League Cup | Vital Football

League Cup

wee_od_88

wee_od_88

Vital Football Hero
Start off the defence of the League Cup with a home game against Raith Rovers. Currently sitting 4th in the Championship with 12 points from 7 games, equal with Hibs but having played a game more.

This will not be an easy game, they'll be up for the game and with Jon Daly and former Celtic youth player Lewis Toshney in the team, they know what it's like to play against us. Daly has had a habit of scoring goals against us over the years, although he's yet to score this season.

I think Deila will go fairly strong in his team selection tonight but I hope he also gives one or 2 younger players a chance. Daly is big, physical and a danger in the air so we need someone watching him, it will probably be Boyata.
Simunovic is the other big question for me. He missed the weekend game but will he come back in tonight?

Based on Deila's system, I hope to see something like:

Bailly
Janko - Boyata - Simunovic - Tierney
Brown - Bitton
Forrest - Commons - Stokes
Ciftci

The only reason I've gone with Ciftci over Griffiths is that Ciftci scored at the weekend and will want to keep that form going, plus Griffiths had treatment on a calf injury during training. No point risking him in a game like this!
I also think whether Stokes is in the plans or not, he needs to be ready to play and so needs some game time, this could be a good game to use him in.

Subs: Fasan, Ambrose, Johansen, Nesbitt, GMS, Griffiths, Lustig
 
Tonight's team:

Gordon
Janko - Ambrose - Blackett - Tierney
Brown - Johansen
McGregor - Commons - GMS
Ciftci

Subs: Bailly, Izzy, Stokes, Nesbitt, Lustig, Forrest and Rogic.
 
I thought this was potentially a game for Bailly instead but apparently not.

Anyone got a working link?
 
From the Twitter updates so far, it seems Raith are planning to play balls into the box, corners and free-kicks and hoping we don't defend properly and can get a goal from that! Other than that they're going to sit in and defend!
 
Hopefully that brings Raith out and opens the game up. I can watch the 2nd half now. Playing OK so far. Big difference is there's a lot more passing and moving!
 
Johanson wakes up! Puts a move on his defender and goes nearly coast to coast and scores with a nice finish. 2-0.
 
Johansen! Lovely goal! That's more like it! He's looked far better tonight playing in the deeper role alongside Brown. Maybe we need to consider moving him back there as his normal position now that we have other players capable and possibly better at playing in behind the striker.
 
I think we play Commons behind the striker and Johanson back. But then where with Bitton?

Janko was terrific tonight. Tierney also looked good.
 
Comfortable win in the end. Credit to Raith, they played as well as many SPFL teams that come to Celtic Park.

Aberdeen were knocked out by Hibs who won 2-0 at Easter Road.

I think you either play Johansen or you play Bitton. We need more options in CM anyway. One of them will be on the bench as long as Brown is fit.
 
Semi Final v Ross County

Celtic: Gordon; Lustig, Ambrose, Boyata, Tierney; Bitton, Johansen; Mackay-Steven, McGregor, Armstrong; Griffiths

Subs: Bailly, Izaguirre, Sviatchenko, Forrest, Ciftci, Brown, Nesbitt
 
Allan & Christie both cup-tied.

JoZo out for a while with knee injury (blessing in disguise as he was diabolically shite last time out)

Erik also injured :emoticon:39
 
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