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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Somewhat nervous at the moment – “impatient for the coming fight” as it were. My heart tells me we will win well but my head tells me it will be difficult.
Big Vic has to play midfield
Come on Celtic – top of the league for new year.
TBB
Morning, old thing.
That snippet about the decimal points … did that really happen, and if so, have those affected had their money back?
I hate to run the risk of meeting Godwin’s Law this early in the day, but good Lord. How far away can we be from a bloodless Operation Walküre at the Brox? They could call it the 12 July Plot.
And why have Scotland’s finest journalists had nary a sniff of this?
Got pulled over by the police last night and ordered to get out of my car. ‘You’re staggering’, said the officer. ‘You’re not a bad looking fecker yourself’ i replied.
We could see a air few sliding challenges from McCulloch and co tonight – and the ref will make allowances for the conditions, of course.
We will do well to get out of this game without any new injuries
hoawd a dawd
rain just stopped wind gone in cambuslang
I kid you not
The monsoon rain has stopped and it is now very bright over Glasgow city centre
weatherupdatecsc
Ofcourse this match will be a hard fought affair,…they want to win this as much as we do!
We must start at 100mph and quickly take theyre heart from them..I do think we will prevail 3-1…but everyone needs to be mentally sharp and focused for the fight tonight..Hard work and bags full of endeavour required!
Can’t wait!
TBB
Put that ukelele down and share some more information, mhan.
The Battered Bunnet
Re the ticket staff story, I received a bill from my energy supplier for circa £48,000 earlier this year. While alarming at the time I knew it was an error. The trouble I had trying to stop them applying for the direct debit was incredible. it goes without saying that the bank would have rejected the payment and I was concerned that I would then be charged a fee. Managed to sort it but it took the usual 60 minutes on the phone to various call centres.
Dark with a howling gale and very heavy rain in West Lothian.
I go window cleaning to earn an honest bob.
For a nosey parker it’s an interesting job
Now it’s a job that just suits me, a window cleaner you will be.
If you could see what I can see
When I’m cleaning windows.
The honeymooning couples too, you should see them bill and coo.
You’d be surprised at things they do
When I’m cleaning windows.
In my profession I work hard, but I’ll never stop.
I’ll climb this blinking ladder ‘‘til I get right to the top.
The blushing bride she looks divine, the bridegroom he is doing fine
I’d rather have his job than mine
When I’m cleaning windows.
The chambermaid sweet names I call, it’s a wonder I don’t fall.
My minds not on my work at all
When I’m cleaning windows
I know a fellow such a swell, he has a thirst it’s plain to tell.
I’ve seen him drink his bath as well
When I’m cleaning windows
In my profession I work hard, but I’ll never stop.
I’ll climb this blinking ladder ‘til I get right to the top.
Pyjamas lying side by side, ladies nighties I have spied.
I’ve often seen what goes inside, when I’m cleaning windows.
There’s a famous talkie queen, looks a flapper on the screen.
She’s more like eighty than eighteen
When I’m cleaning windows.
She pulls her hair all down behind, then pulls down her, never mind
After that pulls down the blind
When I’m cleaning windows.
In my profession I work hard, but I’ll never stop.
I’ll climb this blinking ladder ‘til I get right to the top.
At eight o’clock a girl she wakes, at five past eight a bath she takes.
When I’m cleaning windows.
Danny Boyle
I have had a bill like that too and this is precisely why I don’t allow them the direct debit. When I phoned to complain, the woman didn’t even apologise, which I thought was even worse. Imagine that had come out on a direct debit and it had prevented me from buying food for my children. I would have had one of Scotland’s finest lawyers on their hin end before they could blink. And if he was unavailable, I’d have settled for Blindlemonchitlin.
We have plenty of players who can look after themselves, Big Vic, Scott Brown, Joe the Dragon, Beram Kayal, Cha, Charlie Mulgrew, I for one will be happy if elbows plays as he is a totally diddy…
Nothing to fear from the orcs, their lack of discipline will shine through tonight, an average team led by the pilsbury dough boy.
