While it would be nice to beat the vermin 4-0, I would gladly take a 1 or 2-0 Celtic victory and put the skoots into the Huns again.

The stage is set for Wee Shaun and Aiden to get off the mark imo.

What happened to Caldwell today v Falkirk? Injured? :yikes:

McDonald strained a groin muscle reaching for his third eccles cake.

Boruc,

4-5-1 for me

Hinkel Mick Loovens Wilson

Naka Brown Hartley Maloney Aiden

Samaras

Subs,

Sno, Balde, Gravesen, Riordan and Killer :D

Subs M Brown, Crosas, Caddis, Jan, Caldwell

Safe journey to all attending. Get intae them Celtic! :luck:

Any news on the proposed clapping of Miller on his return to wind them up?

Get them pumped! :ynwa:

Agreed Henke, Get stright into them trash from the off.... :ynwa:

Would love one of these again from young Maloney... :clap:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jZECrmmK568

Anyone else got a bad feeling about Misser actually scoring against us :yikes:

:banghead:

I'd be quite happy with Henke's team :thumbs.up: ......don't think Robson should be left out, especially on the back of his last performance against them! :fight:

We'll also need him to score our penalty! :D

Agreed, I think Robson is a must against them come Sunday. That tackle in the first 30 seconds of the game against them is what set the tone for the push for 3 in a row and we will need more of that come the weekend. Smith will probably revert to 4-5-1 for the game and think a draw is a good result for them, so we need to hit them with plenty of pace and drive from the start.

For this one, if fit I would play JVoH instead of Samaras though as I think he has the beating of both of those centre halves, too shrewd for the young one and too quick (it's hard but he manages :D ) for Weir. With him as a pivot point, the runs and movement and creativity and awareness of Naka, the runs of McGeady and the flicks and link up play of Maloney should allow us to hurt them. For me that is what our approach should be, let the others stick to discipline, positions and roles and then allow those three to move about as they see fit. :thumbs.up:

Will take guts to do, and hopefully that is what we have at this point. Will certainly negate the game their best player Mendes likes, giving his fellow midfielders more to worry about defensively and stopping his passing game.

I'd go with big Jan as well before Samaras......thought he's been playing well lately......but judging from the other thread detailing that horrific injury he sustained yesterday, I doubt he'll have recovered in time! :D :D

Would have had big Jan in as well but thought he looks like a no-goer for Sunday Jinty?

What about this then?

Boruc

Hinkel loovens Mick Wilson

Hartley

Naka Brown Robson Aiden

Maloney

Maloney and Aiden running at the Hun defence :thumbs.up:

but we all know that Caldwell and Naylor will be back, right?

down negative vibes, down! :whip:

id still have a left footed player at left back than a right footed one if naylors fit then id go for him to start on sunday firstly hes a left footer and he has more huns games under his belt than wilson

And apart from being left footed, what other attributes does he have? Wilson has played very well in the first 2 matches and it would be a travesty if he were dropped. Especially for that joker.

As for Jan, fit or not, he should be on the bench for this one. He is like having a statue in the team. Samaras and Maloney have already shown the movement they are capable of.

That movement will destroy their back line, especially Weir.

After Saturday, let's not revert back to the bad old, slow, ponderous, static, statue-like ways. :pray:

more huns games under his belt

this is the first one and i think a wee bit of experience will help out here henke ive not got a problem with wilson filling in this position on sunday but somethings just saying naylor first just an intuition
id feel more comfortable with naylor starting

Wilson is hardly a novice and has played in his own fair share of OF games. In fact he was playing in them when Naylor was still struggling against English First Division right wingers.

Putting that donkey back in the team next weekend would just feck everything up. It would unbalance the back four for a start.

ive not got an arguement with how many huns games that wilson has played more than naylor but out of all those games how many did wilson play at left back :hmmm:

From memory Gerry, more than a few. In his first season he ended up out at left back more often than at right back.

And I do have memories of him playing at left back against der hun a couple of times. Maybe other posters can clarify.

Would have thought Wilson has played left back against TFOD a few times. I think he is in better form than Naylor as well. It was a Wilson mistake that was seized upon by Novo last year in the 2-1 game to get their goal though, but I would fancy him in the side instead of Naylor. For one it allows Hinkel to "sit" more, as he has been doing more and more this season at right back, and brings more of our attacks down the side with the out and out winger, McGeady, which allows Naka to come in one. :thumbs.up:

As for JVoH and Samaras, I think we will need someone who can hold the ball up if we are going to get these wee guys playing on Sunday, and for me, Samaras just isn't that. Thought he was frankly poor aside from the two goals against Falkirk, with a terrible touch. He does have more mobility and pace though, but then never seems to know when to move the ball on. If he learns how and when to control it and pass it on then he will be a fine player for us. :thumbs.up:

Agree with Jinty that JVoH has been on fine form this season and would have thought that our change in play on Saturday was more due to the appearance of Maloney as opposed to a lack of JVoH. Genuinely think we will see a better JVoH with Maloney alongside him.

