Tekel Towers » Celtic Vs United

Tek · 06/1/2025 10:38 am

Starting XI and formation for our trip to Parkhead?

United Arab Emarite · 06/1/2025 10:50 am

Start with XV?
Damage limitation I guess.
I'd take 3-0 now so as not to affect our positive goal difference too much.

redford_must_score · 06/1/2025 7:28 pm

Tek wrote:
Starting XI and formation for our trip to Parkhead?

With St Mirren to follow hard on the heels of this, I'm pretty sure some key players will be rested.

Who comes in, who drops out, a real headscratcher for the gaffer with confidence and goal difference at stake.

I'd be surprised if Graham doesn't start this one, maybe in a 4 with Gallagher.
Think Holt will insist on playing and might sit in front of the 4 if JG picks him. Plus Docherty in a 442? Who knows.

Shakey Isles Arab · 06/1/2025 7:35 pm

As above, hate to say it but damage limitation.
St Mirren game Saturday then becomes key.
Time for day off/day in the pool.

That said I think we've done no bad out of this utterly ridiculous 5 in 15 scenario, just as long as we dinnae see rot set in.

Signings please.

Last edited by Shakey Isles Arab (06/1/2025 7:54 pm)

CCX2 2010 · 06/1/2025 9:01 pm

Not sure what formation or players will be selected but as others have said Ferry, Strain, Sevelj, Stephenson and Dalby all need a wee break so I don't expect any of them to play 90 mins.

Guys who should be getting a run out are Thompson, VDS, Middleton, Trapa, Fotheringham Gallagher and Graham.

I guess the first 6 and Dochery play some of the game, although I understand it, I hate the idea of not playing the strongest possible 11 especially when fans are forking out £37.

Morphman · 07/1/2025 12:04 am

Walton
Strain Gal Holt Ferry
Sevelj Babunski Stephenson
Fotheringham Middleton
Dalby

451

If Babunski is fit I'd start him, then sub him off for docherty when he tires. As frustrating as Babunski can be, he at least tries to string some passes together. We can't afford to go through there and constantly give them the ball back or we'll be looking at 4 or 5.

MockChop · 07/1/2025 12:52 pm

^ that’s what I’d go with too.

Ask the players for max effort here & St Mirren then it’s a 9 day break til the derby. They’ll have earned a few days off to rest

Finn Seemann · 07/1/2025 1:35 pm

Walton
Strain Manny Gal Graham Ferry
Luca Vicko Docherty
vdS
Dalby

Holt probably needs a break. I know the back 4 did well the last time, but I think we need to get Graham some actual game time and also show Manny we trust him. Ferry is going to have his work cut out with Kuhn who seems to be back to form and therefore Ross covering him will be important - same with Maeda on the other side. I don't see Celtic failing to figure out our back 4 shape this time.
I don't see Middleton or Fotheringham or Thomson as good outballs at Parkhead so rely on the wing backs to push as high as they can and then have vDS and Dalby just trying to hold the ball up but also keep their centre halves honest.
For me the Celtic weakness is bizarrely in midfield. Rogers seems to think he doesn't need Engels on at the same time as McGregor. I think he'll start McCowan and McGregor and if we have Luca, Vicko and Docherty breaking up play I think we might get some breaks.
Its one to keep tight and protect the goal difference first and foremost.

motherwellarab · 07/1/2025 4:05 pm

Walton
Strain
Manny
Holt
Graham
Ferry
Vicko
Luca
Docherty
Fotheringham
Dalby

redford_must_score · 08/1/2025 7:03 pm

Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

Cleall Harding is though.

CCX2 2010 · 08/1/2025 7:25 pm

redford_must_score wrote:
Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

Cleall Harding is though.

No Holt, hopefully he is just being rested due to the amount of football he's played and that Cleal Harding hasn't been brought back to cover an injury.

Big shift required from Odada tonight, sink or swim time.

redford_must_score · 08/1/2025 7:29 pm

CCX2 2010 wrote:
redford_must_score wrote:
Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

Cleall Harding is though.

No Holt, hopefully he is just being rested due to the amount of football he's played and that Cleal Harding hasn't been brought back to cover an injury.

Big shift required from Odada tonight, sink or swim time.

