Rangers Preview
By: Matt | March 28th, 2008
I do not think it is possible to understate the importance of this game. There is no way that Celtic can afford to fall back further in the league and still have hopes of winning the league. Of course there is the whole “One of the biggest rivalries in all of sports” factor to weigh in. It is safe to say you can throw out the form book on this one. Pretty much anything can happen, and there always seems to be a little piece of history to be written every time the two sides of Glasgow meet. Whether it be on the pitch, in the stand, or elsewhere, you are almost guaranteed that something memorable will happen. The passion of both sides will not allow a run of the mill, boring match. If you throw away all the religious and political undertones, you will see passion that is unmatched throughout the world. People living and dying with every kick, save, and tackle. People singing until they are hoarse because their side is up and the hated rival is down. This is why I love football and love this team.
Coming into this game, there are back stories a plenty. First there is the matter of the Scottish National Team. On Wednesday, the Tartan Army and crew took on Croatia for an international friendly. The talk of the town was the fact that 5 “Old Firm players” pulled out of the match with “injuries”. The quotation marks are there for a reason is. Yet, this is another examples of the bollocks that comes with being associated with the “Old Firm”. Of the 5 players out, four of them were Rangers players, with Barry Robson the only Celtic player missing his duty because of injury. I imagine that the miracle workers of the Rangers medical staff will somehow has these brave boys healthy for the match on Saturday. One Celtic player misses the match, yet the media plays it off as both sides are ducking their duty, except the fact that Scott Brown, Stephen McManus, Paul Hartley, and Gary Caldwell all played even though probably the most important match of the season was coming up for Celtic. But don’t worry, there is no media bias in Scotland…aye, right.
There are also reports that UEFA is investigating claims of sectarian chanting by Celtic fans when they played Barcelona in the Nou Camp. Apparently they have footage of Celtic supporters chanting anti-Queen and pro-IRA songs and chants. This story just amazes me. Sectarianism relates to belonging to a sect of a religion. I’m not sure what a political figurehead or a political group have to do with religion, but by God UEFA will investigate anyways. You may not agree with the messages being chanted, but I find it pretty hard to argue with semantics of it all. They are chanting about politics, not religion. That is not sectarian.
Finally, the question on most Celtic supporters minds is on the tactics that Gordon Strachan will be using. I believe that Rangers will pack the back, hoping for a worst case scenario of a draw. I think that WGS will have to deviate from his usual 4-4-2 or other Christmas tree shaped formations. Rangers are going to be hanging out all day in the middle. We need to get it outside to our playmakers, draw some attention out there and open up the middle. Scott Brown has been terrible of late, but I think he might be the man to get the start in the middle because he is a tough nosed guy. Then again, I haven’t heard a definitive answer on whether or not he will be suspended for the game or not. Whether or not Brown plays, I think Paul Hartley also would be good in the middle. Another physical player who usually has made the smart pass this year.
This is the big one. If you can’t get excited for this game, what can you get excited for? I think we need to come out all guns blazing and I think that we will be able to do it. Early pressure and hopefully an early goal is key. Get Rangers out of the back and make them come on the attack and then I think we can knick another goal. My prediction Celtic 2 Rangers 1.
C’MON THE HOOPS!
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OH THE RANGERS ARE SHITE
MON THE HOOPS!
Posted from
United States
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I really can’t see past Rangers I’m afraid. They’re just really difficult to beat this season. It’s quite possible that Rangers could get a goal early on and just spend the rest of the game defending. They’ve done it many times before this season, and very successfully. I find it frustrating when Walter Smith plays one up front up home, it seems a little negative to me. There just doesn’t seem to be the support from Barry Ferguson that they need. Steven Davis has been a revelation since he went to Rangers, his distribution has been superb. But the formation working for them though, I’d just like to see Ferguson push foward a little more.
I hope it’s a good game though! I’m look foward to it…
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Matt, a big day from our two wingers (Naka and McGeady)is vital. The Hoops talent level is superior to that of the Huns, and a big day by our creative wingers can exploit the Hun defenders. The Gers work well within their midfield clogging system, but it can be neutralized by opposition speed and precision. See the second tie of the UEFA Cup with Werden Bremen for details. The Huns were fortunate to concede only one goal. Naldo and Co. had them on their heels.
Posted from
United States -
We need to come out and punch them in the nose. I think we need to run Hartley and Samaras out. Mon the Hoops!
Posted from
United States -
On the Barca thing, unfortunately I have to disagree a little about it being political rather than religious. The two are impossible to separate when you’re talking about Britain vs. Ireland, and of course religion has to do with it. Without knowing the exact songs sung, I can’t say whether it’s really that bad or not, so I’ll leave it there. As for the game, it’s going to be hard to beat Rangers at Ibrox, but I would really like to see it happen. This has been a great title race, and I’d like to see it continue, even as basically a neutral between the Glasgow sides. I’d love to see the season come down to the last post-split derby in May, and for that to happen, Celtic need to win. Good luck Bhoys.
Posted from
United States -
PS - About the Scotland duties, I completely agree with you. Even though Scott Brown was very much the mediocre Scott Brown of 2008, he showed up, and Caldwell and McManus were fantastic in central defense. Celtic definitely offered more to help their nation than Rangers did, and my favorite Ranger Kris Boyd was the only one of them that bothered to show up. Looks like Robson, McGregor, Dailly, and Ferguson are all on the squad lists for the OF derby.
Posted from
United States -
i think it may be there turn this year
but am hoping for a good perfomence from the ladsPosted from
United Kingdom -
Loads of Old Firm videos here, to get you in the mood!
http://eurorivals.net/derbies/rangers_v_celtic_derby.html
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Well,
I hope that people see a few things that I have said here before. Today’s line-up and formation made a few things stark realities:1. With Hartley in for Donati, Scott Brown was clearly defined as the attacking half of mid-field, to wit he contributed next to nothing. As result, Nakamura had top float inside and try and complete these un-realistic, defense splitting passes, or over-the-top, soft touch balls to VOH, who has questionable first-touch to begin with.
