The ‘next game’ being all important is seldom true

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Celtic have the best squad in Scotland, so with a hugely important League Cup semi-final ahead on Saturday, we should rest as many players as possible for tonight’s game against St Mirren.

St Mirren are a point above bottom-placed St Johnstone and in a clutch of five clubs within two points of the automatic relegation spot.  St Johnstone are only team they have scored against in their last five outings.

If the plan is give Ryan Christie the chance to reprise his League Cup semi-final exploits of last season, he should be rested in favour of Tom Rogic, who needs as much game time as he can get anyway.

Christopher Jullien played through an illness on Sunday, he too should be rested, Nir Bitton is more than capable of filling in.  This could also be the game for Greg Taylor to make his Celtic debut, allowing Boli Bolingoli to catch his breath.

Odsonne Edouard is one booking away from a Europa League suspension, so there is a reasonable chance we will start one of the later games in the group with Bayo in attack.  If this is in the post for the young Ivorian, let’s start him tonight.  I know football managers like to talk about the ‘next game’ being all important, but this is seldom true.

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  1. I thought lenny said Bayo was a major doubt for the nite and was more likely for sat

     

     

    Still think

     

    Gordon

     

    Taylor Bitton Bauer Frimpong

     

    Shved/Arzani Ntcham Connell Hayes

     

    Sincalir

     

     

    is the way to go tonite…

  2. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Good stuff Pablo.

     

     

    Managing a 60 game season requires a strategic, rather than reactionary, focus.

     

     

    Hail hail

  3. Paul67

     

     

    Agree, Tom Rogic not 100% ( knee )

     

     

    Taylor is third in a queue of three, for left back, just like Bauer is in a queue of three for right back.

     

     

    Tons of scope for changes Johnston and Ntcham back in training.

     

     

    Three points required goal difference doesn’t matter in October and will matter less in May.

  4. TBB

     

     

    30TH OCTOBER 2019 11:08 AM

     

     

    The format of the Celtic blog makes navigation difficult but I thought some of the points raised were valid, particularly if there is no evidence of activity by either SFA or Celtic since July 2018 in the case of the SFA and Celtic when the issue of inactivity and lack of clarity was specifically raised in Nov 2018 at the last AGM with commitment to a written reply that has not happened.

     

     

    I wouldn’t have posted the link if I thought the points had no value.

     

     

    The SFA are simply not the forum to deal with the issue.

     

     

    It should not take 2 years for SFA to look at the RFC UEFA application in 2012 and the letter the SFA themselves sent to RFC about the still outstanding wee tax cade to see what should have been done in 2011.

     

     

    The 2012 letter clarified that any tax owed for years prior to 31 Dec had to be settled by 31 March unless there was a written agreement to postpone or it was under dispute. Otherwise an overdue payable existed.

     

     

    That was the same as in 2011 but then the licence was granted, in 2012 it was refused on grounds of no ratified accounts plus the bill had not been paid, there was no written agreement to postpone and HMRC had rejected a late appeal in 2011 as vexatious.

     

     

    So all that is needed to reach a conclusion one way or another is all in SFA records.

     

     

    Clearly it is the fear of the consequences of admitting the grant in 2011 was made under false pretence.

     

     

    That is understandable but is it not time to face that fear and do the right thing and deal with the consequences?

     

     

    Is it not time to treat supporters as grown ups and rely on their ability to appreciate the position RFC put Scottish football in in a business context and stop what looks like a charade that is no longer worth maintaining?

  5. I agree Paul but Bayo isn’t fit for tonight.

     

     

    If he’s to start games it’s likely either Motherwell or Livingston at home (or both)

     

     

    That would precede the Rennes game

  6. I believe Neil will pick the same team as Aberdeen. He could potentially make a change at CB if Julien is still affected by his virus.

  7. With tonight being the last game in October there are 5 players in the running for CQN Player Of the Month – Brown, Christe, Edouard, Elyounoussi and Frimpong. PLease don’ forget to vote. cqnpoty@gmail.com

  8. Forster

     

    Bauer Elhamed Bitton Taylor

     

    Brown Christie

     

    Forrest Rogic Elyounoussi

     

    Edouard

     

     

    Bayo if fit

  9. BSR- Au contraire mon ami, I remember a game v DU around February,Seville season, when Dunfermline lay down,BBJ scored 2 in first 15 minutes ,I was ranting for more goals as we showboated, game finished 2-0.Given the farcical penalty situation, along with the cheats who award them,get goals scored. HH

  10. Found the game, I was close,was in January…

     

     

    Teams

     

    Celtic:-

     

    Hedman, Mjallby (McNamara 28), Balde, Valgaeren, Agathe, Lambert, Petrov, Sutton, Smith, Larsson, Hartson (Crainey 82).

     

    Subs not used:- Broto, Maloney, Guppy.

     

    Goals:- Hartson 25, Larsson 29.

  11. South Of Tunis on

    Lazio away –

     

     

    Woman from Trastevere ( a lovely part of Rome ) on the radio bemoaning the fact that yet again she and significant thousands of others will face significant disruption to their lives in consequence of there being a football match in the city . –

     

     

    ” Why should a citizen of Rome be barred from the vicinity of Villa Borghese ? Why should my local bar be closed ? Why should I be unable to buy a bottle of wine from my local supermarket ?. Why should my income tax and local taxes be spent on the cost of policing a football match when the mega rich owner of the relevant Club pays nothing — where does he live ? “.

