Celtic travel to Tannadice today , and if things go to plan they will be a step closer to the holy grail of the domestic treble.
The hoops will be without Lustig, Mulgrew and the two winter signings, Mackay Steven and Armstrong. There are doubts over Commons, Matthews, Guidetti and Izaguirre, and bearing in ind Ronny Deilas reluctance to field a player if he’s not one hundred per cent, then it may be safe to assume they won’t play.
Could this be the day when James Forrest reminds us that theres still a player in there ?
Ronny deila hinted that he will play when he asked the support, who have decided that the forward is the man they love to hate, now that Samaras is away, to give him a break. After all, there has been a tendency to rush him back in the past when he wasn’t ready, and Deila has taken care for this not to be repeated. Its just unfortunate that in the meantime, Gary Mackay Steven has taken his place as first pick.
But an injury free run means that Ronny thinks Forrest could burt onto the scene again anytime soon.
“James hasn’t pulled a muscle now in five months and that’s a big step forward for him. He has been unlucky and needs time to get back to his highest level.
“I have a long-term plan with James because his history is not good. In fact, it’s very bad injury-wise. But he’s in a better place now. I’m thinking, next season he’ll be on top again.
“However, James can still make an impact in this campaign as well. I can understand the fans’ frustration with him. On that pitch you have to perform, that’s the demands of Celtic.
“But we have to look longer term and see what’s happening in the background. We know there is special potential there. That’s why we’ve been working differently in his training and treatment.
“It’s also a mental thing where sometimes you’re afraid to get hurt. James needs training and more matches to get back to his best form.”
Celtics support can be cruel, and we’ve all stood there and criticised players in the past. Wingers, who are closest to the touchline, and thus the crowd, get in in the neck more, with the added bonus of actually being able to hear each individual piece of constructive criticism, often coupled with a fairly loose description of the player.
If Celtic are to win today, Forrest, cruelly omitted from yesterdays Diary’s suggested line up -I don’t expect him to be fit anymore- could be the key.
Although Armstrong and Mackay Steven won’t feature for the Hoops today, its more of a relief that they won’t be wearing the Tangerine, and its probably no coincidence that Jackie MacNamaras side have struggled since they left. This could make Celtic slight favourites to win, but a lot depends on whether or not the players can get back to the tempo shown in the second half last week against Aberdeen, and if they can put the St. johnstone display out of their minds.
The team will have an unfamiliar look and feel to it, but if I was picking it, it would be
Gordon, Ambrose, Izaguirre, van Dijk, Denaayer, Brown, Bitton, Henderson, Johansen, Forrest, Griffiths.
As for a prediction, it will either be a famine or a feast. We’ll either win by four or five, or scrape a single goal victory. I don’t think Dundee United will have enough to beat us, simply because it does appear that Stuart Armstrong was the man who made them tick.
Elsewhere, there was an interesting development in the TV money debate.
Peter Lawwell offered his thoughts, and although he knows that a deal of some sort is neccesary, it was a shot fired across the bows of the tv people simply because , as with all negotiations, he was letting the other lot know he doesn’t need them, and in fact, would prefer not to have them.
“We would like to play our games every Saturday at 3pm and forget live television.
“People talk about enhancing the match-day experience. At 3pm on a Saturday, we’d get more people coming to our games and that money would far outweigh what we get from the TV deal.”
“Other clubs in Scotland are dependant on the television deal.
“Unfortunately, something is only worth what someone will pay you for it – and that’s the case with the TV deal.”
“The English Premier League is a different ball game. That’s gone beyond the valuation of football rights.
“We’re not part of that. And the irony is that 10 per cent of the people who help fund that are Scottish subscribers.
“Every day you turn the TV on and it’s all about the EPL. Scottish kids want Man City and Arsenal strips now. All the while we’re sitting with less than one per cent of the money they get.
“Burnley could outbid us for a player now. They’ll get £100m if they are relegated this season.
“Burnley now dwarf Celtic financially. It’s ludicrous but it’s a sign of the times.”
