Notwithstanding the possibility of further setbacks from tonight’s international games, or from commercial flights back to Glasgow, the core of Neil Lennon’s team for Saturday looks stable.
Assuming Christopher Jullien is fit, he will play alongside Shane Duffy and Kristoffer Ajer, with Vasilis Barkas in goal. The central metronome of the team: Callum McGregor and Scott Brown, will be in-situ, Jeremie Frimpong and debutant Diego Laxalt will occupy the wingback roles.
That leaves three places for the manager to fill. Albian Ajeti is now beyond his expected recuperation period and should be ready for 90 minutes, but Neil will be mindful of how his decision to throw a recuperating Mohamed Elyounoussi into December’s League Cup Final backfired. Moi was a passenger at Hampden and Celtic did not spark until after he was replaced. Albian plays a different role and I expect he will get the nod.
That leaves two slots to fill, a forward and an attacking mid.
Odsonne Edouard’s health will be assessed when he arrives in the country less than 24 hours before kick-off. It is a lot to ask of a player to start under these circumstances, but he persistently terrifies the Newco defence. If he has remained asymptomatic throughout it is likely we will see him at some point.
I would start Leigh Griffiths in a heartbeat. He has experience performing in and winning these fixtures. His attitude is perfect for them and he is a born goal-scorer; for years, the sugar in our tea. Patryk Klimala will be full of confidence after his remarkable recovery and goal in Perth last time out. I doubt he will start but he is a striker – just think back to the aforementioned League Cup Final, when Lewis Morgan started up front. That really was an understrength Celtic team.
Ryan Christie would fill the attacking mid role, were he not excluded while healthy, but this is one position Neil is drowning in options for. Olivier Ntcham is most likely to get the start, but Elyounoussi, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic are all more than capable, although I would hold Tom for a late goal-scoring cameo.
It is understandable that news of pandemic exclusions are alarming, but frankly, I don’t know what anyone is worried about. The script is written for this one.
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a time will come in some countries when people power will try take control of the situation
countries, including us, are being led blindly into oblivion by the politicians
society, jobs, the economy, peoples futures etc are all being destroyed without any sign of progress
if a vaccine doesnt appear then a time will come when the public in some nations will rebel against the leaders
it wont start here but other countries have a much more militant population than we do
but the domino effect will ensure it reaches here as well
so if the politicians think they can drag this out forever then they might be in for a shock
Jobo Baldie
My brother is now back in Glasgow after many years n Turkey.
If you followed the tragic news of deaths at The Southern General hospital then his wife was the adult casualty. The matter is being investigated.
He is very well and still supporting the Bhoys.
Saint Stivs- thank you for reposting my 7-1 League Cup Final memories.
TOSS-UP NB mate,thanks for your reply HH
Not the worst idea in the world…
THE Scottish Greens have issued a call for this weekend’s Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers to be broadcast for FREE.
They’ve suggested that allowing fans to watch two sides clash on TV for free it could help prevent the spread of coronavirus by staying at home.
Scottish Greens Health and Sport Spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP said: “Football is so important to so many people and I understand just how frustrating it is for fans at the moment who just want to watch their team play.
“Essential public health restrictions have meant that grounds have had to remain closed, and now that pubs in the Central Belt are closed only those who have Sky Sports at home will be able to watch this weekend’s game.
“The First Minister has raised concerns that people may go to one another’s homes or even travel to pubs in England to watch the game.
“This would risk increasing transmission of the virus just at the time when we’ve brought in additional measures to bring it under control.
“That’s why I’m calling on the Scottish Government to urgently engage with the football authorities, and Sky Sports, to establish whether it might be possible to broadcast Saturday’s Celtic vs Rangers game on free to air tv.
“Broadcasting the game free to air would allow everyone to watch at home, reducing the risk of people heading out to watch the game and spreading the virus.”
Nicola Sturgeon has asked fans to stay at home this weekend
It comes after Nicola Sturgeon warned Old Firm fans not to travel to places such as Blackpool to watch Saturday’s derby match.
With Scots locked out of pubs in the Central Belt it is feared that many will head south to watch the match with a drink.
Speaking at her daily briefing she said “This is one of the places currently classed by the UK Government as a high risk area.
“And I need to advise you that trips to Blackpool are now associated with a growing number of Covid cases in Scotland.
She went on to add: “Do not travel to Blackpool this weekend to watch the Old Firm match in a pub. If you do that you will be putting yourselves and other people at risk.”
