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Post by mikbhoy on Sept 19, 2010 3:38:46 GMT
All change for Kilmarnock tripby Mikbhoy The Celtic first team bus will head down the M77 to Kilmarnock this morning and for many on board it will represent their very first excursion into deepest darkest Ayrshire. The revolving door at Celtic Park was in perpetual motion throughout the summer and a glance at the side who line up against Killie today will starkly illustrate the extent of the changes in this Celtic squad when compared to the lineup from the last time these sides met in SPL action. Of the eighteen players named on the Celtic teamsheet to face Kilmarnock at the end of March only six are available for selection today and it looks likely that only two of those, Brown and Samaras, will take any part in the game. Andreas Hinkel was in the starting eleven last time but he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in training last month and will miss most of the season. Six of the eleven have severed their ties with the club completely – Boruc, Naylor, McGeady, N’Guemo, Fortune and Keane – whilst the other two starters that day – Thompson and O’Dea – have gone on loan to Rochdale and Ipswich Town respectively. Edson Braafheid was on the bench back in March and he’s now moved on following the expiration of his loan deal. Subs Morten Rasmussen and Paul McGowan are now out on loan. The Dane has moved to Bundesliga club Mainz FC on a year-long deal with an option to make the move permanent whilst McGowan has joined St Mirren until the end of the season. The remaining bench warmers that day – Zaluska, Wilson, Crosas and Ki – are still with the club and a similar berth to last time is probably the most any of them can expect today. One major omission from today’s squad is James Forrest. The young winger has blazed his way into the starting eleven this season but an ankle sprain in last week’s win against Hearts sees him miss out on the trip to Ayrshire today. He may also miss the midweek Co-operative Insurance Cup clash with Inverness. Kilmarnock’s new manager, Mixu Paatelainen, has also been busy wheeling and dealing as he strives to stamp his own identity on the Rugby Park side. He’s brought in a lot of new faces and his new look team have won their last two league outings. It will be interesting to see just how much of a difference in style there is between Paatelainen’s team today and those often over-robust displays we've witnessed from previous boss Jim Jefferies' sides on our visits to Ayrshire. Apart from the injury to Forrest Neil Lennon has a full squad to choose from and he’s looking forward to the game. “We are delighted with our domestic form and the game last week was against a very well organised, hard-to-beat Hearts team,” said the Celtic manager. “Although we rode our luck at times, I thought some of the football we played merited the win, so it was really pleasing.” “But we have to be focused.” insisted Lennon. “Mixu has had two very good results against Aberdeen and St Mirren in the last two games so they will be confident going into the game. I think he has changed the philosophy around a wee bit and the personnel. So it will be like ourselves, it will be facing a new team, a new formation, a new ideas about how they are playing. And we will need to combat that.” “Away from home in Scotland it’s always difficult,” added the Celtic boss. “You have to set up to be hard to beat, but you have to set up to try and score goals as well.” CELTIC (from): Forster, Loovens, Cha Du-Ri, Majstorovic, Izaguirre, Murphy, Brown, Ledley, Samaras, McCourt, Maloney, Wilson, Rogne, Hooiveld, Hooper, Stokes, Kayal, Zaluska, Juarez, Ki, Towell
Prediction: Kilmarnock 1 – 2 Celtic
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Post by Seanybhoy1888 on Sept 19, 2010 8:22:40 GMT
Thanks for that Mick.
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Post by mikbhoy on Sept 19, 2010 13:56:01 GMT
Prediction: Kilmarnock 1 – 2 Celtic Whoo hoo, 100% prediction record! (That's 1/1 btw )
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