Neil Lennon left us a teaser after Sunday’s victory over Kilmarnock, informing us that the players who got us to the Scottish Cup Final would get their chance to represent us in the Final, not necessarily those who transformed our play in the last two games.
We can safely discount Forster, Simunovic, Arzani (yes, I’d forgotten too), Hayes, Bayo, Bolingoli and Shved, all of whom were part of this Scottish Cup campaign but are no longer at the club. James Forrest is not fit and Leigh Griffiths is currently fourth choice striker, so unlikely to be considered unless/until we need a late goal.
That leaves five possibilities: Ryan Christie, Tom Rogic, Olivier Ntcham, Scott Bain and Scott Brown.
Christie has unfinished business in the Scottish Cup after suffering multiple fractures to his face in the 2019 semi-final that kept him out of the final. I expect we will see him instead of Jeremie Frimpong at right mid.
Conor Hazard has not put a glove wrong in his two outings and there is no reason to believe that would change on Sunday, but Neil may prefer Scott Bain, or, conversely, give Vasilis Barkas his Scottish Cup debut. No idea how this will go.
I would be amazed if David Turnbull did not start. In the space of a week he has made the central attacking mid position his own, Hampden specialist Tom Rogic is there if needed late in the game, although perhaps not for penalties.
Hampden is a big pitch and Ismaila Soro has the energy to cover it. He suffered cramp against Lille but his two outings last week will fortify him. Still, I expect the captain will get the nod.
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A film on BBC2 just now called King of Kings.
Nothing to do with Henrik, but the People’d front of Judea are going at it with the Romans.
Looks like the 5 day Christmas break nonsense, is getting binned
I don’t think we will sell many players in the January window. Covid has hit club finances and I expect an across the board reduction in transfer values.
Take Eddy for example surely his surly behaviour and sub standard behaviour will have reduced his value by as much as £10M. N’tcham and Christie similar. I also think Calum McGregor is one of the want aways and his recent performances are poor.
We will of course need replacements.
We have 5 games in 12 days including our now annual St. Stephen’s Day game at Hamilton, we’d be silly not to be using our squad. They have 6 games in 12 day so if we’re going to get back into this title race it has as good a chance as any of happening in the next two weeks.
Nothing to prevent us having two DM’s in the same side whether its a three or a four
in the sieve.
For too long Brown has lacked help in his department, and although most rejoiced when Soro came in, it shouldn’t be a one or the other debate.
If NL makes it so, he’s limiting his format instead of broadening how to win, and at the same time stop conceding so many goals.
You can only shuffle the pack so long, its how you set them out that counts.
BSR,
Two DMs in a world where creativity and goals are the priority?
Not for me. Especially with 2 wing backs with no creativity.
Play Soro alongside the young, fresh legs of Turnbull/Christie/McGregor/Ntcham with 2 up front.
Sit back and watch the goals pour in…
HH
AIPPLE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 12:23 AM
Thanks for posting that.
…and will youse all leave Eddie alone……
With the constant change of partners, 1 up front and nothing from the wings, along with 2 central middies who’d shoot rather than pass too often…..he’s in a broken bloody system of personal hell…
Fix the system. You fix Eddie.
HH
lazydynamite on 15th December 2020 1:51 pm
Lennon should be utterly ashamed of himself for the use of Brown this season when clearly a 10 times better player was sitting in reserve all along.
________________________________________________________________________
Very very harsh both for NFL and Broonie, 10 times?? Who are you talking about? I want to watch this player.
maybe put McGregor at left back and Johnston on his own up front?
Only joking😁
Some games in Europe we had almost three def mids.
Lambert Lennon
Petrov
Not all of them but the rate we won the ball back in Europe really got our crown roaring as we camped in opposition half.
Soro Brown
Calmac
Turnbull
Is a group I could live with 🍀
FRANKTERRY on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 2:29 PM
AIPPLE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 12:23 AM
Thanks for posting that.
——————————–
Glad you enjoyed the read.
!!bada bing!! @ 2.15pm
That post takes me back to 1640 Scotland
Never took you for a Covenanter though….
Until Now!
BIGBHOY
Calum is not one of the wantaways
BIG WAVY
The sieve has to be mended or any creativity counts for nothing, we’re even losing goals to the Ross County’s of the world never mind Europe, Sunday we played at team with no threat, and kept a clean sheet. We’ve created goals, even in Milan but the sieve gave way see Sparta, Lille, Milan etc etc.
Fix the spine of the side which includes defensive midfield.
Jullien warts n’ all was badly missed, and we’re onto keeper 3 in the search, I don’t think Christie is a wide right option and I’m glad Johnston is back on the bench for the potential of much needed wide creativity.
p.s. Ntcham has had more chances than most IMO and didn’t even make the bench
Celtic Mac-😁
Am I the only one that shouts at the TV as I yet again hear the commentator say, ” the ball just didn’t sit up for Edouard ” ?
