them. There’s no need to criticise Celtic though, and we need to remember there’s still a fortnight until the end of the transfer window.<\/p>\n If , of course, Celtic do qualify for the group stages, we may find that other wingers will find Glasgow a much better stage on which to display their talents than if we don’t, which will drive the price for Roberts down again as our options increase.<\/p>\n Is it any wonder the two clubs are playing poker ?<\/p>\n However, a little bit of nerves are allowed regarding to nights game..<\/p>\n The biggest concern for the support appears to surround central defence, where Celtic have been a little unlucky with injuries. Erik Sviatchenko isn;t fit, neither is Dedryck Boyata, and that means Nir biton will step up alongside Jozo Simunovic and the experienced Israeli has been accused of being a little lackadaisical and perhaps a weak link at the back.<\/p>\n Brendan Rodgers disagrees..<\/p>\n \u201cIf it was a big gamble I wouldn\u2019t do it. I have taken risks all my life. Eight \u2028or nine times out of 10 they pay off.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut for me, this is not a risk as you also look at the game.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf I am playing against a team who are totally bombarding you with high balls and direct balls and you are away from home, then maybe you think differently.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut you also have to think of the level of the game. You want to put in young players but you don\u2019t want to hurt them either because these are pressure games and normally little bits of \u2028experience can get you though.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOkay, it might not be perfect playing Nir there but he has a good idea of what he is doing and he has the right profile.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe will go and attack it, he will head it and he can play football. I don\u2019t see it as a risk.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI will take risks but they will always be calculated. There is a certain dynamic to it and he has done it very well.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou miss the number of times he does go and be aggressive.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt could have been a penalty but on lots of occasions those moments will go for him. You could have a defender in there who doesn\u2019t get back quick enough, there are pluses and minuses.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSince I\u2019ve been here all the centre halves have been \u2028questioned and all the midfield players have been questioned \u2028but the facts are simple. We\u2019ve played seven competitive games and conceded one goal.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not perfect by any means but he\u2019s done brilliantly since he\u2019s been in there, in terms of how we work and how we play.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNir\u2019s gone into a game against Rosenborg away, in a pressure game against a good side and he\u2019s coped really well with Nicklas Bendtner, a player who on his day is a very good striker.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThere will always be a risk if you are putting in a midfield player who doesn\u2019t normally \u2028play there.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut if you are a centre-half or a midfield player playing at centre-half and you make one mistake over a couple of games, I\u2019ll take that.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n So will I. Which makes two of us.<\/p>\n One of which knows his football and the other is the manager.<\/p>\n Note what he says about bombarding the side with high or direct balls, which may well tempt the Astana manager to change his style….<\/p>\n He also refers to how they will view us, not in so many words, but there’s little doubt that the Khazaks may dwell a little too much on the side they faced last year, without considering the new mental toughness of Celtic.<\/p>\n \u201cI look back at the images of last year\u2019s team \u2028and how we play and it\u2019s a different animal.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt was just a different team with a different idea. Mentally it was just trying to get them through it. But the team now plays in a different way and that will hopefully benefit us.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe know the consequence of it. If you think too much you could have the sleepless nights and my way is always the same.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis year has been much smoother for us and that\u2019s down to the maturity of the group.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t get too emotional. They\u2019re emotive games of \u2028course and we want passion and aggression. But in order for us to get to the other side, you have to stay calm.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe players have learnt that. We played enough big games last season and from what we\u2019ve seen over this campaign so far, with that bit of maturity in knowing our ideas of the game, if we stick to them we\u2019ll get our rewards.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIn Rosenborg we made over 700 passes. That\u2019s away from home in what was built up as a real pressure game. I focus \u2028on dangerous possession. I like to have the control and domination. I\u2019m not one who will talk about 700 passes and lose 2-0.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, the idea is to win. But the amount of passes is a sign of confidence. That gains control, tires out opponents, gets you into good positions. You are in attack working the space and the ball. That\u2019s the theory. It\u2019s a predictor of confidence and efficiency.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe players now are clear and concise in how they want to work. Even when the team changes, players come into roles and know the function. They know their job so can go out with the\u00a0confidence that if they play well, stick to their ideas, be aggressive and attack, we can have a good night.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He knows what he’s doing, the players know what they’re doing, so it follows that all they have to do is go out there and do it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Astana have only lost twice since April, in the Khazak cup and the 1-0 reverse to Legia Warsaw earlier this month. That defeat didn’t help Legia, who were beaten 3-1 in Khazakstan, but whilst we may tremble at the fact they beat Legia, they struggled to overcome Spartaks Jurmala in the previous round.<\/p>\n In the league they are dominant, with one or two impressive results..<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk\/i\/chill-out-man-.png\")
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