Most people expect that the Ibrox club will approach todays game aggressively by coming at us right out of the traps. That depends on two things; their having the bottle for it and us not choosing that strategy instead. That’s where I think the theory falls down dead.
Because when you look at Celtic’s selection dilemma today, and the lack of match time for some of the best players in our team, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that what we might do is go for Shock And Awe, by fielding the best eleven we can knowing some of them won’t last the 90 minutes, but trying to win the game early in recognition of that fact.
When I wrote the other day about Sun Tzu it dawned on me that this is one of his principal stratagems. He warned generals and leaders against long, protracted wars. We have the players here to play a style of football that blitzes them into oblivion early. I don’t believe for one minute that we will allow them to settle into their rhythm. I think we’ll go after them.
And if we do that and if Kyogo and others have their shooting boots on then this could be over very early and we might all be able to enjoy the day relaxed and happy and sure of a place in the final. The longer the game goes on the more difficult getting the result becomes. We do not want it turning into a slog far less a grind. An early goal is not enough … we have to be looking to do to them today what we did in the first halves at Celtic Park this season and last.
End the match as a contest in the first 45 minutes. It fits with our style of football and Ange’s philosophy. It gels perfectly with the approach we had to those Celtic Park matches. This team was not built for, or to play, containment football. It was built for this.
So don’t be surprised if we use Hatate and Abada’s lack of match fitness to our advantage. Play them from the start and try to win the game in the early stages. We’ve seen it done by Celtic sides in the past, and by this one pretty recently.
It is the last thing the club across the city will expect, lost in their own egos and themselves determined to try to hurt us early. I’d be very surprised if this wasn’t our approach.
It’s a risk, but probably one worth taking. The converse would be we try it and it backfires badly. The thing about Ibrox is they probably are capable, on their day, of stopping us scoring in the first half. That then leaves us making changes and not having the lead to back it up. But the itch looked OK yesterday and I think we have it in us to do them over early. I would give them hell first half.
Hi James. I’m sick of idiots Kenny Miller ect,
writing about how the league is over but, never acknowledging the league was not over when the big mouth Mooch took over, if he would have won all games to date, he’d be 1 point behind Celtic with a game at Castle Greyscull to go. So fuck the lot of them and, let’s put their season to bed . Hail Hail
Castle Greyskull is where the good guys live – you need Snake Mountain (much more appropriate)
There is no risk involved, we go for it from the off and take them by surprise, we do it better than them, in fact we do everything better than them, and before they know it the game has gone for them. An early onslaught will pay dividends, go for it Celtic.
It certainly looks like that’s the plan, anyway. Good for Ange!
I’d very much enjoy the second half if we were 3 or 4 up. Maybe let Vats out to have a bit of fun against a demoralised crowd of want aways. As long as we avoid injuries from their inevitable hammer throwing response.
Ange will not be changing his winning approach and his mindset since he walked through the door.
Control the game for the full 90 minutes and take the chances as they come along.
Very simple physiological and yet no one in Scotland has been able to find a way in stopping it and this scum team certainly hasn’t found a solution yet nor will they under the watching eye of the mouthy snidey prick either
And a delay to kick off due to f***ing pyro! Scotland MUST do better at stamping this out. I’d make it automatic ejection and life ban if found with pyro, or caught using it.
I’m sick of the no pyro no partyfuds. Get rid of it from football.
Well done Celtic, the huns played well but our defence responded accordingly and kept them at bay. It was not the straightforward game that I was expecting but I am delighted with the result just the same.
Cup game, anything can happen. Maeda man of the match for me. Ibrox had 2 chances all game. 2nd half early doors save by Hart then the Sakala miss. That’s the best they’ve played against us and they never looked like winning. Their big performers never turned up and they were very lucky around cards as their challenges were cynical at times. We gave them too much space middle of the park but they didn’t know what to do with it. Their centre backs got lucky when caught in possession 5 or 6 times…on another day we’d have robbed them and scored a couple more.
Natural order restored Glasgow’s green and white in Ange we trust HAIL! HAIL!.
that was fukn tight !!!…..but a win is a win….never fails to amaze me the number of people predicting an easy win in these games….the huns under beale have improved….next season will be interesting…
i love reading follow follow after such wins…4 threads on it questioning whether beale should be sacked or not……ffs !….and all 4 have been closed down….weird…
treble in the bag !!!! ange is the man !!!
