It’s Glasgow derby day today, and even when you take into consideration the relative infancy of one of the contestants, it’s probably one of the strangest fixtures we’ve seen.
For our friends over the river, it may well be the beginning of the end.
I do hope so.
The Glasgow sides lock horns , well, they’ve got horns, we’ve got nicely coiffured hairstyles, with neither side in pole position.
Aberdeen took all three points at Dingwall yesterday which leaves them three clear at the top ahead of Celtic, and five clear of “rangers ” , who are in third.
In a two horse race.
Given the merits of both Glasgow clubs, it’s unlikely that the Ibrox -or Hampden- side will record a victory today.
Celtic have smashed their transfer record for an individual player purchase, and spent over £30m in the window.
Record signing Arne Engels, striker Adam Idah , defender Anton Trusty and midfielder Luke McCowan are all unlikely to start, though they may feature at some point.
The reason they may not start is that the team are playing quite well, and the manager may not want to shuffle things around when there’s no need to.
The only changes that may be made are the inclusion of Kyogo Fuhruhashi and Nicolas Kuhn for Idah and Forrest.
Though I’d wager most hoops fans are fairly relaxed about either prospect in the starting line up.
Over the river, “rangers have raised a few bob…and I’ve chosen those words carefully….by selling Todd Cantwell and Scott Wright to clubs who presumably thought they were worth a punt at the price, leaving themselves a little short in numbers.
On paper, there doesn’t seem to be much point in “rangers ” turning up, and Celtic’s main issue will be one of concentration, and avoiding complacency.
For the Ibrox-or Hampden- side, it will be damage limitation.
Which may be tricky for a club that is already damaged, in so many ways.
Their manager at the moment, Phillipe Clement, remains optimistic, especially after their 6-0 thrashing of Ross County last week, which he didn’t forget to mention.
“This game is always important. For the fans, we know it’s their game of the season and it’s our biggest rival. There’s been a negative perception around the club, with the stadium, elimination from the Champions League, all of those things.
“But sometimes people forget about what’s going well. We won our last game 6-0 so it’s not all bad. This is an exciting project. We’re not the finished article and on Sunday we play against a team with a lot of experience.
“They’ve played together for a long time, in Champions League games, getting that experience and learning from it.They will probably replace one player (Matt O’Riley) on Sunday with another player (Paulo Bernardo) who was there last season.
“So they know everything together. We’re an exciting young team who want to challenge that now. I believe we have the quality to do that – and to go for three points on Sunday.
“We’ll do that. But we’re not the finished article, which is normal because we’re rebuilding with 16 players leaving. But I know there’s only one truth at the end and that’s what’s happening on the pitch.
You have to give him credit for his stubborn refusal to face reality. In public, at least.
This may come back to haunt him, though…
“Nothing will be determined on Sunday in one game. It’s an exciting challenge for us. And of course, if we can play a really good game and get a good result, we can take a massive step forward as a club.”
Defeat will leave them five points adrift in third, and the cuddly bears will be after his blood.
A heavy defeat and a piss poor performance and he’ll be out of there, or at the very least they’ll be waving their pitchforks at him.
A lot will depend on the performance of their midfield maestro John Beaton, and his sidekick in a locked room Andrew Dallas.
Beaton will play in the Paul Lambert role, breaking up attacks and controlling the tempo of the game, allowing his side time to regroup and recover during repeated waves of Celtic attacks.
A set piece specialist, it will be down to him to make them count, as realistically, it’s their only chance of finding the net.
And he does know how to get his opponents booked, which , of course, can temper their enthusiasm for a stronger , more physical contribution.
But can he recover the form of previous years ?
Well, if he can, they might well name a supporters bus after him….he has a real chance to become a “rangers ” legend ” today.
Oh, alright, another supporters bus to add to the one he’s already got.
You have to feel a little bit sorry for them, especially as even the guys who published the fixtures for their Europa League group appears to be laughing at them…. incorporating the first two lines of a tune down the side of the page.
And it’s also the only time you’ll see Nice Rangers written anywhere.
Speaking of Europe, Celtic don;t seem to have come out of the UCL draw too badly, avoiding the “big guns ” and having no real travel issues, but we’ll deal with that later, as there are matters at home to deal with before we go gallivanting around Europe.
Back home, there are a few other things to play for today. A few things which had Alan Patullo of the Scotsman dripping a few tears onto his keyboard….
