The players would have had a light training session at Lennoxtown today as muscles continue to refill after Wednesday night’s exertions. Expectations of Celtic in the Champions League are not high, and were exceptionally low when this group was drawn, but even so, these games have a huge financial, physical and even emotional impact on every area of the club.
One argument suggests the last thing we need is a cup semi-final four days after a Champions League outing. An alternative thought is that this is the perfect game for Celtic right now. Memories linger of sitting stressfully at Fir Park days after Celtic beat the reigning European Champions, Milan, as (subsequently liquidated) Grenta held onto a lead until the 87th minute.
While playing (subsequently liquidated) Rangers away 64 hours after winning a Uefa Cup semi-final 1200 miles from home in 2003 proved to be the perfect game to instil steel into the legs.
With what passes as a fully fit squad, Brendan has choices to make for Sunday. Did Patrick Roberts do enough off the bench against Borussia to justify a start? Perhaps. He’s a player who owes us one at Hamden too.
Callum McGregor will also fancy his chances ahead of Nir Bitton, who didn’t have a great Scottish Cup semi-final against the same opponents in April.
It would be a huge surprise if Moussa Dembele didn’t start as the lone forward, despite Leigh Griffiths itching to get on alongside him. Brendan will not change formation for this game, while Moussa will fancy his chances against a defence he punished to ruthlessly last month.
For me, our two most important players on Sunday will be Scott Sinclair and Tom Rogic. They are the epitome of the modern footballer, strong, skilful, intelligent and difficult to defend against. If we can get them on the ball often enough we’ll score a lot of goals.
Pretty much every Celtic fan I know expects Mark Warburton to have learned a lesson from his Celtic Park whipping and for him to deploy a more defensively-minded team this time. My Newco pals don’t expect this to happen. Warburton hasn’t varied his game-plan since arriving at the club and is apparently reluctant to start experimenting now.
He took his team to Hampden to face Celtic against similarly long odds last season. Within minutes we knew we were in a game, and despite the clear chasm between the teams, it was Newco who faced Hibs in the Scottish Cup final.
A repeat of the 5-1 win at Celtic Park is possible, but you’ve seen enough football to know that nothing can be taken for granted on Sunday. Remember that Newco came close to levelling that 5-1 game at 2-2 early in the second half, and the latter part of their collapse came after going down to 10 men.
I’m off later to meet those from the Tyneside No. 1 and friends, who have walked (yes, WALKED), from Merthyr Tydfil and will reach Doherty’s Bar in Hamilton this afternoon. They’ve pretty much walked a marathon a day for 13 days and will make the final journey to Celtic Park tomorrow.
This herculean effort has been made to mark the memory of Jonathan Thomas, who aged 30 lost his biggest fight one year ago tomorrow.
We’re lucky as Celtic fans that we get to meet and read about people who do these things in our name. It’ll take you 2 minutes to let them know how inspiring they are here.
It’s also worth marking the events in Aberfan, the village a few miles from Merthyr Tydfil which was visited by unimaginable tragedy 50 years ago today.
John Humphrys: What we owe the people of Aberfan 50 years after tragedy struck the village, and why it shows authority must be challenged. pic.twitter.com/OdjyaAGTsQ
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) October 21, 2016
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TD67,
Oui.
I think there will be carnage on the playing field tomorrow, it’s the only way those pot lickers will stay with us, nothing’s changed in the last five weeks since we pumped them, they’r rotten absolutely rotten, a weak back 4 , Clydesdales in the middle, and that crackpot up front who runs about rubbing heed every five mins, our defence is solid, midfield fast and skilful, our strikers ruthless, our manager knows about the game, they’r managers a C……. C… well! That’s what Joey sais?
PETEC
Gracias
Parkhead and Mass.
No equivocation… no apology.
Celtic Park… it is new to me. Are we embarrassed of the history our fathers lived through, so much so, we have to knee jerk the muppet media???
GERIHATRIC on 22ND OCTOBER 2016 11:23 AM
Thanks for that advice , mate.
GORDON64
St.Stivs
Delaney’s Dunky
Like all of you, I have no interest in attending Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
I have not attended any of the previous matches against Sevco.
I wish more of our fans would do likewise, and also boycott Hampden.
Do not give your money to the SFA
I was entitled to a ticket due to be on the HCTS and also attended both previous ties against Motherwell and Alloa.
Likewise last season I attended the Quarter Final V Morton but refused my Semi Final ticket V Sevco.
TONYDONNELLY67
Agree that they are light years behind us but not about the “carnage”. They don’t have players like that anymore. The only one is the Preston reject Garner and all he will do is fall over a lot looking for a penalty. It’s here I reckon they will be looking for sympathy from the MIB. We are too fast, too intelligent and have a manager who inspires both players and fans. What does Warbo do?
Celtic Underground Twitter has a tweet saying sevco have been pulled up by Glasgow City Council for for building four 4 advertising bill boards without permission.
Sevco, like their predecessors, not following rules.
