Sammy to score tomorrow and a 0-1 win for us, remember denmark in 92? It's our year for euro glory mark my words!
Team for Thursday : Forster M Wilson Loovens K Wilson Mulgrew McCourt Kayal Ki Ledley Sammy Bangura Team for Sunday; Forster Matthews Majstoravic K Wilson El Kad Commons Ki Brown Kayal Ledley Hooper
I know exactly what you're saying and totally agree. But the big ****er has a habit of turning up when you least expect it and I'm seriously expecting **** all on Thursday night. Here's hoping
Why will Hooper not start tomorrow? I think he will start and taken off with 20/30 mins to go to save him for Sunday where I hope we will play 2 upfront. Hopefully Brown & Stokes are not being risked & that means they'll be starting Sunday. I would have Forrest & Commons wide with Ki, Kayal & Ledley in the middle for tomorrow, Hooper up top on his own. Is Loovens fit?
I reckon Hooper won't start because Lenny will want to go one up top and Hooper has only attempted this once and it isn't his game at all. I'm expecting nothing from tomorrow and I'll take a draw on Sunday but I reckon it'll be the only game against Rangers this year that we won't win <cardsonthetable> Incidentally, the guy behind me at the game on Saturday told me what the banner for Sunday is - I'm not saying on the internet but it'll noise them up no end
I think Hooper is great up top on his own. He wins more headers than Samaras & has alot more strength to hold defenders off & hold the ball up. Just makes no sense to drop your top scorer, ever. If he's being rested for Sunday well we may as well rest Ki, Kayal & anyone else we need for Sundays game & thrown McCourt, Wanyamma & the other fringe players on tomorrow. PM what the banner is.
On Hooper playing up front himself, I can only remember him doing it once against Rangers (was it the 2-2 game at Ibrox?) and he tried his best but didn't boss the Rangers defence. I have to be honest and, as much as I dislike Samaras, I have to say that if we only have one up front tomorrow, it's got to be him - it also gives the added bonus of resting Hooper for Sunday.
I like the banner. Simple and straight to the point. The best ones always are. Who we play up front on Thursday will depend on what Lennon sets out to get from the game. I reckon he'll be playing for 0-0, hence Samaras up front on his own. That's what we did when we went to Ibrox last January and it worked. In fact, it worked out better than anyone could have hoped for with Samaras scoring twice. Could lightening strike twice? Highly unlikely.
I thought Hooper played very well against Sion in the second leg, granted we were forced into the change of him playing on his own but he did far better than Samaras did against the same team the week before. I hate how managers think the lone striker has to be a big **** off ****. Samaras is the worst headerer of the ball at the club ffs. Even Caddis was better than him. Hooper is a clever player. He knows he will not win every ball in the air, its about positioning himself inbetween the ball and defender and holding his ground to try & control the ball. Samaras would just flick it on! If its a case of him being rested then we have no chance of winning so may as well rest Kayal & Ki too.
Bhoy from Brom. Do I get the impression you don't rate Sameras too highly. I think you may not rate the rest of the team either as if the very smart Hooper doesn't play you think we have no chance.
Tom it doesn't do any harm to be optimistic. The day I start thinking Celtic will have no chance in a up coming game, will be the day my family will be summonsing the undertaker. I have been a Celtic supporter since I have been an infant, and I attend to remain one to the day I die. I will never give up on Celtic, there are plenty out there that will down us without Celtic supporters joining in.
I thought we had already established my thoughts on Samaras? My point about him not playing is that he is our top scorer, this season & last whereas how many has Samaras scored? We will be under the kosh against a fine team, chances for us to score will be few & far between - do you agree we have more chance of scoring with Hooper rather than Samaras? That is why I don't accept this belief that Samaras should play, a system by the way which has worked once in about 4 years! If Hooper is being dropped for tactical reasons I disagree with that decision from Lennon & anybody who agrees with him as we have less chance of getting a positive result. If Hooper is being rested for Rangers then as above we have less chance of winning tomorrow so may as well as rest other key players.
I believe we do have a chance - my point is without our top scorer (top scorers with Stokes out) we will have even less chance. Thats just common sense.
