On his third appearance back after injury, James Forrest pulled-up in the dying moments of Saturday’s game clutching his hamstring. The player will be devastated but the mood was no better among those walking away from the stadium minutes later. Just as James was back and planning for what looked like an important season in his Celtic career, fundamental questions were being asked about his fitness viability.
We’ve seen this before. Shaun Maloney was forever breaking down, sometimes minutes after returning from injury. Shaun was a different type of player from James, he had a speed on the turn which made him a valuable asset, but likely contributed to his fragility.
The other pace player in the squad at the moment, Derk Boerrigter, has similarly fragile muscles. I hear the same about Aleks Tonev, currently injured. One of England’s greatest hopes of the last 20 years, Michael Owen was another member of the Fast and Fragile club. There seems to be a link between speed and injury.
There’s good news for James, and Derk too. After leaving so many regrets on the Celtic treatment table, Shaun’s limbs matured and stabilised. Michael Owen can tell a similar story, both players found their bodies vastly more robust from the middle part of their careers onwards.
James has to stick with it, continue to work on strengthening his muscles, and try to find what’s causing the problems, which can often be obscure. After a run of inexplicable injuries, AC Milan discovered that poor teeth were afflicting their athletes. Apparently your bite affects your running gate. Owen eventually found that his choice of cars (more specifically, sports clutches), was putting enough regular strain on the wrong muscles to leave him exposed to tears.
James’ and Derk’s bodies will continue to mature, to the benefit of the second half of their careers.
Not that Ronny is short of cover for James, having signed wide players Jo Inge Berget and Aleks Tonev we now have Ghanian Walaso Mubarak going through a medical.
The squad is becoming wing-heavy. It remains striker-light.
Greatest Irony
Do you know what would produce the greatest irony in sporting history? If Efe Ambrose came on as a late substitute tomorrow night, and we later discovered a rule deep in Uefa’s Articles that forfeit matches don’t count for suspensions. Forfeit matches are so rare no one will be familiar with the rules concerning them. Should we check? Oh yes.
James Alexander Gordon
It was the way he told them. Every week the man would uniquely intone the football results, you knew the outcome of each game, home win, away win or draw, before he read second number.
Maestro Match
Really delighted Celtic FC Foundation have nominated Unicef and War Child as their beneficiaries from the Maestro match next month, where we will “assist in their humanitarian work in a number of current Middle East countries”.
Foundation cheif exec, Tony Hamilton, said, “From our living rooms we have all witnessed some of the terrible vivid horror of conflict in recent days and the particular effects that these events have had on children.
“The work of UNICEF and War Child takes no sides but simply cares for all the innocent victims of conflict on a humanitarian level. The match in September will bring together some great names in football who want to make a difference.
“We hope as many supporters as possible can join us to assist children and their families who so desperately need our help.”
I know Celtic fans will want to support this enormously important cause. Read more and book tickets here.
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McCourt For 7
Anthony Stokes has played 20 times in Europe for Celtic and scored 2 goals.
Both scored in 2011/12 season.
He is however a man in form as is Berget . I prefer to see players in form play. I would probably play the same team as Saturday.
LB
Mc Court for 7
No Izzy at left back folks !!!
Stick Mulgrew in there and put Commons in midfield to play off Stokes and Berget. Kayal will play at some point, maybe from the start.
Looking forward to it now.
Ha!!
Is there a game tonight? Rather a big one in Celtic’s season?
Just wondering like…..
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon ….The angels are with Wee Oscar in Heaven.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
10:05 on 20 August, 2014
natknow
09:57 on 20 August, 2014
LiviBhoy
09:53 on 20 August, 2014
The irony is that the bending of the rules eventually lead to the demise of derhun ….so, don’t be too hard on the SFA….!!!!!!!!
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Fair point dude! You are encouraging me to engage the rational part of my mind! The press fall into this category too. Where would we be without liars like Keevins etc.? :-)
TET
If you’re lurking thanks for the info re. my question about Malaga. Sorry for the late reply; was, as they say in these here parts, ‘aff oot’ for much of the day yesterday.
New bestest ever new lucky socks – Check :))))
Let the people sing-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&feature=related&v=zhkdy0AOpaM -Check
Mon the Hoops
I would be delighted with a draw tonight, just stay in the tie till we get them to Parkhead where magical things happen.
The scoddish media are going to be totally sickened if we knock Maribor out.
CL millions and Celtic being at the top table, is warping their wee bigoted minds to the extreme.
They are seriously hurting, their new club is a digrace to football, while Celtic are in the mix at cl level.
I hope we can march on, and send a huge girfuy to all those nasty huns.
Mon the hoops.
HH
Token Tim
There is indeed. I don’t get the perennial whingers myself. You’d think they would be caught up in the excitement of it all but appears not. A strange kind of mindset…..
Another Legia away performance and they can fill their boots. I might even join them for a rant but Im hoping for a Celtic win tonight.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
10:03 on 20 August, 2014
NatKnow,
Yes – Dundee United caught us out a few times early on. A mixture of slack defending a good counter attacking football really.
According to the press this morning Ambrose is eligible to play. He could slot in alongside Virgil, or continue at right back with Lustig or Mulgrew in the middle.
I think Ronny sees Denayer as a starter though. He has great potential and he might just want to test him in Europe. It would be a gamble – great management if it comes off.
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Given his performance at the weekend you’d imagine RD does see Denayer as a first-pick. Just makes me nervous when I’ve seen so little of him. But as always, I am happy to let the manager do his job and I’ll trust his judgement.
