Let’s get this one out of the way first: put notions of Newco out of your mind for tomorrow. Those of you who will be at Ibrox, and who are old enough to remember our last visit there, will have a familiar experience.
From what we gather, the stadium hasn’t changed, the home team play in the same colours, there will be some new fans, but many will have been there the last time we visited.
I’ve been going to Ibrox for over 30 years, we’ve faced some pretty awful teams in that time, but it’s never been easy. We were 2-0 down at halftime in the 2-4 game in ’83 (when Rangers were really awful). We were under the cosh for 60 minutes before things clicked in the 0-3 game in 2001. We’ve won plenty there, but we’ve had to battle for everything we’ve had. It will be no different tomorrow.
The 5-1 game in September happened because Newco were caught in the headlights. Perhaps believing their own preseason publicity, they matched up to Celtic. It was an embarrassing mistake, one they didn’t repeat in the League Cup semi-final, when they defended deeply, hoping for good fortune on the break.
Their big players were unprepared and looked unfit. Signs of the subsequent internecine squabbles were evident on the field.
Self-knowledge
Know your limits, who you are, what you can and cannot achieve, is a primary lesson in goal setting. As far as you and me are concerned, Newco will surely repeat their Hampden tactics, double-up in the fullback positions, protect central defence, and hope Auld Kenny can pounce on something on the break.
These are more-or-less the tactics we face every SPFL game, but I’m not sure what will happen tomorrow. This is a club who not only proclaim, but protest, with their every breath, that they are Rangers. Can ‘Rangers’ really line-up at Ibrox as scared of Celtic as everyone else in the league?
Maybe, but I’m not sure. There are signs that group-think has taken hold at Murray Park. They want to be the Rangers, with a century’s worth of ‘heritage’. If they want to live that out, they will need to take the game to us.
There’s a good chance that whatever they do, Celtic will win tomorrow. In the grand scheme of things, this matters little to the home team, who have beaten Aberdeen and Hearts this month, and look capable of snatching one of the Europa League qualifier spots. They were never really “going for 55”.
But if you bring the punters in on that promise, there will be pressure from the stands to live up to that sentiment. What to do, go for it and lose 0-4, or crawl into your shell, lose 0-1, and betray your season’s aspiration? I hope they go for it.
Brendan Rodgers has two problems; whether to play Moussa Dembele or Leigh Griffiths, and whether to give James Forrest or Patrick Roberts the nod? We have two highly-achieving strikers, only one of which will start, and two fit and ready wingers competing for the slot on the right side.
My hunch is that Moussa will get the nod. I know what you’re going to say: Leigh’s on fire, but Moussa has scored more goals in his two games against Newco than the striker they are all singing about this season has in his 17 appearances. Dembele terrifies then, with good reason. They have no answer to him, they cannot shove him off the ball, cannot keep pace with him and cannot seem to find him in the box.
I expect James to start with Patrick coming on late to pick at the bones.
Tom Rogic would have started if fit, but there’s an untold story of our recent form: Rogic, Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor have been our form players this month. Only two will start any game. McGregor and Armstrong will not be significantly weaker than any combination with Tom.
We also have Scott Sinclair back and approaching full fitness. He’s going to love Ibrox, he’s made for this game. I expect big things from him.
What are our biggest risks? Red cards. Newco’s best chance of getting something from the game is for Celtic to have a man sent off. I’m not going to mark your card on the referee, but we’ve seen too many Celtic players ordered off there over the years not to acknowledge the possibility.
The target for the team is clear: go into the winter break 19 clear with a game in hand. There’s a confidence in and about this Celtic team which makes anything seem possible, so don’t ask for my score prediction, as I might get carried away.
The target for our 7000 supporters is to have 7000 torches illuminating the 67th minute. If there’s one guy not participating I’ll want to know why. If you’re going, get this planned well in advance.
Juxtapose our targets with comments from Mark Warburton yesterday, who doesn’t want to be judged on results against Celtic.
I bet you don’t, buddy. I bet you don’t.
Ever feel you are being setup?
Following vandalism in the away section of Celtic Park earlier in the season a reciprocal agreement has been made with the offending club. In the very unlikely event Celtic supporters vandalise property tomorrow, the club will pick up the repair tab.
Without getting into detail, there is concern that some facilities will be ‘headline ready’ before Celtic fans enter the stadium. If you are at Ibrox when the gates open, go straight to the toilets, be the first there, photograph any damage (and how empty the stadium is at the time) and publish immediately on social media, to time-stamp what you observe.
There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off. For reasons which are difficult to fathom, Newco have not publicly announced this silence, it will be sprung on many fans. This will lead to some arriving at the ground unaware of the commemoration, making its observation less effective. Alert as many as you can that this is taking place.
Tomorrow will be a celebration of Celtic. 7000 light will shine at the 67th minute, the players will shine brighter-still on the park, but be ready, the same old faces are plotting the same old distractions. Be aware of their tactics.
654 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 18
- »
MONTHEHOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!!!!!
first team?
KLV
God bless Celtic!