     

     

    Absurdity – seems the Celtic support will be bussed from Villa Borghese to the game and will be bussed to Termini after the game . Termini is the sleaziest part of Rome – main train station – whores ( for whatever you fancy ) coke dealers , Skunk dealers, those hoping to prey on innocents from elsewhere and a fine place for Neds to be pretending to be en route to catching a train ..

     

     

    In the meantime – nut job websites for nut job ultras are pumping up the volume re how insulted / disrespected they were in Glasgow .. Absolute prats . Augurs well !.

     

     

    I’ll walk to the game / I’ll walk back to the pal’s where I’m staying . Easy does it !

  12. So…flipping through various pages in search of motivation for facing the day with a big smile, I came across this wee pic on BBC Scotland’s home page…..

     

     

    It’s subtle, cryptic even.

     

     

    But those of us who have investigated world conspiracies KNOW that the juxtaposition of certain words matter.

     

     

    A banning from follow follow to,,,,,follow…..if you follow.

     

     

    http://alturl.com/n2mo3

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Matt

  13. it appears that the masonic club are being protected by their Brothers. No EBT recipiants will be held to account just like their club.

     

     

    I see Murray has got planning permission in North Lanarkshire for over 600 houses. This will be for land which originally was Murray holdings which went bust for A £1 billion debt. The Murray family company was allowed to cherrypick the portfolio and was able to acquire the profitable assets without any competition. Its an absolute scandal

     

     

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-50220748

     

     

    https://www.murraycapital.co.uk/

  14. Anyone listening to Lenny in pressers always says he only makes minimum changes injuries excepted. So don’t expect too many changes tonight.

     

    Players usually like to stay in the team and keep a winning run going and confidence high. If Jullien is over his big he’ll start and if Rogic’s knee is ok he’ll play if not Nir and Ryan will step in. Changes if we are well ahead but we shouldn’t be taking anything for granted either tonight or Saturday

     

     

    Kikinthenakas

     

    🍀🍀🍀 x 3

  15. don’t agree with all this resting of several players , play your strongest 11, get the 3 points and goals to spare , this is a monumental league title to be won , no messing about.

  16. Jeepers James, Joined Celtic at 9 years of age, 369 first team appearances, 81 goals, 8 League Titles, 5 Scottish Cup Wins & 4 League Cup Wins.

     

    Yet some Celtic Supporters see fit to slag him off. FFS.

  17. BBC :

     

    Celtic and Lazio have both been charged by Uefa after supporters sung “illicit chants” in the Europa League meeting of the sides last week.

  18. Regarding rotation: We currently have 15 fixtures to play before the winter break begins in 60 days

     

    One game every 4 days. For two months. Things may change if we get into the League Cup final which will also be played before winter break

     

     

    We have a massive squad of quality players. We are playing a St Mirren team that’s lost every game away from home. We couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to rotate.That said, I suspect we will play with a very similar team to the weekend. That’s because fitness issues affecting: Griffiths, Bayo, Johnston, Ntcham & Elhamed

  19. South Of Tunis on

    HOT SMOKED –@ 3 17 .

     

     

    Italian media claim –

     

     

    Celtic — Illicit banner / illicit chants .

     

     

    Lazio — Illicit chants .

     

     

    There’s been some debate in the Rome based media re the Ultras doing the Roman Salute while singing Bravi Ragazzi Di Buda -in Buchanan Street — some claim that those zoomers did not have officially issued tickets and were clearly not part of the official(police controlled ) corteo to the stadium .

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    H

  20. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    BELFASTBHOY0 on 30TH OCTOBER 2019 12:18 PM

     

     

    Gordon

     

     

    Taylor Bitton Bauer Frimpong

     

     

    Shved/Arzani Ntcham Connell Hayes

     

     

    Sincalir

     

     

    is the way to go tonite…

     

     

    ________________________________________________-

     

     

    Where are the ball winners in this team? We play this team tonight and St Mirren will think Christmas has come early. 1 or 2 changes only, lets leave all this squad experimental stuff out at least until we have a decent points gap between us and Sevconia.

     

     

    The lead article makes sense if you are prioritising another treble, but personally would happily sacrifice another treble for the 10. Get the 10 and we can lord it over Sevconia forever more.

  21. ROCK TREE BHOY on 30TH OCTOBER 2019 3:43 PM

     

     

    Ntcham, Hayes & Connell are all capable “ball winners”

     

     

    Not convinced you need em versus St Murn

  22. Go tell the Spartim on

    Corkcelt

     

     

    I would hope, and certainly from my perspective, its largely more frustration that he doesnt show his talents as often as we’d like (i know this is subjective), ie every time hes on the ball. My main gripe is he tends to be on his heels and not on his toes. Other than that he’s just dandy.

  23. SoT

     

    Thanks for that information.

     

    Time to head for the Emeral Express.

     

    Cheerio for now from a strangely apprehensive HS.

  24. 🎶🎵 This is how it feels to be Celtic…Champions again as you know,…Wee James Forrest is here for 12 in a row, 12 in a row..🎶🎵

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