There will have been tired limbs at Lennonxtown when the players resumed full training yesterday after their exertions on Tuesday night but they will still be desperate to take to the field at Firhill on Sunday. This game is a necessary preparation ahead of the Amsterdam AreanA in 12 days.
We have an advantage for Amsterdam…..
Ajax are nip and tuck with a handful of clubs near the top of the Dutch league. They have three home games in the league and cup before facing Celtic and the pressure is on to win each of them. Ajax don’t have the ability to allow players extended recuperation time to ensure they are in pristine condition for Champions League duty, Celtic do.
I would rest everyone we don’t have good cover for. This is also a game for Nir Biton to start. The player needs to get back in the saddle as quickly as possible after Tuesday, he is also unlikely to see Champions League group stage action again this season.
After his international and other duties, Charlie Mulgrew would benefit from a rest. We don’t have sufficient cover for James Forrest and Beram Kayal, so send them away for the weekend.
Use every advantage possible.
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Samaras does not have the qualifications to be a Barca player.
His style does not fit. He doesnt do the quick one touch passes . He doesnt close down and fight to get the ball back. He could to a job at a lot of top euro teams but I very much doubt he’s on the Barca radar.
And – while we’re about it FF will not go to Barca either as he too does not have their goalie credentials. Fraser is a great keeper but his is not good with the ball at his feet and his kicking is erratic. But his main fault is that he must be the slowest keeper around at redistributing the ball. When he gets the ball in his big mitts he hugs it and hangs on to it till all our players a well-marked . Instant throw outs ,I think Ive only seen him do that twice.
Saying that I would be very happy for them both to remain where they are.
Pukki`s one of they wee planes…. he made it across the Atlantic but some at airport control say he wasn`t carrying too much cargo. Then some others said that was because his tailgate was too heavy. Then Big Sammi floated in. But some of them said he was flying into mountains all during the flight.
Sandman
I agree with you re the time it takes FF to distribute though when you said…..
“When he gets the ball in his big mitts he hugs it and hangs on to it”
…..I thought. ” I bet David Marshall wishes he had done that at the weekend”
.
l think in the Ba’loon de Stat..
Running 11km’s against Ajax is only Worth 6.5km’s against Hibs..
Or Just Hiding in Olde Money..
Summa
Jungle Jim- drop a note to Santa for this
You won’t be disappointed.
tommytwiststommyturns supporting Wee Oscar
13:34 on
25 October, 2013
Bada – KC is currently ‘recuperating’ in Dubai….wonder if the holiday was booked before the Hibs game?! ;-)
T4
———–
Are you writing for the DR these days TTTT ?
Mr C is recuperating at home with his 3 children, his fiancee is currently sunning herself in Dubai with her sister (Now there is an idea :-)) He is hopeful to be back playing next week
Meanwhile, at Glasgow Airport in the arrivals hall, the awaiters who ate lamb but now eat spam awaited for the Big Rangers Jumbo Jet to land. Instead, a wee two seater cessna landed. But it had 747 painted on it, so it was the same plane after all. It was the upholstery that was different, thats all.
Malone Bhoy
All the stats are on the UEFA site if you click on the individual player on the match report section. You will need to click on show bench to reveal Pukki and the other guys who were subbed off.
The stats show that, by a long chalk, Pukki covered the most ground and Antony was our 2nd best in ground covered. All of Ajax’s back 4 and midfield covered more ground than their Celtic counterparts. The only area where we outran them was in attack where their Icelandic boy did less running than our two. He still looked a good player to me and not at all lazy.
It should only surprise you if you are looking at running in support of our attacks. Maybe Antony is a bit more used to our team pattern and showed more there but I don’t recollect anything exceptional in that regard apart from winning the pen.
The pattern of play with Ajax passing about the back 4 demanded a shift from our front two in pressing. Both of them did that thankless task well. Neither did much in the way of creative attacking. In fact apart from Sammi at the second, I can only recall Charlie’s corners as possible goal threats.
We were not great as a team against Ajax but we won. That gives me a far greater feeling of satisfaction than playing better and losing against AC and Barca did.
.
bamboo
14:17 on
25 October, 2013
Samaras does not have the qualifications to be a Barca player.
