Don’t expect an easy semi, James and Patrick, Here we go again

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Kilmarnock had a pretty ropy start to the season, defeats to Motherwell and Ross County coming either side of a win at Hamilton, but they travel to Celtic Park tomorrow on a run of three consecutive draws.

They will be confident of scoring (scored in five of their six league games while we’ve yet to keep a clean sheet), and there is the added incentive that if results to their way elsewhere, a win could see they jump to fifth, behind Celtic, Hearts, St Johnstone and Aberdeen.

Brendan Rodgers will have a few selection options to consider with Champions League duty coming up on Wednesday. For these two games we’re going to perm two from Toure, Sviatchenko and Simunovic in central defence, one of Dembele or Griffiths as striker, while Gamboa could make his Celtic Park debut tomorrow. I’m hoping for a straight back four against Manchester City.

The other big area of outfield competition in the team is for the right midfield berth. James Forrest and Patrick Roberts both make good cases for inclusion. Don’t be surprised to see them subbed for each other in each of our next two games.

I see a lot of confidence after the League Cup semi-final draw, pitting us against Newco next month. This game will be six weeks after the 5-1 drubbing at Celtic Park, when a vast chasm between the teams. I expect us to win, but I also expect a considerably more difficult time.

We had the run of the show earlier this month. Moussa Dembele mustn’t have been able to believe the space he got, something denied to him by more tactically aware teams like Alloa and Inverness.

We benefited from the capitulation of one central defender, Senderos, shortly after his partner was subbed as part of a tactical change. The sight of Joey Barton unable to get off the ground to intercept Mikael Lustig’s cross for Celtic’s fourth is unlikely to be repeated.

In short, Newco’s mistakes were so evident and avoidable they are bound not to be repeated. The semi-final will be a different game.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist about last night’s draw but the League Cup has been a financial lifeline to Newco, who were rewarded with large home attendances for earlier rounds, and will already be busy selling premium hospitality content for the semi-final. There could be enough income in this one to buy more Velcro for the roof.

Here we go again………

Hot on the heels of that magnificent news from Mary’s Meals that we will be feeding 650 school kids in Liberia for the next year, I’m running the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon for the Foundation on Sunday, 3 October.

We’re getting to that time of the year when the Foundation’s plans to assist those most chronically in need in our own community need to kick in. The winter challenges aid providers. It kills many poor and homeless.

If you can help, please do. There’s a MyDonate page here. Your money goes straight to the Foundation, where it will used quickly.

Thanks.

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  1. What is the Stars on

    Almore

     

     

    BMCUWP

     

     

    only has the old number

     

     

    Whats the email,are you still contactable at the Dublin 1916 address

  2. BFSDJ – I’ve been doing this for 25 years.

     

    SUTTY – As a party political broadcast for rANGERs.

     

     

    Teeheehee ;)))

  3. The Hun Skelper ‘skelps’ another Hun, just like old times. Chris Sutton – Celtic legend. Some on here don’t like it when he tells it like he sees it concerning Celtic. Sutton was 100% correct about Ronnie as well as many other things.

  4. MILD MANNERED PEDRO DELGADO on 23RD SEPTEMBER 2016 6:49 PM

     

    My bhoy just asked

     

     

     

    “What’s a Charlaton?

     

    = = = = = = =

     

    Tim Burgess? ;))

  5. Weéminger

     

     

    I think Option 3 is the most likely, but to make it worse is that when STV was fishing for confirmation, he was advised to wait whilst the update provided on CQN about 3 weeks later was still being considered.

     

     

    What is also interesting though is that at the start of June when Regan announced SFA happy to comply with anything raised by UEFA it was same reporter with cameraman who followed the Celtic Company Secretary along the street after the SFA AGM asking if Celtic were going to contact UEFA.

     

     

    So who gave him the heads up on the Regan announcement?

