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6 minutes ago, Paulo2576 said:

Why should we drop Tierney? To play Martin? Tierney should play every time he is fit, can score too.

We shouldn't. But the point was made that Strachan might look to change the team/rest players that have played a lot already this season (the Celtic players will have played about 10 games already, EPL players less than 5). If Tierney isn't playing I'd have R.Martin or even Whittaker in his place over Anya.

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19 minutes ago, Manno said:

We shouldn't. But the point was made that Strachan might look to change the team/rest players that have played a lot already this season (the Celtic players will have played about 10 games already, EPL players less than 5). If Tierney isn't playing I'd have R.Martin or even Whittaker in his place over Anya.

i'm fairly sure he was referring to players who haven't played much and will be knackered after Friday, probably Phillips and MacArthur. The ones who are properly fit will have no problem in recovering.

Edited by er yir macaroon
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2 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:

i'm fairly sure he was referring to players who haven't played much and will be knackered after Friday, probably Phillips and MacArthur. The ones who are properly fit will have no problem in recovering.

I don't think so. I think it was a pretty clear nod to Brendan Rodgers, saying "i'll rest who i can".

after all, just a week ago rodgers was saying this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41061904

so in the interests of maintaining a good relationship with the club that's played a hugely significant part in scotlands recent improvement, i think we'll see the minimum of celtic players involved tonight.

The likes of Tierney, Gordon and Brown are already approaching 1000 minutes this season. Griffiths and Armstrong are at half that, so i think they have a decent chance of still being involved. Compare that to players like McArthur and Ritchie who've got 200-300 minutes so far, despite playing in every game. I don't think we'll be starting any of the Celtic starting players except maybe Gordon.

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19 minutes ago, andyD said:

The likes of Tierney, Gordon and Brown are already approaching 1000 minutes this season. Griffiths and Armstrong are at half that, so i think they have a decent chance of still being involved. Compare that to players like McArthur and Ritchie who've got 200-300 minutes so far, despite playing in every game. I don't think we'll be starting any of the Celtic starting players except maybe Gordon.

We've got a game we absolutely have to win tonight and you think he'll leave out Tierney and Gordon? Brown I could just about understand but it would be a mental decision not to play the other two.

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37 minutes ago, andyD said:

The likes of Tierney, Gordon and Brown are already approaching 1000 minutes this season. Griffiths and Armstrong are at half that, so i think they have a decent chance of still being involved. Compare that to players like McArthur and Ritchie who've got 200-300 minutes so far, despite playing in every game. I don't think we'll be starting any of the Celtic starting players except maybe Gordon.

I really don't see this at all.

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4 minutes ago, wee-toon-red said:

We've got a game we absolutely have to win tonight and you think he'll leave out Tierney and Gordon? Brown I could just about understand but it would be a mental decision not to play the other two.

No, i think Gordon will play.

I don't think Tierney will, as much for tactical reasons as any. At right back he's not a particularly good attacking outlet. We'll be on the front foot, and Tierney can't offer overlapping runs and crosses down the right. I think the overlaps of the fullbacks will be important to us tonight, so we'll probably go with Anya who can run away from players and break into the box looking to cut back.

I don't think Brown will play as we don't need his defensive work here, and he should be protected for the final 2 games where he would be an absolutely massive miss if suspended.

I don't think we'll play Forrest, as I don't think he had that good a game against Lithuania and his contribution is reasonably easily replicated or surpassed by Fraser. Alternatively Ritchie offers long range shooting which could be key to scoring against a packed defense.

I think Armstrong will play as he's a vital link now between midfield and attack. His role can be performed by Cairney or Bannan, but both are out injured, and with him being one of the less used Celtic players I don't think there's a problem.

Griffiths will play. Again, lower on the minute count this season, but also we want him to get a goal or two so he's feeling on top of the world for the next two games.

So to me there will be 3 Celtic players in the starting 11 tonight. Of the 3 to be rested (Brown, Tierney, Forrest), i think Browns the only one what would be genuinely missed, McArthur is probably good enough for this game.. or Fletcher. Tho i still don't trust either of them. McDonald from Fulham should be there imo, tho i'll admit i've not seen enough of Aberdeen to make a call on Shinnie.. I've seen a fair bit of Jack and i dont think he was good enough, so unless Shinnie is massively improved this season i think he's a way to go yet.

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1 hour ago, andyD said:

I don't think so. I think it was a pretty clear nod to Brendan Rodgers, saying "i'll rest who i can".

after all, just a week ago rodgers was saying this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41061904

so in the interests of maintaining a good relationship with the club that's played a hugely significant part in scotlands recent improvement, i think we'll see the minimum of celtic players involved tonight.

The likes of Tierney, Gordon and Brown are already approaching 1000 minutes this season. Griffiths and Armstrong are at half that, so i think they have a decent chance of still being involved. Compare that to players like McArthur and Ritchie who've got 200-300 minutes so far, despite playing in every game. I don't think we'll be starting any of the Celtic starting players except maybe Gordon.

No chance at all the Celtic players will be rested, it's not a friendly.

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If Scott Brown plays it will be a terrible decision from WGS. We need him against slovakia. 

Brown should have picked up a booked along with griffiths on friday. Giving strachan no chance to mess things up. We beat malta 5-1 without these 2 players. I think we can win today without them 

Game would be a good one for someone like ryan christie or macgregor to play but thats a whole different story

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15 minutes ago, jamboman said:

If Scott Brown plays it will be a terrible decision from WGS. We need him against slovakia. 

Brown should have picked up a booked along with griffiths on friday. Giving strachan no chance to mess things up. We beat malta 5-1 without these 2 players. I think we can win today without them 

Game would be a good one for someone like ryan christie or macgregor to play but thats a whole different story

Of course we need Brown against Slovakia, but we also need to win tonight.

No point resting everyone if it ends up 0-0 and the Slovakia game becomes pointless anyway.

I don't envy Strachan tonight as it could easily go wrong no matter what he does.

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4 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:

i'm fairly sure he was referring to players who haven't played much and will be knackered after Friday, probably Phillips and MacArthur. The ones who are properly fit will have no problem in recovering.

That was my interpretation too, the whole Martin starting was my own personal fear of Anya playing in defence again. Can't see many, if any, changes tonight. 

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