vs Raith Rovers | Vital Football

vs Raith Rovers

wee_od_88

wee_od_88

Vital Football Hero
Tomorrow (Sunday) we are away to Raith Rovers in the cup, this is a must win game! We are out of the League Cup, we need to win the Scottish Cup. If we go out to Raith, the players need a proper boot up the arse!

Forster is back in the squad but I don't know whether he will start or not, I think he will though. Izzy is out but his injury is not too bad and they are confident he will be ready for the Juventus game. Sammy is out with a hamstring tear, it's only small so they are hopeful of getting him ready for Juventus but in the meantime he is out. James Forrest returns to the squad after injury, I would expect to see him on the bench today though.

With Izzy out, Lennon has a decision to make. Do we stick with the 3-5-2? If we do, who comes in to defence? Does Rogne get the nod and Mulgrew move to LWB? Does Wanyama move back similar as to Wednesday night? Or does Mulgrew stay at CB and Gershon goes in at LWB?

Samaras is out and with Stokes scoring on Wednesday night, will he get a run out? Or perhaps Commons will move into a more forward Samaras role with Ledley moving into CM alongside Wanyama and Brown.

Personally I'd like to see:

Forster
Matthews - Wilson - Rogne - Mulgrew - Gershon
Brown - Wanyama - Ledley
Commons
Stokes - Hooper
 
Wee Od, you just set up a 3-5-1-2. :emoticon:19

I mostly like what you have, though. You know I like a traditional 4-4-2 for this team, but against Raith I'd with a 4-3-1-2 with:
Matthews-------Rogne-------Wilson-------Mulgrew
Brown------------------Wanyama-------------------Ledley
----------------------Commons--------------------------------
---------------Hooper------------------Stokes------------

 
I don't like the 3-5-2 with Zaluszka in goal. Even if Forster is there, I don't think Izzy or Mulgrew are quick enough to get back from a wing position to defend the flanks and we allow too many breaks. That's where some of these cheap goals come from. We're giving too much space on the counter attack. I like a 4-4-2 because the full backs can get forward and Wanyama bottles things up by sitting deep in central midfield.
 
HAHA! So I did! See, I just can't decide.....I want more to be able to pick more players!!! lol.

I think Lenny likes this 3-5-2 formation because it allows flexibility, he can swap the formation around with ease. It also gives slightly more cover at the back and plenty going forward. You know what it's like against a lot of teams we play, they sit with plenty of men behind the ball and perhaps one up top on the counter. I think we have dominated games more when using this formation. It also allows him to use more of the players he wants. We don't really have a left winger anymore; Sammy and Commons don't do the job, Izzy isn't a winger, Ledley isn't a winger, Forrest is better off playing on the right and so is McGeouch.

However.......I do think we are better as a 4-4-2! Like I say though, without that proper left winger, the 4-4-2 is difficult to use. That's why we have either been using 4-3-3 or 3-5-2.

Think you could be right with that line-up welch. Looking forward to seeing Rogic when he's ready but it won't be this weekend. He could be ready for the Juventus game but I don't think we'll see him then either.
 
Rogic won't be available for tomorrow but other than that, it looks a good line-up, I think we all more or less agree on what the team should be tomorrow, only one or two changes depending on how Lenny wants to set it up.
 
CELTIC (4-4-2) Zaluska; Matthews, Lustig, Wilson, Mulgrew; Commons, Wanyama, Kayal, Ledley; Hooper, Watt
Subs: Fasan, Brown, Forrest, Lassad, Stokes
 
I can only assume that Brown needs a rest and that perhaps the Raith pitch will only worsen his hip and so he will only be used as a sub.

Slightly surprised that it's supposed to be a 4-4-2, Commons on the right and Ledley on the left.....I don't see that happening! I think it's more of a 4-3-1-2 with Commons playing in behind Hooper and Watt and the fullbacks asked to get forward a lot!

I can only assume that Stokes is still not deemed fit enough to start the game and that's why Watt is getting the start.

Good strong team anyway. COYBIG!!!
 
It's all us but we need that breakthrough goal! The pitch is in pretty awful condition so it wouldn't be terribly pretty football today.
 
It was a pretty soft penalty call, but I'll take it since they got away with a blatant handball. Commons nails it!
 
Commons scores from the penalty spot!

Watt and Kayal are off, Brown and Forrest on but I feel we are now lacking up front. We are penning them in but just not quite able to get through. I think we need Lassad on, tell him to sit in the box and be a target!
 
It was a matter of time, especially with Mensing just shoving people around in the box. What an oaf! Nice easy, breezy win. Too bad the huns went out against Dundee United. I'd love to pound them in a cup match.
 
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