Hearts today announced that Lawrence Shankland didn’t train today. He’s injured. He shouldn’t be a contender for tomorrow, but they are giving him every chance to “prove his fitness” for the game against us. Which means he’ll play, for sure.
If he does, he risks turning a relatively minor injury into a major one. This is why I don’t like us rushing players back into the team. It’s why Ibrox paid a punishingly high price for its own foolishness today.
The Mooch confirmed two of the worst kept secrets in the game; that Roofe will not play again this season and neither will Tom Lawrence. They’ve pushed these guys too hard to get them back into the team. Roofe was thrown in when it was clear he was nowhere near ready. They are essentially doing the same with Colak.
The Mooch spoke recently about how there is “no such thing” as a player playing 100% fit. As I wrote at the time (in fact before that) he’s ready to risk the future well-being of his footballers for his own personal shot at glory. Roofe has paid the price for that. You shouldn’t need a hip operation at his age, and yet that’s what he’s having.
How much do Hearts want to beat Celtic? Enough to risk their player? Apparently so. Maeda is rated as 50/50 for this one. Leave him out Ange, don’t risk it.
It’s not worth it at all. It’s not worth taking a chance with the player because we absolutely have enough in the squad to get by anyway. Let Hearts take chances with their striker. Let Ibrox throw players into games doped up and taking painkillers when they should be sitting in the stands. Let’s give our boys the maximum chance to recover.
Maeda will be missed, but as I wrote yesterday others are entitled to think that this can be their day, their moment, and we should be keen to see how they do. Maeda should enjoy it from the side-lines and get himself fit for the games which are left.
Hearts and Shankland’s fitness are of no concern to me to be honest. In fact nobody elses players concern me. As long as our squad are in good health, that is all that matters to me. Maeda will be well looked after and nurtured back to full fitness in the time it takes, no more no less.
I just want this game tomorrow out of the way, put the Diets to the sword and get on with the rest of the season.
Hopefully meada is well enough to make the bench without having to be used.
We tend to change 5 out of 6 between midfield and attack and only a defensive change as a reason for having to.
Can’t see any change to that successful approach tomorrow, yet have to be prepared for the unexpected also, a thing this Celtic team manages so well.
Ange hasn’t changed his approach since he walked into the club and won’t change that tomorrow and yet no one has been able to work out how to stop us, hardly think this tramp can work out a way, certainly not in footballing term’s anyway
It would be better to rest Maeda completely, we can manage no bother without him, a little break will do no harm.
More concerned about how much protection the Messi of Scottish football in hatate, will receive from this thug scum tomorrow?
This is an ideal opportunity to start Haksabanovic.