Then he kind of spoiled it, but in another sense, built up the product ready for new talks;
“There might be more TV money going forward, depending on Hearts and Rangers
coming up. It would help.
“Do I hope Rangers come up? The positives you miss, the negatives you don’t.
“They have to sort themselves out. It costs us £10m a year without Rangers – if they came back up we’d progressively get that money back.
“But making it into the Champions League group stage is the transformer for us. Not just financially, it’s where we need to be as a club.
“The infrastructure here is for a Champions League club. To sustain that, you have to be in there.
“We’ve been in it seven out of the last 11 years and made the last 16 three times. We deserve pass marks for that record.”
I’m intrigued by this £10m loss. You can’t lose what you don’t have, and I can’t see in the accounts of yesteryear this ten million pounds that is now missing.
Although the current stewards at Ibrox will continue to tell a slavering media about how much they are needed in the game, its probably better that we, and other clubs, ignore them, in much the same way as you ignore any irritation that tries to put you off what you are doing.
The picture yesterday showed a disturbing decline in former Rangers and second Rangers boss Ally Mccoist, but should the makers of Rab C Nesbitt ever decide to widen the character base, with say a long lost brother, I think they would know where to look.
Just as Dave King and his crew have moved to strengthen the team after a disappointing 0-0 draw yesterday with Cowdenbeath;
And to be fair to Kong, he’s searching every possible avenue as he tries to raise money;
Two sides of the same coin ? Two companies that need each other ?
I don’t think so, and can’t see how anyone else does.
Just a quick question today…
Who is this fresh faced young man ?
The holy goalie
The holy goalie. Come oneill the hoops
Artur Boruc pre – pies and lager.
Come on the Hoops today, let’s make this a season to remember!
It must be Arthur. A question, though. Did Boruc make his debut in a pre-season friendly in England and and did he not save a penalty in the first five minutes taken by Deon Dublin?
Totally agree on the Forrest/Samaras thing Ralph some fans always seem to need a scapegoat at Celtic.
Injuries have wrecked his development but the fact remains Forrset can be a real match winner on his game and a real threat when he ignites the Afterburners.
All defenders fear pace it’s usually what does them in the end and with a fit Forrest you get plenty pace.
Deila has managed his situation far better I feel than Lenny which is credit to him for doing so because I think we will all benefit from a fit ,free flowing Forrest who can survive a Season unhindered by injury.
We are feeling the effects of injuries it’s true but I think when you have recognised Internationals sat on the Bench biding your time then perhaps things are not as bad as they first seem?
Ambrose can defend when he cuts out the risk taking he’s done a decent job at LB I think in Izzy’s absence and is decent going forward on the right.
Wakaso is not a LB but in the Left wing slot I think his delivery and willingness to take men on could be worth having today.
That just leaves the Right side of the Attack.
Forrest out there is where he is most comfortable and with Johansen in the Middle behind Griffiths gives us pace and energy allover the Attack.
I’m fairly confident we can take United apart with the right approach ie press high,attack at pace and sustain it for the full 90.
The whole TV set up needs to be completely restructured if Scottish football is to survive. Many ideas have been floated in the past but few have got beyond peripheral scrutiny. The SFA/SPFL should be leading the multi- club discussions and trying to come up with a model that benefits only Scotland and not just accept the crumbs that remain on the table after the grown-ups have finished.
What’s to prevent us going it alone and providing a service tailored purely to our needs? I for one would gladly stop paying the ridiculous amount I currently do for the privilege of seeing the occasional SPFL match amid the pile of garbage that makes up the Sky/BY offering. I am also certain that there are many more like- minded folk who would be willing to have their subscriptions used for the purpose of such a development.
I always think Forrest is a game changer and should be in the lineup if he is fit.
