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  • tm4tj
    tm4tj

    Inverness CT -V- Celtic - Preview

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    The Bhoys are back in town


    Who would have thought it.  A top of the table clash in Inverness this weekend and the season is almost two thirds complete, but mind and set your alarm clock as it's a high noon shoot-out. The Bhoys are back in town to face their nearest SPL challengers, despite what Paw Broon thinks.  In contrast, there is a relegation battle at Dundee involving our close neighbours from over the bridge.

    We've had better weeks.  Dumped out of both cups and beaten by St Mirren, it doesn't get much worse than that.  But, if you look closer, there were extenuating circumstances that lent their hands to bursting our gossamer thin bubble.  Three away games in eight days, all in the central belt.  Hearts having the twelfth man at Easter Road.  An inexplicable miss by he scores when he wants, our own Nessi Messi.  A penalty shoot-out.  Injuries to key players for the first time this season, cruelly exposing our dearth of quality further down the ranks. New players drafted in and a second blank scoreline of the season.  On top of that, we had Ross Draper suspended for the cup game at Killie, and Andy Shinnie and Richie Foran crocked in the first half making it an uphill battle all the way.

    It's not been our best week, three defeats in a row, but it's not all doom and gloom.  We are still second in the SPL and we have not become a poor team overnight.  We could have beaten Hearts and St Mirren, and we had early chances at Kilmarnock, but the ball did not run for us and Cammy Bell did his usual 'thou shalt not pass' against us.  An unfortunate tangle and ricochet led to Killie's opener and the second was a tricky back-heel deflection from a speculative low shot from distance which found the net.  We, on the other hand, could not buy a goal.  Unusual for us this season, but without our inspirational midfielder and battling captain, we looked blunt and that is what Butcher will have to work on this week.

    Celtic cuffed us in the first meeting this season in Inverness, where the 2-4 scoreline flattered us somewhat, Ross Draper scoring two late goals.  We turned the tables on them in Glasgow, carving out a battling 0-1 victory with McKay choosing to score that day after Phillip Roberts teed him up nicely, leaving two defenders skiting across the grass on their arse.

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    So, the stage is set for the third encounter of the close kind, just three days before Celtic travel to the more exotic climes of Turin to take on Juventus in the Champions League.  With that in mind, and the league title destined for Parkhead it would seem, it would be but a foolish person to expect Celtic to field their strongest eleven in an almost meaningless SPL match for them in a climatically hostile environment. It may be for the best, as Celtic appear to be stretching their legs now and sprinting away towards their expected title, and the leak in our bubble is worsening with every game, the hunting pack ready to swallow us up in the quest for second best.

     

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    Celtic managed to hold onto goalden bhoy Gary Hooper as Norwich City lined up some big bids in the transfer window.  Obviously the lure of playing in Inverness and Dingwall swayed the hitman to remain in Scotland rather than try his luck at Old Trafford or The Emirates Stadium.  I can see why. Midfielder Ibrahim Rabiu went to Kilmarnock and striker, (I use the word loosely), Mo Bangura has moved to Elfsborg. In come midfielder Tom Rogic and defender Rami Gershon, where better than Inverness to give them a taste of Scottish fitba'.

    Inverness were able to see out the window with only Gavin Morrison moving to Elgin City on loan till the summer and Shinnie and McKay staying put for now, with Jason Oswell leaving the building early. We also added a trio of defenders, Charlie Taylor, Danny Devine and Jordan Gibbons, how ironic that our attacking options are the ones that are now on the injured list after the last game. Doh.

    Billy McKay made his full Northern Ireland international debut on Wednesday night playing against Malta as a second half substitute. He appeared just after the hour but the game ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw, and that adds up to no wins in twelve for them.

     

    Nearly forgot, it's the passing of a momentous anniversary in the history of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the one which spawned the famous Supercaleygoballistic etc etc etc headline, and led to the sacking of John Barnes..................ah well, you can't have everything in your favour.

     

    Brings a tear to a glass eye........

     

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    ***Latest Team News***

    Terry Butcher feared the worse when Foran and Shinnie went off at Kilmarnock, and rightly so.  These two are an integral part of the Caley Thistle machine.  However, initial fears have been allayed and Butcher has indicated that they might yet play a part at the weekend, although it might be more prudent to rest them for following games.  Hogg and King are still out.  

     

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    Neil Lennon will rest his Champions League squad for the visit to Inverness ahead of the Juventus game.  James Forrest could get the chance to get back in favour if fit and the likes of Tony Watt and Anthony Stokes will get a rare start. Forster will return in goal but Samaras and Isaguirre miss out.  Ambrose has missed the last month competing in the African Cup of Nations, where Nigeria will be in Sunday's final.

    tm4tj Prediction:- It all depends on which team Neil Lennon puts out on Saturday and whether Shinnie and Foran pass fitness tests.  At best we are looking at a draw although the underdogs tag could see us performing better than recent games.  I hope we can make a point, but I won't be holding my breath.  1-1 at a push, if not it could be another blank weekend while we regroup.

     

    :ictscarf: :ictscarf: :ictscarf:




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