Alistair Johnston sounded bullish about his chances of recovering from Tuesday’s hip injury in time for the League Cup Final. That aside, Brendan Rodgers has a full squad to choose from.
The only potential change from the starting 11 in Zagreb would be Arne Engels for Paulo Bernardo. Paulo was a big player against Newco last season, including at Hampden, so you have to fancy he will get the nod.
We know what to expect from Newco. They will get the ball forward early and push wide. Celtic usually win these games because with Daizen Maeda and Greg Taylor on the left, with (now) Nicolas Kuhn and Alistair Johnston on the right, we have the speed and talent to cover and breakdown their attacks.
Reo Hatate is key to the middle of the park. He has the strength to hold off his man, turn and draw in another. That opens space in front of the ball for Celtic to create a chance. He is a player at the peak of his talent; Sunday is an occasion made for him. Expect a rebound from Tuesday.
The last time we lost to Newco at Hampden was the 2022 Scottish Cup semifinal, Celtic had a week to prepare and Newco had played a Europa Cup quarterfinal three days earlier. We assumed Celtic would be fresher but they inexplicably wilted as the game wore on and lost in extra-time.
That was then. Now, we have had an extra two days’ rest and should be far fresher than the opposition on Sunday. With Forrest, Idah, Engels (or Bernardo), McCowan and Valle all capable of bringing fresh momentum, we have a significantly stronger bench and should be able to kick on from the 70 minute mark.
Newco will be buoyed by their performance against Tottenham last night. Their press stopped Spurs’ ability to build a cohesive attack. They will inevitably deploy the same strategy at Hampden. Tottenham were a bit like Celtic on Tuesday; bereft of patience in the middle of the park, while trying to create openings with low percentage passing.
I believe Celtic are a better side than Tottenham, we will see on Sunday. And, oh Ange! What have you put your name to? That performance had Bodo/Glimt written all over it.
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Setting Free The Bears
Taking our current form and their current form into account, we have a cup final that is in the balance. When we hammered Aberdeen in the semi final the huns were ready to just hand the trophy over there and then, sack their manager and bin most of their team. In the space of a few short weeks, they have hit some form and found a striker that can take chances.
In recent games, our saving grace has been the opposition missing several gilt-edged chances while we bury ours. Time to rediscover the semi final form.If we get an early goal, all the ghosts of Christmas past will return to haunt them.
“Reo Hatate is key to the middle of the park. He has the strength to hold off his man, turn and draw in another.”
I haven’t seen that Reo Hatate for quite some time. He more often loses possession when he tries this lately.
I see Paul is making the same mistake as me by thinking Luke is available for this game.
Aye
Group C: Portugal/Denmark (loser), Greece, SCOTLAND, Belarus.
Group F: Portugal/Denmark (winner), Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia.
The Huns pressed us quite successfully at the start of the match in September but that quickly fell away the first time we played out and cut them open. I suspect we’ll see something similar on Sunday. Sooner or later they’ll bunk in.
The result last night will do no harm – it may help temper expectations and allow us to be more patient.
Score twice and we win.
A worthy repost
Hi Celts.
I spoke to Shirley,Tonys(sftb)wife there,arrangements are finalised for Dec 18th at 1pm at Linn Crematorium,thereafter at kings Park Hotel 2pm-ish for a cup of tea.
If you wish to email Tonys family with any pictures,tales or anecdotes of Settingfreethebears please do so to-
martin_gillespie@icloud.com
With thanks in advance AT.
Hail Hail
Paul 67 et al,
I also believe that Celtic are a better side than Spurs by what I have watched.
But what a giant statement that is. Spurs team are valued by Forbes at £2.6 billion.
What a great testimony to our signings, training and strategy.
We can measure like for like courtesy of the new much improved Champions League Format.
Im still pi@@ed off that we didn’t grab all 3 points during the week. However that is another tribute to our progress that we are unhappy with an away point in the CL.
Sunday will take care of itself, however we know we are in good hands.
HH.
RIP Tony
McCowan …oops
AJ not training?
i am not buying that we are “off form”.
Every game in November was different in some degree from the one before.
Weather, the other teams actual tactics, international travel.
Sure some individual players hit personal peak form, and then shade off a bit, but we cannot insist on the one hand that we use the squad, and then complain we were not as good as a week before.
When we click (aberdeen/leipzig) something really special happens.
But even in those games that we do not fully operate we still find somethiing in the tool bag to win the games.
Unleash Maeda and Kuhn.
Instruct them both to use the overlapping full back swiftly and in space, do it , it works.
I watched the huns game. Sure fast going forward, they broke with purpose, but even hibs at celtic park can do that if you give them the ball.
That spurs defence btw. If you did not know what league they play in, you could never have guessed they are EPL level. CCV, Trust, Scales AJ could all imrpove that team.
——————-
anyways, what happened the last time we were at Hampden. Just turn up Celtic match up the physicals (which we do nowadays) and play our game not theirs.
In Brendan I trust.
———————–
Kuhn and Maeda were simply unplayable at times, although Aberdeen will feel they could have done better in spells.
Maeda’s relentless penetrating runs gave Aberdeen right-back Nicky Devlin a torrid evening and his run and set-up play for Kyogo’s goal was breathtaking.
