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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I think you may be right Mr Gordon J at 14.13
Charles Mulgrew to left back to deal with inevitable high ball to full back areas with Ledley shipped to midfield.
I think Victor will stay at CH though I’d prefer him in centre mid – he would definitely win the middle of the park for us and control the game.
ONCE AGAIN Tony Hamilton comes up with the goods.
Things to make you happy Celtic V The Orcs
Things to make you happy 2 Celtic V Rangers
Heading into town around 5-ish. Is there a secret CQN meet anywhere and, if so, can someone email me the password.
Jobo
Just watched their highlights from Saturday .
Did anyone else noticed the blatent dive by jellylegs at the touchline in the run up to St Mirrens winner now that’s what I call Karma .
Also the proven cheat that is Sono Aluko had a chance to fall over in the box in the 2nd half but chose to stay on his feet ,only to miss the chance .
IMO he would have fell over had he not been done two weeks ago .
I hope the MIB
Just watched their highlights from Saturday .
Did anyone else noticed the blatant dive by jellylegs at the touchline in the run up to St Mirrens winner now that’s what I call Karma .
Also the proven cheat that is Sono Aluko had a chance to fall over in the box in the 2nd half but chose to stay on his feet ,only to miss the chance .
IMO he would have fell over had he not been done two weeks ago .
I hope the MIB tonight takes this into account .
Laughatme should have walked also for his challenge on M’gowen
hail hail
Wind fair getting up,came down the East Kilbride
rd there,wife says “look at that bus shelter”
am going where, looking in the fields ,just bloody missed it ,lying in the ootside lane :O(
Jobo Baldie says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:12
Excellent – will keep that for an insomnia night to study more closely.
Will try and name the scorers and see how many games I was at (even the b&w footage).
H!H!
Starting lieup for tonight is – FF, Cha, Rogne, K Wilson, Mullgrew, Brown, Kayal, Wanyama, Ledley, Hooper, Sammi.
.
5hrs to Go..
10-0 Celtic..Sammi Hat-Trick..Ki Rocket..Hooper Penalty..Mulgrew Free Kick..Weir OG..ANother Ki 30yarder..Paddy Wonder Goal..ANother Weir OG..
Summa ft WishADidnaeStartDrinkin12HrsAgoCSC
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Come on You Bhoys in Green..
Summa
Only way Rangers can win is by high balls – so we need Rogne and Chas at CB.
Vic in Midfield to ensure we win the battle. Too much for Beram to cope with on his own. Without Vic I fear a red card for Beram.
Izzy at fulback to snuff out Jaques Cousteau. Aluko hates swimming back – prefers to be in the opponents half.
The rest will take care of itself – any win will do.
Get there early parking around the velodrome might mean that the rangers fans get too close for comfort to and from the ground.
Leaving in a couple of hours to take my seat in the Jock Stein stand.
Come on you Boys in Green.
Seville67
ps Collum has been told that this will be his last big game if he screws uo – wonder of that will be good or bad ?
In other news, theres a tree floating down the Clyde in the city centre. Must have blown in. Bonkers.
Any bets for time of 1st ‘honest mistake’?
BTR
Tony Hamilton??
For me , the only time I’m REALLY nervous going into a Celtic Rangers game is not when I think we might lose but when I think all the indicators are that we should win.
The only easy Rangers game is after the final whistle.
Even at 3-0 up in the 6-2 game I kept thinking – theyre going to come back and win 4-3.
My biggest fear for tonight is Collum.
McCoist and McCulloch both know he’s weak at best. Mcculloch will expect to be allowed to rampage through our players at will – the weather wont help. Slippery surface and high winds will give him licence to ” misjudge” any number of challenges.
Discipline is everything for us tonight. Lose that , especially if they see early that we are losing it , will mean well lose the game.
Our confidence is rightly high at the minute but I suspect it’s still more fragile than we’d like.
So , for me at least, no hubris or talk of 3/4 – 0 victories .
A crappy 1-0 ,scored in the 88th minute?
I’d bite yer hand off.
I have 2 fears for tonight, and only 2 !
The first is that Jelavic and Lafferty bully our CB’s and get an early galvanising goal for thems
The second is that our expetation becomes a burden to the team and the home advantage gets negated by the whinging moaners who seem to think we have a divine right to win…..