Sky Sports have been contacted for comment.
The old Rangers would gladly have seen us dead and gone from Scottish football forever and would have done so had Fergus not ridden to the rescue .
I feel the very same about them , and would love them to disappear in all forms forever , but they have their own version of ‘Fergus’ albeit a shady , murky, Klannish version fuelled by hatred , to stop the 10.
When they find they can’t , only their own kind will mourn their passing.
TOSB- That was actually an auto correct…😆😆
Duffy looking much sharper now
Garcia Lorca: lovely tale earlier.
GK ffs
,
Duffy survived game OK, played very well but Ireland must be the most frustrating & frustrated team around.
300 minutes of Football this week, played quite well and wouldn’t be flattered by 3 wins, except for one minor inconvenience, they can’t put ball in opponent’s net.
Conceded 1 from play & scored nothing in 300 minutes.
COYBIB ;-)
Very clear images of the Celtic support heading back along Aitkenhead Road. A huge tricolour stretched across the road led the procession and another guy had a school janitors bell as the crowd sang “ the bells of hell”.
———————
I actually love the bye bye rangers song, could it be the oldest non-irish tune that we sing ?
away to find out what the bells of hell is, should that be brought back an awe ?
duffy played well
but jeez, ireland badly need a cutting edge
SAINT STIVS on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 7:26 PM
I actually love the bye bye rangers song, could it be the oldest non-irish tune that we sing ?
away to find out what the bells of hell is, should that be brought back an awe ?
*The bells of hell go ting a ling a ling, ting a ling a ling, ting a ling a ling, the bells of hell go ting a ling a ling for you ya tangerine illegitimate person.
Here’s another from that particular game:
“Here’s to the lad who was born in the Garngad
And once more the bluenose crew we’ve mastered
So get down on your knees and pray it’s the anniversary
Of the hampden massacre ya tangerine illegitimate person “.
The bells of hell go ting-a-ling -a ling
for you ya (insert colour of a fruit) (insert another name for someone born out of wedlock)
Stivs:@7.26
Re the bells.
The bells in hell go ding a ling a ling,ding a ling a ling ding a ling a ling
Oh the bells in hell go ding a ling a ling
For all you ###### ########.
Listened to that ‘ditty / tune ‘ in the 60s before,going and after the game.
Saint Stivs- the bells song was very popular but is not very ecumenical.
The bells of hell go ting-a-ling – a – ling for you- you orange bar steward.
As professor Devine has frequently observed the Irish immigrant class into Scotland took till the 1970s to reach economic parity with the indigenous population whereas in the States that occurred ( from memory ) in the 1930s.
So to put all that in context supporting Celtic in the 1950s early 1960s carried with it a membership of an angry and rebellious underclass. Own identity , own songs, own traditions.
Going along to a Scotland football international meant listening to No Surrender and/or The Sash. We did not pass the cricket test!
TT,
they are brilliant i remember the bells of hell now.
A clear memory as a 4 year , those of us given the new houses in slaemuir started our schooling at St Johns, the old chapelton building on the edge of the gibby.
This meant getting bussed doon the hill and back up.
The song of choice passed onto the youngsters was the american tune
“we will fight fight fight for victory till we win the scottish cup”.
and once we got a wee bit older (months mind you)
“hail glorious saint patrick”
it was a mental bus, setting the scene for 12 years of even more mental schooling.
We have:
Callum and Greg playing
Moi and big Ajer playing.
Barkas on the bench.
Duffy seemed to have had a good game and no injury.
They have:
Kamara played already.
Jack playing and McLaughlin on the bench
Davis & Hagi on the bench.
Barisic against France and Mbappe (yum, yum)
HH
Man, we really missed a trick by not signing that when the four horses banner and the tombstones were unveiled.
this’ll be a week fu’ o’ guff…………..
sadly.
HHH
<4
GARCIA LORCA on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 7:42 PM
Saint Stivs- the bells song was very popular but is not very ecumenical.
The bells of hell go ting-a-ling – a – ling for you- you orange bar steward.
As professor Devine has frequently observed the Irish immigrant class into Scotland took till the 1970s to reach economic parity with the indigenous population whereas in the States that occurred ( from memory ) in the 1930s.
So to put all that in context supporting Celtic in the 1950s early 1960s carried with it a membership of an angry and rebellious underclass. Own identity , own songs, own traditions.
Going along to a Scotland football international meant listening to No Surrender and/or The Sash. We did not pass the cricket test!
