CONALL McGINTY kicked things off earlier today when he was first up among The Celtic Star writers to answer the editor’s call to provide their predictions for the League Cup Final on Sunday against theRangers at Hampden together with the predicted team, goalscorers and also who will win the Man of the Match. Conall’s contribution can be read below before you move on to the rest of the team, or at least the ones brave or daft enough to respond!
READ THIS…The Celtic Star’s Cup Final Predictions – Conall McGinty
DAVID POTTER PREDICTS A HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE AND A 2-0 CELTIC VICTORY…
DAVID POTTER – Predicted scoreline – Celtic 2 theRangers 0. Predicted team – Hart, Johnston, Starfeld, Carter-Vickers, Taylor. McGregor, Hatate, O’Riley, Maeda, Kyogu, Jota. Predicted Man of the Match – Reo Hatate.
A comfortable win for Celtic, but by no means a thrashing. Celtic always the better team but a goal in each half does the job – Maeda and Kyogu. The opening barrage on theRangers goal yields nothing, and then theRangers have a brief period of ascendancy before, late in the first half, Maeda picks up a long ball from Taylor, runs past a defender and slides the ball past McGregor in theRangers goal. theRangers fight well in the second half, but Carter-Vickers is superb, and it is from a clearance from him that Kyogu kills theRangers fast vanishing hopes.
The game is tough, with each side picking up a couple of yellow cards, but there is no serious incident. The crowd is generally well behaved. In general terms, man for man, Celtic have better players than theRangers, but they must get to the ball first, ignore provocation, take all chances, not give the ball away, and NOT allow the game to go to extra time or penalties.
MIKE MAHER RECKONS WE’LL BE GOING TO EXTRA-TIME…
MIKE MAHER – Being a glass half empty type who has witnessed plenty of these games where the favourites get done I have a very cautious outlook for this one. Overall Celtic have the better players but theRangers are not short of a few decent ones and they are more “physical”than any other side we face.
Hatate is certain to get special “attention”. A lot will hinge on how he copes with it. If we can get our passing game going at pace as we did in the league fixture at Celtic Park then we will have too much for them. If we get involved in a more physical tussle with play being broken up then it will be a different story. I can see this being similar to our last meeting at Hampden and a scoreline along the lines of 1-1, 2-2. (Like the bookies I only do 90 minutes !)
I expect team to be Hart, Johnson, CCV, Starfelt, Taylor; Mooy, Calmac, Hatate; Jota, Kyogo, Maeda.
In a game like this you need a team effort so hard to predict man of the match but for consistency of performance I will say Calmac. 4am kick off here in new Zealand so a restless sleep on Sunday night and either a bleary eyed dragging miserable Monday, or a bright exuberant start to the week! Slainte.
EDDIE MURRAY’S VIEW FROM DOWN UNDER IS THAT CELTIC WILL COME OUT ON TOP
EDDIE MURRAY – I predict Celtic will win the League Cup Final with a 3-1 scoreline. Kyogo, Reo a late strike from sub, Abada will put them back in their coffins. Ange will put out: Hart Johnston and Taylor, CCV, Starfelt and Calmac. Jota, Reo, Mooy, Kyogo and Maeda.
Should we come out the traps early we will blow them out the water. theRangers will be keen to showcase the new boys and this will give us the edge as we will rip them on the counter. They will kick and push with impunity, but we will be resilient with Carter-Vickers, Carl, Greg and our Canadian gun taking no prisoners. Expect the officials to do us no favours, but with the talent at our disposal, (and Abada, O‘Reilly, OH etc, on the bench) we should celebrate when green and white ribbons flutter as Callum McGregor lifts then first of three trophies this season. M.O.M? Captain Marvel. He’ll revel in this! HH
NIALL J’S VIEW FROM ENGLAND – CLASSY CELTIC FAR TOO STRONG FOR BEALE’S BATTLERS…
NIALL J – This could come down to the Hampden pitch. If it disintegrates like the semi-final, it will suit the team most comfortable without the ball. If it holds, Celtic win with a couple of goals to spare. The match officials could have been hand-picked by Beale to supplement his starting 11, so I suspect the blue control room will influence proceedings, meaning Tavernier will get his customary chance from 12 yards.
But the sun will shine on the Hampden pitch – and Celtic – and we’ll win this 3-1, with Kyogo to grab a couple either side of a Maeda solo effort. And to complete the Blue Samurai final, an on-fire Hatate will pick up the man of the match award.
The team almost picks itself at the moment, and I think O’Reilly may just edge out Mooy if the surface is sound. I’d go with – Hart, Johnston, Taylor, Carter-Vickers and Starfelt, Calmac, Hatate, O’Reilly, Jota, Maeda and Kyogo. COYBIG!
PAUL GILLESPIE ADDS TO GROWING CONSENSUS THAT CELTIC WILL WIN 3-1 AND THEY’LL GET THEIR PENALTY…
PAUL GILLESPIE – I reckon that Celtic will win 3-1 on Sunday with a starting XI of Hart; Johnston, CCV, Starfelt, Taylor; Cal, Hatate, Mooy; Jota, Kyogo, Abada. As for Man of the Match, I believe that will be won by Aaron Mooy. The Celtic goalscorers will be Abada, Kyogo, Hatate…
I feel Ange will spring a surprise or two in the starting line-up and that will see Aaron Mooy step back in for Matt O’Riley and Liel Abada coming in for Daizen Maeda. O’Riley had a poor game at Ibrox and Mooy was brilliant when he came on last month – setting up the equaliser and being very neat and tidy in possession. Likewise, I think Ange knows Abada loves a goal against the Ibrox side and with that big pitch, he can bring Daizen on to torture their defence with his lightening pace later on when tired legs kick in. It means Jota will be in his favoured left-sided position and can do his stuff on the wing!
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN – TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN PREDICTIONS FOR SUNDAY…
The Celtic Star writers have been brave enough or daft enough to make their predictions for Sunday and now it’s YOUR TURN! We want to hear from Celtic Star readers with your predictions foe the game, the final score, the team that Ange will start with, the player you reckon will be man of the match, the likely scenarios including VAR decisions and penalty shouts from Nick Walsh and John Beaton. Just email your pre-match thoughts on the League Cup Final to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll get them posted onto the site!
And if you are interested in joining our team of writers please let us know.
