Footballers often play two games a week but their peak fitness levels are achieved when the play once a week. More often than that and the muscles don’t recover quickly enough. Top players’ muscles are finely tuned to deliver 90 minutes of exertion. To reach this peak, they NEED games as well as training. It appears to be beyond the ken of sports scientists to create a training routine which matches actual matches.
Apart from a 25 minute run-out against Hearts two weeks ago, newco’s players will not have played a football game in 22 days when they line-up against the champions on Sunday. If the boot was on the other foot, I would be concerned.
Celtic watchers will note that they score more goals late in games than early. Ronny’s team try to win the battle for territory, the ball and energy before running over the top of opponents. Whatever happens in the opening 20 minutes on Sunday I would expect Celtic to be far more effective in the final 20 minutes of the game, when their superiority will be most effective. There’s a chance newco will crumble early on, but I don’t expect many chances at either end until later in the first half.
While we all know how Celtic will play, it’s harder to figure out how Kenny McDowell will line-up tactically. If he was Ross County manager he would defend his 18 yard line for 90 minutes and hope for a breakaway, but I’m not sure that’s a viable strategy for Sunday. Lose an early goal and he would be caught between damage limitation and attempting to get back into the game. It could get very messy.
My hunch is that he’ll play a conventional 4-5-1 and attempt to find space out wide behind Celtic’s full-backs for Kenny Miller to run into. The full-backs will play forward, there will be space, we’ve just got to be faster than the 35-year-old ex-Celt now plying his trade in the lower leagues.
Despite their form against Hibs and Hearts this season, newco have an excellent record against Premiership competition in the cups. Three wins, against Inverness (only one point behind Aberdeen on same games played), St Johnstone and Kilmarnock, without a goal conceded, is a measure of what they are capable of, when they put their minds to it.
The wins against Kilmarnock and Inverness are particularly noteworthy, as both Premiership clubs enjoyed the majority of possession, but were frustrated in attack and hit with sucker-punches. This is what McDowell will seek to do at Hampden.
Ronny, get the job done. Very, very, very, thoroughly.
A reminder for North American readers that the Annual Celtic Supporter’s Féile is on in Philadelphia this weekend. The events include live music each day, the US premier of The Asterisk Years, with a Q&A with Paul Larkin and Graham Wilson of Beyond the Waves podcast, as well as live coverage the semi-final. You can find out more, including how to book, here.
Have you booked for the CQN11 Str Patrick’s Dinner on Friday, 13 March? We’re hoping to raise enough money to build Mary’s Meals a school kitchen in Malawi. Mary’s meals emailed an hour ago with a report on one of the kitchens we built last year, in Kholoni, where they are now feeding 1245 children each day, a considerable increase in the roll-call since the availability of kitchen facilities, see the photo above.
Email me for tickets, celticquicknews@gmail.com (to the Dinner, not Malawi).
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Great news if Lustig starts
Please Celtic
Fur…
Today’s Game..
Well…. Ah wull mak an Exception..tae Ma Usual… Wont..(Wont?…ed)
Yes, Virginia.. Today, Ah WOULD play..
Mr.Commons.
Surprised?
Commons,is a Drag.. n Ah mean that… when he is exposed tae Superior Top class
European Opponents.
Like Ah keep on Saying..(Every chance Ye Get…ed)
Sure, when that Happens,,,he is oota hiz depth..n.. struggles mightileeee.
n..it shows..
Howevahhhhhh..
Today, Commons, Wull Shine ..like Ma Dear Aunt Matt’s…
Reverentially Prized Solid Brass Door – Bell..
The Pride o’ the Close… the TiledClose..
where she lived..in ..Possil Park.Three Stairs up.
This Day, However..
Commons,has found a Soft Target…
He wull excel..
Noo ,ye know.
Kojo
Still Laughin’
I will be watching the game for one reason and one reason only.
To support my team CELTIC and cheer them on. Ok, that’s two reasons!
Something I have been doing for 50+ years.
That, sadly, does not appear to be a good enough reason for some people.
Cmon Celtic, pump thum!
HH!!
Have we rested anyone?
