Footballers often play two games a week but their peak fitness levels are achieved when the play once a week. More often than that and the muscles don’t recover quickly enough. Top players’ muscles are finely tuned to deliver 90 minutes of exertion. To reach this peak, they NEED games as well as training. It appears to be beyond the ken of sports scientists to create a training routine which matches actual matches.
Apart from a 25 minute run-out against Hearts two weeks ago, newco’s players will not have played a football game in 22 days when they line-up against the champions on Sunday. If the boot was on the other foot, I would be concerned.
Celtic watchers will note that they score more goals late in games than early. Ronny’s team try to win the battle for territory, the ball and energy before running over the top of opponents. Whatever happens in the opening 20 minutes on Sunday I would expect Celtic to be far more effective in the final 20 minutes of the game, when their superiority will be most effective. There’s a chance newco will crumble early on, but I don’t expect many chances at either end until later in the first half.
While we all know how Celtic will play, it’s harder to figure out how Kenny McDowell will line-up tactically. If he was Ross County manager he would defend his 18 yard line for 90 minutes and hope for a breakaway, but I’m not sure that’s a viable strategy for Sunday. Lose an early goal and he would be caught between damage limitation and attempting to get back into the game. It could get very messy.
My hunch is that he’ll play a conventional 4-5-1 and attempt to find space out wide behind Celtic’s full-backs for Kenny Miller to run into. The full-backs will play forward, there will be space, we’ve just got to be faster than the 35-year-old ex-Celt now plying his trade in the lower leagues.
Despite their form against Hibs and Hearts this season, newco have an excellent record against Premiership competition in the cups. Three wins, against Inverness (only one point behind Aberdeen on same games played), St Johnstone and Kilmarnock, without a goal conceded, is a measure of what they are capable of, when they put their minds to it.
The wins against Kilmarnock and Inverness are particularly noteworthy, as both Premiership clubs enjoyed the majority of possession, but were frustrated in attack and hit with sucker-punches. This is what McDowell will seek to do at Hampden.
Ronny, get the job done. Very, very, very, thoroughly.
A reminder for North American readers that the Annual Celtic Supporter’s Féile is on in Philadelphia this weekend. The events include live music each day, the US premier of The Asterisk Years, with a Q&A with Paul Larkin and Graham Wilson of Beyond the Waves podcast, as well as live coverage the semi-final. You can find out more, including how to book, here.
Have you booked for the CQN11 Str Patrick’s Dinner on Friday, 13 March? We’re hoping to raise enough money to build Mary’s Meals a school kitchen in Malawi. Mary’s meals emailed an hour ago with a report on one of the kitchens we built last year, in Kholoni, where they are now feeding 1245 children each day, a considerable increase in the roll-call since the availability of kitchen facilities, see the photo above.
Email me for tickets, celticquicknews@gmail.com (to the Dinner, not Malawi).
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Ernie
BTW I struggled with that decision for weeks but went with my heart.
Would never criticise anyone who wants to go but I cannot legitimise their cheating and cannot bear the prospect of hearing their vileness in all its glory
Chasbhoy
Market Inn just up from train station was always the place in Ayr. Double check Celtic Bars in case it has recently changed hands, but I am pretty sure it is OK
Starting to get pre-match nerves.
Can’t understand why. I never felt this way the first time we played Gretna or Livingston!
I see the ole Evil Genius has bounced back, after criticising Celtic all season.
Blindfolded CSC
BSR
Knocking crab apples fae the posh houses? The posh houses?
Aye right! You were from the posh end of the scheme.
Your da even had a motor.
Cutting about in yer Barathea, sta press and Terry’s. Shirts fae Arthur Black, button doon collar and 16 buttons up yer cuff sleeved jaickets.
There’s me wae my handmedoons fae ……….ma big sister.
No’ that I’m bothered like.
EC67
pythonfouryorkshiremenCSC
marrakesh express .
The 7 – 2 humping of Dundee Utd was followed by an 8 – 1 v The Maryhill Magyars .New Year game v the Deady Bears was a O- 0 .Celtic had a good goal ruled out !
Nye Bevan’s
Originally I was told that it was Brazilian telly!!!
I was off like a rocket to see if I could wangle a free trip to Rio as I am working on something just now with a Brazilian theme …… queue a whole host of jokes about Brazilians ……. but I will have to make do with the Germans!
eurochamps67,
HaHa…Mc Murtries in the Trongate was the ned equivalent of a designer shop back then…real zips and pockets.:-))
South of Tunis
Big Billy header disallowed v Them on 3.1.70? Mind it well. Jim Brogan flattened John Greig at one stage which some people seemed to enjoy!
