Key occasions
I’m wondering if, although Maeda will probably be on the left, Kyogo can even be seeking to assault the house in behind Tavernier. Philippe Clement is aware of that his skipper must defend, however will presumably have a plan for getting him into the sport going ahead; I sense a taxing afternoon for Scott Wright, stationed forward of him.
4 pink playing cards, says you? Every thing that nobody desires to see, says I.
The traditional Outdated Agency recreation?
Celtic, in the meantime, will look to maintain the ball and get their fast passing going, pulling the Rangers centre-backs out of place by dropping off with the huge attackers seeking to get into the field and midfielders working previous the false 9.
The place is the sport? My guess is that Rangers look to maintain issues tight – they’ll need their midfield three to shit down the house in entrance of the again 4 the place Kyogo wish to function. They’ll be seeking to double-up when attacking down the suitable, and to try to get crosses into the field with the highest of making confusion.
On Sky, Chris Sutton has simply interviewed Henrik Larsson, however on that subject I like to recommend this:
As for Celtic, Brendan Rodgers is again on the bench after his touchline ban for criticising a ref – the identical ref who takes cost of in the present day’s recreation – which I’d have thought-about extending it for the best way he spoke to a reporter. He names an unchanged aspect with skipper Callum McGregor solely match sufficient for the bench.
So what does all of it imply? Nicely Rangers make two modifications, Dujon Sterling in for Borna Barisic at left-back and Tom Lawrence changing Todd Cantwell in midfield. These look defensive-ish modifications to me, however we will see.
Groups!
Rangers (4-2-3-1): Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Sterling; Diomande, Lundstram; Wright, Lawrence, Silva; Dessers. Subs: McCrorie, Cantwell, Matondo, Sima, Dowell, Balogun, Barisic, King, McCausland.
Celtic: Hart; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; O’Riley, Iwata, Hatate; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda. Subs: Bain, Idah, Yang, Nawrocki, Bernardo, McGregor, Forrest, Ralston, Welsh.
Preamble
Soccer is a worldwide phenomenon, its distinctive mild enveloping the planet as disparate peoples come collectively, transfixed by the hypnotic fantastic thing about the attractive recreation. Aye proper, after which there’s Rangers v Celtic.
As a result of for all of the patter – touching tales from right here and social commentary from there – some issues cant be intellectualised and sentimentalised, not even by the Guardian, and when it comes all the way down to it, the Outdated Agency rammy stands alone.
However even in that context, in the present day’s match is particular, a howling, screeching, whirling Glesga of a match. Celtic, going for a 3rd straight title and a twelfth out of 13, lead the desk by some extent and can contemplate themselves favourites. However Rangers have a recreation in hand, house benefit, and the boldness that they’re well-placed within the closes race for years – one many thought would already be over.
Which is is to say the groups arrive at Ibrox Stadium beneath all kinds of strain and managing all kinds of expectations, the insanity of the world transmogrified by way of the medium of interpretive soccer. That is going to be intense.
Kick-off: 12pm BST
