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.
324 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- »
Whit? As I was saying,
…..it out, but cannae take it!
Just listening to ‘ Vauxhall and I ‘ before the Astra encounter.
Bada, I hear most folk think the same about you
cadizzy
I think it was zsa zsa gabor who once said that ‘no man is complete until he is married… then he is finished’.
I can see the point of not changing the weekend’s team too much … but I am still not keen on CM in the middle, and would like to see Biton playing. I can see a real player there (but admit that I seem to be in the minority there).
Beatbhoy
will you be watching on delay tonight or will it be safe to send a text without raising your ire?
mike in toronto
…and, to be fair, zsa zsa should know as she finished off a fair few.
I know what you mean about Biton and his potential but I would also be happy with CM there especially if he can get back to scoring from free kicks. I can’t remember the last one
mike in toronto,
I believe Biton is a football player. I have hopes that he and young Henderson will become regular members of the team. Time will tell.
For the first time IMO, at Ross County(not great I know) I seen the shape of a team, RD must keep that shape , and work with it.Only a fool would change it…..
parkheadcumsalford-heard from a very good source, RD does not rate Henderson.I agree and would keep him and Bitton involved in the first team, as much as possible.
Sometimes i feel like a pauper.all this charity stuff ,living wage,some people take us for granted a lot.or some of them have big egos, me im getting to think carity begins at home, and i am not a miserable person,far from it. but i get fed up with all this Brother Walfrid stuff , he at the time saw POVERTY,and played his part,and thats why a lot jump on that bandwagon,
That depends on how long it takes for the sleeping draught in ‘er outdoors’s tea to take effect.
CL badly testin’ her patience this week!
timbhoy2
God be with you my friend.
Page 5 pode!
Not bad big man, not bad.
Cadizzy,
If CM was chipping with more goals from free kicks, I would agree 100% …
Parkheadcumsalford
I agree … I would love to see us try a mid three of Henderson, Biton and Johansen ….as you say… in time, hopefully.
Sorry, Cadizzy. ‘Aving a ‘mare, as they say.
Tracy Emin is not as attractive without her ski mask on
Anyone, is the Kerrydale bar open tonight and can you get in wearing jeans?
5pm ziggydoc1 and jeans ok..
Cadizzy
Daughter to pick up from work.
Look forward to your in-play pearls of wisdom.
Ziggydoc –
Open 5pm and no problem with jeans.
blantyretim, Tom McLaughlin, thanks.
blantyretim is praying for the knox family
16:22 on 23 October, 2014
Thanks for e-mail and text re-Kerrydale
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
cadizzy
Let me take that back …. I want the center mids to be strong in the tackle, and able to take and make a pass quickly, and burst forward to support the forwards …. we seem to build our team around the wide men, but I think centre mid is the key to the game …. dont think CM is the guy for the middle of the park…
now, if he uses his height well and covers for Izzy, and chips in with a few good set pieces (and a few goals), then he would be in line for a place on the left of midfield… but not in the middle.
30 mins to departure.
Pre match prep in Sartis,
Stadium at 7.30.
3-0 the hoops.
Seville67
A whole lot of FFin duping going on:
“Green supposedly spent a few hundred grand trying to rip up the naming rights contract. It is well reported that Green entered into deals without any consultation with lawyers. Do you think it’s within the realms of possibility that Ashleys legal team, when dealing with the sports direct contract, took advantage of this (they would have known Green had no lawyers) and slipped in the £1 naming rights clause deep into the wording of the contract where Green would not have bothered to read it?”
Mike
I take your point. I think Biton needs more of a chance
In saying that, I do remember CM playing really well in CM (clever or what?) for Scotland a couple of times (though maybe not the sending off bit against Germany) so I think he is capable of playing behind our new best player, Johansen, who can do the bursting forward bit.