HH
Your correct m8 they are getting closer and I would say we rode our luck at times ,but what do points make …prizes but a new few signings are needed if that is thier team in disseray then we need to buck up .
The squealing has just begun and it will rise to a crescendo all week, it’s music to my ears.
Let them fkn squeal.
Far from ‘pleased’ wi our overall performance, tho still in the final. Brought tae my notice by a mate and watched it. Cantwell, utter prick, refuses Rio a bottle of water, actually pulls his hand away and moves the bag away as well. Fuckin bellend that he is.
Just playing to the support decking wanker
Is that the water they stole from their local church, maybe he didn’t want charged with reset?
Well we got it done. Bums might have sqeaked but they never managed to score. We all know that if you don’t score, you don’t win. No doubt we didn’t win today (according to them) so much as they lost. Personally speaking, the difference is over subtle for my comprehension. I just know we are in the final and I am daring to believe the treble is on.
It is such a nice feeling.
Like Chris Sutton, I wonder if the real Rangers* will turn up at ibrox when everything is done and dusted?
* It will be hard for the real Rangers to be unliquidated in time for that game.
Trying to roughhouse this Celtic team won’t work. We are well capable of looking after ourselves and if dishing it out when required.
Ah don’t think it’s that beale or his team are gettin any better, it’s us that havenae been showin the real, constant flair and drive we’ve seen earlier in the season, especially last 5 or 6 games. This Celtic side 6 months ago would be fkn destroyin that mob. Absolutely nae doubt imo. We’ve got the results recently, happy tae say, tho we’ve definitely no been lookin the same side. Hopefully we’ll get that sorted.
Aye, after the WC break we were slow in getting into our stride before hitting some decent form, but the last few weeks we have been again struggling a wee bit and not dominating in the way we can do. Are we tiring, I’m not sure, for we did the same at the end of last season, Hopefully Ange will freshen things up now that we can afford to relax slightly, no CCV and no Johnston means changes are necessary anyway,
Celtic better hope they don’t get lucky in the transfer window. That was absolutely brutal today and just a weekly continuing deterioration in Celtic’s performances. What has happened to Angieball this season?. There’s virtually no difference now from it and
Neilly or Brendan ball.
It doesn’t help when James keeps telling us that this team is the best thing since sliced bread and builds them up to a level they have not really deserved yet. I’ve seen plenty better sides. However, they might also eventually get to those levels, a Treble this season will certainly help that cause.
Congrats to our bhoys in getting the desired result today mainly thanks to our defence, CCV in particular, and Maeda whose work-rate was outstanding.
This was a Scottish Cup semi final for all the world to see and yet one of the worst refs in the game, Robertson, was given the gig in place of a pre match injury to one of the worst referees in the game, first pick Collum. Several of his decisions were so completely wrong. It would be easier not to complain really as the O’Riley one, not given, even led to our goal, thanks not an advantage being played, but to Maeda’s desire to keep the move going. Over the years his refereeing has been consistently bad, shocking even, not just for our games and I simply can’t see why some of them are allowed to continue in the SPL.
It’s beginning to worry me that Celtic players’ performances and energy levels seem to have taken a backward step over the last few months, with the exclusion of only a couple of games. Mibbies we’re simply tiring after a long season but I hope this is something Ange can rectify now or this in the summer and that beale doesn’t improve his squad much as there really doesn’t appear to be much of a gap now. I think we still have the better quality but their energy and drive was clear for all to see 2nd half. Thankfully we should now have secured the treble and over the season deservedly so. HH
Another verse to Skyhooks song “Horror Movie”
Celts were on fire
AL McGregor was a-blocking
TavPen was encouraging
Maeda to Jota…GOAL
Kent started grieving
Gers were believing
Mickey was beseeching
But Robinson was denying – oh Yeah
Celtic were winning – oh Yeah
Horror Movie right there on Sky TV
Horror Movie right there on Sky TV
Horror Movie right there on Sky TV
Shocking Gers right outa their brains
And it’s only a football game
Great defense by Celtic. Maeda MOTM for me too.
Observations: Alfredo blessing himself and kissing crossed thumb and forefinger (crucifix).
A common gesture of South American and Middle European Catholics. Gers played well, showing good sportsmanship, except for Lundstram and possibly Cantwell.
One commentator said Maeda is the most valuable Scottish Premiership Player. Big Call? Kyogo
is my call. Viaplay interview with Ange: Waistline getting bigger. 9 out of 10, of top World Football Managers are slim. Worried about his general health and longevity. A generalization.