Strachan calls for patience as Celtic try to defy history

Never before has a side in any European competition lost 5-0 in the first match of a two-leg tie and won on aggregate. That is what Celtic need to do this evening at Parkhead against Artmedia Bratislava to rewind the nightmare of last week's defeat in Slovakia.

If the impossible happens, a third-round qualifier against either Partizan Belgrade or Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova awaits, as would an unprecedented sense of relief that Strachan's Celtic had not actually skidded off the rails so early in his tenure.

But even Strachan cannot be expecting his ageing, transitional side to put six past the Slovaks without conceding any. Not after watching them draw 4-4 with Motherwell at the weekend, and without serious options to make major changes, especially in defence.

On that vexing subject, Strachan insisted yesterday that Bobo Baldé remains part of his plans. The 29-year-old central defender, who was woeful last midweek and dropped at Fir Park, has claimed to be a target for Bayern Munich and been linked with a move to Marseille. Yet Strachan says Baldé has voiced no desire to leave, and even praised the player's response to being dropped.

"He's here, he trained on Sunday morning and trained hard so I don't think he's [going] away," Strachan said. "He has never said anything to me about talking to anybody. He's fine and has shown a great attitude."

With upbeat talk like that, the changes that Strachan insisted he needed after the Motherwell game might even include recalling Baldé tonight. His regular central defensive partner, Stan Varga, is not certain to start, and Saturday's other centre-half, Stephen McManus, looked less than comfortable. Strachan's options are limited.

Celtic have taken the Chinese international defender Du Wei on trial but he is not close to signing, let alone eligible tonight. The same goes for Turkey's Alpay, who was reportedly also of interest to Strachan, but who signed for Cologne yesterday. "There are a couple of defenders we've been thinking about," said Strachan. "Because of the circumstances with injuries we are looking about and we are on the back foot."

Strachan has acknowledged the size of tonight's task, admitting the outlook is not promising. A glance at history leaves no option but to take that view. Even four-goal European comebacks are rare, with about one per decade on average.

The Celtic manager believes that a glimmer of hope might lie in scoring early and not conceding. "We have to watch what we do in the first 10 or 15 minutes because we don't want to end the tie, or make it even more impossible than it is, by losing a goal right away," he said.

"I think we have to try and target two goals in the first half and see what happens after that. They were a good team that played great on the night and we were a good side that played badly on the night. If we get a reversal of that then the five goals might be in that."

The most likely source of goals on the evidence of Strachan's six winless games so far - four of them friendlies - is John Hartson, who scored a first-half hat-trick on Saturday.

Hartson said yesterday that tonight will be a "monster task". That is clear, as is the fact that when the Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell, says Strachan's job is not on the line, he merely forgot to add "yet".

But Hartson jumped to Strachan's defence, insisting: "I don't think you can blame any one person necessarily. To get people calling for his sacking is ridiculous."

Celtic (probable 4-4-2): Marshall; Telfer, Baldé, Varga, Camara; McGeady, Petrov, Lennon, Thompson; Maloney, Hartson.

Artmedia Bratislava (probable 4-4-2): Cobej; Kotula, Debnar, Durica, Tchur; Vascak, Kozak, Borbely, Fodrek; Obzera, Halenar.

Referee: A Undiano Mallenco (Sp).