It’s been a while since Celtic have taken the field without Kris Commons or John Guidetti in the team. Commons was absent through injury on Saturday while Guidetti was largely peripheral to proceedings after opening the scoring, but they are the two most capable match winners in the squad right now.
With Guidetti ineligible I’m sure Ronny Deila will give Commons every chance to make the starting line-up, the manager needs goals and Kris is the great creator. This requirement will have to be accommodated alongside the performance of the midfield on Saturday, led by Stefan Johansen in a more advanced than usual position.
Astra are bottom of the group and we can anticipate they will defend deeply, a scenario made for Commons’ close control and ability to shoot from the edge of the box.
Many thanks to everyone who donated to Mary’s Meals while we ran the competition to win a pair of tickets for the Kilmarnock game, courtesy of club sponsor Magners. Thanks also to Magners for their help.
Thanks to those who ordered Caesar & the Assassin, the accounts of Billy McNeill and Davie Hay as Celtic managers, yesterday. It documents the period of our history from when Billy took over from Jock Stein in 1978, through to the end of his era 13 years later, including Davie Hay’s four years in charge.
Billy and Davie will both sign the early orders we get to them, more here.
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Monthehoops!
B-)
MACEW
Texted you last night re Swindon.
Can you mail me please on
bmcuwp@gmail.com
Thanks
well in Bobby.
Hrvatski
ASDA hopefully, but perhaps Cloud Cuckoo Land.
If CHRIS was in the landsdowne last night I can’t see him playing tonight, do ghe players and staff not go to a hotel the night before a match.?
The addition of Mulgrew and Lustig plus the natural (priceless) ability of our latest young break through Scot in right mid will see us through tonight.
Good afternoon
Looking forward to tonight’s game.
EC67
Scepovic (or Griffiths) for Guidetti should be the only changes from Saturday. KC on the bench, if fit, ready to come on later if required.
That’s me “cloaked – in ” noo……………………..
Much to be positive about in the back to back games v Astra, with 2 wins putting us on 10 points, but the reality is that failure to win both games will make qualification something of a struggle.
Certainly anything less than 3 points tonight hands the advantage to Salzburg and Zagreb.
SIPSINI
Logged on,lucked in!
fieldofdrams 12:27 on 23 October, 2014
ACGR – in a student-nurses hall of residence? At three o’clock in the morning? With his reputation? Has no-one thought of the consequences? Oh well.
…………………………
That’s all history now. Where do you think I kidnapped the current Mrs ACGR from.
Replace Guidetti with Specovic.
Only change. Commons bench at best.
From FF
“What will it take for thousands of bears to descend on Edminston Drive?”
—————–
Eh a home league game against Dumbarton !!
BobM, never mind podiums, have you sorted oot a passport yet.
Gordon, Lustig,VVD,Denayer,Izzy,Mulgrew,Brown,Johansson,Scepovic,Commons,Stokes.
Ideal team for me.
3 zip
Pedro, how about being dropped from a plane from 25’000 feet over Cessnock.
Parachute’s not included.
Looking forward to the game tonight.
Spend all morning getting the ole protective clothing sorted out.
Miserable and wet, but hopefully Celtic will turn on the style.
Green Fields of France + others
lymmbhoy
09:20 on 23 October, 2014
phyllis dietrichson
Check out this version and some of the other songs on the sidebar……what a singer.
http://youtu.be/s1QoUCAJInI
HH
Monaghan1900
11:05 on
23 October, 2014
——
“Read your Bible…
The Book of Exodus is an incredible parallel to this story of the club’s journey; from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land and the glory it holds.
King is our Moses.”
I interpret this as he is leading them to a land of milk and honey – is this land called ASDA?
Im assuming whoever wrote this hasnt seen Kris play this season….
His close control has been non existent!
ACGR
No,hopefully a photo driving licence will do.
Serious complications as I have to prove I’m British!
A passport for Belfast???
Eh?
Paul, KC can pack a powerful shot from outside the box but I wouldn’t class him as a close control player then again I was brought up in the days of Harry Hood, Paul Wilson, Eddie Gray, Charlie Cooke and ofcourse Jinky. Now we’re talking close control. In fact I can’t think of a single player in our first team squad that I would come anywhere close to those mentioned. Maybe Anthony Stokes at a push.
Gordon
Lustig Denyer VVD Izzy
Broony Mulgrew
McGregor Johansen Stokes
Scepovic
Astra is it?
Let’s hope this mob don’t just turn up tonight and park the car.
I thank you…
Really surprised that is your view Paul.
Kris is not the man for nights like these IMO. The only way I would entertain him playing would be as a straight swap for Guidetti – who by the way, was more involved than you suggest – he also set up young Callums goal at the weekend as well as out muscling a defender in the 6 yard box for Denayers…..
Kris does not have good close control either as 90% of us who watch him in Europe will testify.
He does have a great eye for goal tho so if he must be played, it has to be as striker – which to be fair is where he plays regardless of him meant to be in midfield!
For me, presuming no other injuries it would be Stefan for Guidetti.
The weekend allows us to give playing time to Ambrose, Matthews, Wakaso, Guidetti, Commons and maybe James Forrest.
lymmbhoy – very good, and very moving.
Off to bed early now for the Oz tims
beer cooling in the fridge, up again in
5 hrs.
Here we go again
were on the road again
c’mon you buoy’s in green.
Feck it might just stay up.
H.H Mick
Jaggytooth –
Agree completely.
Guernica
“Kris does not have good close control either as 90% of us who watch him in Europe will testify.”
——–
Certainly not the guys that I watch Celtic with.
Obviously it’s bhoys, even the comp. is pashed
Jaggytooth –
Agree completely.
Against Accies, KC was in possession at the edge of the box on numerous occasions in front of a packed defence and either he was tackled or his attempted slip pass was blocked or intercepted.
On Remembrance Day there’ll be scenes like – these- in the CenotaphParade in Whitehall. For the first time they are going to commemerate the Irish dead from the war too.
I wouldn’t play KC tonight. I would leave the team balance as much as possible as it was on Saturday. I would replace Guidetti with either our Serb or Griffiths.
Anyway, whoever takes the field for the Celtic will hopefully bring us all a night to remember.
I’m a 10%er also……
If he’s fit….play him.
disagree Paul67 – Kris is not the creator.
His assists record backs that up with Emilio, Stokes and Mulgrew ahead of him on last season and Lee Griffiths just behind.
I think his track record last season was 1 goal created every 4.5 games.
He is an executor though, with 33 goals from 42 (odd) games.
The problem is, if you tightly mark and / or double up on him and he cant get a shot off – he still tries the shot because thats what he has on his mind.
The above suited everyone last season because the entire team was shaped in order to get Kris the ball in potent positions because of the power and accuracy of his left peg.
The team is no longer shaped that way, so if Kris goes to pull the trigger as he invariably does when in most areas of the park and its blocked we have more men out of position than we would have previously which leaves us vulnerable to counter attack.
The team isnt ready to do without KC just yet, they still have a natural, instinctive reliance on him when he is on the park – however I think its a matter of when and not if they eventually will be.