It doesn’t sit up for our most dangerous striker, Leigh Griffiths, but he still smacks it into the net.
Ridiculous that he spends game after game on the bench.
Start him on Sunday.
CONEYBHOY on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 2:33 PM
That’s funny because it’s true.
MR- why are Griffiths and Ajeti not fit? I know there’s a difference in being match fit,after a few games, but what are these 2 doing in training?
Griffiths has been unfit for last 6 months.
AIPPLE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 12:23 AM
Ha! Don’t know if enjoyed is the right word as it’s ultimately incredibly depressing :-)
From what i’ve been reading recently there is a large minority of highly motivated people that essentially want to submit to authoritarian rule. Facts don’t come into it so they won’t change their mind no matter how sound the argument or proof that their glorious leader is a fraud.
The US has Trump and we have Brexit. Aren’t we lucky?
How com Ajer can be allowed to be a very good Right Back whe he wasn;t allowed to be a very good Cemtre Back because he was a converted midfielder?
He was a midfielder as a 17 year old with IK Start. He signed with us before his 18th birthday and was quickly turned into a CB. He was still 18 when he was sent to Killie to develop as a CB and he has played as a CB for 5 years now.
At age 17, Willie Miller of Aberdeen was a centre forwar, Henrik was a right winger, Bertie Auld was a left winger, Gareth Bale was a left back, Pirlo was a no. 10, and Agathe was a centre forward then a right winger.
MARTIM1980 on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 2:38 PM
The games in Europe where we had three DMs were usually against supposedly superior opposition where we’d have to nulify them for most of the game.
I’d be mortified if we had three or even two DMs against a Scottish Championship side.
GEEBEE1978
Disagree, got to win the ball back before you attack, having players capable of all duties is great but I would prefer some remained more advanced and other left to sweep up.
not overlay concerned about the team selection for the Scottish cup final this Sunday as long as its a winning one , heaven help us if we lose.
Anything is an improvement in the right back position, even centre back , midfielders, or utility players.
We’ve had umpteen goes at finding a right back since Lustig’s legs started to go, Ralston, Toljan, Gamboa, Welsh, Bauer, Frimpong, El Hamed.
How did we do?
Tuesday 15 December 2020
Player: Alfredo Morelos, Rangers FC
Match: Dundee United FC v Rangers FC
Date: Sunday 13 December 2020
Competition: SPFL Premiership
Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 200: Where any one of the sending off offences of (A1) serious foul play, (A2) violent conduct, and (A3) spitting at an opponent or any other person is committed by a player at a match, but that sending off offence was not seen by any of the match officials at the time that it was committed, the mandatory suspension for that sending off offence as provided for in Annex C of the Judicial Panel Protocol shall be applied to the player.
Any Fast Track Notice of Complaint alleging a breach of this Rule shall be Determined by a Fast Track Tribunal subject to the provisions of Section 13.
Fast Track Tribunal Hearing: Thursday 17 December 2020
Ajer, imo, no matter who tried to convert him to CB, is a right sided wing back. That’s where he should always be played , allowing him to carry the ball forward at pace. Again, imo, that is his forte.
For me, the first 2 names on the team sheet in the Cup Final should be Soro and Turnbull. I am afraid, as Paul67 suggests, Soro won’t be in the starting line-up.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 3:25 PM
Anything is an improvement in the right back position, even centre back , midfielders, or utility players.
We’ve had umpteen goes at finding a right back since Lustig’s legs started to go, Ralston, Toljan, Gamboa, Welsh, Bauer, Frimpong, El Hamed.
How did we do?
_____________
Welsh hasn’t played at RB for us as far as I can remember. RCB only.
Elhamed and Frimpong looked absolutely excellent last season. I wouldn’t call either of them failures.
RC
Of course the referee saw the incident – cheat
MARTIM1980 on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 3:18 PM
Agreed you need to win the ball and you need that balance. However, two or three DMs against a Championship side is overkill. I’m not convinced we need both Brown and Soro….remember, most of the teams in Scotland sit back and put the onus on us to break them down – not the other way around.
ST TAMS on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 2:50 PM
BIGBHOY
Calum is not one of the wantaways
===================.
So who is on the ‘wantaway’ list?
If you can tell us who is not on list you could tell who is? Alternatively if nowt is known say nothing
GENE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 3:49 PM
yip he certainly did , and it was a forearm smash.
An tearmann
Neil’s on the list – at least he’s on my want away list 🤭
When Ajer jumps for a ball , he goes from 6 ft 5in to 5ft 6in
I know Calum isn’t, ok.
GEEBEE1978 on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 3:50 PM
agree , more than 1 defensive midfielder is more than enough , let the opposition worry about us and get a goal scoring partner up front and allow eddy to take up his preferred left of centre role running and terrorising defenders.
If Neil starts Rogic/Christie and Brown ahead of Turnbull and Soro he’s creating a rod for his own back with the support.
Removing the feelgood factor from the team will just bring back negativity