Tounekti dropping out is expected. I wondered if he might throw Osmand in for an hour from the start, or even Iheanacho, but can’t complain that they’re held in reserve again.
No complaints but Hatates continued absence is mind boggling. From scoring a vital penalty/bundling the ball over the line a few weeks ago to not being in a squad at all🤷♂️
He was bombed out after Tannadice when he was one of the better performers (it’s all relative) in a dire display. Only a couple of brief sub appearances since. I’d have him ahead of McCowan every day of the week but Osmand coming into the matchday squad instead of him is not something I can complain about…especially after last week. I’d say he’ll move on this summer & it’s definitely time for him. The rebuild will be significant - I’d say at least a dozen first team squad members will move on from key performers like Maeda to deadwood types currently out on loan & everything else in between.
Not that I’m taking lower league opposition lightly but I’m hoping, even expecting, Celtic to be liberated after winning the league last weekend. There was no margin for error for the last two months & the pressure was intense. I think they’ll flow & play with freedom today, even though Ange’s last game was a stodgy 3-1 cup final win against a Championship side in 2023. Celtic have lost their two most recent Hampden finals, the League Cup under Nancy to St Mirren in December & the penalty shoot-out defeat in the Cup to Aberdeen last May. I think Osmand &/or Iheanacho will come on to good effect again & hopefully Maeda will sign off with a goal. It could be MON’s last ever game as a manager but it’s starting to feel like he’ll be in charge next season too.
That was a very good half of football from Celtic. Kept the ball and kept it moving and created a lot of half chances. Important to keep that energy up and not let them back into it with a drop off in pace.
Think Celtic have been pretty good as I expected. Two nice goals although they came easily enough. I think Celtic got into a good passing rhythm & Dunfermline became quite ragged. Got stuck between trying to press but having the ball zipped around them & then only half committing & leaving lots of spaces in between the lines. Think Celtic could have another couple of goals had Tierney not forgotten how to kick the ball for a period. Yang releasing the ball at the right time on the overlap a nice change from Tounekti. Engels has been very prominent box to box & good to see him scoring from open play.
Michael Stewart’s tone is very solemn on the Premier Sports coverage. He sounds like he may be disenfranchised by the game in Scotland. As Emma Dodds has reminded viewers, Celtic were 2-0 up at half time in the semi-final before requiring extra time to defeat St Mirren. A treble change by Neil Lennon here & a change of formation to 442.
