Celtic have two bounce games coming up ahead of the Scottish Cup Final: Ibrox on Sunday then Hearts at Celtic Park on trophy presentation day. One of the benefits of winning the league early is being able to rest players and prioritise ahead of the Cup Final, we should do this now.
Newco will do their upmost to convince their fans the ever-present gap is closing by doing all in their power to win the game. I might feel different on Sunday afternoon, but let them do their worst, this game does not matter.
We have to be fit and ready for Hampden. Whatever ails Kieran Tierney, he should not be risked. Instead, Emilio Izaguirre should be given the jersey and if Leigh Griffiths is even remotely close to fitness, he should play. We like to think of ourselves as being a ‘big team’. If we are, rise above local bragging rights and aim for history.
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Hail Hail from Donegal
Rest Tierney, yep.
Play Rogic – he needs the match fitness.
Hail! Hail! From Milngavie.
Paul, I like to think it’s generally best to give Sunday’s opposition absolutely no encouragement at all. In any event, Lenny’s got 5-0 hole in his CV to fill.
JJ, left a note for you on the previous thread.
No chance, Paul. Leave them with nothing to comfort them during the close season. Our strongest team should play, minus Kieran, and we should try to hump them.
Partially agree with Paul, as long as we don’t take that too far.
Avoid injury, rather than rest, should be the watchword.
So – leave out KT certainly – he has looked very out of sorts even when coming on recently. Hopefully his operation will have the same impact as Broonie’s had – regalvanised him.
Need to keep the Cup-Final team sharp, and I expect that’s what Neil will do. Avoid injury to anyone with niggles, but keep things ticking over for the bulk of the team.
HH
BGFC
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 7TH MAY 2019 12:43 PM
I don’t know if Clark of St. J would come to us. I was on Rangers meeja after we defeated St. J in The a League Cup at Perth, 1-0 with late Griff goal. Clark’s father or brother had been at the game ‘to see Zander’. He was obviously very anti-Celtic and thought we were rubbish.
_________
Well just look at the cases of Craig Beattie, Neil McCann, Jake Hastie and Scott Allan.
Clark and Kelly would have to be convinced to leave regular first team football to become third choice keeper.
Better pay but boring.
My preference is still to bring David Marshall back. He’s a good lad and younger than Gordon!
Glancy the ref on off off off the linesman ?
But what is our strongest team?
Plus, momentum is a big factor. You need to keep your players sharp. A couple of judicious changes, sure – but not wholesale changes for the sake of it.
Emilio for KT – sure, but I might prefer Hayes over Emilio.
PC Lustig looked to have a wee strain against Aberdeen. Maybe rest him and play Toljan.
Simunovic must play, massive goal threat ;-)
Rogic should play for match fitness, replace him with Ntcham later on.
Burke or Weah running at their central defenders would be good to see.
Just bring it on.
One minute I think put out the best team, hammer them and show them Glasgow is Green & White and then the next minute I think but what if they injure our players, meaning they only have less than 2 weeks to recover for the final, a chance for a historic Treble Treble.
That’s why I’ll never be in the dugout!!
Hail Hail to Tully57, who refuses to leave Keadue.
As to the topic.
There is a case for the pragmatic view and one for the emotional one.
Head and Heart.
In Jock’s reign, they never won a significant game against us.
Any they did had no bearing on the silverware.
Whilst never happy to lose any game to them, I would play a smattering of fringe players, if they were physically and emotionally up to it.
It will be difficult to make too many changes, as without Lustig and Tierney, we are already weakened.
Hayes took a sore one too.
I would play Burke, as his pace could destroy the bollards at centre half.
Wouldn’t be a bad idea to stop by the Art Gallery and pick up a suit of armour for Scott Brown.
By the way, my team for the Sevco game
—————–Bain
Toljan—-Ajer——Benkovic—Izzy
————Ntcham—Brown
Burke———-Henderson—-Johnston
———————Weah
Don’t actually see that panning out though. NL has stated already he only see’s Burke and Weah as wingers.
I also wouldn’t expect to see such a youthful side. I think NL will rest two or three. Tierney, McGregor & Forrest perhaps.
