Ross County are a point off a European spot, a gap that has been narrowing for months. Their last six games have seen wins over St Johnstone, Motherwell, St Mirren and Aberdeen, a draw with Hearts and a solitary defeat, at Celtic Park.
County were points adrift at bottom of the table as recently as December, having picked up just three points from their opening 10 games. They are now a team on what looks like an inevitable march to European football next season. So yes, we have a proper job to do on Sunday.
In the event Celtic emerge from season 2021-22 as champions, two added-time goals at Dingwall can be regarded as having an enormous bearing on the outcome. In December, with Celtic drawing 1-1 and reduced to 10 men, Tom Rogic dinked a cross high into the County six-yard box, where Anthony Ralston rose, salmon-like to head home in the 97th minute of play.
Celtic went into that round of fixtures four points behind, the prospect of further slippage felt ominous with so many difficult fixtures ahead. The remarkable recovery told us lots about this group of players and their never-say-die attitude.
The other significant game at Dingwall was, of course, Newco’s visit there a month later. I watched the highlights that night, County were poor, conceded three and could have shipped a few more. Newco should have won the game comfortably, but a combination of lax defending and dreadful goalkeeping kept the match alive until County conjured up a 96th minute equaliser.
History is made in moments like these. News that Josip Juranovic is missing for the game gives Anthony Ralston his Dingwall stage again, horses for courses, leaps to mind. Just as important will be the fitness of Giorgos Giakoumakis. The Greek scored his second hattrick of the season in the aforementioned recent County defeat to Celtic – another horse for the County course.
Expect the pitch to be hard, bumpy and probably trained on today. Defending will need to be assured, passing from the back will be more risky than normal. Still, Celtic will travel with a point to prove. Expect another away win.
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Turkeybhoy – good memory. This is from Celtic Underground
https://celticunderground.net/the-south-american-connection/
1994 Celtic 2-2 Flamengo
A few days later Celtic’s year at Hampden began in optimistic fashion with a fine 2-2 draw with the excellent Brazilians. There was controversy when the game was almost postponed as officials from the Rio club insisted on payment in cash in American dollars before the game even began. It took a fine bit of diplomacy on the part of Fergus McCann to persuade them to play.
Andy Walker scored twice but the Brazilian winger Savio was the star of the night with a wonderful performance. So impressive was he that Celtic tabled a bid and were close to getting him. Tommy Burns was left frustrated when the deal collapsed and a few years later the bold Savio became so good he earned a move to the Bernabeau with Real Madrid.
I don’t think the people who run our club would know what underdog means never mind feel like one.
The same goes for our manager, who is the most important person in all this.
AN TEARMANN on 22ND APRIL 2022 1:23 PM
Por Cierto.
“Wee tangent.Smiled there,thought of you,going past Spiersbridge kirk,
Banner on rail outside was for 94th cub b scout pack.
HH”
:))))
Used to go to a Friday night Disco in that church in 1970/71. Some of my mates used to try and get a Carry Oot from the wee off sales part of the Arden Bar (Lawsons), before heading up to it. I didn’t drink then but sure as hell made up for it later in life :))
por cierto
CELTIC40ME, ERNIE, QUADBHOY – thanks for sharing those perspectives.
As a WoS Catholic I was well aware that we were profiles as an underdog team – yet one that had attained dizzy heights that the establishment [billy] boys could never/will never attain.
I was trying to get to when we [collectivley] will let go of the trauma bit from our past; we’ve more than proven ourselves as equal to/better than the rest [see Lisboa, Seville, 2x9IAR and 4×3]
And we had the deliciously naughty schadenfreude of watching vampires die and come back as zombies.
Not advocating any hunnish hubris, just an assured confidence that no-one’s a match for us domestos-ly.
Was it a slight inferiority complex? por cierto
CELTIC40ME on 22ND APRIL 2022 12:43 PM
When read the title I thought it would be about the big guy from Follow Follow
I don’t think a loss on Sunday is as serious as most seem to. I don’t think they’ll win all their games, they don’t have a fit striker worthy of the name and they’re heading into two weeks with 3 very hard games ahead of them.