PAUL67
Good stuff,old bean. Particularly liked this piece of advice…
“Following vandalism in the away section of Celtic Park earlier in the season a reciprocal agreement has been made with the offending club. In the very unlikely event Celtic supporters vandalise property tomorrow, the club will pick up the repair tab.
Without getting into detail, there is concern that some facilities will be ‘headline ready’ before Celtic fans enter the stadium. If you are at Ibrox when the gates open, go straight to the toilets, be the first there, photograph any damage (and how empty the stadium is at the time) and publish immediately on social media, to time-stamp what you observe.”
Though I thought we already had such an agreement,tbh.
Confirmation that the bill for the vandalism at Celtic Park for the hun game is still outstanding. Ergo the ticket money also. Keeping the huns afloat tsk tsk
HH
3-1 to the Hoops tomorrow ;)
I hope they come out and have a go too, we will tear them to shreds if they do.
Get intae thum.
Our purpose tomorrow is to hurt them
The team will do it by not taking them for granted
Our guys in the stadium will do it by having an immaculate minutes silence and by leaving the toilets in e condition they found them
They will hate that
Maybe not the correct reiason for doing this but if we achieve this we’ve been good citizens
And it will piss them off
Hi Bhoys
Merry Christmas and hopefully a blessed and peaceful new year.
Here goes I know I am hanging myself out to be slaughtered here but i’ve been thinking about all the pitfalls these monkeys are laying out for our supporters to be given bad press. In particular the minutes silence one that is a difficult obstacle to overcome so my idea is for the minutes silence all of our supporters at the match could give it the full boona YNWA. This can cover all aspects by this sing it for the club,the team, your loved ones (departed or not) or as a tribute to the sad death of people who tragically died at a football stadium. I’m pretty sure that the Liverpool fans use it as atribute to the 96. So that covers all bases.
KEEP THE FAITH
Even the best Celtic sides lost points in away games to the likes of Motherwell, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd etc. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that the tribute act could do the same. In the grand scheme of things this will keep them happy for a day or two but look at what lies ahead for both clubs. However, like all of us on here I want them to be totally humiliated by the good guys.
My first post in almost two months because of illness,still attending hospital hopefully things get better. To those going to the game tomorrow,impress on others not to act the way the savages went about destroying the toilet facilities at Celtic Park.Their venue is a dump so why, help them to improve it one jot,when the bill for any ‘damage’ caused will be met by the club we hold dear.Happy New Year to all of a CELTIC persuasion and I pray and hope we hammer the unskilled crew who provide tomorrow’s opposition.
whilst knowing your limits one should always be trying to exceed them in the appropriate areas.
Having of course planned immaculately for every eventuality.
wax on
Our fans that are attending should give the toilets a clean. spray air freshener, leave luxury toilet tissue, make the chrome sparkle, leave a few bunches of flowers, etc etc.
MILDMANNEREDPEDRODELGADO
If wearing a hard hat is deemed offensive,singing YNWA during their silence must be a hanging offence!
Paul 67
I’m not clear on this “which club will pick up the repair tab” ?
Hunderbirds
That would be brilliant,classy, they would hate that
Stay classy, Celtic fans
The damage caused by the vermin at CP, should be deducted from tomorrow’s ticket money, it’s the only way we will get it.Anyone causing damage tomorrow should be given a slap.
Bada Bing
It looks like Celtic are paying to repair our own stadium for damage caused by visitors and SAY NOTHING ABOUT IT.
Good day to you all. I have snapped out of a week long, flashing Christmas tree light induced trance just in time for my least favourite match in the Timosphere. Pish.
Anyway, Paul67 is absolutely right about the traps being set. The Police Scotland boot boys/camera voyeurs are itching for arrests at tomorrow’s match. Interesting that the Green Brigade won’t be allowed in early to set up their display. Maybe their reputation for inspecting the plumbing precedes them…
I also wonder how slow the queues will be to get into the match. Nothing disrupts a minute silence like late arriving spectators. Yes, I do think they are that petty. The only improvement to their reputation/brand that they can dream up is the tarnishing of ours.
Roll on the 90th minute tomorrow and this farce will be over for a couple of months (95th if Sevco are trailing by a single goal).
the 67 light show, not everyone has a mobile phone, so in a wiz like advice column, be like the old fella i saw at hampden final who pulled from his pocket ,,,, a real torch
SAINT STIVS
I have a set of battery powered LED fairy lights that are now somewhat redundant if anyone needs them for the 67th minute….
40k of them turning up tomorrow to stare at the away end hoping to be offended.
They should look at the role of the dead club in the tragedy of the 66, before and after,
Knowing your limits or pushing your limits? Hmm, tricky one.
I’m with Dylan Moran on this one – potential is like your bank balance, you always have much less than you think you do.
Or maybe that’s just applicable Sevco (potential and bank balance)
Paul67
I see the Sevco plans are in place.
Win lose or draw there will now be ‘invention’ if Celtic win all hell will break loose, at the big hoose.
