Rangers v Celtic, Sun 24th April, KO 12.30

Dempsey

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9464454.stm

Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League
Venue: Ibrox Stadium
Date: Sunday, 24 April 2011
Kick-off: 1230 BST

Lee McCulloch is unlikely to be fit enough to play for Rangers in Sunday's Old Firm derby as Celtic visit Ibrox as he recovers from surgery.

Fellow midfielder Jamie Ness is also rated doubtful, while Kirk Broadfoot and Vladimir Weiss are missing for the rest of the season.

Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley and defender Cha Du-Ri are out injured.

Defender Glenn Loovens has recovering from a hamstring injury, but forward Shaun Maloney is doubtful.

Rangers manager Walter Smith wrote:

"It's my last Old Firm game and it's one I hope we can go on and win.

"I just look forward to it, whether it's my first or my last.

"It doesn't really matter. It's the result that is going to matter more than anything.

"We have reached the stage of the season that everybody should be looking forward to.

"There is that pressure placed on everyone who comes to the game on Sunday to make sure their behaviour is as it should be.

"I'm afraid the outside circumstances are dominating more than anything else."

Celtic manager Neil Lennon wrote:

"There seems to be a groundswell now of support and a unity between the squad and supporters as a whole.

"We are going to need that between now and the end of the season. But, from a personal point of view, I really can't thank them enough.

"I have a target in mind that I have had since the start of the season - and that's to try and bring the championship back to the club and I have not been swayed on that by any means.

"I am just totally committed to and concentrated on my players and how to keep them in the best possible form between now and the end of May."

Rangers (from): McGregor, Whittaker, Papac, Weir, Bougherra, Davis, Edu, Naismith, Fleck, Lafferty, Jelavic, Healy, Hutton, Diouf, Foster, Kerkar, Wylde, Alexander, Ness, McCulloch.

Celtic (from): Forster, Wilson, Majstorovic, Loovens, Mulgrew, Izaguirre, Samaras, Brown, Commons, Ljungberg, Kayal, Ki, Forrest, Stokes, Hooper, Zaluska, Murphy, Rogne, McGinn, Maloney.

Every Celtic/Rangers match is important but this one puts alot of them into the shade. The winners will take the league by the scruff of the neck and it will be theirs to loose. More important than the actual SPL title is the solitary Champions League spot and the potential financial windfall.

Some may think that all this pressure will turn this match into a cagey affair on the field but if the 6 other matches this season are to go by, then we are in for an absolute cracker.

This is about the match and things directly related to this match, I think its best that everyone keeps the discussion about Neil Lennon and the mail bombs in here.

Mon the Hoops!

Eirebear

I would give my left bollock for a scrappy, dull, miserable 1-0 home win on Sunday.

Dempsey

Eirebear wrote: »

I would give my left bollock for a scrappy, dull, miserable 1-0 home win on Sunday.

There will be a quick queue of Celtic fans at your gate to hold you to that! :pac:

No Anesthetic either!

A Dub in Glasgo

I think it is a cert that Samaras will start with Stokes on the bench. Rangers really have to go for it and a draw will not be a bad result for Celtic considering the superior goal difference.

Eirebear

Dempsey wrote: »

There will be a quick queue of Celtic fans at your gate to hold you to that! :pac:

No Anesthetic either!

Why? They missing some of their own?

Lawrence1895

Eirebear wrote: »

I would give my left bollock for a scrappy, dull, miserable 1-0 home win on Sunday.

It's always nice to read refreshing comments like this

Anway, may the best team win...and hopefully Walter Smith won't be too grumpy when he looses his last Old Firm Derby

Savage Tyrant

Eirebear wrote: »

I would give my left bollock for a scrappy, dull, miserable 1-0 home win on Sunday.

If your lot win on Sunday, I'll be knocking your door with a penknife in my hand looking for that left bollock AND my 6 euro back.

Dempsey

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

If your lot win on Sunday, I'll be knocking your door with a penknife in my hand looking for that left bollock AND my 6 euro back.

I was going to queue with a hammer. He'd loose a nut but I'd let him keep it! :pac:

PauloMN

Bit more confident than I normally am with games against The Rangers at Mordor, this one I'll be surprised if we don't take at least a point from.

