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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Brendan has managed to sort out the squad, seems to have motivated them, brought in quality and beyond most of our expectations has got us through to the final CL qualifier. After sundays game it seems to me he’s created the beginnings of, momentum. Keep it going Celtic it’s a powerful weapon. HH
James Forrest on signing a new deal
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/i-accepted-rodgers-challenge/
Delighted to see Rogic sign a new deal. Was beginning to fear he would be moving on. Gives us something different – creativity, vision and a goal threat.
Not so sure about Forrest. Thought a move might be better for player and club. Don’t see him getting any better than he is now, which is about as good as he was around four years ago. Think the best we might get is a more consistent version.
Would liked to have seen the likes of Nesbitt and Miller come through.
St stivs,
On reading the news I thought of you mate. :)
I bet you hoped it was resigned not re-signed
HH
Good luck to the Celts tonight. Heading out soon to Celtic Park and looking forward to a straight-forward win. No drama, please.
Lots of positive news this week. Will be fun to watch Kolo Toure, James Forrest, Tom Rogic and Scott Sinclair all on the pitch from the kickoff, giving the rest of the team some of that good energy.
Celtic forever.
To be fair I have been pretty critical of Forrest the last couple of years be if he can undergo a Bobby Petta-like transformation then I’d be delighted for him and us.
If Toure & Tierney dont make it
gordon
janko lustig o’connell izzy
brown mcgregor rogic
forrest sinclair
dembele
OHITS,
Saturday was the same, food and drinks in Glasgow, ended up in the Kempoch when we got of the train.
Keep well G.
Bma
I need to be fair to james.
In Brendan I trust, and I dont want to have any “told you so,s”
so i really hope he goes all Bobby Petta on us, even for 1 season, and has his best ever.
becomes a man.
lets see how it goes.
Brendan is undoubtedly the one for Celtic.
His post-match comments after the Hearts match were great – one thing in particular ‘struck a chord’ with me; he talked about players having to “take a risk to win the game” – he has also previously asked the fans to “trust the players”, during a game.
Under Ronny and indeed Lenny before him, the elimination of risk always seemed to be the starting point in our approach. There were occasions when our fear was palpable and pronouced, even against inferior opposition.
It will be interesting to observe Brendan’s ‘game management’ during the season, on Sunday his positive outlook was there for all to see -if this combination of risk and trust is handled by the players, we should be in for an exciting, maybe sometimes a rollercoaster, of a season.
Saint Stivs says SACK THE BOARD on 10th August 2016 4:47 pm
so i really hope he goes all Bobby Petta on us, even for 1 season, and has his best ever.
==================
Preferably that, than signing for Rossvale Jrs… :)
HH
ha david, snap.
great minds
SAINT STIVS
Stop copying my work or I’m tellin’!
That’s if Lee Wallace doesn’t beat me to it…
;)
oh no.
grass puns a plenty coming now
SAINT STIVS
No puns today. I’m tired after yesterday’s extravaganza. It’s turf at the top.
Damn it!
Awe naw no mower hun puns
In the crazy-money world of the EPL, £12m for Ashley Williams is a pretty decent buy….
Lee Wallace feels most at home in his back garden…..where he has a newly laid “creeping bentgrass” lawn ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Guys, cool it on the puns, the clucking hens on here won’t seed the funny side.
A wee bird tells me Celtic will have a special guest watching from the stands tonight. A player whom Brendan hopes to make his next signing. Pleaded for a name but none forthcoming.
Anyone heard anything?
http://videocelts.com/2016/08/blogs/latest-news/double-blow-for-hapoel-ahead-of-celtic-clash/?
KLV
AULD TAM
Not going tonight, But if anyone is going, Keep an eye oot.
KLV
Hoopy Birthday to TD67s maw……
HT welcome back……
KevJ….ye wer missed….maniac ;-))
On JF re-signing….i’m in the wait-and-see if it’s justified category….happy that TR has though ;-))
FTSFA
InBrendanwetrustCSC
H.H.
AULD TAM on 10TH AUGUST 2016 5:22 PM
As long as its no that Fanni, I’m no bothered.
Janko
Izzy
Johansen
Sinclair
All start …..
Happy birthday to TD67’s Mum. Usual place and time for CCB and one daughter this evening. Looking forward to see changes made due suspensions. Could be an interesting night.See hammer thrower extraordinaire Lasley back from suspension. Bet he gets first boot at Sinclair.
Auld Tam
My guess ( and it is purely a guess) would be Fabio Borini. Where is Catman when you need him?
JJ
!!BADA BING!!
Johansen? We’re not having a Legia Warsaw moment are we?
Team sheet latest…………………Wee Jamesie
Auld tam,
He’ll be easy to spot tonight then. Canny see it being a big crowd.
HH
20s beat Rovers one nil in the Jock Stein Friendship Cup Josh gave me his medal after it. H H
If the team posted on other sites is to be believed then somebody is leaking info from the Celtic camp..
Hot Smoked –
Borini was my thinking too.
Commons out of squad…it’s not Stevie G is it?
Maliciousinternetgossip csc
AULD TAM
heard similar – SG?
Rememberwhereyouhearditfirstcsc
TR
What is the team ( Leaked or otherwise) ?
JJ
So is it Borini? Saw the article on here earlier, No Smoke without fire on the CQN articles of late.
wildcard.csc
KLV
Special Guest = SG = ?
Hmmm….
JJ