I’ve made the trip over as TFK’s Scottish Football correspondent.
Glasgow is hopping with Fenian revelry today. Rebel songs belted out from fenian watering holes from early morning. It’s great to see.
Do we start Tounetki again? Presume it’s the same back four and midfield. Yang and Maeda have to start and then it’s which impact sub you choose to start. It sort of has to be Tounetki because he can at least play for longer. Though not looking forward to watching him ignore his defensive responsibilities.
I’d like a bit more from the bench tomorrow. In the last couple of games we’ve only made 4 subs. Oxlade Chamberlain, Hatate and Sirrachi aren’t seeing game time. I presume we’re afraid to put a smaller player in at the back and just don’t trust the other two in midfield. But we’ll need more energy in a frantic derby where we’ve been off the pace in midfield recently.
If Motherwell win tonight or take points at least then the pressure on tomorrow’s game ratchets up significantly. I’m not sure Celtic have the mentality to cope and Der Hun will sense blood and a renewed title challenge.I’m hoping the ONeill factor comes into play though.
Even if their own title aspirations are fading Rangers will love nothing more than coming to Celtic park and potentially ending Celtics interest. I’ll go 4-1 to Rangers .
This is I think the first SPL season in about 20yrs that has grabbed my attention. I hope for O Neill’s sake they don’t mentally fold, as I could see it happening to the Jambos. Motherwell motoring in a manner that will make that a real possibility. Then we could be looking at one of the most watched Old Firm games of all time.
A quick look there at the recent form guide indicates Motherwell are motoring quite badly of late. They’ve lost 5 and drawn 1 of their last 7 league games.
For the reputation of the league you’d want Hearts to win it, the only team that invested and tried to better their team this year , Celtic went to the pound shop and their fans hounded out good Irish lads.
Criticising Celtic for lack of investment/ambition while seemingly wanting the attack built around Johnny Kenny? He’s doing reasonably around the English League 1 play-off positions, & that’s his level. The great Liam Scales has recently been awarded a new contract. The only Irish lad who’s been hounded out disgracefully this season is Brendan Rodgers.
Heard earlier that we haven’t beaten the huns in 90 minutes in 9 (nine) games. We came out on top in 3 cup ties over the past 2 seasons - 1 win AET & 2 shoot out wins - but 3 draws & 3 defeats in the league.
The huns in all recent guises under Beale, Clement, Rohl have been notorious bottlers when they get in position to grab the league & then they usually get results again when the expectation dampens. That said, I don’t think I’d have wanted them coming to Celtic Park on the back of a win at Tynecastle.
Celtic finally have a settled keeper & back four set up, albeit there’s been an absence of clean sheets since Christmas. The hun midfield was too powerful for Celtic in the cup game at Ibrox & they won most of the battles but didn’t have the creativity/guile to exploit it. Celtic having Engels back is really important - he hasn’t always lived up to the price tag but he has running power & physicality. He’ll really need to play well, as McGregor & Nygren have been trampled over by all manner of midfields this season.
We have several impact sub type players for the front three positions but a lack of sure fire starters. It’s Maeda, Yang, AN Other really. All options are trade offs really. I’m hopeful that a MON inspired Celtic side in front of a hostile & united home crowd can get the job done.
Never said build anything around Kenny . The fans turned on Idah and done same with Kenny. Scales gets dogs abuse from Celtic fans when CCV was fcukin up week after week.
Yeah the Huns fancy it against Celtic in Celtic park I think .
Point stands , let the team that took the league seriously , Hearts , win it .
Not this time. I was in Efe’s Turkish restaurant paying homage to my eastern roots before retiring to Connolly’s for a few beverages and some stirring music.
Interesting. Remember MON did this a few times in his first caretaker spell? McCowan playing narrow off the right to (in theory) stiffen up the midfield. I recall it away to Feyenoord, for example.
Like we said, all these options are trade offs. He probably wants to get Nygren in the team for his goal threat but fears the midfield might get overrun a little because of his lack of running power/athleticism allied with McGregor’s physical decline. McCowan can drift inside to help there…perhaps. It places quite an onus on the returning Johnston to look after the right hand side.
Forrest doesn’t have the legs to start on the wing anymore, Tounekti doesn’t have the balls, Iheanacho doesn’t have the fitness to work a defence & lead a press from the start but can do an impact sub role. That in turn means Maeda starts upfront, especially with Cvancara now out for the season. Then it’s back to who starts alongside Yang on the wing. I’m not saying I agree with using McCowan in this way but it’s better than playing him left wing back like the bauld Nancy did in the last home derby.
I’m fence sitting here tbh. None of the options are ideal because of the well publicised failure to back the manager(s) in the transfer market.
