You detect a notion in some circles that Newco might beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final next week, if only Scott Brown was removed from the equation. This belief is based on two football games, the corresponding fixture last season, when Newco prevailed on penalty kicks, and the more recent league draw at Celtic Park. On both occasions Celtic played well within themselves.
By any measure, we could lose on Sunday. Ross County (8th in the table) took a point on Sunday, while Partick Thistle and Newco have both drawn at Celtic Park in the last five weeks. Football regularly provides random results, and Celtic are due one. You will also share concerns we all have about refereeing decisions denying us the treble, as happened on Scottish Cup semi-final day two years ago.
But is a referee fails to award Celtic a penalty when an opponent punches the ball off the line, refuses to red card the player, then awards our opponents a penalty, and sends a Celtic player off, our chances of delivering the treble will likely perish again. None of this will have anything to do with Scott Brown.
We faced this lot in September without our talisman, Leigh Griffiths, who was injured. This created space for Moussa Dembele to score a hat-trick. What Moussa proved that day is that games are not determined by those who miss out, but by the attitude of those who take to the field.
Consider, for a moment, the attitude among the Celtic support, players and management since Sunday. There’s a sense of grievance there, a pulling together in the face of a clear injustice. It’s almost impossible to conjure up such a scenario when you’ve passed 40 games undefeated in the season, but here we are.
Let’s bring it onto the Hampden pitch.
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JJ I agree Brendan will favour Forrest, although personally I prefer Patrick, this lot are week at the back, and have no bench, but they will kick and scratch and bite make no mistake about that, they’ll be set up for a draw imo.
BSR
As an RE teacher, Willie is very comfortable with the biblical principle of ‘an eye for an eye’, as he has a couple spare.
“Willie Collum has been hand picked in the hope that he’s due to contribute to ‘diminishing the gap’ and if he gets a chance he’ll take it with eyes wide shut.”
Bsr,
No matter who was picked for Sunday we’d find fault in him prematch.
HH
Moonbeamswd on 18th April 2017 1:44 pm
You’re stereotyping. Maybe there will be some ‘decent bluenoses not huns’ in that selection!
No matter who was picked for Sunday we’d find fault in him prematch.
Totally agree, but after Sunday, that was a scare, anyone know if Brendan has had the phone call yet?
Kingho
you make a sarcastic and pointed point :-@))
MWD
stick it to them br
Tonydonnelly67
Not yet. His phone was anticipating the call, and fell to the floor, so he he’s trying to get a new one without a penalty for early termination of his contract.
With that sense of righteous anger, full committment and correct attitude, we will win. Of that I have no doubt.
But pre-match. Im hoping for two things:
Celtic making several straight-to-the-point comments in the national media on “honest mistakes” and the need, nay, demand for getting the big decisions correct, all designed to ensure pressure is heaped on Collum and co.
Secondly, no “pin it to the dressing room wall” comments from our players or indeed ex-players. Give them nothing to use as additional motivation, as per Clint Hill’s post match comments after the game at Celtic Park.
Play it cool and calm in the interviews, then go out and ram it right up the bams on the pitch on Sunday.
Destroy them. Annhilate them. Wipe the Hampden pitch with them.
As we can, and indeed, should do.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
As with the last game against them
They will go into every tackle knowing no harm will come (Miller 2 feet of the ground flying into Armstrong after 5 minutes – in England straight red in Scotland not even a booking)
We will need to be cautious for the opposite reason
This has a major impact on the game particularly in the first 15 mins of each half
Plus the SFA will ensure any damage done to the pitch on Saturday remains for Sunday – they do not want to see beautiful football – obviously only one team is capable of playing beautiful football !!!
Even with aggressive huns, biased referees and a bobbly pitch Celtic will win – but we will need to fight for it
67ECW
Congratulations to Jackie Bird for asking this about today’s Big News with a straight face:
“Glenn, did the Scottish Government have any advance warning of this?”
…..Please God, no’ a return to the Referendumb type exchanges….
….guff of the most banal order…
Ok, got to go, personfestos to read.
” We will continue to enthusiastically criminalise Celtic supporters”
Well, that’s one out the way!
