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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Aulheid, email sent re res 12.
Noone ever knows how anything is going to turn out, especially in a Country like Scotland when it comes to Celtic and the Newco/Zombie Division.
Their star man is Craig Thomson.
As it is on BT and Big Chris Sutton will be co-commentating I am hoping the game is refereed correctly – the Howard Webb factor is an excellent introduction into SCOTTISH fitba by BT.
I’d settle for a comfortable 2-0 win but I am hoping for so much more.
Dreams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdcDiiFFgLc
No surrender.
HH
3-0 win for Sevco tomorrow after every Celtic player and officials time pieces mistereously set back 4 hours!
MWD
MOONBEAMS
We all watched it,but it was a lifetime ago,ffs.
A few huns I know are reacquainting themselves with its predecessor,That Sinking Feeling.
Seems they’re in soapy bubble…
MWD, last time Mormons turned up at my door I told them I worshipped the dark lord and Beelzebub was my master. They showed a clean pair of heels in the direction of Arbroath and left me to preparing my witch.
Nae ide what spooked them………..:_)
ACGR
Na they took one look at you, looked at each other and invited themselves in for some golden water.
Yoda the truth does know he.
WDM
Team for today.
CG
ML KT JS KT
SB ES
PR TR SS
LG
BALVENIEHEIGHTS
what wi smoking,eating curries and quaffing copious amounts of everything I can lay hands on for the best part of forty years,my palate is probably not the discerning sentinel of Bon viveur it once was.
But if you love that strangely medicinal taste of Laphroaig,you can match it for a score wi Ardmore
£20,Asda,and they haven’t even paid me for this. Not even in freebies.
I’m off to my bestie’s place in darkest deepest SE Essex next weekend. Good bottle of wine for his lovely missus and a bottle of the good stuff for us to get wrapped round. I dare not,but I might…
(Just remembered,he’s 6’4″,so I won’t!)
BobM, sent you a text re the asda dram. Very good but not quite Laphroaig. Great dram and a good price anaw.
MWD, they don’t drink, unless you tie them up in your basement and stick a tube doon their throats, not that I would consider such a thing.
MWD, yoda’s a pish heid. Loves a crème de menthe and coke wi a dash of asparagus. Wee green basturt so e iz.
Hates the huns anaw.
The force is with him
HT
If that tckt is still on then txt me on 07943640513….
As for Raymond Shannon61…. every now and then he speaks an incontrovertible truth… “Genius” is indeed correct!
Hail hail
Matt
PETEC 1237
Excellent and concise summation of what we face later today.
Our problems are not likely to be wearing blue,and any light of truth on that matter is trashed in our subservient media.
How dare Webb and Sutton tell it like it is,we’ll hound them out in that good old traditional way we have up here.
12.37
N. S, ????
Wrong blog
ACGR
Trust me,for a score,halfway through it you don’t care!
ACGR
:@-)
Im af lot. Goat a day of laxitivity and fasting tomorrow followed by a day with a proctologist.
The joys.
MWD
7-1
Oops that’ll be today with the laxitivity.
MWD
I’m wondering why listening to Leonard Cohen is uplifting.
Then I remember that after David Robert Jones and Robert Zimmerman he is the greatest lyricist/poet who picked up a guitar!
songsofloveandhate CSC
ACGR, the Linkwood was better than braw. Thank you!
Was left to do with Glenlivet 15 year old tonight!
BMCUWP, what’s the Asda dram?
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR
Robert Nesta Marley CSC
VFR800A8
Who knew that we would have a huge collection of albums by a Nobel Laureate?
No minny a them in a punn…
VFR800A8
I’ll mail it to you from their site. Gimme a minute.
BMCUWP, I see he’s not acknowledged it yet! I’ll be surprised if he collects it.
Got the email. Looks like I might divert to ASDA after the game then!
VFR800A8 / Hamiltontim
—-
Hi gentlemen – just reading back now (me and Wee BGFC been watching Mad Max and 13 Assassins [latter one is much recommended]).
HT – I feel terrible – hadn’t realised you had managed to locate two tickets for us. We just jumped at the first offer from BT – it was very thoughtless of me not to get back in contact with you after you said you would look.
I’m really sorry about that – ignorant of me. I’m very happy to take the two you have – you’ll have my mobile, just text or call.
HH
BGFC
DELANEYS DUNKY on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 1:08 AM
VFR
Robert Nesta Marley CSC
____________________
VFR, glad you enjoyed it. You’ll hopefully enjoy my next bottling too. We’ve used the same Oloroso cask the linkwood was in for a second fill Glenfarclas. Its been in there for about 18 months and should take both the sherry and the linkwood from the wood. No idea what this one is going to be like but I’m fair looking forward to tasting it. Hopefully have it in glass in the next few weeks. I just need to sort out the labelling and let the rest of the team deal with the logistics. The cold Carmyllie winter nights will be flying by…………..:_)
What about the Craigellachie, or have you saved that one for another time?
DELANEYS DUNKY on 23RD OCTOBER 2016 1:08 AM
VFR
Robert Nesta Marley CSC
____________________
Oops. Meant to say Leonard Cohen wi’ a doobie is a different experience than ole Bob.
So is DSOTM!
Both well worth a try!
BOBBY,
Paddy looked back to his best on Wednesday. Jamesie has been tremendous this season, I know you will be delighted like I am that he is turning it on week in week out now, Paddy Time today though. And Leigh too.
Gerrintaethem.
Hampden has been terrible for Celtic over the last few years, it is now Time to address that with a Big Statement – on the pitch obviously!!!
BIG BOOZER
HAMILTONTIM has relocated the tickets,going to a good home.
My big pal Ian W says hi.
ACGR, the Craigellachie was tanned first. Very nice, but the Linkwood was better.
Mrs VFR is asking about the 2 hippers. She thought I’d bought them. She’s very taken by the silver one and is disappointed it’s going back so you need to let me know where you got it from.
FAC the Act
KTF
PETEC
Celtic have always been known for turning things on their head.
Bad run of results-expect a kicking soon.
Hampden has been a nightmare for us recently,but I genuinely put that down to the opportunity for a ref to make decisions which can matter in a one off.
Though sometimes we were pyooooor pish anaw,so made it easy for them.
MWD, that sounds nasty bud, at the very least enjoy the fingerin.
VFR
You got a silver flask or two?
Ffs,I got a sample bottle. Bastard.
Caveat-although true,ACGR has been very very generous in his desire to improve my knowledge of whisky. But he still sent me a sample bottle,and I’m not even sure it was sterile.
VFR, I got the bullet flasks as a present a few years back. No idea where they came from but will endeavour to find out.
The Linkwood is exceptional, and my stock is running low:-(
Still waiting on one flask returning from the lurkintim. Send that bhoy home A……..he needs to be refilled and delivered to another.
BOBBY,
I hope they show them no mercy, none whatsoever. If Celtic get into a groove early they could really Terrorize them.
Hoi, winkle boy, you also got a couple of bottles. Ya chancer.
ACGR, you can get it next time you’re down
BMCUWP it’s all about class mate. :>}