Definitely needs to step it up tonight. Thankless task for VDS but probably just 60 minutes.

Courier headline tomorrow

Van der Sande breaks scoring duck in 6-1 Parkhead reverse

CCX2 2010 · 08/1/2025 7:31 pm

Seen the team line up there and noted that Ferry has the same hairdo that Big Dunc had when he scored the winner there many many moons ago.

Tek · 08/1/2025 8:06 pm

redford_must_score wrote:
Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

.

Goodwin said he only missed the Derby due to illness.

Something not right there.

Or is it yet another case of a player only supposed to have a minor injury and we then don't see them for weeks.

David_Blunkett · 08/1/2025 8:14 pm

Hit the ball far too hard to a man 5 yards from you on the edge of the box why don't you Richard.

FFS.

Tek · 08/1/2025 8:36 pm

Utd with only 17% possession at half time.

Grim.

redford_must_score · 08/1/2025 8:42 pm

Tek wrote:
Utd with only 17% possession at half time.

Grim.

We are very lucky that Celtic seem to have lost some appetite to destroy teams like they used to with Jota etc otherwise this would be a lot worse at HT
Even when we get out we can't keep the ball.

David_Blunkett · 08/1/2025 8:50 pm

I think we're doing the basics of defending pretty well, but that rocket Odada fired at Sevelj, then he tried to dribble out the box one time, then he dallied and gave them another chance.

It's not as if he's a kid, but he looks like the first time he seen a ball was in the warm up.

Shakey Isles Arab · 08/1/2025 9:46 pm

Thought we could hang in there at 1 v 0.
Spirited performance second half, even at 2 v 0

redford_must_score · 08/1/2025 9:54 pm

Shakey Isles Arab wrote:
Thought we could hang in there at 1 v 0.
Spirited performance second half, even at 2 v 0

Really good second half performance from the whole team.

CCX2 2010 · 08/1/2025 9:59 pm

Least said about the first half the better but it's cleared up any doubts I would suggest, about the weakness in our squad.

Second half much better once the captain came on (no slight on Sevelj) , we showed much more composure on the ball and actually kept possession very well at times.

Big Ross Graham for me was our stand out overall, defended very well and both passed it well out of defense and stepped out with the ball when required.

Kia Fotheringham can also be proud of that tonight, played well and got about the pitch, again another who was neat and tidy in second half.

Glenn Middleton overall done well I felt and again especially in the second half.

Overall though we need 11 players on the pitch to compete with them at Parkhead and this game has just came at point in the season where Jim has had to rest players and give some fringe players some game time which they clearly aren't ready for.

JGTA

Last edited by CCX2 2010 (08/1/2025 10:00 pm)

lifesanocean · 08/1/2025 10:14 pm

Tek wrote:
redford_must_score wrote:
Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

.
Goodwin said he only missed the Derby due to illness.

Something not right there.

Or is it yet another case of a player only supposed to have a minor injury and we then don't see them for weeks.

I wonder if he's thrown the toys out of the pram after being hooked at ht against Aberdeen and being left out in the derby. He was also dropped for the St Johnstone game on Boxing Day. Goodwin has shown before he won't put up with shite like that.

Last edited by lifesanocean (08/1/2025 10:32 pm)

redford_must_score · 08/1/2025 10:17 pm

lifesanocean wrote:
Tek wrote:
redford_must_score wrote:
Still no sign of David Babunski either in the side or on the bench tonight.

.
Goodwin said he only missed the Derby due to illness.

Something not right there.

Or is it yet another case of a player only supposed to have a minor injury and we then don't see them for weeks.

I wonder if he's thrown the toys out of the pram after being hooked at ht against Aberdeen and being left out in the derby. He was also dropped for the St Johnstone. Goodwin has shown before he won't put up with shite like that.

Unfortunately this is very possible. It hasn't been working out for Babunski the way he would have hoped. Goodwin is bound to be asked by the press about the player before Paisley.

RogerTheAlien · 08/1/2025 10:23 pm

Dave been ill for 8 days now but Vicko was ill and managed to give a 10/10 in the derby.

He’s probably injured.

Shakey Isles Arab · 08/1/2025 10:23 pm

Edit MOTM - Barista