I’m going to be bold here. I am comfortable with church or chapel, parkhead or Celtic park – I more often say paradise.
And like others I probably say ‘I’m going to mass’ far more than either church or chapel.
The fact is they are all good. The vernacular is a changeable entity
They SMSM have been banging the boost the confidence drum all week, such is their plight. It’s been quite funny some of it. (Not so) deep down they know what potentially could happen. They’ll try what they did in the semi-final last season and hope to rattle Celtic. It’s all they can do.
Attempting to defend – not a chance. Beat us at football, that’d be funny. Nah, they are going to try hustle and bustle from the off. Their strongest suite is up front, they need to force as much of the game to be played in our half, that they can contrive.
Borussia did it to us during the week. Different animal tomorrow.
onenightinlisbon on 22nd October 2016 11:57 am
TONYDONNELLY67
Agree that they are light years behind us but not about the “carnage”. They don’t have players like that anymore. The only one is the Preston reject Garner and all he will do is fall over a lot looking for a penalty. It’s here I reckon they will be looking for sympathy from the MIB. We are too fast, too intelligent and have a manager who inspires both players and fans. What does Warbo do?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
He does what Jabba tells him to do.
Mad cyril
ONENIGHTINLISBON
Aye that’s him Garner, he aweways rubbing his napper, and no one touches him, Halliday likes to through it about , and has the Hun trait of being sleekit with it, and the other wee sleekit bassa forrester is it? He likes to go over the top now and again, hopefully your right, and they don’t start they’r chit .
If I had a ticket for the game on Sunday, I would go. I would go to see Celtic win a game of football. I am not an ‘auld firmer’.
I still think Celtic’s inaction over the 5 way agreement was criminal.
But that is just my opinion. Morals over money like. Ethics over educating out young how to cheat to profit from dis-association. Is there anything to learn? Was there ever any education?
More than a club. Much more than a club.
.
Ahhh Ole Gretna..
My Favourite Ever Celtic Bet..
A mere 3 Days after Celtic beat European Champions Milan..
Celtic were 33/1 to beat the Mighty Gretna..
These of Course were the Days when Ole WGS team had a Habit of Giving Teams a Goal of a Start..【ツ】
Thon Moaning Marsupial and Thon Kiwi Fruit and Nut became the Heros of the Day..
Funny enough Talking about Liquidated Teams.. I surpassed that 33/1 Odds only last month with a Cute 67-1 for a 5-1 Correct Score against the Aforementioned Blended Bears..
Summa of FitbaBetsCSC
Celtic Park…aka “Paradise”…..and Mass.
Our Great Stadium is situated in The Holy Ground that is Parkhead……………
HH
Keep The Faith…….(We Have Overcome!)
;)
Seriously, guys call the stadium/ground/venue what you want. Parkhead/Parkheid/Celtic Park/Paradise/the game…………..whatever you like.
As for the religious terms…………same thing. Surely, personal ?
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
The last semi at hamdump against thems was the night of the long knifes, only half of that team turned up, that was RD final push from a team who where upset with his coaching methods, a shocking display from a few players wearing Celtic shirts that day, and I’ll never forgive them for that petulant display, they let us all down that day.
..
Kit..
Hey Buddi..
Hope Yir Guid..
That 5 Way agreement really fundamentally changed the way You think of Glasgow Celtic FC..
Yes..?
Am I Correct..?
And Do You ever Wish You had never read it..?
001
Bognorbhoy.
Don’t know what made ye ask if I was a Hun.
Anyway thanks for the info.
fyi: Born Garngad, saw Celtic first 1951 still attending.
Grandad from The Falls, am married to a Dub. whose oul’ man
was a 1916 vet. Four Courts garrison.
Am I still showing Hunish tendencies?
BOB STORRAR SNR on 22ND OCTOBER 2016 12:16 PM
Don’t know if yer a new poster, all new posters get asked that question. Relax
Yeah, Tony that’s right………….3 or 4 players don’t turn up we get pumped. Simple as.
No matter how good you are, you must beat your man. Motivation is number one on the checklist tomorrow.
Brendan is good at that.
001
Yes.
Sights I wish to see tomorrow:
– the Hun net bulge at least 4 times.
– Joe Garner rolling around the running track in actual agony and not his pantomime best.
– Erik Sviatchenko jogging away with a satisfied snarl on his face (see above)
– the Orc end silenced and rapidly emptying from the 70th minute.
– the Magic Hat ‘wespectfully’ acknowledging a right pumping from a far superior footballing side, and not hallucanating about mythical red cards for celtic players not even on a booking.
– A Celtic team actually turning up for a League Cup crunch match and doing the business.
Often wonder if playing the game professionally is any different from any other job ?
BOB STORRAR SNR
Well are you? :))
SANDMAN
They are more likely to try and come on the pitch…………..to defend their players.
GREENPINATA on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 7:24 PM
DOC on 21ST OCTOBER 2016 6:34 PM
When I was a kid it was Parkheid and Chapel.
Now it’s Celtic Park and where?
That isn’t meant to offend, just how it is.
