It’s almost here. As I write this there’s about 24 hours to go until the 4th Glasgow Derby of the season kicks off.
Enjoy it folks, because thanks to Queens Park we’ve only got one more after this one!
If We Play, We Win, It’s That Simple
I’ll get right to the point here, the score in tomorrow’s match will be whatever Celtic allow it to be. If we hit our absolute peak, we will win handsomely.
Only if we completely fail to turn up, and Rangers play well above themselves could they win. They won’t win handsomely though, because, let’s face it, when was the last time anything handsome crawled its way out of Ibrox?
Beware the Counter
In all seriousness, the one area where Rangers could pose a threat is in the counter-attack. As we saw in their first leg against Fenerbahce last week, they are capable of soaking up pressure, being outplayed for large portions and then hitting the opposition with a sudden, surgical strike.
Though our defence has looked more solid lately, we do still have vulnerabilities there. Trusty’s occasionally ropey performances domestically contrast starkly with his absolutely imperious displays in Europe. However, in Kasper Schmeichel we have, in my opinion one of the best goalkeepers in Europe at the moment.
Getting past our defence is one thing, but getting beyond the great Dane is another prospect entirely.
A Big Day for Our January Arrivals
I already spoke earlier today about the importance of Jota to us getting a good result tomorrow. However, perhaps even more important will be the contribution of Jeffrey Schlupp, who I expect will get the nod to start ahead of Greg Taylor at left back.
Keeping Cerny quiet will be crucial to shutting out the men from Mordor tomorrow, and I think Schlupp understands this assignment well.
He's also shown in recent games that he can pose a threat going forward too. Some bookies have him as high as 20/1 for the first goal, and I think he might be worth a punt at those odds.
As always, please gamble responsibly, i.e. don’t bet on Rangers!
Down the right, the ever-impressive Alastair Johnston will also hope to link up with Nicholas Kuhn in attack. The Canadian is a consistent performer and loves the combative nature of these games.
Reo Needs a Grand Performance
Another player whom I hope to see giving us a big performance tomorrow is Reo Hatate. When he’s on his game, he is one of our strongest assets, particularly in an attacking sense.
However, he has, at times been something of a frustrating character this season, whose form has gone up and down more often than Rangers’ win/loss ratio.
We all know Hatate is a classy player, with the potential to be a matchwinner on days like this. I hope, and I believe he can show that same class again tomorrow.
Engels Has Unfinished Business
Arne Engels will also feel he has a point to prove. For many, his assist and his clinical penalty conversion in our League Cup Final win was the point that truly signaled his arrival at Celtic.
After a tricky start, he’s hardly looked back since then. Which made it all the more shocking when he, along with the rest of the midfield was posted missing at Ibrox in January.
Now a full international for Belgium, Engels has shown he can do it at the top level for both club and country. A commanding performance in a Glasgow Derby is perhaps the only thing missing from an impressive debut season scrapbook.
Cal Mac Fitness Issues
The only grey cloud over Celtic Park this week has been the question of whether or not club captain Callum McGregor will be fit for this weekend’s fixture. McGregor seemed quietly confident at yesterday’s press conference, so I anticipate that he will make it.
However, even if he doesn’t, I have every confidence in Luke McCowan, whom I expect to make a big impact tomorrow regardless of whether it be from the start or coming off the bench.
A Front Line to be Feared
I think we all know what Celtic’s frontline will look like tomorrow. Kuhn on the right, Jota on the left, and Daizen Maeda through the middle.
If all three of these incredible players click at the same time, we could well have another Demolition Derby on our hands. I also expect the revitalized Yang to play a part as an impact sub later on. Hopefully his girlfriend is on hand to give him the motivation he needs.
Spare a thought for poor James Tavernier though. After being utterly tormented by Maeda from the left wing for years, the Rangers captain probably thought he’d earned some respite with his transition to center back. And then Brendan Rodgers decided to play Diazen at center forward!
It’s almost cruel at this point. Like watching a cat play with its poor, helpless prey before ripping it to pieces.
Predictions
I took a bit of flack on ACSOM this week for my seeming over-confidence about this game. However, unlike The Sun or the Daily Record, I deal in facts, rather than emotionally triggered nostalgia and false narratives.
The fact is, Celtic are better. We have better players, we have a much better manager, and we have home advantage. We are 16 points clear at the top of the league for a reason.
I said at the time, Ibrox was a glitch, a temporary setback. I expect that view to be validated tomorrow.
We will win. How many we win by is entirely dependent on how our players perform.
I was going to say 3-1 but given the big man’s form of late, I expect Kasper to save “the penalty”, so I’ll say 3-0 to Celtic. If the referee actually does his job correctly and Rangers get a red card or two, make that 5-0.
Predicted Starting Eleven: Schmeichel, Schlupp, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Johnston, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kuhn, Jota, Maeda.
Score: 3-0, Schlupp to score first.