German winger Kuhn, meanwhile, showed immense quality with line-breaking passes and a stunning run in the lead-up to Maeda’s second. Kuhn’s thumping finish for Celtic’s fifth capped a superb performance.
Johnny Kenny scored 2,made 1 for Shamrock Rovers in Conference League last night, coming back in January
Make Rangers Greet Again
https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/video/0294-1c8e450e333a-e0c6cddf1ace-1000–conference-league-top-scorer-all-of-johnny-kenny-s-goals/
his finishes are good, all different, but dearie me those defenders.
i do not know he would get a game for us. leave him there and let the rovers march on.
SS- We need another striker, be it Kenny, Cummings, or a new signing
we have Kyogo, Adam, Maeda, James, Kuhn, Yang and even Palma. 7 into 3 FORWARD positions.
we have scored in every domestic game, averaging 3 a match,
we have scored 10 in europe , for the first time i think.
another wide forward or middle forward is just not a priority, unless 2 or more leave.
imho.
SS- How many strikers in there? Thankfully we have had few injuries so far…..
For now, I think Brendan has settled for Maeda as his back up striker as he has James, Kuhn, Yang and Palma for the two wide spots if Maeda has to move to the centre.
Saying that, Kenny deserves a chance to see if he can step up. No harm in giving him a few run outs in games that we are winning comfortably. At some point or another Kyogo is going to get his shoulder operated on. That decision could be taken out of Celtic’s hands on any given week with one awkward fall.
strikers , they all are.
but they are either wide forwards or centre forwards. mix and match perm any 3 at anytime, all capable of scoring or creating.
another centre striker would be a waste of money just now.
Better than better than Brendan’s invincibles after 14 games
and improved in the CL
SS- So you would be happy with Kuhn through the middle, a la Mikey Johnston……not for me…
Bernardo defo for 90 minutes as well, Reo I’m afraid is unable to hold off his marker and make the necessary contribution, he needs space and he needs to get his head up, they were very physcial in midfield last night we need to win the midfield battle then play, do that we win.
!!Bada Bing!! on 13th December 2024 1:37 pm
SS- So you would be happy with Kuhn through the middle, a la Mikey Johnston……not for me…
we are far away from that, but he is a far better player than MJ, so maybe he could play there.
I dont think Johnny or Daniel (yet) bring anything better.
I am also happy we never ever did pursue Shankland, and I dont see around the league anyone near as good as what we already have.
Never understood why r2ngers didn’t pay 500k for Shankland while he was at Ayr Utd a few years back. He was more than capable of scoring plenty goals in the SPFL. He’s past it now.
I see Man City turnover 712 million …what struck me was commercial revenue. 344 million !!!!
My God that PL is a monster ……wages btw 412 million !!!
Thought Spurs opponents tired in the latter part of their EL away game last night, a match which didn’t finish until around 10pm I am to understand. Then again no team or player can play at ‘the peak of their power’s all of the time, not even Reo Hatate. Still we have had to play a fair few games lately and generally speaking have got ourselves more, (or less if your outlook tends to the negative) where we might hope to be at this point in the season. Either way a Cup Final awaits on Sunday one where if we play at or close to our best we could very well win. Allons Y
Got to say, Bernardo is undropable for Sunday. he has shown so so much, where Arne has not. Don’t doubt he will be a Celtic great one day, but for me, not ready.
Midfield for Sunday would be CalMac, Bernardo with either Hatate or McCowan, no problem with either of them and don’t forget, wee Luke not a rainjurx fan !!!
KINGLuBP
AJ declared fit.
Luke is cup tied.
When I watched young Kenny last night, I felt he reminded me of Gary Hooper. That 2nd goal last night was fantastic, no matter the opposition. The timing of the run and the little dink over the keeper, where have we seen that before:))) I think he deserves the chance to come back in December and show on the Scottish stage. I mean how many of us felt that Liam Scales was going to come back from the Dons and be the player he is now. We haven’t been very prolific in our signing of another striker as a fill in over the last 10 years or so, so give the Bhoy a chance. If we are going to take young talent from Ireland and Scotland, they have to be given a chance to at least prove their worth.
Just my tuppence worth.
Hail Hail and Happy Friday or as i call it in my class, Happy McBriday as I try to do as little as possible.
Sean
Watched 1st half of the Spurs game last night , first time I’ve seen them under Ange. If this was there 1st 11 then I’d be very worried for them , commitment issues all over the park , remember Werner for Leipzig against us at home , he just hung about the wing did nothing except tap in a present.
Lots of effort from the Huns expect much of the same along similar lines to last years Cup Final , as they defended on mass and crept out for the odd breakaway in the 2nd half.
I suspect Big Baldy will play Hagi and Danilo so effectively having a bunch of sand dancers up front …. our wingers are due a good 90 minutes , against pretty mediocre full backs , so comfortable 3-0 win for me , with a couple of the Hun getting stretched off ,as they’ll have again brought back players too quickly from injury , Yilmaz and Danilo would be my favoured casualties, also expecting the law of averages to catch up with Diamondi (?) and he will see red , as he thinks he can assault out bhoys with impunity.
HH
3 year extension with Dafabet as shirt sponsor
I’d have put money on that !!BADA BING!!