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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DERRYDAVE
List of them here.
http://www.celticbars.com/barsn.html
Like the selection, and a strong bench too. If we are allowed to play we will walk all over them.
It will be a tense start and they will defend for their lives. We need patience to break them down and they will tire as we have them chasing.
Of course if I am wrong and it is 3 – 0 after 10 minutes I won’t be complaining.
Workmanlike Selection.. Ronny Bhoy..
Commons? Yes.. Ah noticed.
Noo is the time fur us tae get serious.
Nae mair..messing..
Sleeves Rolled up time..
Game Faces oan..
Let’s keep the Heid Bhoys..n.. Kojo , wull Buy Each of ye a Bunnet..
fae… Connell’s o ‘ Renfield Street..
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Thats us at the game now.
Sure I seen canalamar walking past me there. :-)
Only kidding mate H.H.
Cup games against lesser teams are often banana skins. Standards can drop to that of the minnow and bumpy pitches can play their part. Whilst I think we’ll win, we should remain cautious and not expect too much.
COYBIG
derrydave
Hoops…leidesplein…..in centre of town…..loads of tims be there
HH
Cheers green man – in Rembrandsplein at the mo – heading to leidsplein now !!!!!
derrydave
Ive been there…in your situation
Loads of Irish bhoys be there…..have a good one
C,mon the hoops….in the hoops
HH
Right, that’s me reached “The Chair”………
Shortbread or Setanta?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Win, Lose or Draw.
;)
Just sat down in my Glory Hunting seat and the back collapsed!
Pure sh@t it.
The steward was fine, good laugh.
You’re not Raangers anymore rings around Hampden.
bournesouprecipe
12:19 on
1 February, 2015
Billy Bhoy
Celtic don’t have any record in this fixture
Couldn’t agree more mate. Which is why I didn’t say that! :-)
LIVE UPDATES ARE UP
HH
DOC
We’ll be hearing all about Celtic fans smashing seats because of you,ya lout.
Afternoon folks,
Off to watch the game with family. Please be very careful folks today, especially if you are going to the game. If the game goes the way I think it will it’s going to be very dangerous in some parts the rest of the day and evening
Keep safe.
HH Dan
morning all
Disappointed in Murray there but I suppose we should be getting used to in the Aussie Final
I am kind of worried about the actual game now as it would appear Ronny has picked the team I and most on here would have picked.
I do think Celtic are by far the better team and that if we settle early we will win. But I am haunted by the memory of occasions when we went into games like this over Rangers as clear favourites and still lost. The 1992 semi final under Liam Brady was the only Old Firm ( as they were known then) between about 1989 and 2001 that we went into as clear favourites and with a manager who seemed to be finally putting his clear, positive imprint on the team. We lost in bitterly disappointing circumstances. And Brady never recovered. Rightly or wrongly this will be seen as a defining game for Ronny – but only if we lose. Life and football can be unfair.
But I think we might win 8-0
Jimbo67
…dry and sunny in the desert!!!!
Time to remind them where their station is…end of the line!!
COYBIG
HH
Like that team, take the MIB out of the equation by pumping der Hun, stay safe you Bhoys & Ghirls at hamdump. 4-0 to the good guys.
YNWA
Black playing SHOCKAROONEY!!!!
Great team selection and bench.
Go get them Celts !!!
Hope it doesn’t all end like the Bougaria, Diouf, sleekit Wattie, and Whisperer game.
But I don’t think it will, because Uncle Fester McTrowel won’t come out for the second half.
Ha ha ha
Sound Advice..
Today’s….well.. actually..
Every Game..is Awe Aboot Hivin’
wan Thing..
Yes.. Only.. Wan..No Two or Three or Four..Things.
an.. that Wan Thing..is
Approaching the Game.. With
The Correct…ATTITUDE..
if oor Attitude is Mair Corrector…than Sevco’s..
Then..
We Shall be Triumphant..
n…if It is No?
Well…There wull be… Gnashing o’ Teeth…n.. the wearin’ o’ Sackcloth n Ashes..wull be.. De Rigueur..
at Parkheid oan the Clyde.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Love that 11.
If the worst happens and we lose today I just hope RD does not get the blame. There would be for me, outside of rampant mibbery, no excuse for that team to lose to such dross.
Why is Broony continually saying Rangers V Celtic on BBC? Not overly impressed with that!
US commentator says 15m quid has been bet on this game. Maybe that helps explain the Great Lie and the “we need them” rubbish.
Thats the constipation sorted!! See you later!!
Big John not exactly effusive in his comments about RD. He needs to get a grip!
C’mon the Hoops!!!
Just go out beat them hoops
Jeez–this is worse than watching Andy Murray. My feckin’ nerves are shot.
Griff!!!! 1-0
We’re gonna mollocate this mob, as soon as we calm Doon…..;-))
H.H.
Billy Dodds on national TV…..am not gonna condone bad tackles but someone from Rankers should……WTF…..scumbag
haha haha ha ha hahaha ha
H.H.
Delighted Leigh G scored. Watch the Under 20s regularly and he has run his wee ass off week after week while various chancers have got the shout as our next big striker. Watch his movement before he connects with Johanssens cross. He’s working and he’s developing. Hope he gets a hat-trick. Leigh would have had two if the ref was competent and unbiased. Credit where it is due.
No many on here
looks like you broke it dixie bhoy
clear pen for ma wee man leigh
Seem to be talking to myself?
Should I open the curtains and see if the world has went and ended? OK, after the game.
70-1 the huns
Tic 1-200
nice to meet ya marrakesh