Bankiebhoy1
My timing’s rubbish!
Ha!Ha! Personifestos, obviously.
Wee Nicola dirty knickers responds to the election call, as predicted, comes out swinging at the Labour Party, she is in for a rude awakening, six of us in the pub last week, I was the only one who didn’t voteSNP the last time, next time I won’t be on my own not voting for them again going on how the conversation went, if only their was a Scottish Republican Party, no sovereignty, no House of Lords, or butchers apron, I’d vote for them.
We can’t afford to go down to they’r level on Sunday, Aberdeen done that and got cuffed, that phanny Garner will be running about causing it as usual, just take the ball off him and ignore the little p,,,, we are streets ahead of them except in one department going by the last game, they won a lot of second balls, that has to improve, but I’m sure the boss knows that, officials? Pointless worrying about them, if they’r going to stitch us up, they will, it’s been done plenty of times before and will be done again, only a matter of time before video evidence comes in, and that’s the Donald ducked.
Garner suspended for Sunday
!!BADA BING!! on 18TH APRIL 2017 3:04 PM
Garner suspended for Sunday
Ah! Pity.
That’s three times i’v had to log in today, site having problems?
!!Bada Bing!! on 18th April 2017 3:04 pm
Garner suspended for Sunday
______________________________________________
Not according to the official SFA suspension list.
KTF
Bada/Tony,
Are you sure Garner misses out?
I thought the suspension was for the game where the huns beat us 1 each.
HH
ANY ODDS ON WHAT END ROBERTSON WILL BE AT ON SUNDAY??
Ye wait all that time for a Garner suspension post ;))
The reason I think he’s free is I made an erse of myself on cqn claiming he wasn’t suspended for the last game and was promptly corrected :D
HH
GEORDIE MUNRO on 18TH APRIL 2017 3:43 PM
I couldent tell you, I don’t know mate?
This was March 11th so he must be ok then right?
Rangers were given a huge pre-match boost with the confirmation that Joe Garner will be suspended for tomorrow’s Old Firm game.
Truth is they’ll be better off without an expensive, reckless liability who has racked up as many cards as he has goals since his £1.8million arrival.
It says it all that Celtic fans are the ones disappointed to see Garner banned from taking the field at Parkhead tomorrow, thanks to a characteristically needless booking against Dundee last month.
Sounds about right Tony.
He should be suspended mindye, for that howling challenge on Imrie.
HH
FAN-A-TIC on 18TH APRIL 2017 3:50 PM
If NPR survives this idiot presidents savage cuts then hopefully we will see more great talents like this guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v7V1dESkpk
Shocking challenge, but they can do that Geordie, it’s allowed.
Sorry for bum steer bhoys….
FAN-A-TIC
Good wee tune that, a lot going on their.
Sorry for bum steer bhoys…
NP a just assumed he was till a looked.
after sunday the players will be up for this game.the ref and linesman will be under scrutiny and they will know it. will be glad to win by one goal. experience tells me the more goals you score, the more chance some celtic supporter will get injured or worse. seen it so often.k.t.f
HUN END???
Roberts for me on Sunday.A wee genius who can unlock any defence.Goals and assists he is better than james.I like James,but not as good as Paddy.Broony will need help in the middle of the park,because I think the scum will play 4 there.We win the middle,we supply our forwards.The lack of service to Dembele at times is shocking.hopefully Pedro goes 4 3 3.Their bravado could get them gubbed badly.
I want ALL the Huns available and ready for Sunday. And their hordes of snarling berserkers full of ‘battle fever’.
And I want us to go out and destroy them, make them chase their own shadows, greet like frustrated weans as they follow green and white blurs all over the park, and to rip all hope from the Orcs’ black souls and consign them to a summer of utter despair as Snake Mountain crumbles around them and the grim realisation sets in that the most they can afford to improve their squad of no-mark journeymen is a poke of chips, on tab.
Not too much to ask, we’re due a storming performance.
Have the checkered hat mob been to Lennoxtown and asked us not to make it a barrel load on Sunday yet??????
Sandman
That was a very descriptive post.
HH
Lmcbhoy
That was as fine example of brevity.
JJ