Giakoumakis And Maeda Start Together As Ange Goes For The Quick Kill.

No debate about what the boss is up to tonight.

He is going for the fast knockout. He has field an attack-minded team where Maeda and Giakoumakis both start along with Forrest. There are some strange absences; there is no place for Jota in the squad nor Abada.

The manager will definitely be asked about that, but for now let’s focus on the strengths of who is in.

I like the line-up tonight. It has the right combination of pace and power up front and the midfield balance – Hatate, O’Riley and McGregor – is the correct one. Juranovic plays at right back. The central defence is what you’d expect. No surprises there.

I think it’s a good, strong attacking team. We are not over-dependent on one player or even two players and this squad proves it. This is a line-up which is more than capable of winning this game and seeing us into the Scottish Cup semi-final.

I think it’s a big night for James Forrest, in particular, who showed up at Livingston in a big way and is now just a handful of goals short of the 100 mark.

Obviously, the temptation is to wonder where the missing players are, but I’d rather focus right now on the ones we have in team. Whatever’s wrong with our first choice wing players, it will resolve itself in due course and we’ll know soon enough.

For now, let’s give the bhoys who are playing our support.

See you all on the other side.

CELTIC: Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor; Hatate, McGregor, O’Riley; Forrest, Giakoumakis, Maeda 

SUBS: Bain, Jullien, Bitton, Ajeti, McCarthy, Rogic, Johnston, Guchi, Ralston, Welsh Karamoko