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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Fred C. Dobbs 11:41 on 20 August, 2014
“Other than catering what has Murrayfield ever done for us? :O).”
Granted. That’s a good shout…
Geordie Munro,
Ok, other than catering, Policing and Stewarding…what has Murrayfield ever done for us?
MontypythonCSC.
NatKnow 11:43 on 20 August, 2014
“The food was good quality, however the queues put me off. Maybe they didn’t realise how many people would be getting their dinner at the game! One thing that did completely hack me off was that I was unable to buy a bottle of water.”
Aye. The water thing annoys me in general. I don’t like ginger and there rarely seems to be water on sale at football games.
Steinreignedsupreme
11:44 on
20 August, 2014
I am totally relaxed about the game tonight given the circumstances around our participation.
———-
I’m the opposite ! I think there’s a lot of people just waiting to gloat should we fall short again. A good away performance with rhe right result will go a long way to putting Legiagate to bed and of course, sicken the huns.
Fred C. Dobbs
11:51 on 20 August, 2014
Geordie Munro,
Ok, other than catering, Policing and Stewarding…what has Murrayfield ever done for us?
MontypythonCSC.
———————————————————-
I thought the seating offered an excellent view…
I’m just trying to picture it Celtic going to the SPFL an sayin ho! We’re tired any chance a break next weekend, hahahahahahaha aye right, ;)
beatbhoy
I think for an away match in Europe the defence and midfield have to be compact.
The midfield should be no more that 10 feet in front of the backline.
2 in the middle means that we have 2 then 2 then 1 for any oponent to get through before getting a free crack at goal.
Playing a sweeper is in my mind due to the number of red cards we have had in Europe and the number of penalties we have given away. Hopefully less chance of a clear goal scoring opportunity with a sweeper which resulted in Efe’s red card.
The pitfall is that you defend deeper and that can cause it’s own issues.
Ronny is better positioned than me to make the call but I like to have a stab at the line up for these games and put my thoughts out there so that in the unlikely event I am right and we get a good result I can come on tomorrow and say…..
Told yeez!!!!!
LB
I have been in many stadiums around the world, and in my opinion Murryfield is one of the best I’ve been in, as I said only my opinion.
TONYDONNELLY
I think we should keep Declan under wraps till after the window,mate.
Don’t want the big clubs sniffing about.
You know it makes sense. Which is unusual for me….
I think we’ve used our postponement card vThistle as pitch wasn’t ready yet.
Steinreignedsupreme
They did have water fountains which are a good idea. I’m sure I saw a baptism taking place before the Icelandic match but it may have been a wean who was just roasting!
LB
Captain Beefheart 11:45 on 20 August, 2014
“Yeah, we need to eliminate the Slovenians. More loser talk about the EL. That would be a disaster and humiliation which would attract me to the idea of chopping off the UFH and replacing it with a new hand.”
Morning captain.
I see you are your usual-non-confrontational-self this morning…
NatKnow,
Ok, other than…New article please Paul67.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Roll n cheese roll n gammon. Same cardboard box sold them going to the game on the train and coming back on the train. What happened to the cardboard box in between? Phone the Environmental Health!
I would be nervous in Celtic were about to okay tiddlywinks. It just means so/too much to me.
Champions League tiddlywinks, still more so.
HH jamesgang
Livibhoy
And if you’re wrong, and it’s a bad result, it won’t be you who’s getting the flak on here anyway!
Cannae lose!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28743834
Vote Yes
beatbhoy
I can take the flak. Doesn’t bother me.
I would prefer a positive result everyday of the week and flak on here for being wrong.
That’ll do me!
LB
WILLIAMKENTIGERN67
They’d have been cool wi it,mate.
It was only thaim feeenyuns,guid enuff fer thum.
And to be fair,they were!
Catman are you lurking?
Last week you said we were looking at three players (Tonev, Bo Kyung Kim and Steven Fletcher).
We have since signed Tonev and Welsh media saying we are in for Bo.
Any other updates?
Oops, offski, wee maw needs ur washin hung oot, bbl.;)
GM
Could smoke in the stadium and fight wi Legia fans and naebody bothered you. ;)
tonydonnelly67 11:53 on 20 August, 2014
“I’m just trying to picture it Celtic going to the SPFL an sayin ho! We’re tired any chance a break next weekend, hahahahahahaha aye right, ;)”
Celtic can do if they wish. Any SP club wishing to cancel on fixture in the first half of the season is allowed to do so.
One allowed in the second half of the season as well.
What if we do get through
and we are drawn against:
Barcelona
Benfica
AC Milan
B-/
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
11:43 on 20 August, 2014
STEINREIGNEDSUPREME
If it isnae a spam roll fae a cardboard box,forget it.
I’m a traditionalist.
My mrs
Works in the royal
One of her old patients
Says she was chokin for a roll n spam
Takes me back
HH
LiviBhoy 11:56 on 20 August, 2014
“They did have water fountains which are a good idea. I’m sure I saw a baptism taking place before the Icelandic match but it may have been a wean who was just roasting!”
It was hot that night right enough…
TONYDONNELLY
Good man.
Mind,she must be fit as a fiddle now she’s chucked the fags.
Nae excuse for not putting her own washing out!
Trying to stay calm about tonights game but can’t! Nerves are kicking in.
If somebody had said to me a year ago that we would have to beat Maribor to reach the group stages I would think great. Unfortunately after the start we have had to the season I don’t what team is going to turn up.
Hopefully last weekend was a turning point and we are on our way up.
COYBIG
HH
WEETWEETWEET
Poor love,she must have been hallucinating!
Timabhouy
11:59 on 20 August, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28743834
Vote Yes
_______
I’ve ‘never’ voted for anybody in my life, but if voting yes, ultimately frees ole Ireland then, it’ll be – YES – for me.
Stood in the Jungle and sang songs that ole Ireland would be free – one day – for almost 2 decades. So, if marking a voting card with a pen, achieves this – consider it done!
F#CK the Butchers Apron – CSC
Bye.
LB
Yeah, no amount of flak can dispel the warm glow of a Hoops victory, or, in the case of tonight, a draw, especially a scoring one.
Ok ,I’ll bite.
How does a vote for an independent Scotland translate to an ultimately free Ireland?
Re. the question of having a break after a big game, did we not miss out on the first round of league games for some reason? So is that our quota for this part of the season?
I honestly believe we will take something from the game, most probably a score draw, Legia imo came a few weeks too early for RD to fully grasp the squad he poorly inherited , the same mistake wont happen again!!! Sit tight play with the head up ,work off the ball to find space and hit on the break in numbers ….piece o pish!!!HH
Stein, afternoon.
Thankfully all will be fine.
Our do gooders/Legia defenders can enjoy Coronation Street tonight. Word reaches me that Fizz and Norris are going to make sweet love in a nudist beach.
Us supporters of rules can enjoy watching the Tims.
DD,
I seen that neebs. Folks getting a fag without being lifted.
ok, maybe not Milan, think they finished 8th or somethin
An Dun 11:52 on 20 August, 2014
I am not saying I want Celtic to lose. I am relaxed about the game though.
As for the Zombies, with and without laptops, they are constantly upset regardless of what Celtic does.