Earlier I saw the huns waiting for the bus and I did notice there wasnt many of them wearing colours. H.H.
tallybhoy
12:27 on 1 February, 2015
I will be watching the game for one reason and one reason only.
To support my team CELTIC and cheer them on. Ok, that’s two reasons!
Something I have been doing for 50+ years.
That, sadly, does not appear to be a good enough reason for some people.
Cmon Celtic, pump thum!
₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩
Correctio…..
C’mon the hoops
Ayrshire is Green and White
Teuchter ár lá
Great post.
Hope we put on a great show today and that will encourage a few of your lads to switch from the EPL hype to the famous Glasgow Celtic rollercoaster.
Gardez la Foi
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 10s11 seconds ago
#Celtic team to play Rangers: Gordon; Lustig, Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Commons, Johansen, Stokes; Griffiths
Andy getting a lesson in consistency
There were moments when I thought he could carry it off
Saw Novak years ago in Davis Cup match at Braehead but never thought he would turn into the player he is today. Wonderful game from both players.
Anyways -will thems attempt a ‘break in’ or a ‘break out’ today at Hampdump?
HH
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 11s12 seconds ago
Subs: Zaluska, Matthews, Ambrose, Guidetti, Scepovic, Forrest, Henderson
Gordon; Lustig, Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Commons, Johansen, Stokes; Griffiths.
Subs: Zaluska, Matthews, Ambrose, Guidetti, Scepovic, Forrest, Henderson
Like the look of that team today. Set up perfectly for the job!
Let’s get it on
micktt
Enjoy the game!
HH!!
Walter smith still pleading that rangers shouldnt have been put down in the lower division
stupid stupid old man
Happy with that team.
Right that’s us at Hampden.
UTLR
Prediction for me. 6 1. I’d love 10 but a can see the Masonic ref chopping 4 off. They shouldn’t get near us. C’mon the hoops. First beer open. Tunes pumping.
hour to go
what’s up with paul – I could do with his wise words
I expect Celtic to win today end of!!!!
Final stats:
219 minutes of intense play (111 mins for the women)
254 points contested (140 points)
8.75km of dashing, twisting & turning (1.97km)
ASD3.1M for the winner (ASD3.1M)
Equality?
ACH well, now onto the main event.
Teuchter
Hope the club is rammed today bud.
Ofcourse u are correct.
Let’s start righting some wrongs
‘ Said he I am no traitor , but his trial he had to stand ‘
Hail Hail to u brother, the light is back on and I’m going over the barricades!
Waiting for delayed flight to Denver. Might catch the first few minutes on the iPlayer. Team looks solid.
Mon the Hoops pump the deid team!
1.30 ko
Inter down 2 nil btw
Seems like the ragtops have picked up on the Belgian kid now
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/celtic-set-750000-swoop-belgian-5082396
Safety in numbers today bhoys and ghirls
HH
gsu
oh great, it’s on BBC Scotland !
Robin Bhoy
Tell John I was asking for him!!! 0)
This is our best team today bar done.
Liking the team.
On couch with the dug (he’s not been well, this will cheer him up) coffee in hand, cheeky wee beer or two kept over from last night.
Celtic TV HD playing some good tunes.
HH!
Help needed please – in Amsterdam looking for somewhere to watch the match – where’s the place to go ??????????????????
Bookie man Black to last what……………………………20 minutes?
Team looks good.
From an Old Firm Glory hunters point of view of course.
Watching the Inter game with two Inter supporting pals.
They’re not happy!
I expect to be a lot happier in a few hours time.
HH!!
Can’t see anything other than a convincing win for us.
Not only would none of their players get into our team, I don’t think any of them would make our bench.
derrydave
Hoops irish bar…Leidesplein
HH
Not a fan of Johansen at no.10, but glad Commons is playing. He and Lustig have been excellent together – 27/30 points won when they play on the right.
Murrays strumpieness takes over his head!!
Best of luck to the team today. It’s important we rise above any “honest mistakes” on the refereeing front, and let the cream rise to the top!
I’m off with a confident smile on my face and a jaunty spring in my step.
Nae borra at aw lads n lassies.
I’ve even got money on it.