Samaras to start I reckon as before, 5 man midfield, some hard choices for Lenny given Hooper's and Stokes's current form though. Commons is so hungry for goals at the moment, I hope he can get one on Sunday.

Gotta watch the tackles on Naismith in particular, he makes the most of them and free kicks is where they'll threaten most along with hoofing the ball up to him and Jelavic.

1-1 I reckon it'll end up, hoping for another 1 or 2 from Celtic of course.

ShamoBuc

As always these games will have some key decisions sway it one way or the other. The ref hopefully will not play a central part in the game - although I doubt it.
I would like to think that there will be goals galore and some good football.
I expect Celtic to win 2-1 and at least one team will not finish with 11!

Jelle1880

I was fairly optimistic of a Rangers win, but some of the injuries and missing players will have a negative impact.

I still believe Walter will have the team ready and fired up but if he goes with his defensive ****e again then Celtic will win.

Eirebear

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

If your lot win on Sunday, I'll be knocking your door with a penknife in my hand looking for that left bollock AND my 6 euro back.

Dempsey wrote: »

I was going to queue with a hammer. He'd loose a nut but I'd let him keep it! :pac:

Both posts have been reported to Alex Salmond - First Minister of Scotland!

KeithAFC

2-1 victory to The Rangers.

Le King

KeithAFC wrote: »

2-1 victory to The Rangers.

What's this the Rangers shíte? We all know the plc name. But then again it would be like you to be simple would it? :rolleyes:

KeithAFC

Le King wrote: »

What's this the Rangers shíte? We all know the plc name. But then again it would be like you to be simple would it? :rolleyes:

Don't go off topic please. Lets stick to discussing and predicting the match.:)

DOC09UNAM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Don't go off topic please. Lets stick to discussing and predicting the match.:)

Is that back seat modding I see before me?

TerryTibbs!

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

Is that back seat modding I see before me?

Is this teachers pet, little ms. good two shoes carry on I see before me?

seafood dunleavy

My head is saying we should play 5 in midfield with Ki in midfield and Hooper up front on his own but my heart is saying play both Stokes and Hooper.I am also absolutely shítting bricks about this game.

DOC09UNAM

TerryTibbs! wrote: »

Is this teachers pet, little ms. good two shoes carry on I see before me?

Furthest thing from it buddy, this is merely just me taking the piss.

Pompey Magnus

It will be the most important Old Firm game in years, I'm far less confident going into tomorrow than I was before any other Old Firm game this season (and there has been quite a few).

Player for player Celtic are the superior team and should win, however I just don't know how they will handle this massive occasion, their sub-par performance in the Cup Final last month doesn't bode well for tomorrow.

Its probably just me being a pessimist but for some reason I get the feeling Celtic are going to bottle it tomorrow, I hope I am wrong though. Right now I hate to say it but my prediction for tomorrow would be 2-1 to Rangers and I have put money on a penalty being awarded.

I'll probably be more confident tomorrow though, here's hoping we hear Just Can't Get Enough come the final whistle .

Eirebear

Really starting to feel the tension rise now - trying to write a couple of essays tonight but it's going nowhere!

Lawrence1895

Eirebear wrote: »

Really starting to feel the tension rise now - trying to write a couple of essays tonight but it's going nowhere!

Good luck with them essays...and relax, as long as nobody turns up at your door with pocketknives or hammers, you're grand

Savage Tyrant

Eirebear wrote: »

Really starting to feel the tension rise now - trying to write a couple of essays tonight but it's going nowhere!

Good luck with the essay's bud.

My stomach is in f*ckin knots here thinking about tomorrow...

Eirebear

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

Good luck with the essay's bud.

My stomach is in f*ckin knots here thinking about tomorrow...

Meh, the essays are waiting till Monday - sat and watched a film instead....cant concentrate on anything, and sitting at the computer i just found myself bouncing around forums.

Tensions are high everywhere it seems, and the events of this week covered by the awful handling of it by the media, police and government i have a horible feeling the game will be secondary to everything else tomorrow.

PauloMN

Eirebear wrote: »

Meh, the essays are waiting till Monday - sat and watched a film instead....cant concentrate on anything, and sitting at the computer i just found myself bouncing around forums.

