This will be tough tomorrow. The League Cup victory will probably have no bearing on the title race; in fact, when we beat the huns in the league in December, it was them who came back determined and Celtic stuttered to some poor results in the aftermath. We need to be focused and on our game from the start, and hopefully we can get a consistent run going. That’s something that’s really been lacking this season and why the title’s still up for grabs.
The huns play Hearts at home today, which is a tough fixture, but they’re generally strong enough at home. They’re likely to have joined us at the top of the table before kick-off tomorrow and this is one of the hardest fixtures of the run in. A win would set Celtic up nicely for a couple of home games.
No idea what team Strachan will go for. He might want one of the taller, physical strikers to play on their compact pitch, or he could leave Aiden up there. Willo Flood comes into the reckoning against his old club having been cup-tied last week. There’s also the Loovens/Caldwell/Crosas interlinked decision to be made.
Yeah vital that we push on after last week now and don’t fall back into mediocrity. Extra time last week showed that when we open a game up a bit and try to outpass teams that we’re more than capable. We have the most talented and creative footballers in the league in McGeady and Naka so let’s get them on the ball and play some beautiful, inventive football.
I like Hartley’s attitude and he’s not one to moan when he’s left out of the starting team but erally he has no place being there unless he’s covering injuries or a severe lack of form. Our superiority over other teams in the SPL (including the huns) is plain when you line up 1v1. It’s when we try and match other teams’ physicality that we’re lowering the bar and inviting a lottery.
I think he’ll stick with Caldwell/Loovens/McManus on the grounds that it worked well last week. Which means Crosas loses out again.
Ah lovely. Went for a power nap at midday and only woke up at full time in the footie and toddled online to check the result. Good battling by the mini/diet huns, it appears - I didn’t want to jinx it in my earlier post by saying they’d get a result but I had a bit of hope given the huns were short at the back. Celtic need to take advantage tomorrow and push the lead out to 5 points. I always feel more confident when the cushion is 3+ points - it gives the protection of allowing for 1 fook up and still be leading.
good result takes the pressure off for 2moro in what will be a tough match.
would be better if we had a striker scoring but hey, can’t have everything.
Scott Brown is one booking away from a 3-game ban. It’s pretty ironic in that the same thing happened last season and Robson and Hartley were vital in the winning of the league. However, Brown’s improved beyond all recognition this season and would be a considerable loss.
McManus is out with the ankle injury I mentioned yesterday. Haven’t seen the bench yet so don’t know if Loovens is injured too. Dundee United play 3 in central midfield and I don’t like Hartley in there against them as he’s not mobile enough. I’d prefer Crosas in there to be honest. I’d also have considered playing Willo Flood for his drive and mobility and given McGeady the free role off McDonald again. Not too enthused with the team but it’s not a team incapable of winning either.
Great start by Celtic. Caught them by surpise by playing Aiden wide right and Naka tucked in on the left. Passed it well and got the goal. Since then, it hasn’t been too clever. We’ve conceded territory too much and they’ve had a few potshots without really troubling Boruc. That said, we improved again before half time and could have scored a couple of times in the last 5 minutes of the half. Need to come out forcefully after the break and take the initiative again. They came from 2-0 down to draw at Celtic Park in January so they’ll keep plugging away and we don’t want to invite them onto us.
Just not good enough really. Some of Celtic’s football was excellent. At other times it was awful. Again, an inconsistent performance and letting the huns off the hook. We needed someone to put their foot on the ball and keep possession and get it wide to McGeady. Marc Crosas got splinters in his arse from sitting on the bench as the game raged from end to end. It’s stuff like this that makes you wonder if Strachan’s actually blind.
Not really wanting to single out an individual because there were a few who were below par today but Paul Hartley was a passenger again today. The logic of putting him in for these type of games is that he’ll have a load of bite and drive about him but he had neither. They dominated the midfield in the second half and much of that comes from Hartley’s reluctance to do anything than just sit and hold.
Yep, I mentioned my misgivings about Hartley’s lack of mobility before the game. He doesn’t have the legs to get around the park anymore and he’s also quite slow in getting hold of the ball and moving it on. He should be used sparingly from now on, but Strachan will probably pitch him in at Tynecastle, Pittodrie and away to the huns. It could actually prove costly.
Yep would agree about Hartley the hun hater. Thanks for all he’s done but time to move him aside and play Crosas. Crosas I think has the potential to become a legend-if only he’d be given the chance.