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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636 Comments- Pages:
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up_over_goal says @ 21:21
PS – I agree with your concerns re a front 2 of Samaras and Hooper but, assuming Commons is unfit/out of favour I can’t see any other viable option.
Did think about playing Ki in a 5 man midfield and playing Samaras through the middle on his own, the role he plays – usually to good effect – with Greece. Could be an option, I guess.
Bangura has done nothing to suggest he is the answer though maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be the night that cometh the hour cometh the Man, Bangura!
For Stokes, read Bangura.
Who would you have playing up front if not Samaras and Hooper?
Colum should not be anywhere near this game!!!!
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!! Tick Tock !! says @21:28
Disagree. We’re where we are:-
A) partly because we’ve had so many injuries to key players this season, especially in defence.
B) through our own efforts or more precisely, lack of them.
In Europe this season, Celtic won 1 game out of 8. To put that into some kind of perspective, Stoke City (yes, the ‘mighty’ Stoke City) have lost 1 game out of 10 in Europe this season. That is how far we have declined since Seville and that tells me where we are, miles away from being a decent team.
Cetic Emerald Radio on now
strong language
http://tinyurl.com/cy832pl
haha
Celtic, i mean
silly sod
Alba Bhoy……we’ll just agree to differ then…!!!….we’ve been shafted for over 3 years now…..
Jude2005…….ever the optimist…..LOL….!!!!!
The results on Saturday have changed this from a “must win game” to a “will win game” and I don’t agree with it. Yes I like to play it down so if the results don’t go my way I am not as disappointed BUT the attitude of both sets if fans have now change and I worry it will leak to our players.
We lost the last game at ipox because, in my opinion, They wanted it more.
Don’t let that be the case tomorrow night. Please.
Jude 2005…..Colum’s there for a reason……but don’t ask alba bhoy for the ‘reason’ ……..
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:37
= Dobber
hail \o/ hail
watchin that Waterloo movie
in 1815 etc the boffins all lived in cloud cookoo land living
the life of reilly, stuffin their faces, life o luxury
aloof from reality
meanwhile back at the ranch…
kids workin down the mines and in factories 19hrs a day 7days etc
for a loaf o bread
ferocious !!
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:37
Sorry I meant to say you’re a “DOB’ber”
hail \o/ hail
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:37
fulham had a 10mill pound player in the team other day
10mill
fulham fc !!!
sa different world
suga-daddy-ville
Napoleon just said, in the movie, …
never interrupt yer enemy when he is making a mistake !!
some battle at Charleroi, or others
Top Corner…..and nothing has changed
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:29
I hope Ki turns up 2 morro night. They will target him and he’ll disappear as usual.
Ki is the best fitba player we have by a distance.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!! Tick Tock !! says:
I happen to agree that we’ve been on the wrong end of refereeing decisons over the last few years but I’m also long enough in the tooth to know that, to a certain extent, you make your own luck. It wasn’t referees that caused us to lose at ICT at the tail end of last season.
Referees can become a convenient excuse to camouflage our inadequacies. It wasn’t refereeing that led to us losing 1 v 0 at home to St Johnstone, drawing 0 v 0 at home to Hibs or capitulating at Ibrox earlier this season. Nor is it the fault of referees that we won 1 game out of 8 in Europe this season.
It’s not the referee that worries me tomorrow; it’s whether the Celtic players are good enough.
Summa of Sammi…. says:
27 December, 2011 at 20:30
‘Police statement………
The following message was received from the office of Campbell Corrigan, Assistant Chief….
While some police officers will be present with hand held camera equipment, they will not be deployed unless there is an incident which necessitates their deployment and only on the instruction of the Match Commander.Hmmmmm..’
The CCTV at Celtic Park means they don’t have to use the hand held cameras.
I wonder if you’d get lifted for singing this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apnqG4San50
CCE
No more drink for you mate!
Topcorner
We’ve got a 10 million pound player too. It’s just that we didn’t pay 10 mill for him.
I refer ,of course, to our very own Izzy.
Alba bhoy….if you are, indeed, a dobber, please accept my apologies for communicating with you…..it’s not something I would knowingly do…..
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:25
…………..
I hope Izzy starts but if he doesn’t then it will be because NL doesn’t think he’s match fit, I’d play him as we’re only playing rankers and they are rank rotten recently, a team in freefall.
I think Wanyama in midfield is the key.
Ps I like the team you posted earlier, it’s the one I’d pick.
