Brendan and Ronny. Even what looks like a lucky gamble isn’t

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The absence of Jozo Simunovic for our Champions League game in Monchengladbach set off alarm bells, but few of us expected that he was rested as a consequence of being on a one-game-per-week long-term recuperation strategy.

This was a bold decision by what is clearly a confident manager. It was also informative that Brendan Rodgers prioritised the league game against Aberdeen to deploy Jozo over the Champions League – an equally bold decision. Defensive performances in both games suggest the manager made the right call.

This is the kind of gamble that is going Brendan Rodgers’ way but which would have backfired on Ronny Deila. It’s not down to luck, of course. Brendan has proven the point that defences are systems more than anything else. Get the system right and you can move the players around. Get it wrong, as we did in Barcelona, and it doesn’t matter which or how many defenders you deploy, you’ll take a hiding.

After surviving an onslaught at home to Celtic in September, Inverness scored an added-time equaliser to deny Celtic their only league points of the season. Since then our domestic form has been even better than it was before that game, winning everything for the loss of only a single goal in seven outings.

One thing we know about Inverness-Celtic games, though, is that lightening doesn’t only strike once, or twice for that matter. This team have punished Celtic repeatedly over the last 16 years, usually against the odds. Their only defeat since an abysmal August came against Newco, who denied the Highlanders their own onslaught. That was also the only game Inverness failed to score since Same Old Alloa dumped them out of the League Cup in August.

After tomorrow’s visit of Inverness, Celtic’s only home game in the next six is against Barcelona. If Brendan was to cast his eye over the fixture list for opportunities to experiment, this is as good an opportunity as he’ll have until Accies visit on 13 December.

Maybe an opportunity to go one at the back and five up front.  Or just to give Patrick a start.  Either works for me.

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  1. ZBYSZEK – they’re on the bench ;-)

     

     

    MACJAY – Think that he may have written even better songs in the subsequent years ;-)

  2. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    Jobo Baldie 4th November 2016 8.45pm

     

     

    I get it. You and gary67 are trying to persuade me AweNaw is normal. The planet spins too fast for me.

  3. Babasonicos71

     

     

    Peeps forget Mark is Glasgow born….genius…

     

     

    And high on the wind

     

    The highland drums begin to roll

     

    And something from the past just comes

     

    And stares into my soul

     

     

    Awfy braw…

     

     

    Braw.

  4. BABASONICOS71

     

     

    Don’t know if you’ve seen Quarry, decent TV mate set in Memphis in the 70’s, great bits of Memphis soul and blues all the way through the show..

  5. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    JOBO BALDIE on 4TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:01 PM

     

     

    Music.

     

     

    Always simply a matter of taste.

  6. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    Evening Celts.

     

     

    Jelly Roll Blues….John Martyn

     

    Geordie….Martin Carthy

     

    Plains of Waterloo….Martin Simpson

     

    That Woman called Mary…Lightning Hopkins

     

    Crow Jane….Skip James.

     

     

    Trying to play these songs, has twisted my brain.

     

    I dont advise it:)

     

    Still cant get my head round how Martin Carthy plays.

     

     

    HH

  7. BOGNORBHOY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:00 PM

     

     

    LOved that version. However, is Patula no just wearin’ the biggest poppy I’ve ever seen ?????

  8. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    GUYFAWKESAFOREVERHERO

     

     

    my name is Kevin Turvey but you can call me Kevin Turvey

     

     

    HH

  9. AWE_NAW_NO_ANNONI_OAN_ANAW_NOO

     

     

    Many years the young good looking long haired Starry was mashed up in a Downtown Soho basement having his hair pimped and his hands massaged by some very lovely Thai girls, I was in heaven until my wee mate from Wester Hails comes over and shouts at the top of his voice” you know they’re guys Right”

     

     

    My reply is unprintable here due t me excising my responsible free speech rights as set down in the CQN convention…

  10. TIMBHOY3

     

     

    TICKETS for the League Cup final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park are on sale now to Season Ticket holders who have been allocated a ticket.

     

    Tickets for this match on Sunday, November 27 (KO: 3pm) are available to buy now, based on the criteria outlined below, in order of priority as follows:

     

    Those on the Home Cup Ticket Scheme who purchased a ticket for the semi-final and who were also on the HCTS for the match v Alloa (with payment taken by DD for this match).

     

    STH who purchased a ticket for Motherwell, Alloa and the semi-final under their client reference.

     

    Remaining tickets have been balloted amongst STH who purchased a ticket for either Motherwell or Alloa and the semi-final under their client reference.

     

    The club does not have a sufficient allocation of tickets to offer a ticket for the final to all those Season Ticket holders who purchased a ticket for semi-final.

     

    Tickets are priced as follows:-

     

    South Stand – £35

     

    North Stand (Section D) – £35

     

    East Stand (Sections F & G) – £30 Adults/ £15 Under 16

     

    Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.

     

    THE DEADLINE FOR THOSE WHO MEET THE CRITERIA TO PURCHASE TICKETS IS 5PM ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11.

  11. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    STARRY

     

     

    Well one of my aunties does have baws ..moderators , campaigners, sweetie wibes …make of that what you will.

     

     

    DudeLooksLikeALadyCSC

  12. How Wrong was I aboot Scott Brown. Dad has mentioned 2 times now how good he has been,his GrandSon hasn”t mentioned it once.

     

     

    Delighted for Broonie as GFTB says he has a real leader behind him in Kolo.

     

     

    I LOVE the WAy WAY WAY Celtic are Movin’ and Grooving.

  13. JERRY CORNELIUS on 4TH NOVEMBER 2016 6:22 PM:

     

    Deleted, demeaning comment in the last line.

     

    As you posted at 7:12 you are entitled to disagree but to describe another poster as you did is demeaning.

  14. STARRY…

     

    Last post was about you asking if that was my page.I’m slow as feck at posting sometimes.

     

    I’ll check Quarry out.Can never have too many routes to sweet tunes.Cheers for the tip mhate.

  15. prestonpans bhoys on

    Timbhoy3

     

     

    See Gary67 above, I’m assuming that since you are on the HTS you also went to the semi !

  16. The Green Man,

     

     

    The wee guy knows the Words to all the Rebel tunes. I never taught him Nothing. I’m thinking he reads these pages – oh my Almighty God.

  17. The Green Man says SACK THE Board on

    Petec

     

     

    I was the same myself as a lad…never done me any harm:)

     

     

     

    HH

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