It is so typical of the shock-jocks and the bitter anti-Celtic fringe of the mainstream media to put out there the theory that Celtic will not want the club from Ibrox in the cup semifinal.
You’d think we had not beaten them twice this season already, including once under their tactical genius. You’d think we didn’t have to play them twice more in the league regardless.
This is all part of the two-pronged theory that we’re vulnerable and that they are unbeatable. We are vulnerable, but the second part is harder to justify.
But it’s actually not the second bit that renders this idea of us running scared of them ludicrous; it’s the first bit. Because we’re not in a good enough place to feel there’s an easy draw here.
Aberdeen is a risky proposition right now. If you assume that anyone they hire, even on a temporary basis, will be a better manager than Warnock and more capable of doing something with their squad, that goes from being a relatively straightforward game to something entirely different. A well-motivated and better organised Aberdeen has already taken points of us.
The other side which is going to be in the semi-final will be Hearts barring, a complete disaster for them against Morton tonight before the draw.
Hearts have beaten us home and away. Naismith’s team will give everything against us, and with a place in the final at stake he would certainly fancy his chances if we didn’t go into the game with Carter Vickers and McGregor in the ranks.
So tell me something; when one side has managed a recent draw against us and the other has beaten us for the second time in a matter of months, why would we fear Ibrox more than them, when the Ibrox club has played us twice and been beat twice?
Yesterday, in the aftermath of their game against Hibs, Chris McLaughlin’s summary had the following headline; “Clement juggernaut rumbles on.” Yeah? Wasn’t that “juggernaut” stopped firmly in its tracks, at home, last week against Motherwell? They drew in midweek, didn’t they? Some juggernaut that it’s won one of its last three games.
I mean, that’s the spin that would be getting put on this if it was us. One win in the last three, and that one courtesy of officiating and Hibs players losing the plot.
What a narrative the media is pushing here. It might well be the most dishonest in the recent history of the game, and that’s saying something. Celtic, running scared of a team we’ve beaten twice whilst other sides with better records against us lie in wait.
I would say it was more a combination of Rangers and the officials, with the officials on their side they are a hard team to beat.
Indeed John – ‘Rangers’ are a hard team to beat…
Because no one can beat a dead football team !
The officials are very much alive though – As we only know too well !
I’d take Sevco at Hampden over a revitalised Aberdeen or the Edinburgh huns right now. We’ve got their number. But for tonight, I’m hoping Morton can beat them. I’d take Morton at Hampden right enough.
We really have to focus on ourselves, our own defensive and offensive vulnerabilities and now added too by the long term injuries to Callum and now CCV.
We can still do others over even if it is ugly, as we did with the last defeat of the huns and a makeshift defence and underperforming Kyogo.
The problems to us are those presented by us but hey no doubt we can somehow turn it into wins as well. Mainly due to the others being a bag of shite too. C’mon a Hoops