Sinclair, Johansen, take-a-pop Rogic, precocious Nesbitt

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After losing at home to Newco last month Motherwell comfortably overcame three lower league sides in the League Cup before delivering an excellent win at Rugby Park on the opening day of the league season. They will pitch up at Celtic Park tonight hopeful of catching Celtic with their eye on the European prize.

For Brendan Rodgers tonight will not only be an important cup game he wants to win, it’s another opportunity to improve the fitness of his squad ahead our Summer Cup Finals against Hapoel Beer Shiva, the first of which takes place one week from today.

Having only played 30 minutes so far this season, Scott Sinclair will be behind the rest of the squad in terms of match fitness and may be asked to play 90 minutes tonight. Stefan Johansen is another who could do with a full game under his belt. As for the others, it’s a balance between building endurance but making sure they get enough rest ahead of next week.

Tom Rogic’s new contract has been universally welcomed. I was late to the Rogic Appreciation Society, but it all came together last season. One of the specifics he brings is the ability to shoot from outside the box. Celtic play against packed defences most weeks (Scott Sinclair will learn that the space he exploited at Tynecastle on Sunday will be a rarity), so being able to take a pop from distance offers vital variation.

Keep an eye on Aidan Nesbitt’s progress on loan at Morton until January. Aidan (19) was at Partick Thistle for the second half of last season. Young, creative players don’t get prime billing in the bottom half of the Premiership, so a move to the Championship should give him a better platform to but on his precocious talents.

No mistakes tonight, Celtic.

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  1. Shameless repost:

     

     

    NatKnow

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Vegemite and Marmite – two things I have never tasted.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Interesting fact I learned recently. The used yeast from the brewing process at the Green King factory here gets collected once a week and goes off to become Marmite. Interestinger than that, Marmite was invented by the wonderfully named Justus von Liebig.

  2. DAVIDOPOULOS on 10TH AUGUST 2016 12:05 PM

     

     

    NatKnow

     

     

    Vegemite and Marmite – two things I have never tasted.

     

     

    Interesting fact I learned recently. The used yeast from the brewing process at the Green King factory here gets collected once a week and goes off to become Marmite. Interestinger than that, Marmite was invented by the wonderfully named Justus von Liebig.

     

    ——————————————————————

     

    LOL! Brilliant name for a marketeer..!

     

     

    I love Vegemite. Had some on a muffin this morning. This is not me trying to integrate the food/Fanni puns BTW… :-)

  3. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 10TH AUGUST 2016 12:06 PM

     

    DAVIDOPOULOS on 10TH AUGUST 2016 11:59 AM

     

     

    Oi! Australians invented the notepad and wine in a box. Leave them alone!

     

     

    ============================================================

     

     

     

    Thank you , David .

     

    We`re no a bad lot.

     

     

    Wine in a box

     

    Currently called ” Goon ”

     

    The ” lanny ” of younger Aussies.

  4. NatKnow

     

     

    We probably should have a day off.

     

     

     

    (It took every ounce of willpower I have not to replace “off” with the French word for egg).

  5. glendalystonsils on

    DAVIDOPOULOS on 10TH AUGUST 2016 12:06 PM

     

     

    Von Liebig??

     

     

    Is he not running Sevco?

  6. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    DECLAN

     

     

    Difficult to say naw wi the hormones and the booze rampant. I take it you told them yer name was Dave,or summat.

  7. DAVIDOPOULOS on 10TH AUGUST 2016 12:11 PM

     

     

    NatKnow

     

     

    We probably should have a day off.

     

     

    (It took every ounce of willpower I have not to replace “off” with the French word for egg).

     

    ————————————–

     

    I see what you did there.

     

     

    (Almost replaced “did” with the English for “calamari”).

     

     

    :-)

  8. The young Chinese drink chilled red wine with Sprite oot o’ boxes tae get bladdered.

     

     

    Its bloody horrible stuff! Probably the stuff the Aussies wont touch! ;-0))

  9. South Of Tunis on

    I think Australia’s finest export was The Saints .

     

     

    Went to see them in a boozer called The Hope and Anchor in 77 .. Great ! Fabulous version of This Perfect Day . A choon that nestles in my – To be played at my funeral box.

  10. ROBINBHOY on 10TH AUGUST 2016 12:21 PM

     

     

    The young Chinese drink chilled red wine with Sprite oot o’ boxes tae get bladdered.

     

     

    Its bloody horrible stuff! Probably the stuff the Aussies wont touch! ;-0))

     

    —————————-

     

    Think that’s called “Tinto de Verano” in Spain! :-))

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MACJAY

     

     

    Lanky of Campbelltown Loch game has long been superseded by even more poisonous things.

     

     

    I thought the likes of Buckie-one mouthful,spat it out-and Mad Dog-similar-were bad but some of the stuff my younger pals chuck down has me calling for the men in white coats.

     

     

    Kinda like my Dad and his pals thought about me and mine in the eighties,really.

     

     

    At least I didnae eat anything ending in mite. Though if that wee mite Kylie had popped into my company as often as she popped into my imagination…

  12. I read online that Hapoel’s captain and best player winger Elyaniv Barda got a groin injury last night as Hapoel got beaten 1-0 at home in the cup against newly promoted FC Ashdod. Barda now a massive doubt for play-off games joining Portuguese centre half and MOTM against Olympiakos, Miguel Vitor on injury list (ankle injury). Although they are hoping that LB Ofir Davidzada will be able to play in play off games before joining Gent but still not confirmed.

  13. Anyone any idea of ticket sales tonight? Just so I can get an idea of the parking situation as its been terrible for the qualifiers.

  14. traditionalist88 on

    Would be giving Sinclair 50- 60 mins max tonight what with Roberts likely to miss next week.

     

     

    He’s played pre-season games for Villa and was up to speed enough to take his place on the bench on Sunday to great effect.

     

     

    HH

  15. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Just passed the Dolphin in Partick.

     

    Boarded up, must be unsafe after Saturdays explosion.

     

     

    Smiddy will be the boozer later then

  16. oneofthe70percent on

    griffiths and johansen suspended tierney a big doubt with injury ,whats happened too the new signings ,rogers was takling about at the weekend

  17. James Forrest has put pen to paper now as well:))

     

     

     

    Celtic FC

     

    6 mins ·

     

    Congratulations to James Forrest who has signed a new three-year contract with Celtic, committing himself to the club until 2019.

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BLANTYRETIM

     

     

    DESERTBHOY is hoping to meet a few like-minded people in the Blane Valley prior to tonight’s match.

  19. Bobby Murdochs Ankle supportin Oscar Knox on

    OHITS,

     

     

    Good wee day out with Mr & Mrs M on Saturday, you were mentioned in dispatches…

     

     

    Bma

  20. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BLANTYRETIM

     

     

    Early doors,I reckon.

     

     

    I’ll forward you his addy.

  21. Why was our first game Away ? Is it not customary for the Champions to start at Home and unfurl the Flag? I believe it has something to do with our playing Milan but I still don`t get it.

     

     

    JJ

  22. Brendan Really backing James now. New Deal. Let’s kick on now James. Show Brendan and us your worth it.

     

     

    Mixed news day for me.

     

     

     

    KLV

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