Tensions are high everywhere it seems, and the events of this week covered by the awful handling of it by the media, police and government i have a horible feeling the game will be secondary to everything else tomorrow.

Hope you are wrong on that, this fixture can do without any more headlines for the moment.

Only headline I want to read is a Celtic win.

Eirebear

PauloMN wrote: »

Hope you are wrong on that, this fixture can do without any more headlines for the moment.

Only headline I want to read is a Celtic win.

Me too mate, believe me. (The first part that is...!)

SantryRed

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

Is that back seat modding I see before me?

Irony!!!!!!!!!

DOC09UNAM

SantryRed wrote: »

Irony!!!!!!!!!

Not really, I merely asked a question, whereas Keith gave Le King an order

Mine was an observation, so no irony at all.

KeithAFC

Keep calm and follow on Rangers.

Savage Tyrant

6.45am and I still haven't slept.....

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!! :mad:

Kingdom Bhoy

Mon the Hoops.

Eirebear

Ah here we go - Studio 'till 12 then a mad dash to the pub for the game.

Hope it's a safe one for everyone, and a happy one for the Bears!

See y'all after!

Jelle1880

:cool:

Predator_

C'mon Celtic

TeddyTedson

They're expecting absolute chaos at this game. The **** is really hitting the fan for the build up to this game.

Jelle1880

TeddyTedson wrote: »

They're expecting absolute chaos at this game. The **** is really hitting the fan for the build up to this game.

Scaremongering.
Nothing will happen at the game.

But after the game, in the pubs etc., that'll be something else entirely I'm afraid.

Savage Tyrant

Thanks Jelle... I just threw up in my mouth a little at that picture.

Jelle1880

Most welcome.

super_furry

Wouldn't usually care about Scottish football outside of keeping an eye on Hibs results, but today I hope Celtic absolutely stuff Rangers.

seafood dunleavy

Celtic Team: Forster,Wilson,Majstorovic,Mulgrew,Izaguirre,Brown,Kayal,Ki,Ledley,Samaras,Hooper

celtic723

I expect another park the bus rangers side as per usual.

Glad to see Big Dan back he's been truly missed.

Not happy Ki is playing, i think he's absolutely shocking and should be plying his trade in the English conference.

C'mon the hoops. Can't wait to see what the GB have planned.

celtic723

super_furry wrote: »

Wouldn't usually care about Scottish football outside of keeping an eye on Hibs results, but today I hope Celtic absolutely stuff Rangers.

Why hibs?

Broxi_Bear_Eire

super_furry wrote: »

Wouldn't usually care about Scottish football outside of keeping an eye on Hibs results, but today I hope Celtic absolutely stuff Rangers.

Why

Lads who's the penalty takers today?

I'm assuming it's Hooper for Celtic?

And Whittaker for Rangers?

celtic723

rarnes1 wrote: »

Lads who's the penalty takers today?

I'm assuming it's Hooper for Celtic?

And Whittaker for Rangers?

Samaras i would have thought.

Other than that yes you're correct.

OhNoYouDidn't

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Why

You can't see why with the week we had most right minded people see Rangers as something you scrape off your shoe?

Your 'brand' took an almighty pasting.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

You can't see why with the week we had most right minded people see Rangers as something you scrape off your shoe?

Your 'brand' took an almighty pasting.

Sweet feck all to do with Rangers even Lennon said it

celtic723

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Sweet feck all to do with Rangers even Lennon said it

trollolololololol

Broxi_Bear_Eire

celtic723 wrote: »

trollolololololol

Explain why

Seems you like to use that a fair bit you need to grow up

celtic723

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Explain why

I'm not even going to bother because if i try to engage a debate with you or the other rangers fan on here i'll receive a ban.

Sooner the better your club goes down the swanny.

Hail Hail.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

celtic723 wrote: »

I'm not even going to bother because if i try to engage a debate with you or the other rangers fan on here i'll receive a ban.

Sooner the better your club goes down the swanny.

Hail Hail.

Excuses excuses

Maybe its because you are incapable of decent debate
anyway I am off to watch the game

Come on the Gers