SENTINELCELTS

Sunday’s fixture should be interesting. For starters Celtic will be quite jaded given the energy expended in Birmingham, plus we have selection issues. As such, it’s not a straightforward stroll in the park.

The departed/unavailable/injured list is piling up,,Scales, Forrest, Palma, Kyogo, CCV, Valle,,that’s most of a team with some issue or another.
We can also throw in tired mainstays like Adam, Reo, Callum, Taylor, Kuhn, Engels,,and there’s a good chance the tired Trusty will have a complete rookie in Dane Murray beside him.
It’s possible we will witness a second debut for Jota aka Boy Wonder, but Daizen is well rested and I don’t expect him to be benched for this affair.

Adam is a certainty as is Kasper, Daizen, Greg and Kuhn,,after that who knows. I’d like to see Luke and Bernardo drafted in, a Trusty/Murray combo at central defense doesn’t fully inspire me but needs must. Ideally Idah scores the goals to take the three points then Cummings gets more minutes.

As for our opponents, losing the manager is just another spanner in the works as we cannot possibly know what to expect. Caretaker managers are dangerous in that respect, regular formation and/or specific player responsibilities can easily be switched by the man without his head on the chopping block. I’m fine with that, adjusting on the day is part and parcel of football, as is stamping your own impression on the team.

Everything taken together makes the affair much more interesting than a normal February SPL away clash.
I miss the midweek games due to work, so this is my introduction to life after Kyogo, still cant believe hes gone. But I backed Adam as top scorer, I read he was very good in Brum, Im really looking for him to assume the mantle of our main man up front, so some more goals from the Corkman would be very welcome.

Even though it’s February the window is still open, I’ll access at the end, but looking at the last matchday squad and looking ahead to tomorrow’s, we clearly need players. The current squad has/had too many passengers, good job shifting some out and being cash positive, but it’s bringing them in that really counts.
I doubt Brendan would have sanctioned all the loans/departures unless he believes he will be replacing them with better players, his type of players, or he wouldn’t have left himself short, like Stephen Welsh on loan when we could have done with him, could do with him available tomorrow. Palma is another example, he’s better than nothing if you get my drift,,if he wasn’t getting replaced he would be kept for numbers alone and when we are already winning to rest legs.
A clear out in football (unless you’ve a massive squad/wagebill that needs trimming which we don’t) equals arrivals. With the group stages settled, with most teams starters/backups established, with money to spend and preparing to do, the time is nigh.

By Mahe sentinelcelts@gmail.com