You and I often discuss that teams learn lessons from failure; less so from victories. So it was after the League Cup Final in December. Celtic took home the trophy after a penalty kick decider, but whatever plans we had to control events were thoroughly subverted.
Two weeks later, Celtic went to Ibrox with no learning whatsoever from that final. Philippe Clement, who was deep in job-losing form at the time, bossed the battle. It was a chastening experience, one which remains in the memory ahead of Sunday’s game. We need to learn lessons, not only when they are obvious (Dortmund), but also when they are hidden by a result.
No less than Jose Mourinho got it wrong against Alloa’s 11th best manager of the 21st century. This Newco team remain dangerous, they have the muscle memory from their last two games against Celtic and have a sense of grievance over the loss in December. Celtic will need be far better prepared than the last twice we faced them. We will be allowed lots of the ball but will be subject to synchronised presses.
Newco will defend their box, play on the counter and largely live of misplaced passes as Celtic try to build. Whenever they get into the Celtic penalty area, they will crumble to the deck. A grab of a jersey will be magnified (looking at you, Auston) and there will be plenty left on each challenge. In possession, their most potent player is Cerny. Jeffrey Schlupp and Trusty will have the job of showing him down the line. His fondness for cutting inside is almost compulsive.
Your confidence will be fortified by Celtic’s attacking options. Daizen Maeda has thrived against Newco since before his recent run of free scoring form. Newco have no answer to his speed and power. When playing on the left, they doubled up on him, as does every other Scottish club.
Memories of Jota against Newco from his first spell in Glasgow, his goals and the way he controlled play, remain vivid. What’s your favourite, the Scottish Cup semifinal headed goal, the goal when he rounded Allan McGregor and rolled the ball into the empty net, or the deft control and lob over keeper Jon McLaughlin? Your other memory of Jota in these games was how Newco doubled up against the Portuguese winger.
What Newco could not cope with in this season’s League Cup Final was the dribbling of Nicolas Kuhn. The German was Celtic’s fulcrum on the right, scoring what should have been a late winner. Nicolas went into that game favourite for the Player of the Year award; Newco doubled up on him in an attempt to inhibit his craft.
There is a theme to how Newco defend against Maeda, Jota and Kuhn; they double up against each of them, but they have never faced all three in the same game. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out. Celtic need to move the ball quickly to drag opponents across the field. This will result in misplaced passes; live with it. Passes reach their destination 100% of the time when you slow things down; that outcome would be a poor indicator of our play. This is particularly true of Reo Hatate, he needs our support to misplace the odd one when trying to expose a defensive stucture.
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BOURNESOUPRECIPE @ 1:51 PM,
Quite – this game is very important for Bazza, for us, we don’t need no lessons learned from R2ngers, we go out, we play OUR game, we win the match.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM @ 2:16 PM,
We shall indeed – anomalies happen in football – a Brendan Rodgers’ team not competing in a Glasgow Derby, a Brendan Rodgers team losing domestically by more than two goals are aberrations – that won’t be repeated on Sunday.
Keep~The~Faith
TURKEYBHOY @ 2:40 PM,
Here’s the reality, we can, and we very probably will win both the game on Sunday and the semi-final at Hampden.
BR and the team will know only too well the significance of Sunday’s game, they will be focused totally on the game this week.
But I’ll leave the angst for; Barry, the R2ngers fans and the match officials, together with those who still don’t understand they are witnessing a first class Celtic team thats getting better and better.
Winning this game, does not get close in historical significance to winning the SFA semi-final this season.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Paul67 et al
Today is Pi Day, rational being that today’s date 3 1 4 are akin to the constant (ratio of circumference to diameter of a circle). Not too sure it works here in the same way, but the ratio itself holds true. Not sure either that fitba works in the same way, as in, well this is what happened last time so here is my prediction kind of thing. Doesn’t always work at Cheltenham either, but Inothewayurthinkin Paul.
cheesy, but funny all the same
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlNhkhOhN7s
maeda
3 1 4
on of barrys formation. and he is a pie.
Police had to separate fans and members of Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff as tempers flared towards the end of Rangers’ nail-biting win.
They kept that quiet…
Jackie mad
I didn’t see the incident, but I would have given it.
If it is good enough for Willie Collum csc
love it garygillespieshamstring
everycloud
exhaust the hordes
glyocgen and prosecco tonic anybody?
Bada
Was in the daily hun, wont post the link…
—————————-
RANGERS and Fenerbahce are braced for Uefa fines in the aftermath of Thursday’s shootout drama.
Norwegian referee Espen Eskas has reported both clubs with the match delegate Targo Kaldoja also fully briefed.
SunSport understands Rangers will be hit in the pocket after an AirPods case was thrown at Fenerbahce keeper İrfan Can Eğribayat in extra-time.
Eskas has also highlighted an incident involving the Turkish bench and Gers supporters.
Police had to separate fans and members of Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff as tempers flared towards the end of Rangers’ nail-biting win.
Fenerbahce will also be fined as a result.
CHELTENHAM 4th and FINAL DAY…
I only had TWO Winners Today at odds of 3/1 and 6/4, but I had a few ” PLACED” Horses.
The Cheltenham PLACEPOT Today paid out £14.50 for a £1 Stake.
I had it up for a £2 Stake.
Over the 4 days and 28 Races, I had 12 Winners.
I must do better next year.
HH.
CELTIC v HUNS…
DAIZEN to Score a HAT TRICK is 55/1 with LADBROKES, but is ONLY 28/1 with BET365.