——————————-
at the weekend I took a wander down celticwiki way and looked at some of the 30’s , 40s, 50,s huns matches. the excellent website collection of press cuttings and pictures is world class. The level of violence at these matches, just unbelievable by todays standards, the bottle throwing, the pitch invasions, the issue of flags, the polis no feart to wade in. A very different world.
I was also fascinated by the stadiums with no segregation, how mental must you be to go toe to toe right into the huns enclosures with no barrieres.
Garcia your story opened up the old memory bank, videos going off in my head again. I was only 9 so no chance of going, my brother who was 13 and playing for the school in the morning and guild in the afternoon was willing tae forsake the latter but again my da said naw and so he left with his boots under his arms and face tripping.
I had a 13 and 14 year old cousins as well and the were in the same boat, in fact the latter and I went down tae the Milburn Park in Alexandria tae watch the Vale of Leven Juniors and yes as the song say ‘oh hampden in the sun” it was indeed a glorious in what we call over here Fall day.
I was though at the semi over in the south side of the City, with the same uncle who accompanied my da that day and his 2 lads.
When I got home my da was in his usual chair, must have been a wee bit of overtime on offer that day, and he started ate sing “on a day like today we passed the time away watching Celtic from the stand, oh how we laughed and we cried when Clyde equalised watching Celtic from the stand” paraphrasing Pat Boone’s hit of that summer.
I immediately hit him “with can a go tae the final please please please” his response was “we’ll see”, that as we all know meant naw..
SAINT STIVS on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 7:53 PM
GARCIA LORCA on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 7:42 PM
at the weekend I took a wander down celticwiki way and looked at some of the 30’s , 40s, 50,s huns matches. the excellent website collection of press cuttings and pictures is world class. The level of violence at these matches, just unbelievable by todays standards, the bottle throwing, the pitch invasions, the issue of flags, the polis no feart to wade in. A very different world.
*I was at one game, a winner take all event in August 1967, word went out fae Glasgow’s finest that no alcohol and/or flags or banners would be allowed.
I was in the Jungle that night and there was plenty of bevy, no banners in the Celtic end but the hun end was awash with them.
Butchers aprons, wee dikeplugger on his white horse, red hand complete with crown and even a French flag with a square and compasses in the middle all ignored by the authorities.
All of sudden a wee tricolour appears in the Celtic end and in they went mob handed, that’s when the chant “you can shove your orange banners up yer erse” was first aired as a couple of Celtic lhads were huckled and led away.
Jim Spence
@JimSpenceDundee
·
Oct 12
Just blethering to my brother about this book. 13 years my senior and a Celtic man. At one time bus convenor at the Hilltown supporters club. I’d forgotten how much he knew about the Hoops….particularly the dark pre Stein days when trophies were as scarce as caviar in Lochee.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkIu0C8WsAILivH?format=jpg&name=large
Brilliant posts/ stories of yesteryear bhoys.👍🍻
Big Jimmy – that’s good you are ok.
D :)
I love this place.
Thanks.
Cal Mac thankfully having avery, very quit game.
Season Ticket holder survey – The results just revealed, nothing there you wouldn’t have guessed apart from the number of replies, just under 17,000
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 8:44 PM
Season Ticket holder survey – The results just revealed, nothing there you wouldn’t have guessed apart from the number of replies, just under 17,000
got a link ?
i regret I never took part
So, listening into Shortbread.
I am a complete loss as to why they employ Craig Levein, boring boring unsuccesful manager, who carries that boring boring boredom voice onto his commentary.
Mason ?
SS,
http://www.celticfc.net/news/18640
stealing st stivs thunder a pic of old kilpatrick
Tims from the past
:-)
https://twitter.com/celticbars/status/1316436104103563264?s=19
hh
PB ta.
they missed two key questions I thought –
would the older aged groups give up an opportunity to return, to allow the younger supporters to attend ?
I would give up my seat for a green brigader.
and,
why is the front stand pish.
AN TEARMANN on 14TH OCTOBER 2020 8:52 PM
stealing st stivs thunder a pic of old kilpatrick
Tims from the past
————–
post it all, anytime, no thunder stolen, infact i used to feel Roy Croppie posted much better stuff than me.
and where is the fella ?
AT,
that is a brilliant picture, I wonder if tea towels at the games was a thing of a protest an “no flegs”. carry in the pocket but show your colours. I kinda remember tea towels out the windows in the port during the marching season.
http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/Season_%20Ticket_Survey_Infographic.pdf