Central defenders must be scared to sneeze in front of the manager

580

Match 31 in Celtic’s domestic season: Motherwell at home, 29 wins, one draw and no defeats behind them. It all looks straightforward tomorrow. Right?

A reminder, if needed, that while Motherwell shipped seven goals during the week, St Mirren did the same to Gordon Strachan’s Celtic before knocking us out the Scottish Cup a week later.

It was also Motherwell, at Celtic Park, who ended Scottish football’s longest winning run of league games in 2004. Celtic had just beaten Barcelona but were held by Motherwell to halt the run at 26 consecutive victories.

Runs like this often end against teams with nothing in their locker but desperate defending. You’ll see that from the visitors tomorrow, whose players will surely have had a word with each other about collective responsibility.

Take nothing for granted. Celtic have worked hard to get into this situation in the league but they will have to work just as hard to maintain momentum.

How does Brendan do that? I suspect by shuffling the pack again. We have genuine competition across the team. The central defenders must be scared to sneeze in front of the manager in case he drops them and they don’t get another sight of the pitch for weeks.

Full backs feeling a little weary late in the game? Don’t show it, Emilio and Cristian are ready and waiting. James Forrest and Patrick Roberts are both delivering at the highest standard of their careers, otherwise they would not be considered.

While Leigh Griffiths is injured, Moussa Dembele will be confident he will get the opportunity to score three consecutive hat-tricks, surely an unprecedented achievement. It’s only Scott Brown and Scott Sinclair who can be confident of being included when fit.

The former, because he is captain and leader of the team, the latter because he has had the most profound impact on Scottish football this season, unequivocally Player of the Year.

You are looking forward to seeing these guys do their stuff tomorrow, I can tell.

img_3040-9.jpg

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

580 Comments

  1. ..

     

     

    PeteC..

     

     

    Ditto Buddi.. Ditto..

     

     

    We Probably Met on some Parallel Universe.. I’ve been on a Few.. 【ツ】

     

     

    CSGO..??

     

     

    Celtic Support Go Tropic..? Lol

     

     

    KTF

     

     

    Summa of JacksonSistersIBelieveInMiraclesCSC

  2. SOS,

     

     

    As my Middle Big Sis says…..

     

     

    She at least thinks she knows Peter now.

     

     

    The Love for Elsie was Frightening, as fast as lightning.

     

     

    Celtic are on it.

     

     

    SOS Always CELTIC.

     

     

    Defo off to sleep- got a MASSIVE game to go and see.

  3. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Macjay

     

     

    Even the phone Is now nearly done am sure your enjoying watching Brendan &a the bhoys

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Get the virtual round in :-)

  4. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 18TH FEBRUARY 2017 3:48 AM

     

     

    All good , mate.

     

     

    Brendan.

     

    I well remember you and I sharing and celebrating the arrival of Brendan on the night the news was breaking.

     

    Was our optimism well founded or what.

     

     

    Your shout , mate.

     

    Mine`s a large one.

  5. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MACJAY

     

     

    Since yer about,have a read at this. No punches pulled-“His standard business practice has been to stiff his suppliers, knowing that recourse to courts is expensive.”-but not entirely partisan either.

     

     

    http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/02/donald-trump-china-economics-trade?mbid=nl_TH_58a61f59750e025b0915a630&CNDID=37510702&spMailingID=10450864&spUserID=MTMzMTgzMDU3NzU0S0&spJobID=1101355878&spReportId=MTEwMTM1NTg3OAS2

  6. Good morning CQN from a mild and misty East Devon.

     

    Let’s give these cloggers a pumping today.

     

    Hail! Hail!

  7. 50 shades of green on

    Will we see a 3 in a row today from

     

     

    ” The Wolf of Kerrydale St “.

     

     

    Hope so, however caution second and safety first against the ML men, then we can hammer them, I expect a bit of agricultural fitba today from the fat and round ones team ( naw no Tam Cowan).

     

     

    5n 3 quarter hours to the bus leaves gonna be a long morning, then I can get back to the north stand and help keep the huns alive ( hiv yea ever heard so much crap).

     

     

    H.H

  8. Giood morning friends. Whilst East Kilbride is waking up to a grey, overcast, damp but mild morning the good ghuys in the town will quickly remember that it’s MATCHDAY and we get to see The Champions play. Woo hoo!

     

     

    But first there’ll be a return to ParkRun for me. And between the 2 sporting events a couple of rolls n swkerr.

     

     

    Life’s Good! Very good!

  9. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 18TH FEBRUARY 2017 5:33 AM

     

     

     

    Thanks , Bobby.

     

    The first thing is to look at the author.

     

    I did.

     

    Any common thread here ?

     

     

     

    http://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/joseph-e-stiglitz

     

     

    Sky ( FOX ) news in Oz. half an hour ago.

     

    First item on the agenda.

     

    Female ” anchor ” questions their ” man in Deutschland.”

     

    Along the lines of :

     

     

    So how do you think the Europeans will respond to Mike Pence`s ” PLATITUDES ” ?

     

     

    Bobby.

     

    How fake can you get ?

     

    Talk about editorialising.

     

     

    Maybe examine and perhaps change your source of ” news ” ?

  10. Gooooood – no, Very Goooood Morning CQN

     

     

    So as well as seeing the Bhoys play at 3pm today, I have received some other very special news

     

     

    Its Congratulations to my No2 Beautiful daughter Laura on her announced Engagement to Stephen – was wondering why they headed to Paris for St Valentine’s Day :-)

     

    Lots and lots of love to you both

     

     

    (EDB – belated birthday wishes to you, pray all is well, and your still enjoying seeing the bhoys)

     

     

    PS- I also have a spare ticket for today, you’ll need to sit next to me though :-) be at CQN corner about 2.30

     

     

    Hail Hail

  11. Phyllis Dietrichson on

    Cowiebhoy – congrats to your daughter.

