The wind will make it uncomfortable to be out and about in the Glasgow night but it will have a big impact on this evening’s game. Any team hoping to prosper from playing long-ball football is likely to flounder but it will be equally difficult for defenders facing balls that drop into their penalty areas.
Goalkeepers in particular face a difficult challenge. Rangers will not expect to have a great deal of possession around our penalty area so you can expect them to shoot early and from distance in the hope of exploiting the wind. There is probably a distance Celtic will be happy to see them shoot from but any space sub-30 yards from goal must be closed down.
Perhaps the most important preparation Celtic can do today would be to send Ki out with a bag of balls to get his shooting eye in. He has the ability to score from outside the box against any keeper in the world. Rangers’ McGregor doesn’t cope with a bit of movement in the ball, just ask Kris Commons, so will not look forward to seeing the ball fall to Ki in a shooting position.
Celtic’s most effective out-ball in recent weeks, high to the left wing for Georgios Samaras, will be difficult to make effective. The short passing game will be more profitable; Ki and Scott Brown in particular will need to fancy the game today. If we get a top performance out of both the result is not in doubt.
James Forrest is an fitness concern for Neil Lennon but he is a player who will worry Rangers manager, Ally McCoist, so I expect him to start, even if he’s not 100%. He has the kind of pace no defence in the league can cope with, he creates and scores goals. When he gets the ball, look out for how alert Rangers become. This is panic. Forrest will make it easier for others to find space, look for runs into the box from midfielders when he’s on the ball.
It would be a huge gamble to bring Emilio Izaguirre back into the starting line-up for this game after a four month injury lay-off but he is such an important player to how Neil Lennon wants Celtic to play I wouldn’t be surprised to see him. Celtic need to control the ball in midfield and Emilio’s composure is a huge advantage in this respect. 60 minutes from him might be enough to give us the edge.
Gary Hooper will score.
The most important question for tonight is who will be able to maintain discipline. Celtic’s recent narrow home wins against Kilmarnock, Hearts and Dunfermline should have been more comfortable but the visitors maintained composure throughout and gave themselves a good chance as a result. Rangers are a better team than any of these three but discipline and composure are not words you would use to describe today’s visitors. The most important thing for Celtic could be to frustrate Rangers and have the patience to wait for the opportunity to take advantage.
Get ready for a classic Glasgow night.
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Edward..
The Last time l remember Rangers being Really confident about a Game was the Return leg @ Ipox against Lyon after Hammering them 0-3 in Lyon..:b)
Summa
A month ago, I would happily have taken being either 1 or 4 points behind after tonight.
2 POINTS CLEAR, never in my wildest…
Hail! Hail!
Bjmac
I’m having more trouble fitting both Wanyama and Kayal into a 5 man midfield.
Both players like to play centrally. Seems to me Brown is a stick on. Ki hasn’t shown much when he’s played left side.
Best I can do is a four of Brown, Kayal, Wanyama, Ledley. Robust certainly. Not very creative though.
Alternatively, drop Wanyama back, play a tight three of Brown, Kayal and Ledley, allowing both Forrest and Sammi to do their stuff from wide.
Paul67
I agree with the shooting outside the box but would
Love another broonie!!!
I also don’t think we pass enough to kayak when he
Lurks around this area
He can lash a good ball…when he feels like it….and I’m sure
He may feel like it
Kit
All the best pal
We will talk soon
Hail hail
Ramie
Paul67,
Good article, the strong wind should suit us playing the ball on the floor. It is always good to mix things up and Sammi gives us that option but it is a tactic I would not want to rely on, even when there is minimal wind.
Play Football Celtic and hunt in packs and we should be ok, even with the probable negative influence Gollum will have on the game. As long as we are fired up for this and it is channelled aggression, and there is no reason for us not to be super determined as we are still behind them in the League, then we should take the 3 points tonight.
Mon the Hoops.
Summa
Preferred Farah Fawcett myself but wouldnt have said no to the delicious Jac
Hh
twisty: hope yer having a happy holidays, hope the family are safe & well,
& the gambling gods aregood to ye.
iv not posted on here for ages, but thats no big deal, sometimes i think, when u look in here
its like nothing ever changes.
anyhows, a few observations.
1 – i would have sacked our manager a long time ago. an admission, not a boast.
he has made me learn not to be so bloody quick tempered. but that is me, i cant
change that.
i think him realising that sammi is a LM, has went a long way, but so has the introduction
of VW. that man is class. FF also deserves a mention, he is another making me eat humble
pie.
i think the team are playing with an enthusiasm that was lacking at the start of the season.
bill shankly says that signing a player was all about 1 thing. “natural enthusiasm”
i get that, not just in football, but in life. its such a gift of personality to have. but it goes
a long way in my book.
i tend to categorise older celtic fans as having this gift.
anyhows, back to the team.
last weeks match is the perfect way to describe this celtic side.
cruising, talented, then guilty of complacency and a softness, that is our one weakness.
a little bit like the last huns game.
