Cecil B DeMille liked going to work with a Cast of Thousands. Ange Postecoglou must feel the same way as he prepares for the trip across the city tomorrow. He has never had as large a squad to choose from since his arrival at the club in June, and perhaps never in his managerial career.
Kyogo will be on the team bus. It has been over three months since our most valuable asset crossed the white line, he returns just in time to contribute towards the conclusion of his first season in Scotland. Giorgos Giakoumakis will surely take the starting striker role. He is fully fit and in the best form of any striker in the country. At most, Kyogo will be limited to a cameo, but his presence will lift the spirits of team-mates and the 700 Celtic fans in the stadium.
Ibrox is likely to be on a par with any surface we will play on for the remainder of the season. Whenever we have been in trouble away from home, it mostly comes from an inability to get our passing game going on an unsuitable pitch. We must get the ball moving on the ground as crisply as possible.
Goalkeeper and defensive options are straightforward. Who plays either side of Callum McGregor and either side of Giorgos is a more difficult question for Ange. Perm any two from Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic for the midfield positions, and two from Daizan Maeda, Jota or Liel Abada for the forward positions.
Years of watching games at Ibrox have conditioned me to want players capable of standing up to the physical challenge. If, as I expect, we start Hatate and O’Riley, I would insist on Maeda ahead of them for his tackling and general industry.
Celtic will take to the field with the calm of a team who know they still be top of the table when they leave. Newco know they need to win at all costs, even a draw is not good enough. If the score is level going into the final quarter of the game, our hosts will gamble. We need to be ready with a Jonny Hayes -type counterattack. Think what CB would say at the Red Sea parting scene.
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On the gambling front No.7 won the Scottish National, big race at Gulfstream (USA) was won by No,7 last night, I wonder if our No.7 could make it a wee hattrick today ?
Gia is a very tempting 100/1 to notch a treble today, obviously gamble responsibly but if our number 7 starts the game it could be worth ten bob of anyones cash, with a bit of luck in the match at Celtic Park in February he could have had a treble by half time
0-1 would do today, but one of these days it could click and MacGregor (Allan not Callum) is due a stinker
Feel good about the game today match them for aggression and our more creative players will deliver
3 -0 to the Celts
HH
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.
I like O`Riley`s style but today, I want Hunskelper Tom in our team.
Incidentally, had a look at the impartial BBC site`s pre-match report. By their standards, quite reasonable then we had comments from two ex-players just to round things up. Dorrans and Hately !!!!
Whilst I am on about the BBC , let me respond to this comment from JHB:
” I rate English one of the very few real sports journalists in Scotland.”
Hardly many to choose from in the football world !
I agree with GFTB though. English is a fine rugby correspondent but he is most certainly NOT an impartial football sports writer.
I think I mentioned that years ago on here. His pro-Sevco approach is what the BBC want but it diminishes Mr English in my eyes.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 3RD APRIL 2022 6:01 AM
My heart is going at the same rate as your ! Also, excellent though your booked room approach with a load of mates sounds,watching this game is too tense for me. I`ll get on my bike at noon and return two hours later with hope in my heart.
Any ‘fishal news on the team yet?
This is the article to which JHB referred:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60961521
It both contradicts and supports my assessment of English. ie He is a fine writer when the bias is removed.
ernie..Embramike, I think, is the go to man for team news. Shouldn`t be long.
I think Bada is also quick off the mark re team selection.
Its a sign / its a sign — IPlayer lottery last night came up with the “Green Book”.
Turned out to be a good film based on real events — the only bad thing about it was the review in the Grauniad.
Put yer mortgage / weans savings/ rainy day money on Green.
What could possibly go wrong apart from Ludge MIB …
Quick cup of tea after watching wee Riley’s team win a hard fought game 2-1 down Glasgow Green.
Then 10.50 short walk to pub for game.
Bhoy am I nervous as I want pump these cheating, low life scum, son of satan, KKK mutha funkie bar stewards.
COYBIG
D :)
A win today is more like 9 points with our goal difference. Win today we win the league. No pressure then. Cmon the hoops.
What time is Penalty Rangers scheduled for? Hope Hart has been watching Tavernier’s previous kicks, plenty to study. Fully expect Kent to win one, usual style of leaving his leg dragging behind him to get a touch.
The antitode to the cheating is for Hatate to play like he did in the last game where everything he did was magical.
Tom McLaughlin on 3rd April 2022 6:01 am
Good morning from the Village. Awake before 6am and my heart racing as I remember the momentous nature of the day ahead. Missus still asleep so the quiet calm of CQN is my companion.
Meeting up with between 10 and 15 friends and friends of friends in Kitty O’Shea’s for the big game in our own private room followed by a big pub party, result permitting.
I am quietly confident. We have better players all round and a winning mentality. Triumph is within their grasp and they know what to do. Sevco have home advantage and a big crowd behind them, but our Bhoys can turn that crowd against them very quickly.
My prediction is 2-0 Celtic. I would take 1-0 or 5-4 as long as we’re 6 points up by 2pm.
