Celtic´s Mowbray turns thoughts to Arsenal

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray says he has already settled on the side that will face Arsenal on Wednesday as he watched the Hoops warm up for their crucial Champions League tie with a 5-2 thrashing of St Johnstone.

The win, which sends the Old Firm giants top of the Scottish Premier League, came four days after they lost the first leg of their play-off match against Arsene Wenger’s side 2-0 in Glasgow.

Now, with a place in the lucrative group stages of the competition at stake, Mowbray knows his side need to score at least twice at the Emirates Stadium if they are to have any hope of going through.

And the former West Bromwich Albion boss says he has already picked the players he thinks can do a job for the Hoops in London and complete a remarkable turnaround.

“When the Arsenal draw came out the hat I think my idea of how the team might play was settled pretty quickly,” Mowbray said.

“Obviously, the result of the first leg alters your thought patterns of how you might set up for the second leg. If we had been sitting here 2-0 ahead I would probably play a different team than if we were 2-0 down. We have to go and score some goals. I am pretty clear in my mind what my team is going to be next Wednesday but wait and see.

“I understand that I get judged. If we lose 2-0 I’ve got the team wrong again. But if we manage to win 3-0 everyone will be pretty happy hopefully.”

Striker Marc-Antoine Fortune got his first goals for Celtic with a double in the match against St Johnstone. And the 3.8 million pound (five million euro) signing from Nancy was delighted to get on the score-sheet for the first time since his summer switch and said he hoped they would earn him a starting spot against Arsenal.

“I am very happy as it was at home and we won. I just try to do my best every match and I knew one day I would score,” Fortune said.

“Every player wants to play in Champions League games against the big sides and I hope to start every game but the team comes first. It will be difficult as Arsenal are a very difficult team to play.

“We did it against Moscow so we will see on Wednesday what will happen.”

Gary Caldwell’s nightmare start to the season continued in the match against Saints with his misjudged header allowing Trinidad and Tobago international Colin Samuel to rifle past Artur Boruc to make it 2-1 just before half-time.

The Scotland defender has already seen red while on international duty against Norway while his own goal made it 2-0 for Arsenal at Parkhead to compound Celtic’s misery. But Mowbray, who was also Caldwell’s gaffer when the player was at Hibernian, says he has no doubts about pitching the player in against Arsenal.

“I’m not concerned at all as he is an outstanding individual,” Mowbray said. “I said to him there ?Don’t become your own worst enemy, don’t feed the monster (of doubt) that’s chasing you. Just do your job, be consistent week in week out.’ He understands that and I’ve got no fear he will have the opportunity week in week out to be a top player for us as he will play most weeks.”

Two goals from Shaun Maloney, one either side of Fortune’s double, and a header from Australian striker Scott McDonald completed the rout against St Johnstone before former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris scored a consolation for Saints. And Mowbray says it gives his side a boost ahead of their match with Arsenal.

“I would have preferred 5-0 but I think our team is going to be capable of scoring plenty of goals as we go along,” the Celtic manager said.

“The quality we possess in the team it is going to ask lots of questions of the opposition regardless of how many men they play at the back or how many men they put behind the ball. We have some individual talent that can unlock doors for us.”