Yesterday I posted about how every time I call Stokes crap, he scores or assists.
In case I neglect my ritual later on, I will get this out the way early:
You are utter crap, Stokes. Waste of a jersey!
Early goal please Anthony. I fulfilled my part of the bargain.
Ernie
I’ll stick with the FACTS thanks rather than the pro Union media.
But shoot yourself in the foot away! It’s fun to watch.
MWD says AYE
The Green Man
10:21 on 20 August, 2014
The scoddish media are going to be totally sickened if we knock Maribor out.
CL millions and Celtic being at the top table, is warping their wee bigoted minds to the extreme.
They are seriously hurting, their new club is a digrace to football, while Celtic are in the mix at cl level.
I hope we can march on, and send a huge girfuy to all those nasty huns.
Mon the hoops.
HH
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So true! Years of anti-Celtic bias in the press but I can’t ever remembering them wetting their knickers so much as they have over the Legia nonsense. This story should have been presented from the angle of a Scottish club maybe in/maybe out of the CL on the basis of a tenuous claim by a foreign club. But naw. They make themselves cheerleaders for another nation’s football club. You could hear the supressed glee in their voices as they breathlessly waited to report at each stage. The worst for me was the CAS nonsense. On the Johnny Beattie show on RS at lunchtime they had soemone from the posrts dept. stating that it was up to CAS to decide on the issue. Utter nonsense. They’re either incompetent or they are blatant liars.
big wavy
10:22 on 20 August, 2014
Token Tim
There is indeed. I don’t get the perennial whingers myself. You’d think they would be caught up in the excitement of it all but appears not. A strange kind of mindset…..
Another Legia away performance and they can fill their boots. I might even join them for a rant but Im hoping for a Celtic win tonight.
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The constant drips used to irk me. But it’s the same ole same ole so now I scroll past.
big wavy
Another LW away performance would be unacceptable and questions would have to be asked.
Even at this early stage of the season reputations across the board are on the line,
we were taught a harsh lesson, let us hope we have learned from it.
However I’m confident that valuable lessons will have been learned and we will maintain focus for the full 90+ minutes.
HH.
I too worry about a serious lack of pace in some of the suggested line ups on here today.
I’d play the following
Gordon
Ambrose (RB)
Lustig
VVD
Mulgrew
McGregor
Biton
Kayal
Johannsen
Derk
Berget
I think Berget is probably the best option up top. He’s fast, makes good runs and is bigger than Stokes or Griffiths so the ball is more likely to stick.
If we don’t play pace we can’t play on the counter attack so we might as well go with a proper attacking team
Gordon
Lustig
Denayer
VVD
Mulgrew
McGregor
Johannsen
Biton
Berget
Commons
Griffiths
NatKnow
On the money with regards to the media.
KLV
Some people can’t function without negativity because bringing down others makes them feel better.
Sad fact.
Syd Negakev
Sad but true.
KLV
With Matthews definitely out I wouldn’t be surprised to see Efe slotting in at right back again.
Denayer too good to leave out.
A wee risk in defence.
Stick him mid or up front.
Maybe he`ll do a John McNamee.
See if we’re rubbish tonight there’s a good chance we’ll no win.
See if we’re awfy good I think we can win.
Bleedingobvious csc :)
test
Will this be Craig Anthony Gordon’s first participation in the Champs League?
COME ON YOU BHOYS IN GREEN!!!
HT,
Aye probably.
What about lustig? Was he injured or rested?
I’d play Efe at right back and Lustig in front of him on the right of a 5 man midfield.
Give Berget a start as the lone front man.
Come on Celtic give us something to cling to for the second leg.
Looking at the results in the CL qualifiers last night. 2 draws and 3 games won by a one goal margin – one away and two home victories.
I’ll settle for any of those.
Natknow,
With us? Aye. Of course;)
He played a couply rounds of qualifiers with hertz back in the day v
Big Wavy,
I concur. Although I do think that we would all be entitled to a whinge or maon should another Legia away-esque performance happen!
I dont think it will, but I do hope we keep it tight tonight. No need for gung-ho tactics. Strong defence and midfied required. I hope that unlike LW we keep the ball and take the sting out of the game.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
HT,
Your talents are wasted :)
Sounds like a plan.
I think Craig Gordon played for Hearts in 2006/2007.
Could be wrong though,as the ties were played at around the time of his move.
Geordie Munro
10:46 on 20 August, 2014
Natknow,
With us? Aye. Of course;)
He played a couply rounds of qualifiers with hertz back in the day v
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Aye – but they don’t count, eh? ;-))))
NatKnow
Played for Hearts in CL qualifier.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5255984.stm
LB
A narrow win, a draw or even a narrow defeat tonight would be acceptable to me.
A big win would be the icing on the cherry of course.
Come on you hoops.
Sicken the SMSM and give all the moaning minnies nothing to complain about.
BMCUW/Livibhoy – cheers!
BMCUW
My addled ole bonce thinks it remembers Craig Gordon playing against AEK Athens.
Hamiltontim
10:45 on 20 August, 2014
I’d play Efe at right back and Lustig in front of him on the right of a 5 man midfield.
Give Berget a start as the lone front man.
Come on Celtic give us something to cling to for the second leg.
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I’m a bit undecided about the lineup etc but would like a focus primarily on defence to start with. Strongly agree with that final remark though!!!