SENTINELCELTS

Winning a Cup isn’t an ending, for the defending Champions must attempt to retain it again, which starts tonight.

Unusually it’s an all top flight draw for this early third round clash, but it’s at home and not only that it’s a night game, a 5.30 kickoff under the famous Parkhead floodlights that have witnessed many a fantastic team. At the risk of repeating myself, there’s something special about watching football when darkness falls elsewhere, which probably has something to do with the extra couple of hours the supporters spend in the boozer, reveling in each other’s company and letting the anticipation build.

The opposition is timely and all, many including myself just don’t like Derek, and the morale boost delivered by battering another SPL team would be much larger than simply besting a Buckie Thistle or Airdrieonians for example. There’s an argument to be made that Celtic are actually in a good situation tonight,,,a win brings us into Wednesdays game confident, a loss would call for a severe reaction for Young Boys which is a much more important Cup.
I expect no such loss however, Kilmarnock as opponents or not. I like to believe anyone rocking upto Celtic Park on a Saturday night gets sent home with their tale between their legs.

One reason I’m confident is that unlike the league we must win which means playing to win and not being nonplussed, and unlike recently we have the whole team available for selection bar James, a single injury shouldn’t affect the odds.
I also shouldn’t discount the pressure to perform well and having players cement their place in the team for next weeks biggest game of the season yet, a game all will wish to be involved in. Besides, they’ve had a nice three days off, playing Tuesday rather than Wednesday/Saturday.

I’m tempted to speculate that having drawn with the lesser team in Glasgow recently, having watched Dundee take something from the game after fully going for it against the Hoops, Killie will actually go for it also, and why not? They knock us out a quarter perhaps semi final isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, plus in a one off/winner takes all game anything can happen. I hope they do attack us, it’s their last hope of silverware, it’s seemingly our Achilles heel,,,but we are deadly on the fast counter attack especially with Kuhn and Maeda ready to rock.

Given the above I do expect Hatate to start, he strikes me as almost made for Cup ties rather than a consistent performer over the long haul. He can win a game with a great pass or hard shot from distance,,if I were Brendan I would tell him if he plays well tonight he starts on Wednesday. Two good games in a row isn’t beyond him, half a dozen is.

I also expect Arne to start these next couple, it was moronic to bench the player achieving consecutive MOTM awards, the player coming into fine form after adapting, it was telling the Belgian hit the shot that earned the point last time out.

The rest pick themselves but I’ll say this now, if GT looks suspect tonight, then Liam at left back come Wednesday would be my decision.
Ideally we wrap this up by the hour mark.
Saturday night at the movies, a Saturday night show?
Sounds good to me.

By Mahe