Today’s team-sheet leaked again, I see. This day, of all days, that someone within the Celtic Park bubble thinks that’s acceptable is a joke.
Whoever this person is, they can kid themselves on all they want that they are a supporter or whatever but they aren’t.
It is in Celtic’s best interests to find out who this person is and remove that person from Celtic Park.
It doesn’t make you a smartarse because you can lift a piece of paper out of a bin and publish it online, it makes you a sneaking little weasel.
The team itself is full of surprises. But Gerrard had an extra hour and more to process them, since the leak ended up all over the mainstream media sites. How do I feel about the line-up? Surprised. When are we not surprised these days with Lennon’s choices?
Actually, I’m surprised in a non-angry kind of way today. I didn’t expect us to go with three at the back when three of our starting central defenders were out of the squad. I didn’t expect us to throw in Welsh.
I am less surprised about Laxalt … watch him carefully.
I think we’re going to enjoy watching this boy today. Indeed, but for Welsh’s inclusion this is a strong side.
No Griffiths or Ajeti in the starting eleven does surprise me, but neither can be fully fit yet and that’s why Eddie isn’t even on the bench. Klimala has waited for his chance; he will never have a bigger one. We are missing some firepower, but we still have plenty.
And more than that, we have options on the bench. That could be the difference.
Remember when I wrote earlier in the campaign that football management is chess? Lennon’s choices both on the bench and in the team cost us against Ferencvaros … he has not made the same mistake here. The subs include some real game-changers.
I feel pretty relaxed about this overall. There are a lot of people panicking, but that’s based on the team they think we’re up against today, a team the media has hyped to a fare-thee-well. We’ll see what they can do if we play a high press and get in their faces.
Enjoy yourselves friends and comrades in Celtic.
See you all on the other side.
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