An Absurdly Haphazard MLS XI vs Celtic Preview

By: JT | July 19th, 2007

OK, so it turns out that the friendly with the MLS All Star XI is tonite rather than Friday nite. You can see how important this match is in my eyes. After a week of consuming Miller Lite bayside, beachside and poolside, it dawned on me 15 minutes ago (I have these moments of clarity sometimes) that July 20 at 230 am in Glasgow is actually July 19 at 930 where I live. So I must hastily put together a preview.

Here it is: If Bobo and Pressley are together on the center of defense Eddie Johnson’s pace and Dwayne DeRosario’s movement worry me. The conditions worry me. The heat and the altitude should factor into all the decisions that WGS makes. So I don’t want to hear complaints when we see mass substitutions at the half or early in the second period. All these guys except a couple are of the Northern Euro variety, and thus should not be left in the sun longer than the prescribed forty five minutes. WGS thinks that the light ball and the wind are an issue and could ruin the spectacle that this baby will be.

Since I’ve been chasing bikini clad babes (yes, that is a Celtic bikini pictured) around the pool for the last few days, I have no idea who is carrying a knock, or who might be out for the match. Thus, my guess at the lineup is purely speculation. No matter, I’ll give it a run:

Boruc
Wilson–Kennedy–McManus–Naylor
Bjarnason–Brown–Donati–McGeady
VofH–McDonald

Actually, that pretty much looks like my preferred XI anyway if we must play 4-4-2, sans Naka and maybe O’Dea for Kennedy. It would really be a great time to break out my favored 4-3-3 with this cast of characters. Expect to see Jarosik, Magic, Gravesen, Kenny Miller, Hartley, and everyone else for that matter.

In the end, the Celts will be in front 3-1 on a JVofH double and a McManus header when the subs enter and the match goes the way of the dodo. JP Angel will have the MLS goal in a goal mouth scramble. It’ll be the opener. Some sub will pull one back for MLS and the Celts subs will hold on for a 3-2 win. But its all in fun. Health, fitness, and victory Bhoys, in that order.

I’d do a live blog, but by that time at night, I doubt I’ll be able to string together complete sentences, much less type them.