[0762]

Lotsa players sidelined for Celtic in this match due to very unusual circumstances in an unusual year of COVID19. And lotsa members of the media "Rangers appreciation society" (they never go away even when their favourite team was in league 2!) "crawling out of the woodwork" and already anticipating a big win at Celtic Park that looks likely. So what can Neil Lennon do to avoid such a defeat that fate seems to be playing a hand in creating? Well first of all motivate the players and emphasise they still have a chance at home v opponents who are extreme rivals. I'm guessing that Griffiths has been given additional training to raise his fitness levels in prep for this game and in view of this mini crisis where good players are not gonna play in this match - quality striking is "key" to winning this game. Lastly, Lenny must choose his starting line up wisely and somehow protect his defence more than he'd normally do it while considering how to still win this match with the player resources at his disposal.

[hibeejim21]

Sevco need to win this one badly I think, and they are the team playing well or at least that's all I hear. Without Edouard and Christie Celtic are weakened IMO and as a team generally haven't played well so far this season. I expect sevco to do what they did at easter road, flood the midfield, press early and get their full backs to get the ball to el chubbalo quickly so he can get his usual free kicks for next to nothing from the hun with a whistle. Lennon should know what to expect.

Also without the home crowd it's another advantage for the hun players but all this talk about what they are going to do to Celtic,and how great they are and how gerrards gonna be the next English manager is just setting yourself up for a fall. Apart from the pumpfests Rodgers handed out to the huns I remember these games mostly being close.

[0762]

FT and as expected the Huns win this fixture 0-2 v a Celtic C team that didn't hit the goal target almost throughout the whole match and too passive. But when one analyses the few goal opps in a match that really resembled a "bounce match", contrary to the biased pro-Rangers assessment/opinion of the Sky pundits Andy Walker + McCoist, two wonderful "one on one" goal opps for firstly Elyanoussi who should've just "buried the baw in the pokey", hard and low past McGregor's ankles - easy if you know how but Elyanoussi didn't do it and flagrantly lofted the baw over the crossbar in an attempted and ill-advised lob!! Then in the second half Griffiths again in a "one on one" thrust towards McGregor and his position was left-sided and favourable to hit the baw "on the run" left-footed (his strong left foot!!!) past the Rangers goalie - again didn't do it OR just cutely roll the baw round the over-committed goalie and be brought down for a pk award - ended up over-running the baw past the goalie and doing nowt!! Celtic just need to "move on" and regroup with lotsa their missing players quickly returning to resume the campaign with Lennon's A team again.

[hibeejim21]

No surprises really, Celtic had their best players out or half fit and had a tough set of internationals to get round. The huns caught them at just the right time.

I actually think sevco played better against us, they barely had to try today because Celtic were so error strewn and listless. The huns just need to make sure they don't do their usual shite the bed routine after xmas and they could take it very close this season.

[0762]

Yep! IMO the Huns were pretty unimpressive up front, their opening goal by Goldson was an exposure of Celtic's loss of another dominant CB to cover the aerial threat that they pose from FKs and CKs. But the Hoops' goalie, Barkas, really should've saved that header TBF. I don't like this goalie, never liked him from "the off", and he is nowhere near Forster's level of goalie competence and assurance. However, I believe that the negative COVID events and injuries of the past few weeks, coupled with today's poor result, will actually "galvanise" Celtic into a really aggrieved frenzy that will push them on to another record-breaking title win. Rangers are not as good as they think they are and that will be proved beyond doubt by season end. Guys like Davies, Arfield, Hagi, Defoe, Barker and others will not "last a full season". Watch this space!

[hibeejim21]

To be fair to Neil I don't think Sevco would have won if they'd been missing Morelos,kent and Barisic. But on the other hand his tactics were once again pretty questionable and it looks like he's having trouble motivating the players.

It's reminiscent of the time things went pear shaped at Hibs.

[0762]

I think the big difference from that Hibs scenario is he has better players at Celtic Park but more importantly he has a number of "leaders" on the pitch who will have a big influence on the pitch and in the dressing room as a long winter season approaches. It is not all about him! There have been a number of games that Rangers played in recent months that certainly "opened my eyes" re their defensive frailties and mental weakness in "pressure situations". The Tavernier position has been well highlighted by me and I'm amazed that more footie managers do not "focus" on this guy's defensive frailty. And Barisic on Rangers left flank clearly doesn't savour a tough, physical game either as do quite a few other Rangers players - a real eyeopener, particularly when observing all the "whining" coming from them is such a situation - all Scot footie managers please note!! Also their game v a top team called Bayer Leverkusen really exposed them "on both fronts", physically and mentally", v a good team with no inferiority complex that just did enough and then clearly "took their foot off the gas" and refrained from giving this particular Rangers team a good "skelping".