Sir Chris Hoys mind coach tells him.
“focus on the process, not the outcome”
thats what i want our players to be thinking.
hail hail
mac
“McCoist only appealed McCulloch’s red as he thought it was Lafferty who was sent off. Apparently he doesn’t know his a##e from his Elbows.”
Tweet from @theHumanTorpedo.
TBB
That is a conundrum.
On balance, I would drop Wanyama back into defence and go with a midfield of Ledley, Ki and Brown with Forrest and Sammi right and left.
I think Ledley is a terrific player and still a bit under-rated by some.
SwanseaBhoy
hamiltontim says:
28 December, 2011 at 12:51
—–
Read it on Facebook, a few folk had said it. My good lady has just informed me that she phoned CP though, and they confirmed the game is DEFINITELY on.
HH
Giggs
Ki = Kayal at 13:00.
Nerves.
The long diagonal ball is a winner against Cha. Seen it being his downfall far too often.
Hail Hail
Giggsy
Pheeewww! Cheers for that.
Swanseabhoy
Thanks for that correction. I was wondering…
In that the game at Fir Park is off because of weather conditions, it is not impossible that THE game could also suffer that fate. Of course ,it would be annoying (and worse for those who have come from afar) but, with all due sympathy for those inconvenienced, would Elbows` appeal (EH??!!) suddenly be `unappealed` ?
JJ
You Couldn’t Have Come At A Better Time
Foster
Cha Mulgrew Wilson Iziguirre
Brown Ki Kayal Ledley
Samaras Hooper
V
Jelavic Lafferty
Edu Davis Mc Culloch Wylde
Papac Bocanegra Bartley Whittaker
Mc Gregor
Hail Hail
I see sally nostradamus is unable to quantify his reason(s) for optimism on the outcome tonight……….desperate little man…. making silly little (simplistic) comments……he is losing the plot, on and off the park ……!!!!
oops swap Victor for WIlson
hamiltontim says:
28 December, 2011 at 13:03
—-
Aye, had a wee panic myself!! Would play right into their hands if the game was off…
HH
Giggs
Paul67, you are spot on.
We are the better team, but it the result will come ONLY if we maintain DISCIPLINE !
We must concentrate for 95 minutes.
The goals will come.
Let the stadium reverberate with the Thunder for which we are renowned !!!!!!!!
67Heaven
He cant exactly say that he was on the phone to Gollum
Hail Hail
Did all the irish bhoys get over ok.
I can see it being pretty crowded in midfield tonight. Some quick passing or Sami and Forrest wide will be the keys to making chances. They will probably still play long balls – what else do they have?
Green Brigade
I’ll call you at half-time Ramie. Last whisky and bed for me. Hemispheres apart, time zones apart, nations apart, but one culture and we’re on the one road, singing(sp) along.
Rileyskeepingthefaith 12.50
fianna playing in Haggies,tell the lead singer to behave himself,ask him to sing The Four Green Fields.He is useless at it by the way.Hail Hail Slan
hamiltontim says:
28 December, 2011 at 12:51
Will you make it tomorrow night?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Neil just tweeted,team looking forward to game conditions will be tough.
TBB
You’ve made the Rangers Tax Case blog.
“Stephen says:
28/12/2011 at 11:25 am
A very well respected poster on CQN has mentioned around 40 Rangers fans having GBP 4200 deducted from their accounts for their tickets for the game tonight instead of GBP 42.
Has anyone on here heard about this?”
I’m sure it’s you he’s talking about, although “very well respected poster on CQN” did throw me.
SwanseaBhoy
Paul
It is indeed :) Nervous already , a massive game tonight
HH
Just returned from Christmas in Wicklow ready for tonight.
Gale force winds? Good luck pumping long balls to the wing in that. This is a night for the ball on the deck, only one team has the ability to play that way.
I can’t wait.
It will be a 4-3-3 tonight the middle and front pick themselves if fit – Ledley-Ki-Brown Forrest-Hooper-Samaras, its the back four that is the conundrum. Height and strength for the set-pieces always comes in to play with Neil when playing them, so Wilson and Wanyama, Cha has been playing well enough so will get the right back spot, on the left as I said for the set-pieces, ours and theirs, Mulgrew is a shoe in, por cierto.
PS
No Kayal? oh back to the drawing board por cierto
Awe Naw did your team for tonight not have big Victor 67 in it ? H.H.
Awe Naw……..ah, forgot about that…….LOL….!!!
Lennybhoy
I hope to but don’t know how another 2 nights on the swallie will go down!!
Thinking of taking the car tonight but Bhoys I know are up from London so would like to catch up.
Decisions decisions…
Happy Christmas one and all esp Ed
JFH yep