There is no trophy at stake on Sunday afternoon. What there is, though, is something arguably greater. Some, including Jose Mourinho, might refer to it as football heritage. Glasgow bragging rights stretching all the way back to 1888 lie in the balance, with both teams currently level-pegging on 169 wins each. As well as drawing five points clear of their rivals with a win tomorrow, Celtic can inch ahead of them in history.
What a blow this would represent to Rangers’ pride. What a stark portrayal of the vandalism wrought upon the club by a succession of hubristic and incompetent owners. Even though it looked like progress was being made on that front, the Ibrox fans have been let down by the current incumbents. Ahead of their trip into enemy territory on Sunday morning, Rangers will be given a rousing send-off by their fans from a stadium they last played at on 14 May against Dundee.
So much seems to be in the balance at present. So much of Rangers’ admittedly sometimes self-proclaimed identity seems imperilled – how can they claim to be the most successful team in the world when they are not even top dogs in their own city? Never mind the Copland Road stand, an entire edifice is crumbling. Celtic are targeting a 55th title win – the number Rangers reached under Steven Gerrard and have failed to add to since. Both clubs, meanwhile, are locked on 118 trophies.
Then you could actually hear him sobbing out loud….
Indeed, is there a single player in the Rangers line-up who could reasonably to be picked over their Celtic equivalent in a joint XI? Not for this correspondent. Cyriel Dessers might trump Idah for the centre-forward shirt in the unlikely event of a merging of forces.
With so much going on player-recruitment wise, Rodgers was remaining understandably tight-lipped on Friday on team selection matters, but Idah is unlikely to start. And who out of Dessers and Kyogo Furuhashi would anyone want spearheading an attack? Manchester City were not contemplating swooping for Dessers, put it that way.
Despite his shoulder seeming perpetually in danger of popping out, what’s the betting Kyogo opens his account for the season and emerges as the match winner once again? It’s vulnerable Rangers whose crutches are at risk of being kicked from under them on a potentially momentous afternoon for Old Firm oneupmanship.
Back in 2012 when the original Rangers bit the dust, I didn’t think things could get any funnier, or any more symbolic.
Gone was the club that stood for racism, for religious supremacy and for financial skullduggery.
Then, aided and abetted by a compliant Scottish Football Association, along with mainstream media support, they came back in a new form with the same old problems, the same flies gathering around a different pile of shite.
Even then, had they learned from their mistakes and tried to weed out the more unpleasant aspects of their culture, and those who followed them, then i might have lent them some sympathy.
But they have used that as the cornerstone of their resurgence, actively raking in money from societal outcasts with extremist views.
A win for Celtic today, a convincing win, may well send them back into the pit from whence they came.
They cannot afford to be third in a two horse race. They cannot afford to become irrelevant, and most importantly they cannot afford to keep going as an entity if things stay as they are.
that’s why we need to make things a whole lot worse for them with a comprehensive and entertaining win.
On Thursday we had this…
Right that’s two yellow cards, one for Carter and one for Vickers. Yer off
Today….
I genuinely treat these games as complete one offs where for me, form does really go out the window. Add in the trumpet in charge and anything can happen. So, having said that, I’m no more or less confident than I am for any other derby and if we win, you’ll be scraping me off the ceiling.
ComeonYouBhoysInGreen
Sorry but that’s not true.
We’ve won 7 and drawn 2 of the last 10 because we are the form team.
When they were in their financial doping prime, they were the form team and usually won.
Hopefully the form book continues, winning’s the main thing but if we can do it with a bit to spare then so much the better for late match nerves.
The only factor in play, as always with these games, is the actions of the officials. Even with the public viewing of VAR they don’t seem scared of public opinion. However, I think even they are getting a bit embarrassed with the sh*tshow of their team.
caption Is it a pint and a whisky you want tonight in the Masonic arms ref?
“ Right John, just the twelve of you against them.”
Beaton will play the ‘Lambert role’ priceless. Definitely one offs. Defeat for Glasgow Español would be a disaster for them . It is not impossible they take something but highly unlikely, they have to get at least a point. The team has started well but complacency has been effectively banished. Practically every position has a replacement available. I might start with Forrest, he has the derby experience and bring Kuhn in to finish them off
Its alright, John,”The Billy Boys” and “The Famine Song” are only illegal if you sing them, not hum them, just follow my lead”
Polisman says “Mon John, the boys in the ludge and doon the station, same people , have you on a penalty to rangers at least one each half.
“Celtic have smashed their transfer record for an individual player purchase, and spent over £30m in the window.”
We spent a not insignificant £25m+ but took in over £40m.
