Kilmarnock v Celtic ☘

Adamu starts.

Hatate and Nygren with McGregor in the absence of Engels. We really need a big improvement from Reo.

Yang is back. Still no Mvuka in the squad.

We are where we are…but we needed a starting right winger in the summer when Kuhn left & still needed one throughout January, couldn’t manage to get anyone at the top of the shortlist, settled for Mvuka & now he can’t even make the 20-man squad already, never mind be the difference maker required.

Anyway, unless I’m forgetting someone there’s 8 players competing for the 3 attacking slots in the team, 3 more generally make the bench, & it’s Mvuka & Iheanacho missing out today. Bernardo is also well down the midfield pecking order now too & not involved today - he can’t have any complaints.

I hope the game doesn’t take the recent pattern of pedestrian Celtic possession & moving the ball over & back in front of the opposition. It’d be pleasant to see some fast, incisive play with chances taken. Great combination of results on Wednesday night but I wouldn’t say I’ve lots of faith in this collection of players. They’ll need to stand up physically today too, defend set pieces with aggression & do the dirty work.

At least there are in theory some decent options from the bench if needed. Hopefully Oxlade-Chamberlain can get at least half an hour.

Looks like we dodged a bullet with Mvuka being only a loan.

Hatate is a necessary evil unfortunately, his heads gone but we are where we are with injuries and this pitch/ fitness. Hopefully theres no need for the Ox today

1 Like

Engels out until end of March at least according to MON there.

Mvuka situation is ridiculous. Obviously wasn’t our first choice in January but it’s fairly damning on our scouting that a player who just arrived is already frozen out.

2 Likes

That Engels injury timeline is a bit of a disaster in an already weak midfield.

Iheanacho missing as well? Injured or does MON not fancy him? Hoping for the best but expecting the worst from Hatate.

He missed one of the recent games with a minor niggle but hasn’t been selected in the last 2 or 3, despite being pictured in all the training ground gallery pics on social media. He doesn’t seem to be injured, MON going with his two January signings instead - one starting & the other on the bench.

If you pay attention to NARRATIVE you’d fear hun loanee Curtis scoring here in response to Stephen Welsh’s goal on Wednesday. :astonished:

This is big for Hatate, he simply has to show something positive here.

Fair lack of legs in midfield

1 Like

Already alarmingly apparent out of possession.

Again they can’t get the first contact on a corner & the ball’s loose around the 6-yard line.

1-0 down.

Christ

That is brutal defending. Trusty can’t fall behind the supporting runner when it goes over his head like that. McGregor didn’t kill himself to get back either.

4 defenders vs 2 attackers and Kilmarnock are 1 up. Great finish but sweet Jesus…

2-0. Shambles.

Disaster.

Jesus Christ.

Appalling.

Our work rate is dreadful too. Either winter had followed their fullback all game.

Schmeichal atein too much haggis for both goals.

Me thinking Celtic might win something this year…