Neil Lennon was right to emphasise the importance of discipline ahead of tomorrow’s game against Rangers; there must be a high probability that 22 players will not be on the field at the end. Beram Kayal in particular should expect tumbling Rangers players anywhere in the vicinity of his tackling.
Rangers’ squad is sufficiently thin that there was no chance they would allow the opportunity to appeal Elbows McCulloch’s red card to pass. McCulloch is seen as part of the problem by a lot of Rangers fans, concerned at their recent malaise, but he is as experienced on these occasions as anyone who will play tomorrow. Celtic will need to dominate him and Steven Davis if they to win the midfield battle.
It was at least three years ago Celtic Quick News prefixed McCulloch with the name ‘Elbows’. An elbow is the face is remarkably effective at asserting dominance, something McCulloch knows too well. It may be that the player’s overt physicality will be inhibited by his recent red card, just as team mate Shauny Aluko declined to tumble in the box when presented with the opportunity on Saturday after recently being out-ed as a diver.
Both teams will deploy unfamiliar central defensive partnerships, which will worry both Lennon and McCoist. Rangers’ Jelavic has looked like he wants to be elsewhere in recent weeks but it he gets an opportunity to put himself in the shop window he is likely to take it. Winning the early battles may sap his enthusiasm.
I don’t know about anyone else but I’ve written a couple of versions of my match report already but in all of them Gary Hooper and Georgios Samaras are match winners. If Celtic can win the midfield battle these two – hopefully Samaras from the wing – will win the points for Celtic.
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I see Roy Hodgson is sniffing after Hooper
HAil Hail
Awe Naw:
Shouldn’t you still be in the naughty, naughty corner. You took the pee out of a pleb who makes a living out of bad-mouthing us, you should be ashamed.
These games against the huns are weird.
There is trepidation and expectation.
Wanting the game to start, wishing it was over.
Always wanting a win, always content with a draw.
Sometimes losing even though we can be the best team by far,
or winning, when they are streets ahead of us.
Mad tackles going in without a free or Bhoys getting red or yellow
carded for nothing.
I cannot see Sammi having an off day.
He has struck a vein of rich football and will destroy the huns.
Likewise, young Forrest, althoug I fear he will be savagely kicked
around the place today. That is the price to be paid when you
are a talented player in Scotland.
mickthetic tbh it is the girlfriend who is the big rugby fan, Wasps. When I told her why I was crossing my legs she told me about Budge.
I think a Tim can be rabid, but in a nice way.:-)
Got to be a strong chance of the game getting called off tonight. Howling down here in Gourock. Wheelie bins all over the shop.
kitalba says:
28 December, 2011 at 10:12
Confessed it to the priest last night and he slapped my face for it. he told me boasting was a sin also ;-)
Hail HAil
Weather forecast for Celtic Park derby match
By: Newsroom Staff on 28 Dec, 2011 10:01
The weather for Celtic Park ahead of this evening’s Glasgow derby, as forecast at 0800, is as follows:
Frequent showers of rain, perhaps with a little hail or sleet by or soon after dusk, with some clear spells during the match.
There will be severe westerly gales with steady speeds around 40mph, which will veer a bit more northwesterly and begin to ease. There is a risk of gusts over 70mph in the afternoon but probably no more than 40 to 50mph during the match.
We advise all Celtic supporters and staff not to stand down wind of the away dressing room.
The temperature is forecast to be between three and six degrees Celsius.
I’m sure Jobo has been on earlier this morning and already said this, but it needs said again
Good morning from an extremely wet and wind battered East Kilbride.
Sorry no intention of stealing any of either Neil’s or Jobo’s THUNDER.
C’mon the Celts.
This horroble weather will suit them.
Good Morning to the Celtic Family from a very wet and very windy Central Scotland. Well the clouds are building some light rumblings have been heard from the Ibrox Direction but they are as nothing compared to tonights thunder you have been warned.Fatty McCoist coming out and saying his poundland team will win tonight is either very brave or very stupid and it depends on which team you support as to how you will see his statement, I only hope Neil pins it up in the dressing room before the game.The wild weather is an extra factor to be considered as it can be very difficult to play football in the high wind so it favours the visitors. I think we will win the match by the odd goal but the Celtic support must play there part and bring on THE THUNDER. C
jamabhoy
No worries with a bit of luck we will be 2 clear tonight.
Hail hail
Mtt
Awe_Naw:
must have been a very very old school German priest.
Mullet & Co A bit like the Poundland teams defence tonight.H.H.
Good morning from an awfully wet Paisley.
I think we are right to feel confident but as we saw from the last new years game anything can happen.
The one thing we cannot underestimate is Collum’s influence – do not doubt for a minute the cheating they will try tonight.
Hope you all had a fab Christmas.
NA
need a gift for a loved one this coming year
http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/en/index.php#/home
Kittoch –
I was only 14 minutes ahead of you…
Jobo
From the official site:
Weather forecast for Celtic Park derby match
By: Newsroom Staff on 28 Dec, 2011 10:01
The weather for Celtic Park ahead of this evening’s Glasgow derby, as forecast at 0800, is as follows:
Frequent showers of rain, perhaps with a little hail or sleet by or soon after dusk, with some clear spells during the match.
There will be severe westerly gales with steady speeds around 40mph, which will veer a bit more northwesterly and begin to ease. There is a risk of gusts over 70mph in the afternoon but probably no more than 40 to 50mph during the match.
The temperature is forecast to be between three and six degrees Celsius.
Awe Naw
I’m couple of miles from the park and it is monsoon out my back just now
Have the huns suggested that the game is called off yet? The police raised safety concerns about the high winds? Wouldn’t put anything past them.
A difficult team selection for Lenny tonight. Is James Forrest fit to play? If not it could be Scott Brown on the right. Does Joe Ledley move into midfield? If so, Matthews, if fit, could come in at left mack or Mulgrew could move over. Or Victor into midfield and Kelvin Wilson in at the back?
Difficult decisions that could make all the difference. I’m not expecting a three goal victory tonight. It will be a tense tight one with lots of stoppages to break up the play. A narrow win will do me just fine.
Horrendous conditions in East Ren, only a few nautical miles from Celtic Park…
Morning All.
Things I found out over Christmas:
For cheese lovers: Tunworth. Wow! A full flavour soft cheese without peer.
For lovers of stringed instrument lovers: A Ukulele. The perfect gift.
For Ticket office staff: Decimal points. Seems that careless use of the decimal point earlier this month by staff at the Rangers ticket office resulted in a considerable number of supporters on the drect debit scheme being charged not £42 for a ticket for tonight’s match, but £4200.00. Yip, Rangers it seems managed to overcharge some 40 or so fans by around £160,000.00. It’s an incongruous coincidence that this occurred in the same week that they were settling McIntyre’s claim for unfair dismissal.
kitalba,
cheers for the feedback on the song.Can see where you are coming from with the hue and cry number.
On a day of odd coincidences,I used to work beside Pat and Greg Kane’s dad John.Cracking character who liked an occasional swally.
At one point Pat and Greg came back from recording in Nashville and brought auld John a bottle of jack Daniels (a new tipple for John).Anyway,John asked me later if I had ever tried this “vile concoction” which was “like some medicine a fiendish doctor would precribe”.When I told him I hadn’t tasted it he said it was so bloody awful it took him nearly 2 days to drink the bottle!!
I have a friend from the dark side who is a music producer who will remaster my son’s stuff if we can lay hands on the masters.Would love to make the call to him tomorrow following a humping for his lot tonight.
Cheers
medtim
Jobo Balde
Late start this morning, are you enjoy some well earned R&R?
Does anyone actually believe that Collum will have the bottle to send off a Ratners player if he commits a shocking tackle.
I can see another difficult match with Ratners discipline disappearing faster than mince pies in a house full of teenagers
When do rainjoors need to pay hmrc the wee tax bill money that has been arrested?
TBB
That´s quite an accusation ….. and it has never been printed by the palptalk loyal ?
HAil HAil
Back in work guy opposite has returned with a cold, another five minutes and he’s getting told to blow his nose.
If everybody who has a chance is fit I’d go with
Forster
Cha Wilson Mulgrew Matthews
Forrest Kayal Wanyama Ledley Samaras
Hooper
My team for tonight.
A team based upon first winning the battle and negating the huns set piece threat.
Forster
Cha Rogne Wilson Mulgrew
Brown Kayal Wanyama Ledley Samaras
Hooper
Depending on how the game is going,we could bring on Stokes,Forrest,McCourt,Izzy etc
First win the battle,then win the game
.
I can Just Imagine Sammi’s Hair in the Blowing Winds tonight..
Probably Reminicent of that Bonnie Tyler Video..
I’m looking Out for a Hero..
Summa ft GreekGalesCSC
Awe Naw
Did you make it over this week?
The weather is horrendous in Glasgow City centre
It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if the game was called off tonight
was planning going into town for a wee pub crawl prior to the match..
doesn’t sound like a day for a pub crawl tbh….
Was in EuroChamps seat on Saturday by the press box, brilliant watching Pat Nevin squirming when we were giant Huddling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4zwCO0zVzI&feature=related
I know this was on the forum recently, but what the hell………………..
Ten Men
Not even the weather can save the Orcs.
Lots of chat about overconfidence. For me, there have only bee 2 occasions in the last 10 years or so when I was convinced Celtic would win and they didn’t – one was the game Konterman fluked a 40 yarder against us; the other was last season’s LC final.
Alternatively, there have been 2 occasions when I was convinced we would lose and we won: the 6-2 game; and the “Sammi game” – 2-0 at Mordor.
I guess what I’m saying is that these games are actually not that difficult to predict, contrary to popular wisdom.
MiB notwithstanding, we are correct to acknowledge we are the better team, and we should win…
TBB
Nope at work they laughed when a colleague requested holiday over Christmas so I didn´t even bother asking having just had a 6 week break. Contractors always are last on the list. Truth be told it was a sickness bout by permie staff that snookered me.
Looks like it will be Easter. Ah well watching Lennie clinch the treble might be a possibility
That´s quite a story the decimal point story your sitting on there !!! A good source or a rumour ?
HAil Hail
bsr@10:42
This kind of weather suits their prehistoric football
Willie the cheat will make allowances for the wet conditions thereby allowing them to boot us all over the park
.
9hrs in a Row to Go..
6-0 Sammi Hat-Trick..Ki Rocket.. Hooper Penalty..Mulgrew Free Kick..
Summa ft HighWindsHighScoreCSC