Jimbo67
weet weet weet
very funny
my fav is between FWIW and BFF
Trending CSC
EC67
Ha – at least you drew the line at her knee high, black kinky boots.
They used to make rotten motors and the old man, bought every one of them second hand.
A Skoda!
A Simca!
An Austin Allegro!
You name it, he broke down in it.
BRTH,
as I am working on something just now with a Brazilian theme ……
__________
Are you having a shave at the moment? :))
sips
EC67 has still got his.
Bsr,
The suspicious side of me suggests the tool is setting us up for a fall….that just ain’t gonna happen ;)
weeminger
17:20 on 30 January, 2015
Hope we never find out what the fans reaction would be to losing on Sunday,but if you think he won’t be under pressure you are seriously deluded.
BSR,
Mind your favourite moatur was the VW Beetle?
Swore by them you did.
How many did you have or was it a Trigger’s Beetle?
ernie lynch
17:03 on 30 January, 2015
I get the distinct impression that a few posters on here have missed the huns.
Their prerogative, I suppose.
>>>>
Well, I’m certainly not one of them………and I don’t understand how ANYONE would miss that hate-filled mob….
a wee note for all you short sighted celtic fans. When Jock Stein took over Celtic , he completely changed the attitude , culture and demands of a celtic player/team. He told each individual their role and what was expected within the team formation. He set very high standards and it took even Jock Stein time to implement , but the signs were there early.
RD is doing exactly the same. He demands effort , he demands fitness levels required for professional football 24/7 and he demands technical attacking football the Celtic way.
He came along at a time when Celtic were going through the motions – Despite Martin O’neill spending millions and millions the standard of football depended HUGELY on a select few players/match winners and the football was not always pretty.
I back RD long term vision for the club and the culture should be imprinted on the dressing room door – Playing for Celtic needs to go way beyond Scottish standards otherwise we will never ever progress beyond the suffocating expectations of short sighted supporters.
I hope we tear them to shreds and the NEW celtic come to the fore from the confidence – just like a certain game did for Jock Stein!
Eurochamps67
17:40 on
30 January, 2015
‘Button doon collars’ aye and we used to wear paper collars as well. Numbered styles rings a bell, I’m sure we wore no. 16
EC67
We had one each complete with furry dice.
Geordie
Chris Sutton’s playing the MSM game, trying for a steady job.
BFSDJ on the other hand, is totally ‘lights are on – but nobody’s at home’
jimbo67.
Failing memory means I can remember a disallowed goal but not the scorer..Thanks !
lennon’s passion
17:50 on 30 January, 2015
I know he will be. I’m suggesting people keep sight of what this is.
How much pressure was NL after losing to Morton?
Coneybhoy
Thanks, mate.
Bsr,
Correct neebs.
His ‘worst treble in history’ is my own personal favourite.
Clown.
If you attach any more significance to this game than you would to one against eg Hibs then you’re buying into and propagating the myth.
The week before we played St Johnstone to stop a certain team winning 10 in a row,
my stomach was in knots, my mind was constantly on the game, and I was finding it difficult to sleep,
This week has been very similar,
Weeminger,
100% correct.
Hooptastic
16:54 on
30 January, 2015
Any Florida boys on?
Im flying out tomorrow for a month. Staying in West Palm Beach. Anybody with local knowledge of where to catch the game? Is it on tv that would be on in the hotel?
————————————————————————————————————
I have checked the televised football schedules and can not see that it will be shown.
The nearest CSC is down in Ft Lauderdale which is quite a distance from West Palm Beach.so with the early kick off it might be a struggle to get there.
The game will be available online using the Fox Soccer 2 Go app. They charge $10 a month so that may be the best option…as long as you have a good internet connection.
Alternatively, sign up to Celtic TV then once you leave the US cancel the subscription.
Hail Hail
hi ghuys, im in usa and want to get a buddy to put a bet on for me but dont know if the bookies will take it, so if anyone knows can you tell me, im looking to get an accumulator virgil and kris scoring anytime and us -2
South of Tunis @ 17.58
Freezing cold day supposedly for climbing.
Jimbo67
BFSDJ ‘I don’t know,we don’t know’, ready to cut the wheat from the chaff now……..
sunny calmachie-never comfortable when we are such hot favourites, for any game.
Fat Rangers fan on the news said Rangers and them couldnt even say Celtic another idiot.H.H.
Joe Filippis Haircut
Now now Joe no need to be Fatist:)))
weeminger,
The game will take care of itself, working with huns, like most on here do, the analogy of “a different jobby, same flies” springs to mind.
The flies are still swarming about and need swatted.
“Rangers are clear of debt – Craig Whyte paid the banks when he bought the club ”
BFSDJ 2012
BSR-He also said about this time last year, amid rumours they were skint yet again, that they had £23 mil in the bank…..