***The Official Rangers v celtc Thread***

[bluepeter 5,627]

Muff's team

Hopefully the rumours are overblown if not untrue, and McGregor is available.

I wasn't nervous about this game until reading this thread, now I am! Not worried about them, we should beat them, but the pre-Old Firm nerves just kicked in...

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

It's an old saying but if you actually analyse the results it's a load of rubbish.....

Sellck have score 12 in 6 games since the end of the transfer window (give a couple of days)

[papaguy51 912]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

That's even more reason not to sit back and assume that we'll always get the ball back to counter attack them.

They are decent going forward, but bloody awful defensively.

Why don't WE set out on the front foot, deny them as many attacks as we can and give them something to deal with?

[rfc_no1fan 13]

Anyone who thinks we can turn up play 4-4-2 and pummel this Celtic team in submission is clearly deluded.

I don't fear any team, but every team has the ability to create chances, score goals and take points of us and Celtic have the best strikeforce in the spl (Rangers excluded)

Setting up 4-4-2 and losing an early goal would be a catastrophe.

Pressure is all on Celtic, they will attack at will.....Why would we want to leave ourselves exposed?

We have the players to hit on the counter attack and I fully expect Walter to use them.

Why can't we set out as 4-4-2 and score an early goal?

If both teams go 4-4-2 and attack from the off we are leaving ourselves wide open.

We could score early, but that doesn't change Celtic's approach, they are still going to attack.

A wounded animal is most dangerous, we set up to contain for 20-25 minutes and they will start to get frustrated. They will commit more bodies forward and we will hit them on the break with Davis, Miller etc etc

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

Are you dropping Kris Boyd ?

[papaguy51 912]

Anyone who thinks we can turn up play 4-4-2 and pummel this Celtic team in submission is clearly deluded.

I don't fear any team, but every team has the ability to create chances, score goals and take points of us and Celtic have the best strikeforce in the spl (Rangers excluded)

Setting up 4-4-2 and losing an early goal would be a catastrophe.

Pressure is all on Celtic, they will attack at will.....Why would we want to leave ourselves exposed?

We have the players to hit on the counter attack and I fully expect Walter to use them.

Why can't we set out as 4-4-2 and score an early goal?

If both teams go 4-4-2 and attack from the off we are leaving ourselves wide open.

We could score early, but that doesn't change Celtic's approach, they are still going to attack.

A wounded animal is most dangerous, we set up to contain for 20-25 minutes and they will start to get frustrated. They will commit more bodies forward and we will hit them on the break with Davis, Miller etc etc

Are Celtic not also leaving themselves wide open?

[Gaz52 11,837]

4 pages already, this is going to be a big one!

It's Rangers and Walter Smith vs Celtic and Tony Mowbray, I am not worried one bit

[WilliamFyfe 1,438]

Can't wait for this game

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

It's an old saying but if you actually analyse the results it's a load of rubbish.....

Sellck have score 12 in 6 games since the end of the transfer window (give a couple of days)

...And 11 of them have been scored in the last 4, so if you analyse the latest form it would suggest the are in free goalscoring form coming in, and if the saying is a "load of rubbish"... We would compensate to try and stop it

This Sunday game has a touch of the old 9inarow games against Tommy Burns Celtic about it, I fully expect us to sit in and counter attack to get a result. Than dominate play and pump them.

[rfc_no1fan 13]

Anyone who thinks we can turn up play 4-4-2 and pummel this Celtic team in submission is clearly deluded.

I don't fear any team, but every team has the ability to create chances, score goals and take points of us and Celtic have the best strikeforce in the spl (Rangers excluded)

Setting up 4-4-2 and losing an early goal would be a catastrophe.

Pressure is all on Celtic, they will attack at will.....Why would we want to leave ourselves exposed?

We have the players to hit on the counter attack and I fully expect Walter to use them.

Why can't we set out as 4-4-2 and score an early goal?

If both teams go 4-4-2 and attack from the off we are leaving ourselves wide open.

We could score early, but that doesn't change Celtic's approach, they are still going to attack.

A wounded animal is most dangerous, we set up to contain for 20-25 minutes and they will start to get frustrated. They will commit more bodies forward and we will hit them on the break with Davis, Miller etc etc

Are Celtic not also leaving themselves wide open?

They have to!!

That's why exploiting these gaps will win us the game.

[GeneralCartmanLee 313]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

It's an old saying but if you actually analyse the results it's a load of rubbish.....

Sellck have score 12 in 6 games since the end of the transfer window (give a couple of days)

...And 11 of them have been scored in the last 4, so if you analyse the latest form it would suggest the are in free goalscoring form coming in, and if the saying is a "load of rubbish"... We would compensate to try and stop it

This Sunday game has a touch of the old 9inarow games against Tommy Burns Celtic about it, I fully expect us to sit in and counter attack to get a result. Than dominate play and pump them.