Have you been following the statements of Paul Murray? The arrogance is astonishing even for this broken tribute act. The biggest club in Scotland, rightful place to lead Scottish football? WTF!! This from a man who was on a Board that sanctioned EBTs and other more direct tax avoidance schemes, knowingly using other people’s money which they knew they could never pay back. The SFA must at least publicly say they are running them through a check. Frankly, I’m sure there will be no fit and proper tests and everything possible will be done to make it easy for Murray and co. I think other clubs and supporters should launch legal action on fit and proper, on having titles and cups won while enjoying an illegal financial advantage wiped from the record like Lance Armstrong and compensation paid to other clubs who missed out on various wins and qualifications for European competition. The other Murray – Moonbeams – is the major culprit here. Where are the legal actions regarding his role? TV expose? Major press investigations? The point being only Craig White a sprig who smelled money and got in over his head has been charged with any offense. What about the rest of the oldco board? Legal action is probably the only way these will even be discussed never mind addressed. I am anxious for the servco side to miss out on promotion and then see what happens next.
Just read the BBC website Scottish football gossip bit. St Johnstone defender, Steven Anderson, complaining about Virgil’s lack of sportsmanship, not shaking his hand, last Thursday.
He doesn’t mention the lack of sportsmanship shown by four of his team mates when they played us in the last game of teh2012/13 season. Muuray Davidson, Frazer Wright, Tam Scobbie & Steven McLean, not applauding us onto the pitch.
Arsene Wenger/Mourinho style double standards.
Would definitely go with Stokes on the left .
What about Wakaso on the left and Forrest on the right?
Too big a game for the likes of Wakaso or Henderson.
Nonsense!
Stokes has a lot to prove I just hope he put’s a marker down today and proves he still has qualities that we need.
On his day he can produce some nice stuff you only need to look back to the Hibs Final and the 2 crosses he put in for Hooper to prove he can deliver a seriously good ball.
Sorry Charlie but I’m done with Stokes, a minute of action today summed him up.
Missed a sitter with the keeper already on the deck, then he trotted off to the side and bellowed at Johansen for God knows what. When he then received the ball failed miserably to play in an overlapping Izzy and off the deflection crossed the ball into their keepers arms before trotting back in a sulk to put in a lazy tackle to concede a penalty.
He’s not a defender I suppose and it was the softest of soft penalties, but his laziness in the tackle allowed a decision to be made and he contributed next to nothing. Good cut back leading to the penalty but that’s all I remember to be honest.
The Great Escape! We shouldn’t forget the Masons in Black. No red card for Van Dijk, no Arab penalty, it was a clear dive. Treble still alive.
It would be good to hammer them next Sunday.
Agree completely. Stokes was dire.See Guidetti’s been singing ” the huns are deid” on Dutch tv.
Officials spoiled the game today, Disappointed we couldn’t get the winner.
Pissed off on so many counts!
Gudetti kidding himself- attrosious first touch! Ronnie made an srse of the interview, seen the dive not the sending off! PLEASE!
We should have won but hey ho! treble still on!
Tin legs ruined scottish football. I remember speaking to a guy who was in the same rugby team as him. In the clubhouse after training and having a couple of sherbets he told his team mates he would tell the polis about them drinking and driving. A while later tin legs has his accident and loses his pins. True story. That man is the reason our game is struggling. He should not have been allowed to do what he did, an individual on a giant ego trip aided and abetted by a compliant media and the so called powers that be. Now we are going to go through the same again with people who should be nowhere near football. The arrogance of the peepil knows no limits.
HH
Post lost
Thomson has to demoted, that’s so biased referring I have ever seen, trying to stop the treble on his own, if you think back to the game against them, he gave a free kick for elbows for a deliberate stamp on guidetti, the man has issues against us, only he can answer though I know his answers, bring back Collum!!!
The surface was a disgrace.Ciftci is an animal.
Treble very much on.Peter will let season tickets holders in for free for the replay.Not a bad gesture!
I’m happy we didn’t sign him, that transfer window looks better and better.
Pitch looked as if a flood had just been cleared and cut up a lot, was like a golf green compared to Hampden (I won’t hold my breath on the SFA taking Mr Dallas to court for their £300k back).