Celtic are back in Dingwall this evening for the second time this month this time to take on Ross County in the League Cup and this is a match where Ange Postecoglou will look to his squad and give some much-needed game-time to some players who have been mostly on the bench so far this season and we may even see an unexpected debut this evening,
It’s fair to say that Celtic have a pretty full-on week ahead of them, with this tough League Cup tie, a Glasgow Derby on Saturday and a Champions League Group stage match against the current European champions Real Madrid on Tuesday night. With this in mind, Ange will want all of our Bhoys to be fit and ready so they are up for putting on a show.
However, one player, in particular, received a nasty knock in the record-breaking victory against Dundee United in Tannadice. Joe Hart was left with blood dripping onto his chest after receiving a hefty knock to the head. After being treated for several minutes, with stitches being applied to the wound, the Celtic goalkeeper rather surprisingly continued to play the rest of the game.
With that injury in mind and with the jam-packed week Celtic have ahead of his team, the Celtic manager may decide to select the former Dundee United goalkeeper Ben Siegrist, who arrived at Celtic this summer on a free transfer. Postecoglou may not want to risk Joe Hart ahead of the two huge fixtures that follow tonight’s match in Dingwall. With this in mind, Ange may decide to give Siegrist his first competitive start in a Celtic jersey and give Hart a well deserved night off in preparation for the coming week.
It is likely Ange will rotate the squad and give other regular starters players a rest before the Glasgow Derby and the opening UCL Group stage match. Hopefully, no matter who is on the field, the Bhoys will be looking to put on a show and bring home three victories from three matches.
Earlier this week The Celtic Star looked at a possible line-up that Ange could opt for this evening, although that team selection probably features maybe more changes than Ange himself will go for. Nevertheless, it still looks like a very strong team! Judge for yourselves…
Ross County v Celtic – Suggested line-up for Ange Postecoglou’s Cup Holders
Sunday’s team selection perhaps had an eye to what’s ahead with the manager changing from a consistency of selection to introducing players who hadn’t been starting for one reason or another into the side. Carl Starfelt was selected ahead of Moritz Jenz, a hint that Ange wants his more experienced central defender ready for the next two home games.
Reo Hatate was selected ahead of David Turnbull and Liel Abada, who has been coming on from the bench got a start yesterday and of course, grabbed a hat-trick alongside Kyogo.
For the trip to Dingwall, Ange will get the chance to implement his squad strengthening strategy and that means giving game-time to some of the others who are very much part of the manager’s first team plans while allowing others to sit this one out.
Celtic are likely to have our strongest bench of the season in Dingwall.
Joe Hart was in the wars early on at Tannadice, and Chris Sutton made a very good point about introducing concussion substitutions that have been successful in rugby into football, and Sunday was a perfect example of that.
Big Joe is likely to be sitting on the bench in midweek as Ben Siegrist makes his competitive debut for Celtic. Expect the two first-pick full-backs Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor to be sitting next to the former England goalkeeper as Anthony Ralston returns to the starting line-up, no doubt causing fear and alarm among the home support after his exploits up there last December. And he’s likely to be joined by new signing Alexandro Bernabei who got some game-time late on at Tannadice yesterday.
Ange might be tempted to give Cameron Carter-Vickers a rest, give Carl Starfelt another outlining and bring in Moritz Jenz to play alongside the Sweden international.
In the middle of the park, Aaron Mooy is likely to be sitting with our captain Callum McGregor pushed further forward to play alongside David Turnbull.
James Forrest will probably get the nod for the right-wing with Daizen Maeda out on the left-hand side of the park. Giorgos Giakoumakis, if Ange is correct in his assessment that the Greece international striker is going to be fine for midweek after feeling unwell at the weekend, will most likely lead the line. As he trained yesterday he’s almost certain to play this evening.
So expect a Celtic side along the lines of Siegrist, Ralston, Starfelt, Jenz, Bernabei, Mooy, McGregor, Turnbull, Forrest, Maeda and Giakoumakis – a team selection more than capable of getting the job done, with numerous players trying to impress the manager for the next two games coming up.
With Hart, Juranovic, Taylor, Carter-Vickers, Ideguchi, O’Riley, Hatate, Abada, Jota and Kyogo on the bench that is as good a list of Celtic substitutes as you’re likely to see all season!
Ross County it should be remembered have beaten Celtic in the League Cup at both Hampden and Celtic Park and will be looking to complete the set with a home win over the holders. The Highland side has increased the allocation of tickets for the Celtic support for this match after the poor take-up from their own support for their first league match of the new season against the Champions earlier this month.
The game is also live on Premier Sports, who are also the League Cup sponsors this year. Ross County v Celtic on Wednesday 31 August at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall kicks off at 7.45pm.
COYBIG
The reason they had such a poor uptake was that they cancelled lots of their own tickets as they were trying to stop Celtic supporters for getting into the home end.
This didnt work well at all as I know lots of non-Celtic supporters who had their tickets cancelled.
I myself support Celtic but will go to see the local team from time to time as do lots of other Celtic and Rangers fans in the area.