@ ERNIE LYNCH on 7TH MAY 2019 12:49 PM
In Lenny’s final two seasons Motherwell finished as runners up (in the first of two seasons we accured points which were less than this year’s total), Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Hibs and Hearts finished in the bottom 6- Inverness and Ross County were in the top 6! Hibs and Hearts were relegated the next year (Lenny’s last season).
Under Brendan, Sevco were in the league- they are not very good but better than the majority of teams; Clarke was at Kilmarnock for nearly two years; Lennon was at Hibs for two years; Aberdeen and Hearts were better than they have been for the last 5 years. So the league has been at its strongest since 12/13.
“Can you tell me when the gulf in finances between Celtic and the rest of Scottish football was larger than it was during Rodgers time?”
The reason it is bigger than ever before is because of Brendan! Our turnover was £50m when he arrived and £100m when he left. You can’t beat him with a stick for being succesful. Plus, Sevco have spent more (net) than us in the last window, so you can’t argue that Brendan blew everyone else out of the water on account of funds (unlike Oldco during their success).
“His undeserved reputation as a saviour is largely due to the fact that he replaced a guy who should never have been near the job in the first place.”
Our previous three managers before Brendan were TM (unreserved failure, although did anyone believe him to be a great manager in the first instance); Lenny (his first job and a big unknown – similar to taking on Stevie G); and RD a cheap option and overall failure. You can’t argue that the guy should have never been near the job when he was in the same mould of manager that preceded him.
Let’s see how his successors do. I won’t hold my breath that they are in any way as successful.
@ BIG JIMMY on 7TH MAY 2019 12:50 PM
Red Imps was bad but quickly rectified in next leg. It doesn’t compare to the other games which were catastrophic defeats and dumped us out of European competition. We still went on to compete in CL and draw with Man City twice that season.
Put out a reserve team. 11 changes.
Gordon
Toljan Hendry Benkovic Iziguirre
Ntcham Bitton
Johnston Weah Sinclair
Burke
Paul 67
I totally agree. There is one game left to win and history will be made forever on May 25th.
Why not this:
Gordon
Toljan
Hayes
Boyata
Ajer
Brown
Bitton
Ntcham
Burke
Allan
Griffiths
Would make for a strong bench, put Dembele in there in case there is a rout to be had!
Notwithstanding our other commitments, we need to put out a good team at the weekend and get a result.
Two wins for us and two wins for them does suggest a closing gap (even if there are extenuating circumstances for us).
Paul 67,
Totally agree , there is no ” Old Firm”. Treat this game as if we were playing Hamilton or similar.
Very few of our fans will be there and those that are know that this circus is actually a bounce game.
Do not give them the satisfaction of prioritising this game. It is a nothing game that’s only purpose is to prepare for our big game on the 25th.
Do not buy into their or the media’s hype. To come out injury free is our number 1 priority.
HH to all, the journey continues.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 7TH MAY 2019 1:14 PM
Sevco have spent more (net) than us in the last window, so you can’t argue that Brendan blew everyone else out of the water on account of funds (unlike Oldco during their success).
You can argue it
Paul67,
In any event, resting quite a few of our first picks doesn’t necessarilly mean we won’t still win. Therefore, in order of preferred outcomes I’d go with –
Option A – rest our starts and still beat them – how deflated would they then feel!!
Option B – rest our stars knowing that if we lose it won’t really give any indication of our respective strengths going forward to 2019-20
Option C – Play our strongest 11, get the game tied up within the hour, take off the 3 we need to protect the most
Option D – Play our strongest 11 and lose, facing a summer of “The Rrrrrrrangers are coming…” headlines.
Disagree…..almost totally.
Next season starts now.
Anything that deflates the FOD is positive. And the opposite equally applies.
It’s not the hope that kills them. It’s lack of hope and overspending. As all the young gamers on cqn will attest to, you always keep your finger squeezing the trigger when fighting a zombie (until it explodes…..again)
I like Jobo’s Option C.
Nurse KT for the final. Mikka too if he’s a doubt. But start with the strongest, fittest, most street-savvy 11 at our disposal.