Mark Hateley says that playing Stefan Johansen in a position that suits him with decent midfield support is like a new signing….and for once, he’s right
For USA based Tims, the game is on Fox Sports 2 today. Noon Pacific, 3pm Eastern.
cadizzy
It may be horses for courses … or coaches…. sometimes a player plays well for one coach, but not another …maybe a confidence thing, or understands or fits the coach’s system….
and I agree, some of CM”s better performances have come in Scotland’s midfield….
but I am not sure that CM is quick enough of foot or mind to play in the middle in the type of football RD or I wish.
but, of course, if CM plays there tonight, then I hope he proves me wrong and has a great game!
bhoylo83
12:59 on 23 October, 2014
Play Commons – BOO
Dont play Commons – HISS
Please God let tonight go well!!
B-)
————————
That made me laugh out loud in the office. Thanks.
having said that, I just looked at a website which lists the 50 top footballers ….
http://www.ibtimes.com/top-50-footballers-world-2014-2015-season-messi-ronaldo-or-suarez-best-player-1666376
what surprises me is how few of them are old fashioned midfielders … many are mid/winger/striker types …. true midfiled generals seems as rare as … well, a creditor who was paid by R****s!
On the assault story – something isn’t adding up.
Zaluska says the attack was from behind and he didn’t see who it was.
Eyewitnesses said he was punched once in the side of the head while reasoning with the assailant before being hit a second time and then, while bent over, hit/kicked again by the second thug.
Wilson says he arrived after it happened and was helping Zaluska yet he gets told to stay from Tannadice.
Is anyone telling the truth?
Team sheet latest………………..Calum MacGregor
Penny finally dropping?
——————————————
‘Ive been going to Ibrox since 1965 and witnessed some real bad seasons, teams, management, crowds but you know what? I knew we were still “Glasgow Rangers” Better things would come. Im afraid whilst under this regime, I see no such thing. Its as if Rangers have been locked away in a cupoard and some entity resembling Rangers has emerged with the Real Rangers banging on the door to get out. Im now in not a penny more camp until that cupoards opened again. I wish it was back in the eighties where then fans would have chased this vermin down Copland rd and right out of town’
Time to leave work early…enjoy the game everyone. I can’t think if we have ever won by the approved 5-0 (copyright DBBIA) 2 games in a row. Tonight would be a good time to do so.
DeniaBhoy
16:49 on 23 October, 2014
The story I was told was that Wilson was due to play a game on the Monday and shouldn’t have been out at all
Charles – I saw similar stuff about Wilson on Twitter, saying that was the case. That means one assailant is missing then? Or not a Utd player?
As much as I like Commons for his ability to be in the right place at the right time to score goals…I don’t think he is anywhere near mobile enough to play behind a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1.
Johansen showed at Ross Co what he brings to the role…greater mobility in tracking back to link up with Brown/Mulgrew, then turning this around and linking up with 3 in forward positions. Granted we only needed CM to sit deep at RC which allowed our capt to go further forward, this helped link play from deep midfield to front 3…so maybe not best example?
Anyway, our biggest problem tonight might prove to be replacing JG in the centre forward role. IMO he is our only proven performer in that role within the 4-2-3-1 scheme that RD plays.
Griffiths needs a partner near him, like last years 4-4-1-1, with Commons his favoured partner (Stokes an option).
Stokes can’t play through the middle alone.
Our new boy Scepovic hasn’t yet settled, so hard to know what he favours – formation wise. I suspect he likes to run behind defences latching onto through balls….but we seldom see such threaded passes from midfield?
With RD sticking with 4-2-3-1, I dont see Commons improving the team that started last game. So just a matter of who replaces JG?
My hunch is Stefan getting the gig.
My other hunch is that Wakaso and/or Tonev may replace Stokes/Calum.
Personally I’d keep changes to a minimum, so Stefan in for JG.
The Live Updates article will be up at 19:30, could someone leave a note here?
Thanks.
Don’t know if it has been posted already, but for southern-based fhans like myself, we can watch the game as it is on BT Sports 1.
HH
Slabhoy