The first is something we hope our manager finds a way of dealing with….
the second requires us to be aligned as a club and support like we were for the di cannio 2-0 cup game or the lambert / burley game or the game of shame…….
If we have this kind of support and team alignment we will win by a good few in my opinion……
Caesar
That’s not a tree. It’s the Gazebo!
Summa of Sammi…. says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:44
5hrs to Go..
10-0 Celtic..
At this rate (by your updates) – do you think they will suffer a worse defeat than Bon Accord did 36-0 by full-time tonight? :-)
oh yes and of course collum is a threat but this weeks events by thems will count against them i hope….
Merry Christmas Burnley78
Ceaser67 says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:50
Polish Turnstile from post 14:33 is Tony Hamilton.
Vamos, muchachos de verde.
How the heck the Gazebo got from the outside lane of the A749 into the Clyde is anyone’s guess, but it’s no day for a game of badminton.
BTR
Just wondered. Peter Grants father in law was called Tony Hamilton. I think!!
THE bad conditions ..will suit them more as there team skill level is a lot lower than ours the key might be the first 20 mins they will go all out for a goal and use up all there ideas on how to get one .
the thing is the expectation that we will win easy we must not let that transmit to the players from the crowd if its still level afer 45 mins as they will be happy with a draw and we will feel its a poor result i predict a hard fougt edgey 2/0 to us with captin brown getting the party started .
btw i am glad elbows is playing imagine if he was not sally might have had to play one of his hungry young guns who would have been twice as skillful as elbows
For all those in work right now I feel your pain. Roll on the 5 o’clock whistle
A theme tune by Willie Collum and the Men in Black
Frank McAvennie voicing the opinion that he is somewhat relieved that he is a Celtic supporter and not a H*N. Something I heartily concur with
Apologies in advance in anyone is offended by for some of Frankie Bhoys more colourful words.
“He’s a Tim he’s fun he hates the Fe**ing H*Ns”
feature=player_detailpage&v=kLIVigwawJ0″>http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kLIVigwawJ0
Gotta be worth a tenner?
“Celtic are 11/10 to win the match with bet365, but backing them to secure a 1-0 victory at 7/1 with Ladbrokes looks a good way to go”
TAL
So, what are we to make of the tie-up between the Huns and STV?
Can we assume STV will report impartially on the ongoing tax case and its likely result of a Newco RFC applying to take Oldco RFC’s SPL spot?
STV is run by Alan Clements, a dyed in the woool Rangers man, and someone who, whilst undoubtedly talented, has an unfortunate habit of making disastrous business decisions (hence why he is marooned at STV).
Interesting stuff.
Good to hear that the game is definitely on. Wouldn’t want them to be finding a way out of this one.
The first goal is always crucial in these games. If we can get it we force them to come out a bit.
.
praecepta says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:52
Summa of Sammi…. says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:44
5hrs to Go..
10-0 Celtic..
At this rate (by your updates) – do you think they will suffer a worse defeat than Bon Accord did 36-0 by full-time tonight? :-)
….
Praecepta..
Your post is Funny but Illogical..Logically 5hrs to Go is 5 More Goals..Plus 2hrs of Playing time Would Equal 7hrs Which logically Equals 7 Goals bringing Celtics Total to 17 Goals..Thus the Aforementioned tally of Shotts Bon Accord of 36 would be Inconceivable Using Your Therm.. its life Praecepta..But NOT as We know it..
Summa ft SpokCSC
midfield maestro says:
28 December, 2011 at 14:49
“Any bets for time of 1st ‘honest mistake’?”
That took place many years ago.
Emdy see the scrap between the Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests in the Church of The Nativity?
Also, a set-to at Midnight Mass in a church in Southampton.
I wonder if there will be a Summit to hammer out new laws to deal with offensive behaviour in churches.
Mental.
Just heading into town to meet a couple of Irish Bhoys, will hopefully swing by the gazebo- what is left of it- prior to ko.
Enjoy the game everyone.
HH
Any bhoys watching the game in Coatbridge tonight? If so what’s your pub of choice?
.
Right BourneSoupThingy..
Yer pissin me Aff..(Ye Ken am Only Flooint Dutche and Greak..) Whit dis Yon Meen..
Vasco del Amitri..????
Summa ft ManuelQueCSC