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I think the midfield pairing of Robson and Hartley has looked Celtics most solid pairing all season. May just be the kick up the arse Brown needs now as he's tailed off big time. I still have high hopes for him but next season is a big year for him now and he needs to kick on.
Well the hoops nearly got burnt again yesterday by Aberdeen.
While not the worst performance of the season it was only a couple of notches above the home performances vs St Mirren, Hibs, Dun Utd, Motherwell etc. In terms of urgency and desire to win the game you'd swear the league wasn't at stake.
When Aberdeen scored at the end my heart sank. I didn't catch the infringment. What do the replays tell us? Still three points, and all that.
On Wednesday nights game, I would give Naka man of the match. A great performance dictating the play around the middle of the park. It looked like Celtic went 3-5-2 for a portion, pushing Hinkel up wide right and releasing Naka inside to make the play, the kind of situation he would thrive in.
After that I thought Robson and Caldwell were top performers.
3 in a row still a long way off though.....
To be fair to Nakamura he really scored a double but for a flagrant and serious breach of the rules. I just don't have faith in this Celtic team to win every game this season. I have a feeling it'll be a draw in the next Old Firm game.
Even with a win against Rangers, Celtic would still need Rangers to slip up twice, and would have to win out themselves. I can't see either of those happening, let alone both.
Rangers struggled badly to beat St. Johnstone in the cup today. They seemed unable to up the tempo at all. Chris Burke and Steven Naismith also got injured. I'd say there's a glimmer of hope that Rangers could drop some points due to being knackered but like I say I just can't see Celtic winning all their remaining games.
Hibs (a)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marked Man
Motherwell (h)
Dundee Utd (h)
Aberdeen (a)
Motherwell (a)
St Mirren (a)
I can definitely see them failing to win 2 of those.
Celtic would only have 3 games left after the Rangers game and a week in between each.
Hate to say this but, I can't see Rangers slipping. Walter Smith wouldn't allow it. Thay'll hang on I reckon.. Just...
Rangers have been struggling badly but are grinding out the results, the kind of run you think has to end for them sometime. However looking at their last few league fixtures I think they'll hold on. The fixtures people would be looking at as the obvious ones for them to drop points, Hibs away and Aberdeen away, I can see them winning both. You can never rely on Hibs for a result against Rangers and I don't see Aberdeen doing anything on the last day of the season with nothing to play for (and the two jimmys).
Reckon Celtic are just as likely to drop points, as the posts above suggest. Scoring goals is a problem, and with Aiden increasingly marginalised the last couple of months I don't know where they will come from.
However a second derby win next Sunday will heap the pressure on nicely....
Thursday 24 April
Fiorentina (h)
Sunday 27 April
Celtic (a)
Thursday 01 May
Fiorentina (a)
Sunday 04 May
Hibernian (a)
Wednesday 07 May
Motherwell (h)
Saturday 10 May
Dundee Utd (h)
Tuesday 13 May
St Mirren (a)
Thursday 15 May
Motherwell (a)
Sunday 18 May
Aberdeen (a)
Saturday 24 May
Queen of South
That's if (as is likely with all the injuries and suspensions) they don't make UEFA cup final. If they do make the UEFA cup final that's played on 14th May and the season will be extended by 4 days.
Dunno what to make of todays SPL announcement re: possible extension to the season.
I'm glad they didn't bend too much and let Rangers play out their remaining games over an extra week or two. However, even with the possible four day extension, as Lawwell has pointed out, the integrity of the league is compromised. I agree 100% with this stance.
The season is the season. There haven't been any extraordinary circumstances save Phil O Donnells death, yet Rangers have a backlog of fixtures due to their successful progress in the cups. Surely this is not enough reason to extend the league to aid one teams quest for the title? Drawing cup games and needing replays to decide them are in the rules, I can't see how they can justify extending the league season because of this.
Lest we forget the hun getting the Gretna game called off so they could prepare for a CL humping by Lyon.
You can't have it both ways boys! Or in Scotland, maybe you can?
I enjoyed the game yesterday. Rangers are really struggling now with injuries and suspensions so the impossible is looking possible all of a sudden. I thought Caldwell had one of his best games in the hoops yesterday and he certainly answered a few of his critics who feel that he isn't tough enough to be a centre half. He was the only defender on the pitch that actually attacked the ball aggresively I felt.
Great game and atmosphere - Electric stuff. The bhoys showed some real dig and Barry Robson had another excellent game, regardless of the bottle shown in taking the penalty.
Listening to the radio on the way home, some of the radio pundits actually had us down as favourites now which seems ludicrous when Rangers could be 4pts clear if they win the 3 games in hand? - still at least it makes it interesting over the coming weeks.
C'mon the Fiorentina - A win in Extra Time on Thursday would do me nicely!!!!!
I see Robbie Keane, Duffer and Carr enjoyed the result:
http://www.spurspies.tv/2008/04/see_...damien_du.html
Celtic have a tough enough finish as well, away to Dundee United on the last day.
Great to see Dean Shiels on form for Hibs, pity about his team mates!
Dammit , missed the game and it looked a thriller.I know he was a bit off colour before yesterday but what a signing Scott McDonald has proved to be.
Just a quick note that East Stirling finished second last this year, narrowly avoiding six cnosecutive bottom of the table finishes and the possibility of being voted out of the league.
Carr the grumpy git. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWTj6wuEqzc
The title race is very much back on. Celtic scraped through Motherwell with a very poor performance and Rangers drew 0-0 with a woeful Hibs side. Celtic are 7 points ahead with Rangers having played 3 games less. If Celtic won their remaining games and Rangers drew one of their remaining games it would go down to goal difference. Celtic look so poor I wouldn't be surprised if they dropped points in one or both of the last two games. However, Rangers recent form is woeful too. Rangers haven't won in four league games and have only won four of their last fifteen competitive games in 90 minutes. It might serve them well in cup competition but 0-0s will kill their title bid.
I was much more nervous watching todays game than yesterdays for some reason. Couldn't sit down for the last 10 minutes. Delighted though. Hopefully Rangers drop points before the last game because if they have to win on the last day of the season I'd say they will. Hibs played well today.
Its a sign of how much has changed in the last two weeks. I got a text message of a mate saying if rangers lose on Weds & Sat - Celtic can win the title on Sunday against Hibs!!!!!!! Who'd have thought it....................................