[quote=“Bandage”]Goooooooooaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllll Celtic.
Superb passing move. Ended with Hartley playing a lovely dinked cross for Big Jan to nod in.[/quote]
`
Are you going to back against Celtic in their away Champions League matches now?
[quote=“larryduff”]`
Are you going to back against Celtic in their away Champions League matches now?[/quote]
Too right I am. They’ll only be token 1 bets though. That was a decent enough second half. Caldwell looked like a player in midfield! Both defensively and moving the play along. Ended up with 3 defenders in midfield when O’Dea came on to join Caddis and Caldwell. Wilson came onto a game too in fairness and we defended fine. We still need to strengthen and, even though pre-season’s meaningless, winning 1-0 away to Porto beats losing 1-0 to Cardiff without having a shot on goal!
Also, sorry Sledgehammer!
Missed this last night - still setting up all my technology shite in my temporary home in County Meath. Can’t believe we beat Porto though.
fookin culchie
After our superb 2nd place finish behind the mighty Tottenham Hotspur in the 4-team Feyenoord tournament, it’s back to friendly action tonight. Note, if the Feyenoord tournament was a Champions League group then we would have qualified for the next stages of the tournament. But that doesn’t alter the fact that Strachan is hanging onto his job by his finger tips. Our record in Battles of Britain this pre-season is a pitiful 1 win (vs Southampton), 1 draw (vs Middlesboro’) and 3 defeats (vs Fulham, Cardiff City and Spurs). If Celtic lose to Manchester City tonight then Strachan might not get a chance to redeem himself until Graeme Murty’s testimonial next May when Celtic travel to Reading. The stakes could not be higher for this game (live on Setanta Sports 1, 7.45pm kick-off) and I believe manus boyle is representing the forum at Celtic Park.
Derek Riordan is definitely starting tonight. Only playing to invite bids or back in from the cold? I would expect it’s the former. There’s also talk that Gravesen is playing - it must definitely be a case of reminding other clubs these lads are available.
Weak enough team:
Boruc;
Hinkel; Cuthbert; O’Dea; Naylor;
Hartley; Gravesen; Donati; Riordan;
McGowan; Hesselink.
Paddy McCourt is on the bench.
Strachan was interviewed just now and explained that he was concerned certain players had played too many games in too short a space of time during pre-season due to both injuries in the squad and a failure to add more players to the squad. As a result, he’s thrown in the likes of Cuthbert, Tommy G, Riordan and those. Gravesen and Donati has potential to be a car-crash midfield. City seem to be near first choice.
Low-key stuff.
We’re actually playing 4-2-3-1 and are way too deep to support Jan. It’s, dare I say, like a team set up by Walter Smith!
It’s like this:
Boruc;
Hinkel; Cuthbert; O’Dea; Naylor;
Hartley; Donati;
Gravesen; McGowan; Riordan;
Hesselink.
It’s the same formation we beat Feyenoord with and might suit us in European away games. The young lads at the back are defending well and McGowan and Gravesen are switching between centre and right.
I’d expect a few more substitutions now. I agree with Strachan resting the likes of Aiden, who’s played a part in all games thus far. He’ll be raring to go on Sunday.
Cuthbert in particular has looked composed at the back hasn’t he. How old is he and what sort of performances has he been putting in for youths/reserves? Hartson said there that it would be difficult for McCourt to get in the team with Caldwell and McManus.
Cuthbert is around 21 now I’d say. Missed a fair chunk of last season out injured. Went to Livingston on loan and got injured so didn’t feature.
Until then he was always rated as our best young defender - more promising than O’Dea, just unlucky with timing of injuries.
Cuthbert looked excellent from what I saw so far.
McCourt on and fecks up a volley. Good to see him involved though.
It’s only a friendly but not giving Caddis a penalty there is at best grossly incompetent. In the same week SPL referees are looking for a pay claim they come out with dross like that.
Anyway well done McGowan. 1-1
[quote=“therock67”]It’s only a friendly but not giving Caddis a penalty there is at best grossly incompetent. In the same week SPL referees are looking for a pay claim they come out with dross like that.
Anyway well done McGowan. 1-1[/quote]
Settle down there Dorothy!
Pretty lively second half after a very quiet opening period.
Caddis was excellent when he came on and has looked impressive all pre-season. Cuthbert is 21 - well according to the programme from the Shelbourne-Celtic Reserves game last week anyway - and defended well. I’d send McGowan out on loan for another full season and get him to work on his body strength and conditioning. He seems to have good technique and a good attitude. Donati worked hard again and pushed forward, which was encouraging.
Overall, it was a no more than a useful kickaround ahead of Sunday but it might just have saved Strachan’s job.
Caddis has had a terrific pre-season, reminds me of Maloney’s pre-season in Strachan’s first season. Can’t see how he hasn’t played himself into a place now, especially in Naka’s absence. He looked decent on the left but he looks excellent on the right.
For the weekend I’d go for:
Boruc
Hinkel
Caldwell
McManus
Naylor
Caddis
Robson
Hartley
McGeady
McDonald
Jan
SUBS
Brown
O’Dea
Wilson
Brown
Donati
Samaras
McGowan
That’s the team I’d go for too but I’d expect to see Brown in midfield and Caddis on the bench. I’d even consider playing Caddis ahead of Hinkel.
Stephen Ireland’s hairstyle deserves a mention too - what the fook!
A young Gooners side beat Huddersfield 2-1.
Arsenal goals form Sanchez Watt and Nacer Barzite.
Started with
Fabianski*
Hoyte Hoythe Djourro© Gibbs
Ramsey Randall
Lansbury********Wilshere
WallcottVela
[quote=“HangBlaa”]A young Gooners side beat Huddersfield 2-1.
Arsenal goals form Sanchez Watt and Nacer Barzite.
Started with
Fabianski*
Hoyte Hoythe Djourro© Gibbs
Ramsey Randall
Lansbury********Wilshere
WallcottVela[/quote]
My housemate goes to watch Arsenal games in Kate’s Cottage pub by the IFSC. That’s where the Dublin branch of the Arsenal Supporters’ Club meet for games. Gordon D’Arcy is a member and pops in to watch the odd game apparently. That’s yer useless fact for the evening.
Does he bring his hot cousin, or does he call round the hers for the incest after the gooners games.
Darcy loves the oul incest, eh? I suppose, he is a wexican…