Although good additions, it’s a shame that we couldn’t get another biggie, Bogusz or Sanchez, over the line.
Fuck It Furuhashi Aff.Fifa takes on a whole new meaning,even before the players take to the pitch.
“Honest men, what are we like?”
Take it away Celtic, take it away.
Dessers gets booked for a challenge in the box, yet no penalty.
Kuhn was never offside. A decision too close to call.
Dallas is earning his repurposing.
Well, that was one very comprehensive doing we dished out today and I just loved every minute of it.
Ralph mentioned in the last Diary about how if we win and the sheep win (even in the 98th minute) 🙂 then the new huns will be 5 points adrift of both of us after just 4 games and lo and behold it came to pass! BRILLIANT! Our supporters just wanted to bask in the warmth of an easy victory and didn’t want to go home. Without doubt the best supporters on the planet.
I think we got a terrific draw in the CL and if the new guys add real depth and quality to our squad then the sky’s the limit. It’s just another grand day to be a Tim.
COYBIG!
Great Diary! I should’ve read it before posting a comment but wanted to comment while the game was fresh in my mind and I just felt euphoric. I NEVER take these games for granted and never bet on the outcome. I read a long time ago that we were actually ‘underdogs’ on that glorious day in 1957 when we skelped them 7-1 in the League Cup Final and so I never get carried away before that match, even though it’s a new company to the one which died in 2012, The Rangers Football Club PLC. BTW, that entity, as part of the attempted grand scam changed it’s name to RFC 2012 PLC once they knew the original club/company was doomed. If you want to prove a company died, follow its registered company number. Aye, they’re truly deid! Never let them forget it.
Positional competition, who would have thunk it?
Caption
“Ah’ll show them aboot no’ lettin’ any Huns intae Parkheid”.
Also, did you clock the coupon on Bawwy Fewguson when he was picked out by the cameras?
A thing of beauty, that skulkin’ awfa face, if Ferguson and beauty can ever be delivered in the same sentence!
Aye, how did that wee rat get in?
Heavens Engels was a bit caught up. We have a midfield.
Well done bhoys – some great footie capped with three sublime goals. Particularly enjoyed the first half during which we pressed and used space really well. Bernardo was constantly involved and unlucky not to score while Kyogo could have had a hat-trick. The second half was a scrappier affair and later on we got a bit sloppy and gifted them a couple of chances which they failed to take. Today’s match looked highly reminiscent of the type of routine victory we would expect against Killie or St Johnstone and, though we’ve been playing well recently, we still haven’t reached top gear. When we do, hell mend the huns.
A Rangers mate of mine compared it to watching a movie on repeat.Yoker boy I have to take my hat off to Brendan, that was an incredible performance. All the midfielders were brilliant, Kasper a good save having had nothing to do for over an hour. Defence solid Maeda superb.
Hi BJF. Yes, agree with all of that. Brendan’s doing a seriously good job at the moment and I just hope he stays with us for at least a couple of seasons. I’d like to single out someone else too, Liam Scales, who played what was arguably his best ever game for Celtic. Commanding in the air, some of his challenges on the deck were top drawer as well. Hopefully all the new signings will gel and we can soon go up a level. Exciting times lie ahead my friend.
Best part “…..we still haven’t reached top gear.”
Exactly how I’ve felt after EVERY game so far this season and we’ve played 4 without conceding a goal, in the League.
We’ve actually profited £Ms from this infuriating/desperate transfer window as well as the last 2 so if we’re in good position in CL come January that scum on the board can’t say “we want these players but can’t afford them…..”
But, for now, it’s been a wonderful weekend’s fitba and it started when my grandson’s team won 4-2 on Saturday morning in their 1st game of the new season against the favourites to win it. You don’t half get involved watchin’ the weans as well! Aye, it’s great to be a Tim and a Granda’.
Great stuff TicToc. Pity we have to wait a couple of weeks for the next battle, which is at home to the diet huns. Looking at where they are right now I can already feel their fear and pain when they begin to think about that game.
I couldn’t agree more Yoker, the games just can’t come fast enough.
But it gives the new guys a coupla weeks to settle in and get Brendan doing his magic, so “every cloud…….”
Did you see Engels face when he looked around the supporters when he came on?
Absolutely WOW! And that wee DOB Beaton later booked him for signing for us.
But they just can’t stop us!
HH
Looking at that league table reminds me of the ‘new firm’ days of the early to mid 80s when the top 3 were always Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee Utd but not always in that order. Pretty good times those.