As big a game as we’ll have for the rest of the season

I like the noises coming out of Ross County at the moment. Plucky optimism accompanied by comments about our Scottish Cup semi-final in 2010, when they fully deserved their 2-0 win. They are the proverbial team with nothing to lose, and make no mistake, they’ll fancy it.

They scored 2 against Motherwell, Aberdeen (in a defeat), Dunfermline and St Johnstone, 3 against Accies and Kilmarnock, and 5 against Dundee since last month. Hampden’s open spaces will see Celtic’s defence stretched wide.

After a disappointing summer and autumn we have a bit of form and focus but that goes on the line on Sunday. It’s as big a game as we’ll have for the rest of the season, bigger than Wednesday’s visit to Pittodrie.

I’m reassured by thoughts of Leigh Griffiths, and others, including Kris Commons, who enjoys trips to Hampden more than any player we’ve known, but this is a day when we’ll need to win a lot of individual battles.  It’s not a game I’d bet on.