His style does not fit. He doesnt do the quick one touch passes . He doesnt close down and fight to get the ball back. He could to a job at a lot of top euro teams but I very much doubt he’s on the Barca radar.
..
l don’t think l have EVER Disagreed with 7 Points (POV) in the One Paragraph..:-)
Summa
hope nir gets on, he made a mistake and I’m glad it was that one he made, showed he could ‘get stuck in’ ‘face up to them’ etc. I’ve high hopes for him. him and pukki could be a thing
Sandman
14:11 on
25 October, 2013
Well done, Paul – I always advocate resting everyone around vital CL games; last year there were hysterical fits on here when we failed to beat Killie, Arbroath, and Dundee United but managed to turn Barca and Spartak.
Which bit of glory did the moaners prefer? Rest ‘em all – we can easily make up the points to win the SPL: David Brent FACT.
Pukki bashers – shame on you. Give the bhoy a chance to shine before you crucify him; and try watching the GAME of football and not just the highlights playing in your narrow minds – he did what his job designation stated on Tuesday: close down, close down, close down, pick up scraps and try and make something of it. No glamorous swashbuckling role.
=====================================================
No need to turn what was an reasonable exchange of opinions between various posters into a confrontational name calling exercise.
I do not have a narrow mind,I attend all games,my views are mine and are not gleaned from highlight programs.
I hope Pukki does well as he plays for my team, if he does not then I reserve the right to say so,and will do so.
PS Same goes for any Player.
SFTB
Seriously – I’m not anti Pukki – after being anti Joe Ledley in his first season, I usually try to give all new players at least a season to come to the fore.
But… neither of us will know if he was following Manager’s instructions – And I am a firm fan of pressing opponents (In every game in every contest a la early MON) – but when we broke up the field – which happened a few times – Pukki didn’t seem to be where he should be – where I think he needs to be.
He’s been on our radar for a while and was bought with CL football in mind – I would hazard, scoring in CL football.
And in my humble opinion he didn’t come close to threatening that on Tuesday.
So Pukki has a must do better from me – no matter his stats, no matter his shift.
Similarly my comment the other night about Stokes wandering out to the left – a night and day difference to the shift he put in at the Cup Final which had people raving about him.
Again, my opinion.
U
FAVOURITE UNCLE
many thanks
Kingoh
I have no stats for it but I suspect you are or were in a minority.
Tony was often criticised here for his habit of being slow in getting back from straying offside. We lost momentum in a few attacks because of it.
However, I back you on this year’s form. Antony looks to be busting a gut to win a better contract than has been offered. If he is willing to keep up his higher professional standards of this year, he might be worth the extra dosh.
I would worry about Pukki if he was missing hatfuls of chances created by our inventful midfield and wide men.
Is he getting the service?
DBBIA
OK, I will give it a go.
Aff oot,
JJ
cadizzy – I digitised during your lengthy absence from the blog! Hope your bhoy enjoyed the trip up north?!
Minx – oooops! Assumed that Kris had gone away with Lisa, as he was crocked?!
Lazy posting at it’s worst….oh the shame! :-)
TTTT (for ole skool cadizzy)
When TTTT isn’t writin’ for the DR he is the proverbial ole scourge of the nation’s turf accountants through his hard hittin’ column in the Racing Post.
uly
We are not far apart.
I only differ in stating that Antony had the same trouble on the few occasions we broke upfield. I am struggling to think of a situation outwith the two goals where anyone was creative enough to discomfort Ajax, apart from Charlie’s corners.
Sunday would an ideal opportunity to play some of our younger players and rest some of those who played on Tuesday. Thistle aren’t hammer throwers like Hibs and try to play football so our youngsters would be allowed to play.
Fisher, Biton, Rogic, Atajic should all be given a run at some point in the game.
That’ll teach me to go to an Amazon link posted by DBBIA thinking it was Christina Hendricks.
Just bought/renewed 3 Graham Parker &Rumour long playing records, 1 Elvis Costello and 1 Joe Strummer.
I can hear it now “What did you buy them for? You’ve already got most of them”
ulysses mcghee is praying for Oscar. did you manage to patch things up with Freddo. I couldn’t sleep for worrying
TTTT
I bet Pukki disnae feel like he’s being spied on though :-)
So a 4th place finish and Fraser is offski it sounds like to me. If he is sold to a non CL capable club then I will not be surprised but dissapointed.