Get in amongst them Celtic..
HH one and all.. In work at minute.. Glasgow was sleepy early today.. Tonight I m taking the oldest of my Bhoys to his first Game v them.. Funny I m nervous about walking in the street with my son.. How sad is that…. Re the match.. There s a great quote from an American football coach.. He said if you all do your jobs correctly and prepare the ” score will take care of itself”..
The logic I grasp BUT he s never experienced the referees of Scotland!
Play our game and don’t get sucked in to a fight.. A final request.. Can police please for once do the decent thing and let traffic flow away from stadium.. It could be so much better..
Hail hail and keep the ball on the deck Bhoys!
CommonsensetrafficflowCSC…
miserable in Bonnybridge!
Awe Naw, Celtic_First
The story is gen up, from an unfortunate debitee. I was mildly suprised he had that amount of cash in the account in the first place…
Of course the banking industry guarantee means these things are corrected – once noticed – but the cash isn’t credited for 4 days, and the hassle of cancelling a card and getting a replacement was an inconvenience to the poor chap to say the least.
”You always get a physical approach from Rangers,” said Lennon yesterday. ”I’m not saying they won’t play any football and just lump it. But they will be very competitive, I’m sure.”
Well done to the caller on Clyde last night who pointed out the worry about Willie Gollum.
Somebody also posted recently that they had evidence on Collum. Evidence of what?
I’d say looking the wrong way at a penalty incident and awarding it based on a player falling is evidence enough but any other evidence would add to our case.
I think he may add to the evidence tonight. The artist formerly known as Willie Collum now known as REferee Willie Collum, Principal Teacher of RE at Cardinal Newmans… whats it to be, a penalty? A Celtic player sent off for two innocuous challenges? numerous fouls going unpunished by men in blue?
We would be as well getting told now so that we can prepare
McCoist would take your fingers off right now for a draw. Lenny would be most upset with only 1 point. We are better. We just need to play and prove it.
The ref will will dismiss a hoops player at the first opportunity. He will dismiss an orc only if he has already sent off a tic player or it is so clear cut even he cannot avoid it.
Broadfoot Whittaker and Bartley are all hopeless and are there for the taking. If Hooper, Sammy and Forrest are on song there are goals aplenty for us tonight.
McCulloch is pedestrian but will niggle away all night. We need to keep 11 men on and stay disciplined.
Likely we will concede though. Even if we concede twice I think we will win.
An O’Neill style 6-2 is not beyond hope.
I have played it cautious as these games tend to be tight a lot of the times, so I have done 5-2 and 6-1 at 175/1 and 375/1. I could be doing with a week in the sunshine, and it would be nice if it was paid for courtesy of a h*n hammering.
TBB
Oh yeah I have been there before know all about the hassle but how long did this particular issue take to be noticed ?
Hail Hail
Celtic_First
The response I receieved was also pretty poor. It was actually me who realised what caused the problem and, only at that point, did they agree I was correct. Anyway, the things people disucss when they’re trying to kill time before a big match!
Do you think the game will be shown live in North Korea tonight?
Ten Men
Willie has been hand picked for services rendered, but only a fool would predict the outcome of a Celtic Rangers clash.
Over to you Ally.
colleague across from me is totally hating me sniffing away, just putting it on thick, i’m actualluy feeling great and no cold!
When i call in for my sick day tomorrow, no-one will be saying its because I’m ill from drinking tonight celebrating a victory, its because I have a heavy cold!
Be safe today bhoys, we believe !
Does anybody know the name of a ‘highland’ busking band/pipes and drum group you see in Glasgow – I saw them up near sauchiehall street the weekend of the hearts game – all geared up in tartan and beards.Brother in law from NZ loved them but can’t remember their name.
