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Fresh Celtic should have advantage over excuse maker

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  3. Greenpinata on

    Police investigatng a Celtic flag and treating it as a hate crime.

     

    The flag was reported to plod by the Orange Order.

     

     

    Its not the 1st of the 4th, is it ?

  4. Turkeybhoy on

    This great run of form that they are on !!!!!!!.I must have missed that.St Johnstone,Kilmarnock R .County etc.Every game apart from a performance against a dire Killie,hailed as rubbish by their own support.They are crap.One display last night changes nothing.Next game counts.We showed amazing brilliance in the Semi,against the Dons,but have not replicated it.Happens.

     

    Nothing has changed for me about Sunday.We are far superior which we have shown already this season.Champagne bought today and in Fridge.

  5. BelmontBrian on

    Nite all

     

     

    A single tune tonight, an absolute classic.

     

     

    Michael McDonald on harmony vocals and Christopher Cross on guitar.

     

     

    Mr Cross was / is an amazing guitarist.

     

     

    Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald – Ride Like The Wind (Live)

     

     

    https://youtu.be/51djbQEEX40?si=gRrzgxtefevXtPZ1

     

     

    Nite y’all.

     

     

    Stay classy.

     

     

    Tell your friends, they’ll like it

     

     

    It’s good to be a Tim.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    SFTB.

     

     

    RIP.

  8. Prestonpans bhoys on

    Turkeybhoy on 13th December 2024 8:00 pm

     

     

     

    🎯🎯🎯

     

     

    Moreover last night’s game a team was savaged by injury and it wasn’t the huns!

  9. Turkeybhoy on

    Greenpinta,

     

    A “Hate crime” against a mob who walk the streets spewing hate on countless occasions.Raw sectarianism oozing from them.

     

    Anyway,they are not a proscribed religion or race.They are an organization.Would a hate crime include,I hate the KKK,the Nazi party,Al, Quaeda,any proscribed terrorist group?.

     

    As Jim Spence said today about the bile spewing from the stands last night,” The football authorities in Scotland do nothing except join in.

  10. Turkeybhoy on

    Brendan superb today at PC.He is a diamond.Far too bright for the slack jawed scum lovers asking the questions.

     

    When asked about overtaking them in the Trophy count,”No that does not bother us,we just want to win.We won’t go telling everybody about it”Ouch !!!

  11. Turkeybhoy on

    Clements,telling his players “not to bother with Celtic mind games,and not to be drawn into their dark arts.”

     

    Oh FFS.

  14. An Dún on

    The Huns bench is nowhere near as strong as ours. Idah, Forrest, Engels, Valle will all probably come on. Their bench is nowhere near that level.

     

     

    We may need to be patient but I’d strongly fancy us should we be going into the last 20 mins all level.

  15. bigrailroadblues on

    Las Palmas is a nice city. Small doll went to the market in the old town and I found a great wee bar just beside it. It’s a talent I have honed to perfection over the years.

  16. Turkeybhoy on

    Scum vomiting bile on the Spurs fans that attended their cesspit last night.Pure venom.

     

    Should enamour them even more to normal people.More people not liking them,but they dont care.

     

    Well except for the Orangemen.

  18. An Tearmann on

    Greenpinata on 13th December 2024 7:57 pm

     

    Police investigatng a Celtic flag and treating it as a hate crime.

     

     

    The flag was reported to plod by the Orange Order.

     

     

    Its not the 1st of the 4th, is it ?

     

     

    ===========

     

    Gp do you have a link to this? Or where this tale is sourced rekkkord etc? Thanks

     

     

    HH

  19. garygillespieshamstring on

    AT

     

     

    The banner was actually in the Hibs end and had a hearts emblem on an Irish flag with “we will be mastered by no o……, b……. printed on it.

     

     

    So not a Celtic flag at all.

  20. garygillespieshamstring on

    How’re the OO have made a complaint about it.

     

     

    They had already complained about another bannerin the hibs support thst featured an image of a guy spotting an orange sash and bowler hat with a red line through it.

  24. Turkeybhoy on

    Is it just me ?

     

    Fact and Police forces the length and breadth of England,launched a massive crackdown on the illegal use of Firesticks across the country.

     

    After a week long raid on hundreds of premises and dwellings,POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A MAN AND RECOVERED A COUPLE OF DEVICES AND SENT THEM TO FORENSICS FOR TESTS.

     

    Dear God.

     

     

     

    No Police from Scotland involved.Seems they had their hands full dealing with a reported” Hate crime”

  26. clunks on

    huns still singing all the outlawed songs??

     

     

    Sunday would be a good time to revisit the legality of them

  27. Greenpinata on

    Clunks,

     

     

    Normally dont watch the hun games.

     

    However, since we play them on Sunday in a cup final i tuned in from the comfort of my living room

     

     

    How embarrassing and totally sad hearing them sing about the UVF in a European football game.

     

     

    HH.

  37. !!Bada Bing!! on

    I’m quite calm that Brendan and Callum can bring the League Cup back to Celtic Park on Sunday

  40. Maestro on

    .massive boost the news that AJ is fit 💪 2.0 Celtic we all know the best eleven and if we turn up we win.

     

     

    👍🍀

  41. Maestro on

    Plenty of pints of Schadenfreude when we surpass there fictitious most successful club in the world claim also incoming.

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