Celtic’s board will require to take share of the blame, for compliance and the ‘business is business’ approach to a game that shouldn’t be played.
QuiteShocking CSC
We all know that the minutes silence will most likely be broken but supporters coming in late. This will be used as another stick for the hun press to beat us with. They are literally clutching at straws in an attempt to “win” something tomorrow. They are, after all, FC Dignity…
BHOYJOEBELFAST
I wish you a speedy recovery and a much better 2017.
HH
Morning fholks. Last blog of 2016 for me. I hope everyone has a great New Year and thanks for reading the blog this year and also thanks to Paul 67 and the Mods for letting me post the link on CQN.
https://stayinguplateblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/30/beware-the-men-in-black-at-fortress-ibrox/
The lowest of the low,trying to catch fans out for a non publicised minutes silence,they truly have no shame……the permarage continues…
*** GOALS FOR SHAY ***
Another wee plug for our brand new competition, “Goals For Shay” which all kicks off on in just 2 weeks time on Saturday 14th January 2017. Dead easy to play – simply pick 1 single unique different team each week over the 10 week period, and the entrant with the highest aggregate goals scored will take the entire prizepot.
The cost of entry is £10 per team entered and if you pay before 14 January 2017 you get awarded a free joker to get double points when you decide to play it. You can also buy one more additional joker for just £5.
The prizepot will consist of 50% of the £10 entry free. The other 50% plus ALL of the money raised from the additional joker option will go to support Walk With Shay.
To register your interest just drop a ‘can I play’ email to cqnpredictor@gmail.com and we will send you full details on how to pay plus a bit more on the pretty easy rules. Try to remind us of your moniker or nickname. We tend to respond in batches so give us a few days before sending any reminders!
And feel free to tell your family and friends, share on Facebook, involve your work colleagues, etc. Your children, especially, may think they can do better than you!! Remember who won LMS8!
And if we could get just 8 more entrants by this time tomorrow we’d be on 55 which would sit nicely alongside our team’s 55 points and, when our 3rd goal goes in tomorrow, 55 goals.
Thank you for Walking With Shay.
ps – to clarify, entrants don’t have to post or even lurk on CQN. Neither do they have to support The Hoops. We’re a clique, sorry, a competition open to absolutely everyone ;-)
ONENIGHTINLISBON
“They are after all,FC DIGNITAS”
Fixed that for you…
Paul67
Upwards of 20,000 fans can’t be bothered to shine their fone lights at Celtic Park, I just hope the fans tomorrow all join in.
Are you suggesting in today’s blog that Sevco have not paid for the damage done to our stadium in September.
TONYROME on 30TH DECEMBER 2016 12:47 PM
“In particular the minutes silence one that is a difficult obstacle to overcome so my idea is for the minutes silence all of our supporters at the match could give it the full boona YNWA.”
I think this is a fantastic idea. YNWA has been used by the Celtic fans for years to pay our respects to those no longer with us or in need of our support. Nobody needs to tell Celtic fans how to express their grief and over succor.
Hail Hail
Twitter got it spot-on yesterday with the hun minute silence. it’s anything they can do to try and find a front page headline V us.
Stinks rotten and i’ll tell you why. What happened with their conscience in 83/85/87 and 89.
Scum then ………………………….Scum now !!!!!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Many thanks, they are many things to me……
Bigot Dome is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
Bigot Dome is falling down,
Nae mair saftey.
Bigot Dome is broken down,
Broken down, broken down.
Bigot Dome is broken down,
Nae mair saftey.
Cover it up with nets and hay,
nets and hay, nets and hay,
Cover it up with nets and hay,
Nae mair saftey.
nets and hay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away,
nets and hay will wash away,
Nae mair saftey.
Cover it up with Celtic supporters,
Celtic supporters, Celtic supporters,
Cover it up with Celtic supporters,
Nae mair saftey.
Celtic supporters look away,
look away, look away,
Celtic supporters look away,
Nae mair saftey.
Cover it up with Pete and Neil,
Pete and Neil, Pete and Neil,
Cover it up with Pete and Neil,
Nae mair Integrity.
Pete and Neil will bend and bow,
Bend and bow, bend and bow,
Pete and Neil will bend and bow,
Nae mair Integrity.
Cover it up for silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold,
Cover it up for silver and gold,
Nae mair Integrity.
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away,
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Nae mair Integrity.
Set a plan to protect the Knight,
protect the Knight, protect the Knight,
Set a plan to protect the Knight,
Nae mair Integrity.
Plan will be swallowed by domestic sheep,
domestic sheep , domestic sheep
Plan will be swallowed by domestic sheep,
Nae mair Integrity.
Being a bigot, is their birthright,
their birthright, their birthright,
Being a bigot, is their birthright,
Nae mair Integrity.
what is the minute silence in aid of?
does anyone know?
HH
I suggested other day. After the heat in Lisbon song we should blast out
Jock stein.
Jock stein
Jock stein
Repeat till we are exhausted.
DUMBHOY
Those who lost their lives in the Ibrox disaster.