———————————————————-
Hi Tom I hope you havea great day along with all us tims. Could you tell me which Kitty’s you are going to as it sounds just the ideal place for me to book for a day out with friends next month. The private room would be great.
KEEP THE FAITH
Scottish Lowland League
Islecroft Stadium, Dalbeattie
Saturday, April 2, 2022
DALBEATTIE STAR… 2
(Orsie 89, Currie 90+1)
CELTIC… 4
(Dickinson og 38, Moffat, 43, Brooks 81 & 85)
Celtic B survived a late scare to win a 4-2 thriller in Dumfries and Galloway. A stunning strike from Owen Moffat and a brace from Adam Brooks helped put the young Hoops 4-0 up against Dalbeattie Star, before the home side grabbed two goals back late on.
The Hoops got off to a good start as Dane Murray lofted an excellent ball over the top for Karamoko Dembele in the first five minutes of the match. Unfortunately for the defender, his game was cut short after having to leave the pitch injured in the 12th minute.
Once play had finally resumed, after Celtic’s forced substitution and a another pause in play for a double head knock Celtic were on the attack.
Johnny Kenny almost found the opener from a corner. His initial shot was blocked, he then put his foot through the rebound but the deflected shot went out for another corner.
But in the 38th minute, Celtic found themselves 1-0 up. Dembele dribbled the ball into the box, drew the keeper off his line and then slipped the ball to Kenny. His shot hit the post, rebounded off a defender and rolled into the back of the net.
Just five minutes later Moffat took his chance from outside the box and lined up wonderful shot which edged off the corner of the post and into the net to make it 2-0.
After the break, Tommy McIntyre’s side continued to attack with some positives runs down the wing while Ben Summers had plenty of the ball in the middle of the park.
Dalbeattie had a good chance to reduce the deficit in the 56th minute when they hit the woodwork following a short corner, while Ryan Mullen was then called into action, tipping a shot over the bar. From the resultant corner, the Hoops cleared the ball off the line.
Subsitute Rocco Vata had a chance to score but his volley went over the bar, and moments later, a shot from Dembele was also tipped over the goal.
A triple change for Celtic taking off Summers, Kenny and Ben Wylie for Joey Dawson, Adam Brooks and Tsoanelo Letsosa refreshed the team’s attacking options. And Brooks made it 3-0 in the 81st minute thanks to MacKenzie Carse’s ball over the top, with Brooks slotting the ball beyond the keeper.
And just four minutes later Brooks was on the scoresheet again, volleying the ball in from the centre of the box. He had a chance to get a hat-trick but his next chance veered just wide.
The home side did manage to score two late goals, but the points were safely inthe bag for Celtic.
CELTIC: Mullen, Corr, Otoo (Vata), Murray (MacKenzie), Lawal, Carse, Dembele, Summers (Dawson), Kenny (Brooks), Wylie (Letosa), Moffat.
Subs: MacKenzie, Letsosa, Brooks, Dawson, Vata
Teams up and it’s as per the leaked one…
Hart, Taylor, Starfelt, Carter-Vickers, Juranovic, Hatate, McGregor, Rogic, Maeda, Giakoumakis, Jota
Tom English’s piece on Joe Hart is an amalgamation of various other stories across the internet, nothing more, there’s nothing new in it at all, por cierto
No Kyogo on the bench is the big news.
TE article on JH — very raw / perhaps too raw.
So a bit snidery for me — you are doing well sorry doing better and remember it is only the SPL.
Not sure who the target is — us / the SPL / football in general.
POR CIERTO on 3RD APRIL 2022 10:47 AM
Doesn`t need to be `new` to be good :-))
That selection is just fine by me. Is Abada on the bench?
Ramsey starts for the hun
Hart, Juranovic, carter vickers, starfelt, taylor, mcgregor, hatate, rogic, , jota, Giakka, Maeda
No kyogo on the bench…..
CELTIC: Hart, Taylor, Starfelt, Giakoumakis, Jota, Rogic, Carter-Vickers, Maeda, Hatate, McGregor, Juranovic.
Subs: Bain, Bitton, Abada, Turnbull, McCarthy, Johnston, Ideguchi, O’Riley, Ralston
MADMITCH on 3RD APRIL 2022 10:50 AM
I don`t think there was `a target`. I saw it as Joe coming out of a dark place via his `journey` with Celtic. Not so sure about `only` the SPL. I took it as his simply saying that the EPL is at a much higher level so Joe still has a bit to go on his road to full confidence.
Just look at that bench !!
No kyogo
live updates up
Would loved to have seen Kyogo on the bench ,but the big Greek God will do the business
Confident enough to predict another 3-0 victory HH
So the mole is still at large?
Or maybe it’s a different one.
Or maybe it was a lucky guess.
Or maybe it’s sanctioned as some sort of psychops type mind game.
test
HS @ 10.55
Would TE have written an article in a similar tone / structure for an egg chaser?
My answer would be no.
Have a great day Celts.
Good luck Celts,go to work,support each other and be there,hard shift coming up Celtic,go to work Celtic,do your best.
HH
Repetition and reproduction do not a good story make, it is “Lazy News”, por cierto