PAUL GILLESPIE – Scottish Cup Semi-Final Prediction…
Celtic 3-1 theRangers
I am going to follow suit with the same prediction from the League Cup Final against the other mob. I think 3-1 is a fair reflection of how these games have played out recently; we are better than them all over the pitch, but as is always usually the truth with derbies, the opposition always tend to put in a shift and have a spell in the game.
The 2-2 draw in the Scottish Premiership in January and the 2-1 League Cup Final, as well as the last league match, have shown that Celtic are comfortable against this team, yet we sometimes take our foot off of the gas which can be very annoying. I feel the last cup game we should have won by a higher margin, and the same goes for that game at Celtic Park, if it were not for some sloppy defending and carelessness in possession.
This one will have an early goal and I feel like we could be doing with one just to settle into the game, as the longer it goes 0-0, they will fancy a repeat of last year’s Semi-final at Hampden. They made the game bitty and were purely focussed on breaking our rhythm as opposed to concentrating on their own performance. Bobby Madden allowed John Lundstrum away with murder and he should have been well off the park following numerous assaults and body checks on Celtic players. Beale will have witnessed that, as well as Motherwell’s antics last weekend and I wouldn’t be surprised if he adopts the same strategy. I just hope they don’t get the early goal from a set-piece or us being to casual passing out from the back again. Don’t think the nerves will hold out!
We should overcome them this time and it will be interesting to see if Ange goes with O’Riley or Mooy for this one. Mooy has the recent form in this fixture, but overall O’Riley has been better these past few weeks since coming back into the team. With Jota, Abada, and Hatate hopefully back, I can see him starting Jota and keeping Abada and Hatate for a role later on as impact subs. I fancy Kyogo to get his goal, with Maeda and McGregor getting in on the act (McGregor’s will be a peach!).
Predicted line-up – Hart; Johnston, CCV, Starfelt, Taylor; Iwata, McGregor, Mooy; Maeda, Kyogo, Jota
Paul Gillespie