Celtic fans are the best in the world. They accept so much crap its truly amazing how they religously accept their beleagured situation. I suppose Catholicism helps. A pretty similar gig I suppose.
AGM month coming up.
I bet there are no surprises at any of them.
I see Longmuir is lined up.
The ned Ferguson column is unlampoonable.
I see Craig Brown had a dig at Stewart Reagan today.
Quite happy to play the bhoys on Sunday.
HH
DBBIA – you’re a cruel man, given my current standing in the CQN naps table!!
T4
I take it wee davie has saved the (flight) history
of the ‘Private Jet’
………in a suitably grand,
rented, hangar
just outside Abbotsinch?
on pukki, I think lennie needs to the job on him, he did on sammi – get the rest of the team to understand what he’s about
setting free the bears supports Celtic’s best fighter- Wee Oscar Knox
14:11 on
25 October, 2013
excathedra
“Doing that amount of running without really creating any threat is wasted energy,”
Not at all. Some people’s jobs on a football pitch involves countering threats and is not at all creative. In the modern game, forward players must press ball playing defenders and defensive mids. Both Pukki and Stokes did this. The only creative think that Anto did was to win a penalty; that is all that distinguishes them.
================================================
Perhaps thats the problem we cant have two guys like Pukki and Stokes,neither of whom have blistering pace playing together,we can accomodate this in SPL but not at CL level.
As always different views,my opinion was we did not retain the ball nor run their defenders into errors enough,however we shall see.
HT – Minx1888….friend to the stars!! :-)
Awe Naw – glad to see you managed to get inside a stadium big enough for your mooth…! x
T4
I can see Pukki scoreing a few in scotland once he’s settled in .
But the man who should really make a difference is Amido.
Baldie should have had much more game time.
As it is he might get a few minutes now and then and his self-belief is being severely tested.
If he finds his feet he could be the man to transform our attack.
‘gg
13:43 on 25 October, 2013
Let’s see Fisher at FB again.
Ledley in MF to get him back to match fitness.
Maybe replace him late on with Rogic.
A youngster at CB for VVD?
Dylan to get a run on the wing.
Balde and Pukki upfront?
And a bunch of development squad guys on the bench. John Herron?
;-)
………………………………………………
Good shout. There is no point in having a pool of players if we’re not going to use them. Didn’t we beat ICT last season with a makeshift team. Some of the guys you mention will be anxious to make an impression and some should be anxious to make an impression -Dylan.
TTTT -form is temporary, class is permanent.
Anyways, what the team needs , as the stats show it’s full of Duracell bunnies, is someone to let the ole ball do the work.
DBBIA/Bobby MurdochCSC
I don`t think Thistle are hammer throwers either, but the conditions could be detrimental to us, i.e. small and (probably) soggy pitch, doubled up with the Jags desperate to put up a show against the biggest team they`ve faced in years. Could be some bad knocks. I`d rest Adam Mathews.
Cadizzy
Freddo’s gone. There was a disagreement. And we couldn’t sort it out. So he’s gone. It’s a shame and all. But there was nothing we could do. So he’s gone now.
And we will speak of him no more.
U
Actually, that should have been ” aff aff” as I am about to disconnect my pc and try to set up my new (Second hand) Apple Mac. With my technological awareness, I could be gone for some time 0:-)
JJ
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
14:35 on 25 October, 2013
“TTTT”
TTTT????
Is that old money for T4? Or is it analog
TTTT, he loved it thanks.
Cadizzy
It’s deliberately designed to be ambiguous.
Ole TTTT doesn’t know what each T stands for :-)
Hope to see something like this line up on Sunday. Start with a few youngsters and fringe players, keep the big hitters in reserve if needed.
————Forster————–
Fisher Ambrose Van Dijk Izaguirre
———–Brown Biton———–
McGeouch——Rogic——–Atajic
————–Balde————–
Subs Samaras Stokes Ledley Pukki Forrest Mulgrew Zaluska
…so I assume, by default, I have to accept the answer that there are no “celtic friendly pubs” in either Bern or Zurich: as I didn’t get an answer.