Celtic’s season is perched at a tantalising angle, but if you know your history, you’ll know that such pent-up potential often flounders in scrappy cup encounters. Set to face Kilmarnock in the League Cup final, they are favourites in the league and have not allowed a Scottish club to lay a glove on them in almost three months. No one is tipping against them in any competition, but despite being in exactly this situation many times in the last 40 years, only once have they been able to see out a straightforward looking campaign and collect the three trophies available.
All it takes is a bumpy away ground in the middle of winter to level the playing field (metaphorically, if only it would literally) and deliver the inevitable cup exit. Our chances of winning tomorrow are no better than 50/50. Inverness know the script, they are a decent team who, despite two cup exits to Celtic last season, had enough in their locker to deny us five points in the league.
Celtic have a potential of five cup games remaining this season across both competitions, but after Inverness, only one of those can be away from home. With league form seemingly set by metronome, you’re looking at one of the most dangerous games of the season tomorrow.
Last call for advertisers for the next issue of CQN Magazine, which will be out next week. Let me know if you’re interested, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
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So what would they make of this ?
A group of great footballers [and John Greig].
Beware of the hunguff in the Sun
DBBIA/Albert Ball CSC
Steinreignedsupreme
im not homophobic in the slightest before my next comment.
but
i think mumsnet would be the last place that guy would be looking
Paul67.etal.
Where does this worry come from when we play Inverness in Inverness,We have had problems latelty up there but I think the fault lay at Celtic’s door not ITC playing good football,Celtic have not played good football at Inverness, full stop,but haven’t played good football at almost any ground over the last couple of years.
But the tide turns at times and for Celtic the tide has certainly turned. 13 wins on the trot, so Celtic are in form,and ITC should hold no fears for us.
Talking of tides.
A couple of times we were a bit swamped under when the tide was high,there should be no problem to-morrow High tide is at 9.30am so the ground will on the soft side of good, not a swamp as has been of late.
I’m not one for picking teams for Neil,but I will say that Scott Brown must Play tomorrow,I’m not a driver but Scott is the equivalent of a 2.5 litre engine,against the rest at 1.6 litre,he must be in the team.
DBBIA @ 12:06 ,
surely Cha Mull-grew is ?
Coat on….
Kayal33 says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:01
Change the starting line-up then.
FF
Matthews Rogne Dan Chuck
Sammi 67 SB Ledley Commons
Stokesy
It would be insanity to start play Emilio in this hostile environment,so early into his recovery.He looked about five yards off the pace against Falkirk.
As a previous poster already stated,if our players were guaranteed ample protection from the Mib we could start with wee Jamesy,Hooper,Commons and Stokes – and take five our six goals off the Butchers – but it’s never going to happen.They will be permitted to kick our players with impunity.
ITC should have been ICT, twice I made the mistake.
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
3 February, 2012 at 12:22
I take your point and actually think you’re correct. For this reason I’d go with:-
Foster
Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Izzy
Brown Wanyama Ledley Sammi
Commons
Hooper
Neil on SS News-“people say Celtic and Rankers need each other,AT THE MINUTE WE DON’T NEED THEM….”
Agent Green says:
3 February, 2012 at 12:43
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Thanks for the advice, mate. I’ll check them now.
Hope the Bhoys get a flight to Inverness again,a 4 hour bus journey not good specially with Swinecastle on Wednesday.
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:15
Neil on SS News-”people say Celtic and Rankers need each other,AT THE MINUTE WE DON’T NEED THEM….”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Cue….the grilling from the LL/hurting huns!
When that happens, Neil must stand FIRM!
Hail! Hail!
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:18
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Agreed m8!
Hail! Hail!
DBBIA.
Are you going to the quiz next week,don’t fancy your chances with auld Dick Byrne,SFTBs whose the other auld hands that are in your team,Chris maybe,JinkyRedStar? Nae good for the glam rock questions.or even rapper questions with they auld yins in your team..
rt rev david hay: 3 February, 2012 at 13:11
You may well be right, but he never going to get a man-lumber either with that clobber on.
The shabbiest gay in town. Bennets would use him as a draught excluder.
