CHAMPIONS ELECT Celtic head for the Simple Digital Arena tomorrow night (Or Love Street as it will remain for anyone old enough to remember 1986 – sky it’s a different ground a few miles away but you get the point!) to face a St Mirren side slowly but surely, but possibly too belatedly finding their top flight feet.
An interesting stat to give The Buddies fans hope and hopefully keep the Celts on their toes has cropped up.
Celtic apparently are without an away win against a newly promoted side since thumping Top flight newbie ‘Rangers’ 5-1 at Ibrox in April 2017. Worth mentioning as it shows this is no walk in the park tomorrow night but also it allows my mind to linger back to Leigh Griffiths absolute screamer for the 2nd goal that day. A reminder of just what we miss from the wee man.
St Mirren showed there is fight among their ranks in their relegation battle against Dundee last Saturday. Many sides might have buckled under the pressure of conceding a 1st minute goal especially at home.
Any grumblings of discontent from the home crowd were soon silenced as the Saints stormed back to win 2-1. Oran Kearney goes about his business quietly and effectively, his team mirrored his demeanour on Saturday.
The Paisley side responded within 12 minutes of going behind to Sunderland loanee Ethan Robson’s early goal and Andrew Nelson nearly adding a quick second. They could have buckled but they didn’t. Danny Mullen diverted a cross ball for Saints to level and Brad Lyons headed the winning goal halfway through the second half.
To come from behind like that shows there is plenty belief in those players and enough for Saints fans to believe the great escape is on. Killie beating Hamilton means that the gap to the safety of 10th spot is down to 4 points. No more motivation will be required than cutting that gap further when the Celts visit on Wednesday night.
For Celtic, Neil Lennon must find a balance between putting out a side strong enough and competitive enough side to secure 3 points but with the inevitable one eye on the upcoming vital Scottish Cup Semi Final against Aberdeen, no easy task against a side battling for every point as we hit the business end of the season.
Add to that injuries and tiredness aplenty in the ranks and Lennon has a balancing act. The depth of the squad will have to be used. In goal there is no reason for change. Scott Bain has earned his shirt and doesn’t show any signs of needing to be taken out the firing line.
In defence Ajer is generally undroppable given his immense form since the winter break. None more so evident than his display against the ‘Rangers’ on Sunday. The game saving tackle from Joe Worral and subsequent celebration will still be etched on the memories of all Celtic fans.
Simunovic is back and available and there have even been mad rumours Marvin Compper could make the bench. With Boyata looking ever more likely to have kicked his last ball for The Hoops it’s in defence that Lennon will have to choose most carefully. John Kennedy in his press conference on Monday hinted Felip Benkovic could be in line for a return but he didn’t; train today according to an earlier article on The Celtic Star today so it may be less likely that Simunovic and Benkovic could come in as a centre half pairing. They have played together previously and looked to have a good understanding and despite Ajer’s form I’d like to see him rested tomorrow or against Livingston, if possible.
At Full back Kieran Tierney we are being told is fit but surely hip and calf problems should mean cold storage is required for the talisman ahead of the massive task of Aberdeen in the Cup in less than 2 weeks. Izaguirre or Hayes can surely deputise at least for this game. We simply won’t get away with half measures in the cup encounter.
A stitch in time saves nine as my old Gran used to say. Lustig also picked up an injury on international duty but answered Sunday’s call to arms. Jeremy Toljan could and should deputise on the right. He’s harshly derided in some quarters. Perhaps defensively he has been caught out on occasion but he’s the modern day attacking full back and with an ability to also fill in at left back he could be invaluable for the run in, starting with St Mirren.
Up front we haven’t looked so weary. Mostly the opposite in fact. Rewind to Ibrox in December and Mikey J was deputising as a striker. We now have rich choices. Edouard lacks only for real consistency. He has everything else in his locker but given his age there is absolutely no shame in being somewhat inconsistent.
If he’s not on his game Oli Burke has shown he has the pace to scare the living daylights out of any defender and has shown in the Hoops he also knows the way to goal. With Timothy Weah more than capable of turning a game from the bench. One from 3 is usually how we go. French Eddy looks sharp and should continue up front. The other 2 may well have a role to play at some point against the Buddies.
In Midfield we do have options and some of them need game time to get up to speed for the cup tie. Tom Rogic is back but rusty and John Kennedy also hinted that Ryan Christie is close to a return. It’s time for Rogic to start and hopefully Christie can make the bench before starting against Livingston. Olivier Ntcham flitted in and out against ‘Rangers’ but that’s understandable given he’s had so much time out the firing line.
If there is no bounce factor a second consecutive start would do him the world of good. With Callum McGregor getting back up to speed nicely following his own injury lays offs a deep lying McGregor alongside Ntcham with Rogic in the 10 role sounds the way to go and Broony could be taken out the firing line for a well earned breather. Sinclair and Forrest will likely be the wide options and I’d be happy to see both start.
Tomorrow night is an opportunity to return some recently injured players to the fold and to rest a few who have played through the pain barrier for the cause in recent weeks.
Silverware against survival is often a leveller. We’ll need to be on our guard at Love St (and it always will be).
Niall J
