Posts: 9,149
Threads: 1,286
Joined: Oct 2014
Reputation:
1
31-12-2020, 17:07
(This post was last modified: 31-12-2020, 17:08 by 0762.)
Well this is a game that Celtic really need to win and it will be curious to see what team Lenny starts with. Rangers are unbeaten for a long time and this will be a big challenge for Celtic. Lenny has lost Julienne. So he needs to deploy his best defence without Julienne. I wouldn't use Frimpong - too lightweight and still learning. Also the goalie position is one helluvah gamble if he plays Barkas! One "ray of hope" for Celtic is the fact that I perceive Rangers form has definitely "tailed off" in their last two matches even although they won both games albeit a bit of good fortune/bad refereeing v Hibs. The mid area is where to try n win this match and protect their back line plus shut off their goal supply from both flanks - choose wisely!
Posts: 7,917
Threads: 53
Joined: Aug 2015
Reputation:
3
01-01-2021, 17:47
(This post was last modified: 01-01-2021, 17:47 by hibeejim21.)
I think Lennon has fucked it anyway personally, and sevco have such a huge lead that its unlikely to put them under much pressure even if they lose this one.
That said I think celtic are capable of winning, their midfield looks much better now Turnbull and Soro are playing but with their goalkeeping/defensive issues they are going to cough up a few chances for the huns, particularly at set pieces.
Posts: 1,340
Threads: 46
Joined: Jan 2015
Reputation:
2
Despite some of the Celtic players rhetoric, if they lose tomorrow , I feel, that will be the title for sevco.
"FOREVER UNITED"
Posts: 7,917
Threads: 53
Joined: Aug 2015
Reputation:
3
IMO Mcgregor is a class wee player but he is better employed a bit further forward. Its no coincidence their results got better when they dropped brown and let mcgregor influence games a bit more. He's too lightweight for that role in front of the defence.
Posts: 9,149
Threads: 1,286
Joined: Oct 2014
Reputation:
1
01-01-2021, 22:48
(This post was last modified: 01-01-2021, 22:49 by 0762.)
I thought he was a liability in that role v various Euro teams but some of his errors were not in defensive positions. One of them v AC Milan looked like a total lack of concentration when he mispassed to a Milan forward who set up one of their comeback goals - he looked like an amateur player playing "out of his depth". Played too many matches in a very demanding season? Possibly!
Posts: 7,917
Threads: 53
Joined: Aug 2015
Reputation:
3
Well thats the league done now for sure.
For what its worth I think Lennon chose the right players and tactics today and celtic were the better side in the first half. Tavernier and the hun midfield were barely in the game. After the sending off though (and I doubt very much a red have been awarded down the other end for that) they totally bottled it and lost their way, and brother madden certainly played a massive part all afternoon, particularly in protecting that horrible wee scrote Morelos who once again should have been off the park.
Sevco barely had a shot on target that I can recall and didn't look like scoring til the own goal. Games go against you like that sometimes, but the damage was done with some earlier poor form.
Posts: 9,149
Threads: 1,286
Joined: Oct 2014
Reputation:
1
03-01-2021, 16:30
(This post was last modified: 03-01-2021, 16:36 by 0762.)
I also thought the pre match fans' comments re McGregor, days before this game kicked off, were prophetic and that own goal sums up his season as accurately described by lotsa Hoops' fans. I've captained footie teams in days gone by and if I'd been Celtic's captain I would've told him to GTF away from the defensive pen box area. The irony for him was he was actually wearing the captain's armband. Re Madden's convenient ignorance of the fat assassin's antics, these decisions can be added to the list of convenient ref decisions for RFC that have been endemic in the game since the start of the season. I notice Jim Goodwin of Saint Mirren tried to place some pressure on the ref before his midweek game in asking for refereeing resilience in awarding a pk if it is indeed a stonewall pk for Saint Mirren - the issue is clearly being recognised by many footie people in the game even if the footie authorities are ignoring it! Btw did anyone watch the bbc Hogmanay night prog, Only an Excuse, because there was an old sketch from years gone by that covered re Rangers football club and one of the satirical comments was "Achhhh, Rangers never get pks against them at home"!! While I'm on this subject, can someone explain to me why most of Celtic's weekend matches after any Euro fixtures followed Rangers earlier KO???? I would've thought that there would be an even spread of early and late KOs - didn't appear to be that way!
Posts: 7,917
Threads: 53
Joined: Aug 2015
Reputation:
3
03-01-2021, 16:53
(This post was last modified: 03-01-2021, 16:53 by hibeejim21.)
I think what stood out from the game most was that celtic have better players and passed the ball better but are way too easy to counter. They were undone by a corner and one long ball down the flank and its been like that all season.
Lennon is like Ross in some ways, he doesn't know how to change a game when things go wrong.
They would be as well making the change now, they are out of Europe and the league is done. Even if they just let Kennedy have a go until the summer.