Title Restart

By: Matt | February 27th, 2009

So after pissing away a seven point lead, Celtic start this weekend even on points in the league with Rangers, despite sharing the honors with them in the three matches played, winning one, losing one, and drawing one. Rangers technically lead the league on goal differential, having handed Hamilton and Caley servings of humble pie earlier in the season. However, I don’t think many are expecting the league to come down to goal differential, with both Celtic and Rangers dropping key points to other SPL teams throughout various parts of the season. While the part of Gordon Strachan’s head that comes up with tactics might have turned to cottage cheese recently, Ginger Baws has said multiple times that the SPL won’t be won or lost during a derby game, but rather against the other teams in the SPL. With only one more (presumed because of the SPL split)match against Rangers in the works, Celtic will have to do just that if their bid for four in a row will be successful. I will not lie to you, before the split Celtic have the harder path to travel when it comes to the teams remaining on the schedule. Fixtures against Dundee United, Hearts, and Aberdeen all remain and will be fair tests for Celtic on the road to winning the league. But you have to stay focused on every team in the SPL or you will be dropping points. Celtic will have to do just that as old pal Mo Camara and St. Mirren make the trip to Parkhead.

Another round of the injury bug seems to be plaguing Celtic again, at a very inconvenient time. Youngsters Simon Ferry and Ryan Conroy have been added to the squad this weekend because of injury. Koki Mizuno, Barry Robson, Shaun Maloney, and Paddy McCourt (what a surprise!) will all be unavailable this weekend due to injury. The question on most Celtic fans mind’s is just what formation will the “Ginger Genius” (tongue planted firmly in cheek) come out with this weekend. Of course, last weekend he surprised everyone with a 4-3-3. While I was not a big fan of who made up that 4-3-3, the strategy seemed to work with Celtic controlling most of the game and finally getting a goal. Will Strachan stay with that same formation? Will it contain the same personnel? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

The Celtic leftback that made Lee Naylor look like a superstar, Mo Camara, seems certain to make his Parkhead return, due to injuries to the St. Mirren squad who are ahead of them. Not one Gordon Strachan’s best signings (but then again who is *rimshot), Camara seems to be an unlikely candidate to continue the tradition of former players coming back to haunt us, but with Celtic’s luck anything is possible.

Finally, it seems that Massimo Donati has added his name to the list of players that are not happy with their role in the club and want to further alienate themselves from Gordon Strachan by going to the press about it. Donati said, “I’m always hoping to play in the first team, but it has not been very easy for me. Ever since the game in Barcelona at this time last year, when I was substituted at half-time and we lost 1-0, I do not think he (Strachan) has considered me a good player. He has given some of my team-mates a second chance, but I’ve never had a second chance. I felt like I was dead after the Barcelona game. ‘We don’t communicate very much but I won’t be knocking on the manager’s door.”

So you are unhappy about your role in the club, but you go to the press instead of talking to Strachan about it. Hmm, that strategy worked out so well for Derek Riordan and Ben Hutchinson, oh wait…Seems pretty childish route for Donati to take, and to be fair he’s been pretty awful in his appearances this season, so I am not sure what he is expecting.

TAL