Massive game. We’ll be favourites but it’ll be a close game. Both teams full of confidence and on form. I think we may have a selection issue at left back, due to injury, other than that, the first XI picks itself.
I cant see this being anything other than a cracker. If we play to form I think we are the better team and will win, but anything less and Rangers have enough about them to beat us. If Edouard is injured for the game I think it hands Rangers a decent advantage as he is so important to how we play and can create something out of nothing. We have decisions to make at left and right back. As well as Hayes has done when filling in I would far prefer a natural defender for a game of this importance. The psychological effect of winning and losing on Sunday could be massive. I think Rangers arguably need to win it more to give them belief that they can win trophies again and also beat us. For us it's about putting the noisy neighbours back in their box, as there are (not for the first time) a lot of confident noises coming from the blue half of Glasgow right now. Based purely on what I've seen of both sides this season I should be confident going into this one, but we can't continue to win every trophy going and I have a fair few bad memories of losing League Cup finals to Rangers. The two players we need to keep quiet are Kent and Morelos. They are the main danger men, wheras I think we have more threats throughout the team. Let battle commence.
I think it's clear Rangers are a better team now but it's the same scenario going into this game for me. We are the better team and if we play at the top of our game then, barring the ref influencing game, we'll win. As has been stated though, if we are below par they have enough about them to win it.
Doubt Boli will start. Eddy is the main one we could do with being fit. Also be interesting to see if Frimpong starts. I think he will as he is the quickest one we've got and their whole gameplan is lumping crosses in. His lack of height may be a problem though.
I'm hoping they all start. Elhamed would start from me if fit purely because Frimpong hasn't been tested defensively yet. I'm not saying he couldn't handle it defensively but he's just not been tested. Going forward they will definitely struggle with him but Elhamed would start for me if fit. Doesn't look like he will be so Frimpong will be pitched in if that's the case.
I would prefer Elhamed for experience/discipline and also for the reason that in this one I want the best defensive personnel we have available. We have more than enough danger men further up the field to cause damage at the other end. My fear with Frimpong is that his natural exhuberance to get forward leaves us too open at the other end.
Beating Rangers all comes down to pressing them and not letting their full backs get crosses into the box as that is where the majority of their goals come from. For all the plaudits they get about their midfield I haven't really seen them dominate a game. If we play to our best it will take incredible luck or bad decisions from the ref to keep them in the game. Our front 4 on their day have too much pace, energy and quality for them to deal with. But as has been said if we are below par in anyway they are capable of beating us as they are well drilled and set up in a way they can score goals against better sides. The worry is the LB position and that is where Rangers will look to exploit and get joy from. It should be a cracker though as both teams are in very good form domestically and in Europe.
I think he has the energy to do both and he would also have them on the backfoot. I'd just have liked to see him being tested defensively. Before he started for us a few weeks ago the boy hadn't played a professional game. It's a big ask to throw him in on Sunday but that doesn't mean he couldn't handle it. Loke you though i would start Elhamed but it doesn't look like he'll make it. As good as Fimpong has been what gets forgotten is the job Elhamed has done since coming in. He's also been excellent.
That's why I think he will start. If he does we immediately cancel out a lot of their scoring chances. He won't even need to defend as slippy will realise that if they push Barasic forward we will destroy them down that side. We already know we'll get chances from the left as Tavernier is dreadful on the back foot and even though they have been quite lethal offensively, we also know that our defence is far superior to theirs. I fully expect them to camp in with at least 2 holding midfielders and probably 3 and then they will try break on us or rely on set pieces. Morelos will be on the deck more than the grass and I see Collum has the gig so thats a worry as well, especially after last season when they asked and got him removed from their games until the dead rubbers. Collum knows what he's in for if he doesn't assist them.
No. Unlike you just a long running understanding of Scottish football and how it works. Thanks for trying to get involved though.
My pleasure cutie. So, as someone without a long running understanding of how things go down in Scottish football... do refs constantly go against Celtic to make things harder for you?
They make mistakes. Mistakes from refs change games, especially Glasgow Derby's that have so much emotion attached to them. It has happened many times. And the point was that unless there is a game changing ref mistake then Celtic should take care of business and if they fail to do so its an upset.
So do you three post the same things about refs before every single game? As they can affect the outcome of any game...?
No, because the pressure of this game seems to bring out a hell of a lot more dubious calls than usual.
In games between both clubs (and the last one) there have been far more dubious decisions go against Celtic, yes. It's just the way it has been.
This game is going to be class, so much meaning to both teams. This how I reckon both will set up. Celtic: Forster Frimpong - Ajer - Jullien - Taylor Brown - McGregor Forrest - Christie - Johnston Morgan Rangers: McGregor Tavernier - Goldson - Katic - Flanagan Jack - Davis Arfield - Aribo - Kent Morelos Rogic may well end up starting with Christie going to the wing, but I don't think Lennon can ignore Johnston who's scored two and assisted another in his three sub appearances since coming back from injury. I'd expect Morgan to start, he's done well in that role for someone I didn't think was up to this standard at all, but expect him to come off for Griffiths after about an hour. Huge game for Flanagan if Barisic isn't fit. Didn't look up to much against Aberdeen, looks really uncomfortable on his left foot and if he's pressed he's going to give the ball away a lot. If Barisic is fit he plays and makes a big difference to that Rangers side. Would be a huge time for Morelos to finally get his first goal against Celtic. If Kent is on form then he could cause Celtic a lot of problems as well.
That's a blow for you, was wondering why it was being seen as an issue for this game as I thought Taylor had done quite well. Who do you reckon will fill in there?