     

     

    When SFA spoke up at their AGM it came as a surprise that the approach to UEFA was being made public and if I were a suspicious guy (like yon Canalamar ;)) I might think directing us to UEFA Club Licensing (although it was the Club Financial Control Body the Res wanted to involve) was part of a plan to totally sideline Res12.

     

     

    However the UEFA reply with the unsolicited new club/company info was not what SFA expected and when they saw it by copy on 9th June Operation Recovery involving STV swung into play. It might already have been the SFA plan from the off but that para added to the need to obfuscate.

     

     

    Great word that. You might hear more of it in due course.

  6. Wits

     

     

    There is a podcast of superscoreboard, they try the whole show. I will try to find a link but I’m rubbish at that stuff.

     

     

    If you google Clyde listen again superscoreboard you won’t be far away.

     

     

    It’s worth 10 minute of your time. Have some catgut handy to sew your sides back up…

  7. The Zombie Grass has just had a Martin Luther King oratation moment !!

     

    Cue card position was spot on !

     

    Well timed eh before THE SHEEP batter them with the TRUTH on Sunday !!

     

    SEVCO are on the Ropes BFDJ Is stitching his bakey !!!!

  8. GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 23RD SEPTEMBER 2016 6:04 PM

     

    Would love to see the letter the stv guy got from UEFA. Especially the bit about “Rangers” getting a three year ban…..

     

     

    ===%==

     

    That will happen in due course. Certainly before the AGM.

  9. The Spirit of Arthur Lee on

    My mate that works on the waltzers at the fairground , just phoned me and told me hes just been sacked , told me hes doing them for Funfair dismissal

  10. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    Oh that other broadcasters and pundits would line up alongside Chris Sutton.

     

     

    His answer to why he came to Celtic have come to mind.

     

     

    ” I’m here to put R in their place”.

     

     

    I would love to hear the BFDJ demolition, the beauty of it is, that everything he reportedly said was the truth and non actionable.

  11. BABASONICOS71 on 23rd September 2016 6:56 pm

     

     

    PETEC…

     

     

    Yi beat me to it. ;)

     

     

    http://youtu.be/SXBR96Z8_e8

     

     

    …………………………………………………………………….

     

     

    At least you were there on the Airwaves as it happened – That was a calling out. I cannae wait to hear what was said.

     

     

    CELTIC

  12. Who would we rather have a snivelling fat git like BFDJ spewing forth club propaganda or a Chris Sutton telling it like he sees it?

  13. Oglach 6.51pm

     

     

    I was one who thought Chris was over the top with Ronny, didn’t sit comfortable with me and thought it was a wee bit personal……but would prefer ex-Celts calling it as they see it and not just what we want to hear, when things were going ok under Ronny, Chris (& WITS) jumped on the Ronny bandwagon so remember he did back Ronny when things were going good……

     

     

    But in total fairness….. Big Sutton is punditry gold, even better BT love him so he doesn’t have to play to the same tune as the apologists in the media up here :-)

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Hopefully someone will post a link to Chris earlier.

     

     

    Hopefully also,the ragdolling of the pathetic fat oh what else did he call him is only a warm-up for having a right run through Keevins.

     

     

    Nice thought…

  15. mild mannered Pedro delgado on

    That’s twisted ma mellon man

     

     

    Dj’s response to Hun

     

    “He can sleep at night but can he lie straight

     

     

    I think not

  16. mild mannered Pedro delgado on 23rd September 2016 7:05 pm

     

     

    That’s twisted ma mellon man

     

     

    Dj’s response to Hun

     

     

    “He can sleep at night but can he lie straight

     

     

    I think not

     

     

    …………

     

     

    Superb m8.

     

     

    Having a Party

  17. ThomTT

     

    Sutton is no daft, he knows fine well what he is about, he knows what he can say and get away with, BT have obviously given him the ” Green Light ” to say what he thinks and he has taken it, big time.

     

    I was speaking to a bloke who works for Sky and they are pissed that so many are ditching Sky for BT, and they reckon it’s 99% Celtic supporters who are leaving them, BT obviously have done their marketing.

     

    HH

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