As we have the 3rd best defence in europe i don't think we need to line up anymore defensively than we already do. We have a system that has been proven to work over the season and that is a 4-4-2.

The form is sellck can't win two games in a row, haven't done since the start of December. We are right to be confident of beating htem, we are a better team and are at home.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Forget the rest of the Oldfirm games the season, it's basically a different team on the park.

on average 6 of the players that played for Celtic in both Oldfirm games wont play at Ibrox, we maybe overlook this... Different personal results in a different approach.

Walter will know this and may alter to compensate, cause we are in the driving seat.

you're right the sellck defence is far worse than it has ever been and they are averaging less goals per game now.....

Really... Cause they have scored 11 goals in their last 4 games.

But as the old saying goes, form goes out the window in a Oldfirm match.

Of course we have a Ace up our sleeve in Walter Smith, but they are no harm in us analyzing some points on here.

That's even more reason not to sit back and assume that we'll always get the ball back to counter attack them.

They are decent going forward, but bloody awful defensively.

Why don't WE set out on the front foot, deny them as many attacks as we can and give them something to deal with?

Why don't we set out on the front foot, two reasons Weir will sit our defensive line deep and McCulloch will sit deep in the middle of midfield to try a limit them to long shots rather than them getting in behind.

Our strength is our defence we are well drilled and it will frustrate Celtic, into overcompensating and in turn make mistakes for us to counter.

I still feel Steven Davis is the key for how we set up against them, and Walter will know this.

[papaguy51 912]

Ah, I see where you're coming from now Al.

I agree. I'm not condoning all out attack, but we really need to be on the front foot more than we were last time round.

[blueballss 2,972]

It's controversial, but Boyd may just find himself on the bench.

After sucking up to the gaffer this week? No chance.

That's why it will be controversial

if boyd on bench, it will be taxi for him in the summer

[lewisrfc93 470]

id go for:

McGregor

Whittaker Bougherra Weir Papac

Davis McCulloch Thomson Beasley

Boyd Miller

2-0 Rangers with boyd and davis getting a goal each.

[FlippinEck 3,716]

Celtic will still get past Weir and the game will pass mcculloch by AGAIN... he might pop up with a goal though

Celtic will still play forward and we will sit back and take pressure but we should be good enough to take that pressure, and attack with the players we have, and that includes Boyd/Miller up front with 2 pacey wingers

[disgruntled_bear 157]

As we have the 3rd best defence in europe i don't think we need to line up anymore defensively than we already do. We have a system that has been proven to work over the season and that is a 4-4-2.

The form is sellck can't win two games in a row, haven't done since the start of December. We are right to be confident of beating htem, we are a better team and are at home.

They are a fine line in being confident, and being over confident.

We are favourites and rightly so, but I wouldn't rule them out and Walter certainly wont. Tactics can be changed depending on how the game goes it isn't set in stone.

But i feel the way we will set up from the start, will be to frustrate them.

[papaguy51 912]

I don't think we'll get away with another performance akin to the one we produced at Parkhead last time.

We're lucky Celtic are so shite, because a really good team would have stuck three or four past us that day.

[Jelle1880 233]

If there's one thing Walter does it is winning Old Firm games.

I'm confident he'll come out with some messed up team on sunday, only for it to work perfectly and see us win 3-0

[ChrisVanDarche 23]

As long as we can keep Keane and McGeady quiet, we will be allright. They are wobbly at the back and I expect Boyd to get on the scoresheet. They are bigging themselves up no end in the papers, and it will come back and bite them on the arse on Sunday.

[Jonnyboyrfc 296]

For me, it always comes down to who wants it more. Motivation is key and our players need to come out that dressing room spitting blood

[papaguy51 912]

For me, it always comes down to who wants it more. Motivation is key and our players need to come out that dressing room spitting blood

I'm sure I read that Bomber had to be calmed DOWN before Old Firm games

[trueblue79 0]

What about playing a playing big lee the holding midfielder, with Bees and davis each side n wee fleck behind miller n boyd.

I doubt walter would but, any time I has seen Fleck playing behind the forwards I have been really impressed

[Jonnyboyrfc 296]

For me, it always comes down to who wants it more. Motivation is key and our players need to come out that dressing room spitting blood

I'm sure I read that Bomber had to be calmed DOWN before Old Firm games

haha well that's what i like to see! I hope there are a few needing calmed down in Sunday.

Hopefully not wound up so that they steam in and get a red card but just extreme focus and determination