Alan Sneddon or Anton Rogan would get a game ahead of Naylor at the moment.

Samaras should only be on the park as a sub, as his first touch is absolutely shocking. What I do like though is his willingness to ruffle and run at teams. Maloney will be desperate to put on a show, and will score imo.

I am happy Mark is now showing some form as I thought the injuries had done him in. Seemed to lack confidence.
Maybe he is the answer to our left back situation til January although I`m still hopeful we sign Rat. :pray:

Dougie McDonald has been selected to referee Sunday's Old Firm showdown between SPL heavyweights Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead.

McDonald will take charge of his third clash between the arch rivals.

The previous encounters were relatively free of controversy and McDonald issued seven bookings in total.

Celtic won both games, a 3-0 home triumph against Alex McLeish's struggling side in November 2005 and a 2-0 victory in September 2006 when Kenny Miller notched his first goal in the green-and-white hoops.

McDonald will be under even greater scrutiny than usual after

refereeing decisions dominated reaction to all three of the SPL's opening weekends.


Hope Dougie isnt held up @ Mass !!! making him late for the ko

McDonald blow, Jan just 50-50
by Ronnie Cully

CELTIC were dealt a severe Old Firm blow today when top scorer Scott McDonald was confirmed to have torn a muscle in his groin, The damage to the little Aussie hitman's adductor muscle now looks likely to rule him out of Sunday's meeting with Rangers at Parkhead.

And Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was rated only 50-50 to make it after having stiches inserted in the deep leg gash he suffered during the weekend win over Falkirk.

McDonald is causing most concern. The man who hit the net 31 times last season reported the injury late last week after returning from playing for Australia against South Africa in London.

He had to sit out Saturday's win. But manager Gordon Strachan hoped that, after a few day's rest, the diagnosis might show the injury was only a slight strain.

However, tests have now shown the muscle is torn. And, depending on the severity of the damage, that could sideline McDonald for four to six weeks.

If that is the case, he would also be out for the opening round of Champions League games which take place on September 16/17.

Even with the success of Shaun Maloney and Georgios Samaras for the final hour of the game against Falkirk, it would be a massive blow to Strachan if he had to plan for this first Old Firm game without the two men who combined to score 51 goals last season.

But better news is that defender Gary Caldwell - who has been out of action since damaging a thigh muscle against Dundee United 10 days ago - is well on the road recovery and looks like making it in time to line up against Rangers.

Coach Neil Lennon delivered the latest update on the condition of Celtic's walking wounded. He said: "Scott has got a wee groin tear so he could be a doubt.

"Jan has got five stitches in an ankle injury so it could be 50-50 for the weekend. We will just have to see how he is.

"Gary had a thigh problem. But with the rest over the weekend, he should be fine."

If Caldwell suffers any reaction in training this week, Glenn Loovens is set to team up once against with Stephen McManus at the heart of the defence.

But it is up front where most concern lies, and Lennon accepts the loss of McDonald and Vennegoor for such an important game would be a massive disappointment.

The £2.5m signing of Maloney from Aston Villa could not have been better timed, and Lennon is confident his former team-mate can pick up where he left off in his sensational debut at the weekend.

Maloney set up two goals for Samaras, even though they were linking up for the first time, and he said: "I think Shaun can play with most players because he is really intelligent.

"It is the typical big man/little man partnership, and Sami responded very well.

"Shaun has played with a lot of good players over the years, and he can play anywhere across the front line."


Link

Right then thats that sorted ....... Lurch & Eddie Munster it is :celtic:


He,s Greek , he,s great

He,ll smash yer dinner plate

Samaras , Samaras

"Kick that wee Bastard Maloney up in the air first two minutes and we are on the way Davie" - Walter Smith team talk 31st August 2008

"Kenny, we are playing in blue"

"Robson hit that Spaniard as hard as you can in the first 35 sec.s and we off".

I hope WGS team talk 31 August 2008.

4 packets of Quavers , 3 packets of cheese & onion & 3 packets of pork scratchins Mr McDonald ?

Barman in the players lounge 31st August 2008

I think Mendes is Portuguese Tam. :thumbs.up:

I think we can really set the cat amongst the pigeons on Sunday if we start with good interchange of movement between the three creative players. I hope WGS has been working on this all week. In the first game against them at CP last season they looked clueless when it came to just Naka moving one in for certain attacks, and that is where the opening goal came from, so I would like to think WGS has clocked their lack of imagination in this regard and will work on similar surprises for them this year.