As far as I know, clan tartan is a load of auld hooie – King Edward made the idea popular (that could be horseship). It’s a pity the DR didn’t have the balls to condemn ‘Ally’ for elbows’ elbow and let Ledley do the job for them.
TBB, amazing.
But how do you know it happened to 40 people?
Not that you would want to be scaremongering, but did you ask the person you know if he had any thoughts on how Craig Whyte might put the money together to pay this back?
Say Whyte was going to pull the plug on a Friday just before another attractive away game and decided to do this, not to 40 but to 400 Rangers fans. He would trouser a seven-figure sum and there would be nothing anyone could do about it. The fans, presumably, would get their money back from the banks, but Whyte would sky the park with their cash.
What if this was just a wee trial run?
I mean, it could be a coincidence, of course.
Celtic_First
You back home?
St Werburgh’s tonight?
SwanseaBhoy
blantyretim says:
28 December, 2011 at 10:40
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….
There’s a lorryload coming into ‘town’ on the Iron horse from Falkirk this afternoon, Mercant city to start with i think, or maybe the bier republic for a beer and a pizza or 2!
Pouring and blowing a gale in Bridgeton
SwanseaBhoy
Aye, I’ll be in the club. Are you not going to Celtic Park?
Awe Naw
Getting stuck into a bit of Bacharach and David just now, fairly apt given the weather outside. But there’s one thing I know, the blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me…
BTW Many years ago, following a few in Jack’s Bar one Saturday afternoon, I bought an old beat up banjo uke from a stall at the Barras. I always wanted a banjo.. Sober the next morning, I realised I had bought a pig in a poke. The thing was papped into the loft and hadn’t seen the light of day until..
… I remembered about it when I was round at my father’s on Christmas Day and dug it out to take a look at it.
A bit of Googling yesterday confirms it is a 1920s John Grey piece, not exactly a Gibson mind, but a tidy instrument nevertheless. Well enough made that the mahogany neck (ebony fingerboard) is still laser straight. Now awaiting a new bridge, a nut, some fret wire and strings.
After that arrives, the street will be hearing a lot more of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, sung flat of course. Poor old Johnny Ray..
I can’t stop listening to this version.
Charice Pempengco “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DocFcF1Xs50
Celtic_First
Nah, had to call off this morning – gutted.
Most likely see you down there.
SwanseaBhoy
falkirkbhoy
was thinking heading along the gallowgate but will struggle to get bye the toll booth, might try to get to bar67…
In the seats above the North Stand, way above the heavy clouds, a bunch of mates has gathered and with respect for the living they keep their voices down.
Jimmy Johnstone; Jonny Thompson; Jock Stein; Bobby Murdoch; Tommy Burns; Charlie Tully, Bertie Peacock; Gil Heron; Johnny Doyle; JFK; The Archangels Gabrial and Michael, St Stephen, St Joseph, St. Jude and millions more too. There are no spare tickets and some serious people were let down as the cosmos rocks in ten dimensions and the band plays – ‘ Let the People Sing’.
The Battered Bunnet says:
28 December, 2011 at 11:16
banjo beats bagpipes I suppose, you better know more than one tune or neither necks will remain straight ;-)
Gazebo tonight ?
hh
bjmac
BT
If you decide to head for Spirit of Freedom CSC headquarters then give me a shout :-)
Celtic_First
Yeh, the same thought crossed my mind, but that would be fraud and jail time would follow in jig time. Absolutely no point going to the trouble he’s putting himself to only to blow the plan for a lousy £1 Million.
Whatever Whyte’s plan is, if there actually is one now, it isn’t improved with a clumsy theft. Looks like he’s hunkering down ’til the Tribunal returns, gambling that he gets a result, but knowing how to extract the value from the property if he doesn’t. Likely that a couple of players will go in January to keep the cashflow positive for another couple of months.
Ibrox plus Auchenhowie is a +£50M deal. He won’t put that at risk.