The talk today is of the Ibrox “injury list” and rumours that they could have as many as nine players out for the game. I couldn’t even tell you who the nine are, but it’s likely that there are a number of key players on the list, guys who would have been considered certain starters a few weeks ago.
One suspects that most of them still will.
There is an element of what’s known as strategic deception here. But it’s not up to much. We know that even those players who do make it aren’t going to be anywhere near match fit, and so Celtic will approach the game the same way they usually do.
We’ll prepare to face their strongest team. We probably will, within the limits of those guys who can actually get onto the pitch. As I said yesterday, Clement is willing to risk the health of his players to give himself the best possible chance to win and he won’t hesitate.
So really, all this “I won’t discuss the team” stuff matters not one bit to how we will approach the match. Celtic will presume that his best will be out there and act accordingly. If he wants to risk players who can only play 25 minutes that’s his lookout.
It always makes me laugh when I see stuff like this; you would think that if Rodgers is surprised to see a weaker Ibrox team than he planned for that he won’t be able to subtly organise his tactics to exploit it from the touchline. Of course he will. He’s an elite boss.
It’s fun to imagine their whole central defence being out. Which is why I suspect that some of them will play. It’s fun to imagine them having no-one on the left of defence, but really, are their left-back options really that great anyway? It is fun to imagine a decimated midfield, but we’ve owned them when their best has been available and we will here.
Clement has blamed injuries for their not winning the title, and this feels as much about getting the excuses in early here as it does about anything else, but he forgets that we went to Ibrox for that first encounter of the season with a makeshift side and we brought three points home with us. This comes down to what you can do with the tools at hand.
I understand why he doesn’t want to draw attention to that. Neither would I in his shoes. But if he loses, nobody on his side should be listening to his excuses and that’s really all any of this is. A continuation of the excuse making he’s been doing for months.
None of it will bother Rodgers one bit. We’ll proceed just the same.
Go for the jugular from the first ball strike ! Play so good and focused that the latest Kilmarnock 5- 0 humping will look like a bounce game ! Make no mistake . The entire SMSM know the craic about how mediocre this theRangers squad is . If I can use a musical analogy for the cup final ? I believe tomorrow’s game shall be like comparing Pete Doherty against Stephen Stills as musicians and guitarists ! Guess who Peter the pumpkin eater represents ?
Bring them on in any form. We are ready and waiting to inflict more misery onto them tomorrow, the day after and for evermore. They have been gelded by the Timalloys and will always lack the balls to do any damage to the Glorious Glasgow Celtic
COYBIG!
I heard kris boyd is fit and ready to go, so he doesn’t have to sit on his own during the celebrations this time
I don’t think that The Sevco Huns will listen to many excuses from Clement on the tv etc…
But no doubt you’ll be reporting on The Scummy Scottish Football Media bailing him out once again with their pathological lies…
And of course Sevco fans will listen to what they say and believe every word !