CELTIC INJURY WORRIES: LOOKING AT THE POSITIVES
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Yesterday, I walked back my previous stance that Celtic should field a reserve team against Rangers tomorrow.
Whilst, I was never 100% serious about the idea, I still maintain that, from an unemotional standpoint, to do so makes sense.
No matter how much the media tries to make it seem otherwise, there is no trophy handed out in The Scottish Premiership for “we beat youse 3 times in one season but lost to almost everyone else”.
Celtic Injury Troubles Give Fringe Men a Chance to Shine
Yesterday’s press conference with Manager Brendan Rodgers did suggest that, at least to some extent, he also sees the bigger picture beyond the tribalism of this derby.
He admitted that it was a decision made this week to allow Alistair Johnston to miss this game and get the treatment he needs to be back in contention by Cup Final Day.
Though he didn’t confirm it, I expect a similar stance will be adopted with Kasper Schmeichel. Images emerged yesterday of our number 1 keeper back in full training, and seemingly nearing match fitness.
Again, much like Johnston’s case, if tomorrow’s match actually mattered in a competitive sense, then I’m sure Schmeichel could probably play. But it doesn’t so I don’t think he will.
In any case, I have absolutely no concerns about putting Viljami Sinisalo in for his Glasgow Derby debut.
The young Finn has made a series of impressive saves in the few occasions he’s been called upon to do so in recent weeks.
He also shows an abundance of confidence, which, for games like this, I personally think is more important than anything else.
That’s also why I have no fear about the likes of Tony Ralston, Liam Scales, and potentially James Forrest starting tomorrow either.
Would these three players start if we had a fully-fit and on-form squad?
Probably not.
Despite that, we know they are all good enough to get the job done at this level. Also, in a fixture where Celtic have, at times, lacked a bit of a physical edge this season, I don’t think it does any harm to have more imposing characters like Scales and Ralston at the back.
I expect Yang will play some part too. Maeda will start on the left, but Yang’s versatility means he could step in for either Kuhn or Maeda depending on how the game progresses.
He was so unlucky to pick up that arm injury when he did, just as he was really starting to show his class in a Celtic shirt.
However, the biggest opportunity tomorrow is the one being offered to Adam Idah. We know from last season that he likes a goal at Ibrox.
What better way to silence the snipers in the media once and for all than by bagging the winner tomorrow, before stopping to take a swig out of the Bucky bottle that will inevitably be thrown at him from the Rangers end in the aftermath!
Jokes aside, I was as guilty as anyone of underestimating our opponents in our last two encounters. I expect a modified approach from Brendan Rodgers tomorrow. I don’t see it being a comfortable win, but I do see a Celtic win.
And I would love nothing more than for that winning goal to be an Adam Idah strike from a Liam Scales assist.