DAIZEN to score TWO Goals is 10/1 with Ladbrokes, but is only 6/1 with BET365.
My money is already on with Ladbrokes.
HH.
On the phenomenon of the modern footballer sitting on his hole because he’s broken a toenail and stopping the entire game:
A: did any of youse witness jinky sittin on his hole ?
B : did this start said phenomenon ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri-PLARA19Q
fark on radio clyde.
ffs.
https://x.com/ScotlandSky/status/1900617834390077734?t=avTrimPaWa_PjBG0V-mBTA&s=19
Chairbhoy
Salient points, just like the sixteen Brendan built.
Celtic in Paradise and we can break records with any win.
HH
Happy Weekend Bhoys
Play to our strengths and we will will win it will be versus and deep defensive hammer throwing thuggish non football side but the good guys will deliver.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy thanks for your kind words. He passed peacefully a few hoursago surrounded by family.
I think the bhoys will have something to prove on Sunday and show the world who’s boss. Can’t wait to see wee Ned boys torn face after the game.
Invoking stop and search emergency powers for the ” game” on Sunday.
Surely not a consequence of welcoming our “friends” from across the river.
Disgraceful letting those reptiles into our home.
We have custodians lacking vertebrae who have kicked Celtic fans in the teeth.
HH.
Nice afternoon oot wae BRRB, BelmontBrian and the Drummer at the Brazen…even if one wasn’t lookin forward to seeing me 😂…following the races at Cheltenham. 3 goals from 6 strikes ain’t a bad return…
Absurde @ 5/1
Inothewayurthinkin @ 15/2
Itsontheline @ 4/1
Follow me for pure speculation @ amajammybasturt@ffs.com 😂
H.H.
If our captain misses out on Sunday I would play Schlupp in the midfield ,then Taylor at left back.
Schlupp would give us the aggressive play in midfield.HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE @ 6:42 PM,
Truth, sixteen points and counting.
Sixteen top level players and counting.
Hail Hail
Fanadpatriot
If Calmac is out…drop Engles in there…it’s his best position but we’re trying to improve his all-round game
H.H.
If Calmac is out it leaves us very light in an area of the pitch where the knuckle draggers will kick us at every opportunity
If Calmac plays he can expect some attention to those injured calves
Expect referee feckery to come into play, lots of warnings then a booking when we go infront and are clear
Then subs to replace and commence the kicking again
I expect schlupp the ra to start at left back to nullify cerny and provide some physicality and power in an area of the pitch we have lacked in previous hun games
Hope hatate has a few cans of red bull and is right up for it, as he is our creative player in a tight midfield
If calmac starts he will be replaced around the 60 min mark (I expect him to start, he can take the pain for this game and then relax and recover for a few weeks) with engels switching to calmacs role an mccowan coming on to replace
Looking forward to the game
I expect the huns to come out blood and snotters nd we will have to compete physically, but remember we play football and not to get caught up in the kick and rush
In Brendan I trust
When rendan came back, I spat the dummy big time and was not happy
Glad he proved me wrong, came back and stood tall
*Brendan
If Calmac is out…we go
Jota. Maeda. Kuhn
Hetate. McCowan
Engels
Schluup. Trusty. CCV. Johnston
Casper
Format will probs collapse wen I post
H.H.
Ridiculous notion that Sundays game is not massive for Celtic.
Anyone thinking going to Ibrox in May on the back of 3 successive games where we have not beaten our financially stricken rivals would not be a concern clearly doesn’t know the history !
The very notion that in August we would be fine and dandy knowing would play a CL qualifier and then go to Ibrox a few days later to play a team we had not beaten (even when they were financially and physically drained) for 5 consecutive games is ludicrous to me.
If we don’t win on Sunday we are setting ourselves up for that.
B78
Who said it wasnt?
Every game we play against the hun is massive – expecially against the deliquent ned that is bazbawl
19 reasons to bury them tomoz
Good article Paul.
But it doesn’t quite emphasise the role of the snarling aggression the huns bring esp when they’re the Hunderdogs. That in-yer-face-ism does tend to cow some of our nicer bhoys including mercurial Reo (a lover not a fighter clearly).
But, as you say, the Huns are very likely to double-up on our danger men; so if the refs allow them to field somewhere between 16 – 22 players they should be alright.
A narrowish 2-0 to us will suit me just fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQTPt-tBbp0
Dedicated follower of sevco
https://x.com/RonnieJM67/status/1900513147124842539?t=INe4EQOW28nVsLpRjetqOA&s=19
Board needs to engaged with support and fan groups I feel.
Cmon Celtic
My prediction based on nothing is 4-1…do what it what you want 😂
That Celtic will win I have no doubt
H.H.
*with
Wee Greg
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1085197513651608&set=a.640033224834708
Brilliant lol
https://x.com/BigPatsy01/status/1900545031783551403?t=D7Zo321iF9dRLEfwbRAmXg&s=19
https://x.com/tirnaog_09/status/1900088549552058519?t=y7rKeBBunf0KCJF9qn0tCA&s=19
Any game against whatever version of the Hun is massive … for the majority of Celtic fans
Enjoy every minute of this team because time does fly ..
Around 10yrs ago tonight … 13/03/2015 there was a wee night in the Kerrydale .. CQN11 …
Where does the time go 🍀🍀🍀🍀
Big Jimmy .. think you had Shearer early doors at a decent price, hope it got you a decent return
Quite a tough read back of CQN tonight.
Can smell the fear in some.
Then i gave up on that media conference halfway through.
Don’t know how Brendan can stand being in the room with these clowns.
yo mamma