V
HH
Je Suis Neil Lennon – Overdone the Christmas sherry a wee bit have you?
I’ve been a Celtic pools agent; I pay into the Celtic pools by direct debit every week; I’m a Celtic shareholder and I’m a Celtic season ticket holder who goes to every home game.
Which part of that makes you think I’m a “DOB’ber”
rossthekid74 says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:20
Davie Ki ?
the ghost of !
you say he’ll be in there ?
was hopin he’d be a sub
stronger comin on for when the game opens up
Lenny will pick the team he sees as the best possible to beat the hun.
We all have our own opinions who should play, but Lenny and the coaches see them every day in training, we don’t, simple really, we think we know all about football, but in truth we don’t have a scooby.
We are where we are because of the continued downsizing since 2003-4.
We have a very young team cobbled together from the world over, and we have done well considering the pressure they have been put under by the corrupt officiating that is the norm in scotland.
As for our euro games this season, apart from the games against A.Madrid who play in the best league on the planet, we have equiped ourselfs well imo, a mistake in France, a good win at home against Rennes, the home game against Udinese we deserved to win, down to corrupt refereeing due to the big league teams must go through attitude, the game in Italy we did good against a top team, and we gave them a goal, our euro adventures will benefit from this years games.
The game tomorrow will take care of itself, not nervous for a change, I have resigned my self to honest mistake after honest mistake, so I am anticipating ending my love affair with football.
If we do not win the game it will be down to the officials, allowed to play football we will blow them off the park.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!! Tick Tock !!
yeh, was thinkin the same, mysel
sad to say
67H
How no??
Albabhoy……well, thank God for that…..!!!!!LOL…!!!……how’s about saying something positive about the best (honest, fully paid up tax) team in Scotland then, my good mhan…!!!!
I don’t know about any of you Bhoys but if Celtic don’t sign a new left back in January I’m no gon back ken!
MWD Canny wait to meet Cultsbhoy for a beer tomorrow. Oh wait. I forgot. He canny make it. :-)))
NEIL LENNONS CELTIC WAR CRY
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:52
Too true. In two of the last three seasons we had the title in our own hands with two games left. Our fault we blew it. No-one else’s.
I’m never overly optimistic going into these games at and at the minute can’t see the reasons behind so much confidence. Both ourselves and Rangers are not good teams. Both inconsistent. Whoever wants it most will win it. I’d take a draw. Anyday.
On the referees issue. Two things.
1. Given his performance last season I can’t fathom why Willie Collum got this one.
2. Tony Mowbray suffered more than any Celtic manager from poor refereeing decisions.
MWD
Alright buddy, hows things?
U going Thursday for beers?
HH
Jude 2005…….he’s in denial…..thinks we haven’t been shafted….wonder what he thinks about last seasons efforts to take our manager’s mind off the football…..hunbelievable..!!!!!
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!! Tick Tock !! says: @2200
I’ve been going to watch Celtic for 35 years but I never have been and never will be a ‘Happy Clapper.’ Constructive criticism will stand the club in far better stead than sycophantic supporting.
For what it’s worth I think our directors have done way more damage to our chances of success in recent seasons than referees.
Just look back 3 years to the lack of ambition they displayed in the January 2009 transfer window.
I hope that all who have been posting on here stating that Celtic will win easily tomorrow are correct. However, on the evidence of what i’ve seen this season that sounds like wishful thinking. If we can win tomorrow it will be hard won. Let’s hope the players deliver, put us 2 points clear at the top of the league and strike another blow against Rangers.
HH
Lurgan 53….we are getting a wee head of steam up….so you keep your head up……LOL…!!!!
Philbhoy – It’s just the beginning! says:
27 December, 2011 at 21:53
CCE
No more drink for you mate!
share
well i will concede big victor is just as good :-)
alba bhoy says:
27 December, 2011 at 22:08
Must have been some laugh round your house this Christmas.
Alba Bhoy….we need to support the team……and we need to be positive when we see the team going in the right direction…..in their strategy of ensuring Celtic survive this recession, I feel they were too careful, but am pleased that our club is not going out of business, like the orcs……..despite all the efforts to keep them ‘alive’
The game against ICT last season.
When Maloney was taken out early doors, a stonewall pen, not given, would have changed the game big time, at the death Paddy was taken out another pen.
We were booted up and down the pitch that night as well.
When will you people open your feckin eyes and see what is in front of yous.
I accept we were poor that night, but again down to the cheats with the whistles and flags.
Had we won that game they would have made sure we lost one of the other remaining games.