I hope ange and the bhoys don’t have that attitude or expectation.
PORCIERTO – sure; with a touch of gaslit – later found real – paranoia ;)
GG confirmed fit for the game,as is CCV
Good afternoon all from the Victoria Bar. Life is like an ashtray, full of little doubts.
RC on 22ND APRIL 2022 1:47 PM
I hope ange and the bhoys don’t have that attitude or expectation.
Me too!
Brilliant BRB
Keep it lit.
H.H. Mick
Mick, I think it was Billy Connelly or the Reverend I.M. Jolly. Wisnae Jack Glass. 😂😂
BRRB
The Big YIn at his best, enjoy your day.
HH
Brian (and Martin)
Connolly ffs. 🙄
‘Life is like a tin of sardines, we’re all squashed in together and the key is on the outside’
Billy Connolly
CCV and GG confirmed fit,
next round of malicious rumours ………………
QUADROPHENIAN on 22ND APRIL 2022 1:46 PM
We’re an old bunch on here, and unlikely to change our character and beliefs that were shaped when we were younger regardless of how many trophies we win for how long.
I don’t know if younger celts suffer from the same doubt, from looking on other sites and blogs I don’t see it but that might just be the bravado of youth, or the self-entitlement that younger people seem to wear as a badge of honour these days
BelmontBrian, HH mate. Big Yin- What’s in a name? That yer wee baby boy Mrs McCann, what have you called him? Ghengis. 😂😂😂😂
SAINT STIVS on 22ND APRIL 2022 2:03 PM
CCV and GG confirmed fit,
next round of malicious rumours ………………
“Juranovic out for the season with cauliflower ear”
“ Ten Hag could be the new Ferguson said Manchester United “
Wee Bawwy is making his way up in the soccer world 🤣
H.H. Mick
GG and Kyogo both fit
“Nice problems to have”
Haven’t read Paul’s article.
Didn’t think I needed to.
Four word title says it all.
Win on Sunday and we are just about there.
Toughest fixture on paper fulfilled.
Chasing team’s available capacity to catch us diminishes hugely
With news of their and our injuries I think they’re more likely to drop points than us this weekend now.
I think we would beat them if the semi was this weekend
Hardly the most controversial things you’ll read today, and both perfectly logical
Celtic40me
Would you play both at the start? I would.
H.H. Mick
Ernie- from last night, the main reason to have him officially named is, after 15 years any prosecution could be time barred.
CELTIC40ME on 22ND APRIL 2022 2:04 PM
———-
In the Brazen pre match last weekend, every youngster I spoke to was pessimistic and I was bombastic. Same at the game.
Of course, I was wrong!!!
MELBOURNE MICK on 22ND APRIL 2022 2:15 PM
Difficult to say without knowing what GG’s injury is like, I can see us starting him on the bench. But if he’s fully fit I’d have them both in the starting 11, with Kyogo on the right.
CONEYBHOY on 22ND APRIL 2022 2:23 PM
:)
My team for Sun
Hart
Ralston CCV Starfelt Taylor(assuming fit)
O’Reilly (sub: McCarthy) McGregor Turnbull (sub: Rogic)
Jota (sub: Forrest), Giakoumakis (sub:Kyogo) Maeda
Malicious rumours “ Juranovic out with a cauliflower ear “
Think we’ve got a leak 🌱
H.H. Mick
CONEYBHOY@2:29pm
That should be the team…….hopefully.
It’s Friday it’s five to five its …………………………….
With Sunday being Greek Easter, an important date in the calendar for Greek Catholics, I’m changing my mind
GG starts regardless of fitness and scores 5
You’re about half as likely to be injured from a vegetable pun
The boss’s pre match press conference from earlier today…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axTGavHLtjo&ab_channel=CelticFC
Next season we won’t be discussing controversial refereeing decisions. We will be discussing controversial VAR decisions.
Paul67 was happy with the post split fixture list but I don’t think it help us. We should have started with a home game to even things up.
Turkeyboy, try Penerol. They were SAmerican champions at the time.
Was 1967?