Mendes must not be allowed to play in the final third, he has good quality and the way we play the game will suit him down to the ground. He will only be as good as those around him though, and given that it is the movement that makes the pass, if we press the game high enough up the park, they will have to rely on hopeful long balls for Kenny Miller to chase, something we will have to deal with.

I can't wait myself, will be at the game and must admit, have a really good feeling about it. Hope it turns out that way. :thumbs.up:

Hope this is a good omen, but I am getting the collander oot and heading for the :hide: as I think we may get done and gillette "three stripes" scores for the Huns.

Hate these games. :nervous:

ach relax blair frfsake
try a few of these at 12.15pm on sunday :guinness: :guinness:

"And two pie's for BBJ, where the fuck is he'

Our manager August 31 2008.

Sorry Des been a tough day.

"Robson hit that diving no good 'motherfukker' in the first 35 sec's and we're off"

WGS team talk August 31 2008 :ynwa:

please let this be the usual evening times pish :blink:



Maloney in Old Firm injury scare
by Ronnie Cully

SHAUN MALONEY gave Celtic yet another Old Firm scare today when he limped out of training at Lennoxtown with an ankle injury.

Just minutes after he had been recalled to George Burley's Scotland squad for the World Cup double-header, the little striker was left in agony after attempting to challenge Aiden McGeady during a training match.

The medical team were quickly on hand and Maloney was immediately taken to the physio's room to have the damage assessed and to begin treatment.

With Scott McDonald already sidelined with a torn groin muscle and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink also missing from training as he nurses a gashed ankle which required five stitches, manager Gordon Strachan can't afford to lose any more strikers ahead of Sunday's visit of Rangers. Maloney would already have been pencilled in to start at the weekend after making an immediate impact when replacing Vennegoor half an hour into Saturday's game against Falkirk - and having a major part to play in all three Celtic goals.

He will be given every chance to recover from this injury, and Strachan is grateful for the fact there is an extra 24 hours available as the Old Firm game has been put back to Sunday to suit TV.

But, the medical team at Lennoxtown will have to check on the player again tomorrow when the full extent of his injury is known.

Meanwhile, Birmingham are being made to wait a bit longer to find out if Bobo Balde will accept their offer of a two-year deal.

After reviving negotiations yesterday, they had hoped to conclude the deal today and the Guinean was expected in the Midlands for a medical.

But Balde instead turned up at Lennoxtown where he trained on his own.

Birmingham thought they had reached agreement with the player on a two-year deal.

Celtic are prepared to waive any transfer fee for the man who still has one year left on his contract and were hopeful that the lucrative offer from Birmingham - believed to match the £28,000-per-week he currently earns - would be enough to persuade the defender to leave.

The offer is understood to still be on the table but, as is his custom, Balde is refusing to be rushed into a decision.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish wants an answer as soon as possible as he needs to move onto another target if the deal to bring in Balde can't be concluded.

And Celtic are every bit as keen to see the matter brought to a conclusion as they have plans to utilise the wages Balde's departure would release.

Link

Relax Tiger ? No way :nervous: , I may not even see the game anyway. Hopefully the wee man will be picked to play for Threave Rovers under 13`s mate.

Relax Jinty. Shaun will be fine. What price first goalscorer ?

Celtic v Rangers (Sun)

Celtic will give late fitness test to strikers Scott McDonald and Jan Venegoor of Hesselink ahead of the first Old Firm derby of the season.

Fellow forward Shaun Maloney and defender Gary Caldwell have both recovered from injury.

Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch is doubtful with a knee ligament injury.

Manager Walter Smith will decide on the fitness of new signing Maurice Edu, whose arrival from the USA was delayed by the collapse of the Zoom airline. . :tongue.out:

the team:

boruc
hinkel
caldwell
mcmanus
wilson
naka
hartley
brown
mcgeady
samaras
maloney


subs:

Brown
Robson
Loovens
Crosas
Robson
JVOH
Hutchinson


would rather have seen robson start, but hey, what do I know? :rolleyes:

mon the hoops! :pray: :celtic: :luck:

Huns :hun:

McGregor, Broadfoot, Weir, Bougherra, Papac, Mendes, Davis, Thomson, Adam, Miller, Cousin.

passports being waved at the huns :rofl:

fuck :banghead:

YAAAS!

big sami equalises! :cheer:

HT

nerves are shattered! :phew:

wilson was skinned for their goal :(

stupid yellow card for mcmanus for throwing the ball at the linesman in a rage :doh: .....he was lucky he never hit him with it

the huns using the usual thug tactics......cousin's been fouling all over the park

on the plus side, kenny miller appears to think he's still playing for us :D

och ffs :banghead:

first time in the match he controlled the ball

keystone cops defending :angry:

totally scunnered now :angry: :banghead:

this is a fucking nightmare :raging: