Celtic's famous victory over FC Zenit at Celtic Park last week will mean nothing if they can't follow that up with a similarly impressive performance away to the Russians this Thursday.

The second leg of the UEFA Europa League tie is a massive encounter and fans are dreaming of progression into the last 16 of the competition.

Brendan Rodgers' side know they will be put under significant attacking pressure and the dilemma facing the Celtic boss is how to tactically counteract, with a one goal lead to protect.

The Hoops manager has always set-up to play possession-based football regardless of opposition or competition, but should he forgo that philosophy to set-up a much more defensive Celtic side?

Our writers have had their say below...

Christy Malyan

There's more than one way to skin a cat and Celtic don't need to park the bus in the traditional sense, but it's clear keeping the clean sheet should be their priority.

The example that I'd use here is Atletico Madrid when they came to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League a few years ago. Diego Simeone set up his side in their typically rearguard manner but as soon as they went ahead, their entire game plan changed to keeping the ball and tiring out Chelsea's press.

We know this Celtic side has good technical ability and that strategy of keeping the ball as much as possible, although risky away from home, better fits what Brendan Rodgers is trying to achieve in terms of philosophy than simply sticking all ten men in the penalty box and hoping for Zenit to run out of steam.

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/ucl-wouldhavebeens.mp4

Chris McMullan

This is the million dollar question for Celtic: dominating their own league means simply lacking the ability to sit deep and hit teams on the break as they’re not used to it.

Trying to go all out against teams of equal or greater ability in Europe can be a recipe for disaster, of course, but then so too can defending deep whenever you don’t know how to do it.

In this particular tie, Celtic can take heart from their stunning performance against Anderlecht in the away game at the end of September, whilst the most important part of last week’s home leg against Zenit wasn’t so much Callum McGregor’s late goal, but the fact they kept a clean sheet.

That means they don’t necessarily have to park the bus in order to go through - if they can score, just ensuring they finish no more than one goal behind their hosts on the night will be enough.

John McGinley

If Celtic invite pressure onto them this Thursday, they will go out, it's as simple as that.

Rightly or wrong, the Hoops don't have the players available to produce an heroic defensive performance that we may have seen from teams guided by Neil Lennon, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan in the past.

Last Thursday's match was apparently the perfect way to play against Zenit, who appear to be a counter-punching team, happy to give up the majority of possession.

Celtic almost completely nullified their attacking threat by ensuring they were precise in the pass, ambitious going forward and hard working off the ball, putting the Russians on the back foot.

It will of course be more difficult to replicate that away from home but both Rosenborg and Real Sociedad travelled to Zenit in the Europa League this season and had the majority of possession, both scoring. If the Hoops can do that, get an away goal and not make their customary glaring defensive error, you'd have to fancy them to go through.