     

     

    See yoi in John Lennon airport on 24 Mao – I’ll be the one wearing green with a mortified wife.

  12. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Cowiebhoy

     

    Congratulations to miss Cowiebhoy and the lucky lad☘️☘️

     

     

    Spare a thought for oldtim who is making his 2017 debut at Celtic park today only to have to sit beside me. Some people have good luck but oldtim has none… :-)

     

     

    Usual terms and conditions apply. BV 12.30 ish then onto paradise. Hope I can drag him round to the corner

  13. BMCUW @ 5 36 .

     

     

    David Keenan .

     

     

    Just finished the novel which is set in Airdrie — This is Memorial Device .

     

     

    I raced through it , I liked it a lot .

     

     

    His sadly gone choon store in Finnieston -Volcanic Tongue -was mighty fine .

  14. FRED COLON on 18TH FEBRUARY 2017 8:45 AM

     

    ‘Good morning everyone from the town with no chopped pork .’

     

     

    ###

     

     

    The absence of chopped pork is probably good for your colon.

     

     

    So it’s an ill wind.

  15. Dull here also in darkest Lanarkshire, my day will not be brightened with gym stuff it a trip to Celtic Park

     

    It’s off to the NEC for me this morning to set up a trade show, boo hiss! Look forward to watching highlights of our game later on this evening. Just scoffed two rollz n skwerr and that should set me up for a day of graft.

     

    Take care everyone and am glad to see my Lovely Locks back in the squad for today. HH

  16. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan on

    Cowiebhoy

     

     

    Congrats to your daughter and Stephen on her engagement. That is great news.

     

     

    Blantyretim — Congrats on your adopting yon oul curmudgeon from Grangemouth. He comes with a health warning. Fortunately, your Hotel in Lisbon comes complete with a boozer immediately to the left and the right as you come out the door!

     

     

    It is the literal interpretation of “Bed & Breakfast”!

     

     

    Come to think of it, Mr & Mrs Cowiebhoy are in there as well and just up the road there is an iron statue of an elderly man with glasses sitting on his own and having a drink. The statue has a spare seat for people to sit at and have their photograph taken. Loads of people do this for some reason.

     

     

    It strikes me that your trip to Lisbon could be paid for in full if you can persuade Old Tim to pose as a living statue at the same spot ……………..

  17. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan on

    Marrakesh Express on 18th February 2017 9:27 am

     

     

    Anybody flying out from John Lennon on the 17.00ish on Tuesday 23rd?

     

     

    Mr & Mrs Cowiebhoy, ACGR and his son and various others I think

  18. FAVOURITE UNCLE ..

     

     

    I did not live in Finnieston ..

     

     

    i did do some under age drinking in a boozer called The Oriental Bar ..A place with a masonic vibe which had no qualms about selling beer to 16/ 17 year olds out their trees on speed en route to the dancing ..

  19. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MACJAY 836

     

     

    I posted it for your attention,as I genuinely thought you might be interested. There’s always room for reading opposing opinions.

     

     

    I wasn’t expecting your response to be a knee-jerk attack on the author-who,by the way,is a Nobel Laureate in Economics.

     

     

    Enjoy the match later,bud. I’ll be limited to updates on here or on the telly in the pub. I hope there are plenty-and all good!

  20. Phyllis D

     

    Will be great to meet – ACGR and jnr also on same flight, so should be fun :-)

     

    Any idea on best place for parking and hotel for night of 23rd ?

     

    Not even looked at that yet

     

     

    Hail Hail

  21. Perhaps BSR will ditch the statuesque Redhead for the Statuesque Old Tim in his next photo link?

     

     

    JJ

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Thanks for the recommendation,mate. It’s on my list.

     

     

    Nearest I’ve come to reading a book set in Airdrie was Duck,by Des Dillon. A particular fight scene was set there!

     

     

    It’s also recommended. I knew everyone in it(!)

  23. Marrakesh

     

    Phyllis D & Wife, ACGR and Jnr, plus myself and wife are flying out on the morning of 24th – 09.40 flight, if that helps

  24. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    COWIEBHOY

     

     

    Congratulations to Laura and Stephen,that’s great news!

     

     

    HH

  25. Has Simunovic been injured of late? Is he OK now?

     

    My guess for today`s game:

     

    Gordon

     

    Lustig Boyata Svietchenko Tierney

     

    Biton

     

    Forrest Brown McGregor Sinclair

     

    Dembele

     

     

    JJ

  26. BRTH

     

    Am I going to have to baby sit that pair :-)))

     

    Wonder if they will caddy for the ACGR crew, and carry the hipflasks :-)

  27. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 18TH FEBRUARY 2017 9:43 AM

     

    MACJAY 836

     

     

    Thank you.

     

    I am always interested.

     

    But cynical.

     

     

    No knee jerk.

     

    A reaction borne out of years of reading between the lines .

     

    eg Fox ( Sky ) and the dirty digger.

  28. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    COWIEBHOY

     

     

    I think I’m in charge of the hip flasks. Surely,the lunatics have taken over the asylum!

     

     

    Mind,wi the way the numbers are growing,I could do wi some assistance.

     

     

    I’ll need someone to fight everyone else off as I sample the wares…