——————————————————–
I can’t see how anybody would take offence, it’s just the way it is now for many.
I have often thought that my own church needs to become more relevant to the lifestyle of 2016. Possibly even go down the evangelical route.
On a side issue . A trip to Inveraray jail is a worthwhile and sobering day out. It detailed the suffering and inhumanity we imposed on each other, often in the name of Christianity. People were scared of the Church , but called out to them in periods of despair. People are no longer scared of the church.
A very fine day on the blog today with respectful comments on shocking disasters. Many such events put football into perspective.
Many if not most of us call out to God when all seems lost and there is no tangible hope. It’s what we do and although we may not go to church on a regular basis I cannot see that changing. I would even wager that aithests do the same.
Sorry about the sidetrack.
HH.
—————————————————————————————
Good post, and agreed, many churches are not as relevant to everyday life as they could be, and they can be great forces for good, just not for me.
My own reasons for no longer having faith are far more involved with events, more along the lines of,”what type of god would allow this to happen?”
Sorry for the tardy reply, was on a train with intermittent connection.
Anyhoos, of to the ballet with the girls.
bob storrar snr on 22nd October 2016 12:16 pm
Bognorbhoy.
Don’t know what made ye ask if I was a Hun.
Anyway thanks for the info.
fyi: Born Garngad, saw Celtic first 1951 still attending.
Grandad from The Falls, am married to a Dub. whose oul’ man
was a 1916 vet. Four Courts garrison.
Am I still showing Hunish tendencies?
====================================================
Aye, aye, ok…,But are ye?
;))
bob storrar
Mmmmm, you protest too much ? ;-)
****Last Man Standing 8- week 8 predictions****
Good afternoon fholks
We now have all 49 predictions in as follows:
The fixtures for Week 8 – Results all based on the score at 90 minutes
Saturday 22 October
Morton v Aberdeen (11)
Bournemouth v Tottenham (2)
Inverness (1) v Kilmarnock
Partick Thistle v Ross County
Arsenal (5) v Middlesboro
Liverpool (23) v West Brom
Sunday 23 October
St Johnstone (4) v Dundee (12.00pm)
Manchester City (3) v Southampton (1.30pm)
Rangers* v Celtic (Hampden – 2.15pm)
Chelsea v Manchester Utd (4.00pm)
* – also known as :
Sevco
The Deadie Bears
Triggers Broom FC
The Tribute Act
The Zombies
Rangers 2012
Good luck
HH
CRC
‘EVERY Rangers Player Attacked By Erik Sviatchenko!’
– Daily Record 24/11/16
..
Probably the Best 12 Quid ever spent in Football..
..
9. In consideration of the services and of the observance by ‘The Player’ of the terms of this agreement ‘The Club’ shall pay to ‘The Player’ the sum of…. Twelve Pounds….(£12: : ) per week from…. 30th May 1953. to the termination hereof.
Twelve Pounds (£12) per week in the playing season and Eleven Pounds (£11) per week in the closed season with an-additional Two Pounds (£2) per week when playing in the First Team subject to a bonus of One Pound (£1) per point when playing in the First Team and Ten Shillings per point when playing in the Second Team.
10. This Agreement shall expire (unless Same is sooner terminated under Articles 3rd, 7th, or 8th hereof) on the…. 31st…. day of July….Nineteen hundred and….Fifty-Four….(54)
Summa of SigningOnInParadiseCSC
Word of The Day
ebullient. /ɪˈbʌljənt; ɪˈbʊl-/
adjective
1. overflowing with enthusiasm or excitement; exuberant
2. bubbling up like a boiling liquid.
Derived Forms
noun ebullience, ebulliency
adverb ebulliently
Word Origin
C16: from Latin ēbullīre to bubble forth, be boisterous, from bullīre to boil1
FAC the Act
KTF
The “sleekit” hun will be in evidence tomorrow, I have no doubt. They need to level the playing field and will be unable to do it with football. As others have said here expect Halliday, Forrester, Garner to foul, cheat, feign injury, try to gain any unfair advantage that they can. In Thomson we unfortunately have an “official” who will happily indulge them in this. However we are more than capable of ensuring this matters not one bit by outplaying them and putting the ball in the net as many times as we can. They are an average premier league team who are no better than Aberdeen, Motherwell etc and we should show them no mercy at all.
Have the polis been to Lennoxtown this week yet to warn us about scoring too many?, or did they see who the MIB is and thought good dont need to worry he wont let them run up a cricket score.
FAC Post.
With only two days until the consultation paper to repeal the OBaF Act deadline, it’s imperative that anyone who is opposed to the legislation, but hasn’t yet completed the survey, does so.
We’re now asking, if you have limited time, to simply complete section 1 and then submit, it will take only a minute.
Please, this is important.
http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/S/FootballActRepealBill/
BRT&H @ 8:38 AM,
Another excellent insightful post…
I’m not surprised he didn’t get on with William Shatner…
The Emboldened Captain would not want prospective spies on the good aul USS Enterprise…
Hail Hail