HH jg
Tojlan and Hayes at FB for me, Izzy too slow now, the rest,pick the strongest team.Rest up after that,league game v Hearts,will be 2 reserve teams.
Uncle Tom,Clancy on Sunday, and red card Ross….
“We like to think of ourselves as being a ‘big team’. If we are, rise above local bragging rights and aim for history.”
———
Not sure too many would feel that way, Paul (including the manager). For many local bragging rights is what it’s all about. Be surprised if Neil doesn’t field a full-strength team.
The next few weeks will tell us how big a team we are. Can we do what we have so often failed to do and build from a position of strength?
Izzy offered 1 year deal,said he’s hoping to move to MLS…
The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on 7th May 2019 1:13 pm
I assume, from the fact you haven’t attempted to answer my two questions, that you accept what I said regarding the state of Scottish football during Rodgers time.
Rest KT, he’s earned a wee break and his frame needs it.
Play everybody else,……………………… everybody else………… hump thum.
Run over the top o’ thum.
@ ERNIE LYNCH on 7TH MAY 2019 2:12 PM
Did you not read my reply above? Scottish football is in a stronger position now (and for last couple of years) than during Lenny’s last couple of season and Deila’s. See my above comment.
Paul67
Kevin Clancy gets a meaningless Sevco v Celtic game, and their favourite assistant is set to assist.
What odds Willie Collum in their last meaningless game?
Haven’t spoken to a Celtic fan that fancies us, let alone with a rested up, selection
Maybe Neil Lennon with go full beachball Sevco Sunday, with Karamoko Dembele doing a Shaun Maloney?
That would be nice CSC
I’m sure Lenny has a fairly good idea what his Cup Final team is going to be. I’m against wholesale changes because that is a recipe for failure and although I personally consider sevco to be the new boys on the block it wouldn’t go down well with a large part of the support.
I like many would like to see Burke running at their defence. I didn’t realise how high that boy could leap until Saturday and I’ve seen him a few times. I also wouldn’t be averse to seeing the Griffalo back but not in the starting 11.
I’d rest our escapegoat of the Year but have him on the bench with Jonny Hayes at left back. I’m unsure about playing Toljan as he keeps on making the same mistake and is vulnerable when somebody comes inside him (ooh err missus).
I’d also have Ewan Henderson on the bench, at least.
The Jambos game may be the one to rest players as that eejit Levein will have his players instructed to maim and injure.
The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on 7th May 2019 2:17 pm
I saw your reply. My point still stands.
TBB
I may well have been asleep. WGS`s teams had a soporific affect on me :-)
JJ
PS Do you ever get up to The Bon Accord?
Sad to say, but I too hope Izzie goes to the MLS
I`m with Paul on this one. Play our strongest and we are treating them as though they are Rangers; rest a few and they are Sevco.
JJ
@ ERNIE LYNCH on 7TH MAY 2019 2:27 PM
Well you clearly didn’t read it.
How can a league where Motherwell finished second two years in a row be deemed at a higher standard than during BR’s tenure?
During Ronny’s tenure we didn’t have Hibs, Hearts (for 1 seasons) or Sevco (3 of the larger teams in the league), but yet the league when Ronny was manager was better?
Really?
On the resources point- Brendan double the club’s revenue. You can’t blame him for that.
JAMESGANG on 7TH MAY 2019 2:32 PM
Sad to say, but I too hope Izzie goes to the MLS
____
Utterly bizarre.
What’s scarier is Adam Matthews, Gary Hooper and Joe Ledley will all be available as bosmans!
Please no…
The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on 7th May 2019 2:36 pm
Your argument assumes that there are good clubs (Hibs, Hearts) and bad clubs (Motherwell).
That’s not how it works.
When is he coming, when oh when is he coming -the Mourinho?
Guys, I’m currently in the Algarve on a wee golf break. I’ve just asked our taxi driver if he’d heard anything about the Jose to Celtic rumours. Well, if his reaction is any guide it must be a million to one shot. He was roaring with laughter so much we nearly ended upside down in a field!
He was a Benfica fan and very complimentary about Celtic but said absolutely no chance.
Personally, I’m hoping and praying for big Rafa.