Old Tim -will be there.
PS ‘Glam Rock’?! ‘Rapper’? WTF!?
You’ve been borrowing Blantyre Tim’s iPod again, haven’t you?
Some interesting team choices for ICT – I do not see Juarez playing, I feel NL will opt for a stronger midfield, so may not play JF. Kriss Commons look as tho he is returning to his sharpness. For me, Hooper and Sammy must play
Tomorrow is not the day for blooding in new players nor re integrating those that have not played for ages, IMHO.
Forster
Cha
Rogne
Mulgrew
Matthews
Brown
67
Ledley
Forrest
Stokes
88
HH
TLK
For Paddy Gallagher
A pal pointed out a post where you suggested that I was Amadeus.
Not me mate. Who is amadeus and why do you think he is me or I am him?
If I’ve misinterpreted what you meant I apologise. If you would rather talk directly call me on 07539523054 and we can have a chinwag.
Hail Hail
Estadio
The board have backed Neil all the way this season, and not just on the pitch.
This has seen Neil build a team which plays the best football in Scotland and who are on a winning run.
On form, we WILL beat any team in Scotland. Cup ties? Of course shocks can happen in a one of game. Over the remainder of the title run? We wont see many if we are up for it.
The only reason we will lose the title this year is if;
1. The players dont turn up motivated. I see no chance of that happening. This group is as determined as any we have seen for years. New blood coming in will make the squad competitive.
2. The manager loses focus and fails to inspire or makes lots of critical errors in team selection. There is NO chance of that happening. Neil has shown in recent weeks he knows when to switch it. We may see the odd debatable selection here and there, but not enough to cost us a lot of points. The threadbares will struggle with that squad, a demotivated support, and a demotivated manager. We can afford the odd slip.
3. The MIB factor reaches previous levels. That would be my concern. Put it this way, if we had foreign ref’s you could remortgage your house on a title win. The ones we see though? Hmmm. Can they make a 10-12point difference between now and May? You better believe it. At the first signs it has restarted, we need to have the board and Lenny screaming from the rooftops about it.
I find it infuriating we need to hope for fairness rather than expect it. With the current state across the way, I am sure the ref’s efforts will be redoubled to assist.
Estadio
It was good humoured stuff from Paddy! Amadeus was commenting he had some “big news” but was teasing the CQN’ers by not releasing it. (ALA Estadio some months ago)
Paddy suggested he thought Amadeus was you. All good humoured – nowt nasty trust me.
I wish that Alan Thompson would go off the drink until the end of the season.Or,if he feels the need to have a drink – get a carry out and sit in the house.
There is far too much at stake here this season.
Has the blog streched up and down, or is it my computer ?
The Big Yin does not respond well to behaviour some may consider “hunnish” in aspect.
Billy Connolly ends comedy shows early after heckles
In all seriousness, I would think he’d rise above. Still, if they were Chelsea fans……
HH
TLK
Steinreignedsupreme
lol. true, no way would he get near bennetts without a label on his gear.
the louden it is again for that scumbag then wae his pal adair ;-)
TET
Mine too…
The Pantaloon Duck
I remember when the new layout was introduced it was pointed out that it was a feature, don’t like it personally.
mearns 2 milton says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:35
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Disagree about Sammi who, I think has given Neil all that he has to give. In fairness.
Disagree about Juarez also as I think, Joe Ledley has seemed a bit lost since he stopped playing at LB. Maybe the introduction of Juarez will serve as a wee reminder that, nobody walks into the team! I know Izzy has to come back into the team but, imo, the morra izny the place for him. Far too…agricultural I’m afraid!
Neil should also realise that, his strange inclusion of Maloney against Ross Tokeley who, has a licence to play like a hun, in the league decider last season wasn’t the brightest of ideas ?
Horses for courses will get us there! IMO!
Hail! Hail!
I’ve just been posting on ye article of ole while reading ye article of noo.
so here’s a wee copy & past
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:37
What are the odds on Edu Goian or Bocanegra not getting booked again this season?
Must be pretty high!!!