2. Nakamura had one erreant pass in the first half. He did, however make several excellent one-touch passes, between defenders to move the ball forward through the middle of the park. Some to Brown, which he overran, but some to Samaras and VOH. Also, Nakamura, in the second half delivered three great corners (great defined as: within the width of the keepers 6-yard box and between the 6-yard line and the penalty dot) and not one Celt got a head to any of them. As well, Barry Robson delivered the final in-swinger of the match, and it too, was cleared by only a single player within five yards - Cuallar.
3. For those who feel Nakamura doesn’t show up in big games, that insinuates other players have shown up in those same “big games”. What did Aiden do against Barcelona? What did Aiden do against Manchester United last year? What did Aiden McGeady do today? He rarely got beyond his mark, and when he did, his crosses were fifty-fifty hopefulls to the back post.
My intention is not to single out particular players for blame, but to illuminate a sentiment which I believe to be dericive - the foreign players cannot cut it, and the Scots-Irish players can get on.
After watching Scotland v Croatia, as well as the balance of Scotland’s fixtures under both Walter Smith and Alex Mac, two things are clear to me…1. Scott Brown has no idea what he is doing. He spent the Croatia game out on the wing, his natural position. He had no pace to beat his mark. His challenges were late and from behind, largely because he is rarely in the correct position - therefor late and behind. He spent the bulk of the match chasing with his head on a swivel. There is a significant difference between playing football and being a footballer. Scott Brown plays football.
2. There is nothing wrong with Caldwell and McManus. These two have paired together, with Hartley in the defensive roll, under a better system, for three different coaches, against National team competition and performed admirably against France, Italy, Ukraine, Croatia, et al.
I am not saying they are the best. i am not saying they are world class.. What I am saying is why can they battle man-up against Sheva, Voronin, Toni, Del Piero, Henry, etc., but they appear hesitant and unsure under WGS?3. Finally, we must realize more sophisticated analysis is needed by us. Athletic Darwinism demands each player is more simuliar, therefor the difference between God-given talent and technique usually win the day.
That being said, Nakamura is as good a passer as say Jose Maria Gutierrez of Real Madrid. The significant difference is Guti’s passes fall to the feet of Raul, Van Nistlerooy, Robinho. When Guti delivers an over-the top pass, which may be a little too heavy, Raul usually gathers the ball with one foot and quickly shoot’s with his left. This makes Guti’s pass great!
When Nakamura deliver’s the same pass to VOH or McDonald or Brown, it deflects off their foot to the keeper or over the touch-line for GK. This makes Nakamura’s pass poor. But, was it?
Guti doesn’t make his team-mates technically better or have more talent - he makes them sucessfull. Nakamura should not be expected to make VOH, McDonald or Brown technically proficient or more talented.
As for service, David Beckham’s service into the box is fantastic not because he…
1. Picks an individual player and their run;
2. Anticipates where that player is going go;
3. Knows the defender and his tendencies;
4. Places the ball in exactly the correct height…
David Beckham’s service is fantastic because it is in virtually the same place with the same pace everytime. It is in the forward’s best interest to fight through defenders and get to the ball.
In my opinion, Nakamura is trying to spray the ball around the box, because Celtic rarely get there. He sends some to the near post, we don’t deflect it on, it goes wide. He sends some to the penalty dot and we are crowded out by four defenders. He sends some to the far post and Hinkle is the only one there and he loses out.
In the end we get nothing. When VOH does get a head to the ball, it does not go in often enough…see Gretna. In the Gretna match, prior to Aiden’s cross to VOH for the goal, Nakamura hit VOH in the forehead with three consecutive crosses - each put over the bar.I don’t think WGS puts his players in the best position to succeed. I don’t think his means of communication are clear. I don’t think some of his favorites should be in the side.
However, I do think that this season will do long term damage to Celtic. I feel some of the talented foreign players are going to leave - Donati, Boruc, Nakamura - and they are going to spread the word, “Don’t go to Celtic Park. You will get pidgeon-holed into a spot that does not suit you. When you don’t work in that spot, you will be left out of the side or ransacked in the press. It’s not worth it.”
So, if anybody want’s to go back to the days of Tommy Burns managing Celtic following the departure of Di Canio, Cadete and PVH…so be it.
My hope now is that Wearside get relegated.
Hail! Hail!
RyanPosted from
United States -
I don’t understand this post
Posted from
United States -
Ryan, GREAT POST! Very informative, well written, and had some very good points. Honestly, with WGS I go back and forth about my feelings with him. He brought us two leagues and relative CL success, but his faults are plenty as well. Some great points you made, I especially agree with him putting players in positions that they aren’t suited for. I was hoping earlier in the year it was just due to necessity with injuries, but as you noted the trend continues. I don’t think this will be a factor or not in his dismissal, I am not sure. I don’t think it will have any affect on our ability to sign players, as in this day and age it is all about the $$ and the chance to play in the Champions League will continue to attract players. One thing I was actually happy about this transfer season was bringing in young talent to groom them for the day that players like Naka leave for greener pastures. Guys like Hutchinson and Mizuno are the future, and I think it is a bright one. Whether WGS is here or not for that future is uncertain, but I would like to see them perhaps get a game and prepare them.
I agree with your thoughts on Naka on Saturday. He set up opportunities but they were not cashed in. I think Naka has struggled in the past, but didn’t let Rangers bully him, though the packed it in tight in the middle and might have given him room outside. Either way, it is a positive step in getting the old Naka back.
Posted from
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