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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Fanad Partriot
Have never heard of that, but I suppose it’s possible. I reckon Cosgrove’s massive hate is Scottish based people showing any overt attachment to Ireland, hence Celtic fans always get it in the neck from him.
Anyway, is Fr Michael Sweeney still in Fanad…….a great character. He said Mass for about 500 hooped clad Celts in the Costa del Sol before we left for Seville.
Mountain_Bhoy
I hope you are indeed succesful in obtaining a ticket.
In fact is there anyone out there got a spare….anywhere in the Celtic end:)c’mon it’s the season.
TAL
midfield maestro says:
28 December, 2011 at 15:40
The newsreader ….. I know.
David Balfour …… fiance …… who he?
Happy St. Stephen’s Day to all Tims!
Nervous as a kitten. Going to game and hope that form prevails. Take care everyone. Avoid trouble.
Hail! Hail!
Keep The Faith!
Allez Les Vertes…
Talk sport radio poll
Who do you want to win tonight?
Celtic 80%
Rangers 20%
Hail Hail!
iki
Who’s the newsreader?
Re: the stv deal. Huns made complete t$ts of themselves by banning the bbc and then having to admit that the bbc were right in the first place. They probably think this will give them an excuse to keep the ban going without loosing any more credibility.
At the end of the day it’s merely formalising the mutual back-slapping that’s been going on between them for years, though can’t see for the life of me what business benefit this brings either. In fact in the longer term this could damage any reputation stv had.
ThisIsTheOne
liquid and complex carbs are best for a bad cold/bug peppermint tea if your stomach is upset
whitedoghunch doing medical on the side
Iki
Look at his homepage pics for info
Hi all just a wee note..to any bhoys and girls heading to the match tonight via M8 west ,carriageway down to one lane at Paisley St james might want to allow some extra time if you are heading that way…hail hail glasgows green and white!!!
LondonCalling says:
28 December, 2011 at 15:41
Hopefully,a boa constrictor.
Mountain bhoy
If there is anyone with a season book that can’t go, you can get the ticket office to print off a ticket for you if you have their details :) that’s what my friend is doing
So if you know anyone who doesn’t live in Scotland, has a season ticket and can’t make the match, ask them :)
HH
london calling @15.41,hopefully,both of your hands.
whitedoghunch says:
28 December, 2011 at 16:04
I’ll take your advice Sir, start with the liquids, and they see if there are any packets of Complex Carbs in the fridge.
HH
celticrumoursCeltic Underground
Balotelli is in Glasgow with McDonald Mariga apparently. Yet to be confirmed if he is handing out fivers or tenners.
4 minutes ago
lepidopterans
WDH
Sent you an email via P67 recently.
Malorbhoy
Heading for Glencairn club around 5 O,clock will ask about for you .
they=then
To TET
Caught a few of your posts over the last few weeks about the match
tonight and how you fear your love of the game will be destroyed.
I fully understand your pessimism and what with the mixture of
Collum, a late kick off, a day in the pub, rabid huns and a snarling
police presence. It is not hard to imagine we are being set up for some form
of confrontation with our fans having it stuck to them again.
But no doubt our Board will stick up for them.
This team of mainly youngsters will go out tonight and restore your faith
not only in this club but in football itself
We will wake up tomorrow morning as Celts
and the day after
and the day after that
You have it way down deep
Deeper than that crest in the pool
Keep the faith and Hail Hail
You know who I am. @Real_Mario45 15m
The text message I received is your seat will be located “Jock Stein Lower, Row DD, Seat 67” good or bad? #CTID
Take form that what you will, apparently he’s meant to be Mario Balotelli.
Not sure how to take the occult possibilities of what happened earlier…..BUT as you all know omens come in many shapes, sizes and shades.
As I went for my full internal service and oil change up the Royal this morning I was directed to Clinic 7, a number that resonates in time with my own cultural biorythms. There was a queue of intermittently worried faces as the sounds of rubber gloves being stretched, snapped and lubricated with vaseline reached our ears, followed by an involuntary ‘ooh yah… he he he’ as the doc bent another patient to his will!
And then my mind was distracted by a wee woman (whom I wish no harm to) who rushing in from the rain, went posterior over humerus and skited along the floor as if tripped by an invisible leg.
“Are you allright Mrs Lafferty” shouted the nurse as he came to her aid.
“You’re boy isn’t called Kyle is he?” I asked as I helped her up “He could show you a thing or two about falling over!”
So did the omens all fall for us, or did they cancel each other out or will Lafferty fall over in our box or maybe the rubber gloves and vaseline have a hidden meaning and what will the Rangers’ doctor find lurking in Kyle’s Kyle?
“oooh ya he he he”
Right off to Sharkeys
Hail Hail
Estadio
What’s the difference between Sally McMoist and The Daily Record?
muireannf Muireann Fanning
Just saw on Facebook, Boruc & Skippy will be at the game tonight? Along with Crosas.. #celticreunion
Bourne
Are they both full of shoite?
One talks a load of bull, the other is full of bull?
Marvin
Cheers , it’s Clanedonia allright !
Bourne
Can you work in disingenuous Collums in the answer?
Could be true about Balotelli heading for the match with his ex-Inter teammate McDonald Meriga.
Isn’t McDonald Meriga the brother of Big Vic 67 ?
BSR
Blue & White and red all over?
TAL
Afternoon all,
Sales Executive job at Rangers Football Club on s1jobs.com:
‘You must ensure that all paperwork is maintained to a high level and meets with Company policies and procedures’
Balotelli’s antics have earned a certain notoriety
since his £24million switch from Inter Milan to
the Etihad Stadium last year.
Just this week he enthralled drinkers at
a local pub in Manchester where he put
£1,000 behind the bar as a Christmas treat
for the patrons before heading to Midnight
Mass at a local church.
Let’s hope he pops int BB’s before tonights game
When I see you Celtic, I go out of my head
I just can’t get enough ……..
The blood’s up. The toes are tapping!
bournesouprecipe
One is used for toilet roll in an emergency and the other looks like used toilet roll.
Hail Hail
What’s the difference between Sally McMoist and The Daily Record?
Both have rapidly decreasing headlines
Hamiltomtim
Catriona Shearer
Estadio,
I was in clinic 7 in the royal at about 10.30ish today!
Anywho, wife had a dream last night and said it was about the hoops getting a 3-1 victory. She was certin Sammy was one of the scorers. I put this on yesterday as well and hadn’t mentioned it to her.
Spooky………