MWD C’mon the Hoops
Timbhoy2 – you got your armchair and 9inch B&W 1d 50p slot TV at the ready? :-)))
share
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:44
Good to see you back Estadio.
How are you?
MWD
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Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:48
Twisty
You really have to get with the historical acceptance of MIBbery programme.
It has always been this way. Big Jock said it. Therefore you should not, infact, must not, in fact cannot question it.
MWD is disappointed in you more today than ever before. :-((( (in a facetious sarcastic manner)
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Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:50
Sixteen roads
Hoblux!!!
MWD
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KevJungle
Don’t you mean since Ledley STARTED playing at left back?
Neil should also realise that, his strange inclusion of Maloney against Ross Tokeley who, has a licence to play like a hun, in the league decider last season wasn’t the brightest of ideas ?
1) It wasn’t a league decider.
2) Hindsight is 20-20. Had the ref given a penalty when Maloney was chopped down in the box it would not look like a bad decision.
QB
Twists & Turns.
I’ve been a bit confused this morning,Thought today was tomorrow,Started to pick my horse’s & nap,in fact I posted it on two threads back,(Hope it didn’t win) old Regal Parade,running in the 11.00am at Maydan,I thought it was a weird when nobody had posted their tips.(I’m going senile.)
4-5-1 for me tomorrow with Hoops upfront on his own and Sammi and wee James supporting from the wings
Wanyama, Ledley + Broonie as the 3. Matthews at RB with Izzy left. If we play Cha we are in trouble
We have won 18 of our 26 games in total against ICT since 2000.
Our biggest worry is Murray not protecting our players from Butchers butchers. Geddit? :)
KevJungle, cheers.
oldtim67, good news about the tide.
THE EXILED TIM – Its not just you mine has gone funny as well (that is my techincal term for it).
Thommo goes to pub, not even a night club, in the west end which would have shut at 11pm, a complete non story. Littered with a few quotes from ´club insider´ and ´source from the club´, disgraceful lazy journalism. Lenny spot on with his response and good on him for pointing out the stirring up factor. The same story could be spun positively ´Old Firm dual show that even though there is an intense football rivalry they can enjoy a couple of civilised pints together, etc´
Swiss Tony says:
3 February, 2012 at 12:12
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS says:
3 February, 2012 at 11:03
Dont know if this has been posted yet but its been doing the rounds on FB.
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-economy/4235-would-an-independent-scotland-be-financially-sound
Swiss
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hmmm,eye-opening stats being bandied about there.
I genuinely have not heard of Salmond’s question in 97,but have no reason to disbelieve the reply.
I suppose resident Scots will get a chance to have their say sooner or later,so it’s a case of timing and mood.
Which way will they jump?
BTW,there’s a new film out called MAN ON A LEDGE-guess what that’s about?
Turns out he’s a distraction for a robbery taking place…….
Imperative we win the midfield tomorrow. Also think we need to do something different in the midfield to inject some of the spark that’s been missing the past few weeks. For that reason I’d go 4-2-3-1:
Forster
Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Ledley
Wanyama Brown
Forrest Commons Samaras
Hooper.
HH
QuadBhoy says:
3 February, 2012 at 13:57
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WRONG, on both counts!
1)It was a league decider!
If, we had won then it was over!
2)We don’t get penaltie’s on league deciders!
Maloney v’s the biggest/toughest full back in the SPL ? WTF ?
Hail! Hail!
MWD
The kids are all grown up now. I have nobody to shout at. Ma dog died too. (The missus widny hear me shouting at her from down here – although she is flying down tonight so I’ll be ok for this weekend) I therefore need to vent some annoyance and Victor Meldrew like moaning. Where better than the filthy stinking cheating MIB’s?
My particular annoyance today is that after more effin tests on blood / urine and visits to hospital to try and find out why for the first time in my life I have been suffering dizzyness/fainting symptoms/blinding headaches, for the last 3 months, I must have eaten 1000 paracetamols. I finally discover today that the damned opticians prescribed me the wrong glasses. I went to a new opticians today and he was able to describe my symptoms to a T without me even telling him. I had only got my new ones 3 months ago and didn’t make the connection.
Rather frustrating old bhoy – what!