Saturday, 28 April 2012

SPL Sunday 29th April Team News & Thoughts

Celtic v Rangers


Celtic

Injuries - Ki, Forrest
Available Squad - Forster, Cha, Matthews, Rogne, Mulgrew, Izaguirre, Loovens, K Wilson, Kayal, Brown, Commons, Samaras, Wanyama, Ledley, Brozek, Hooper, Zaluska, Stokes, Bangura, Blackman, Lustig, McCourt, Watt

Probable XI - Forster, Cha, Rogne, Mulgrew, Izaguirre, Commons, Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Stokes, Hooper (4-4-2)



Rangers


Injuries - Naismith, Davies, Papac
Club Suspension - Lafferty - this mug has been suspended by the club for 2 weeks after a bust up with McCoist.
Available Squad - McGregor, Whittaker, Bocanegra, Wallace, Goian, Kerkar, Bartley, McCulloch, Aluko, Perry, Edu, McCabe, Little, Mitchell, Hegarty, Alexander, Bedoya, Healy, Broadfoot, Ness

Probable XI - McGregor, Whittaker, Bocanegra, Goian, Wallace, Aluko, Bartley, Edu, McCabe, McCulloch, Little (4-4-2)



Prediction : Celtic 2-1 Rangers

Some people are saying that this Old Firm game does really matter , oh come on please! I reckon Celtic will be desperate to win this match and show Rangers up even further. Lets face it Lennon and Celtic have basically been left with egg on their face this season even with everything that has gone on at Ibrox and the fact they have already won the title. But truth is that it is easy for the Rangers half of Glasgow to say that Celtic have only won a tainted title and blown the treble! So I reckon little "Fanta Head" Lennon will have his troops well fired up for this and will demand nothing but a win. Celtic's young lad, Watt, bagged 2 goals on his debut last week and looked a decent prospect but this is a game for experienced players and I reckon they will go with Stokes & Hooper.

The best odds I can find on a Celtic win are only 1.83 from Ladbrokes and I don't really see that as being value in an Old Firm game where anything can happen and game changing red card are more than a possibilty. I have this down as a Home Win so to add a little bit for value I shall take Celtic HT/FT @ 2.9 (Ladbrokes) and trust that the 60,000 tims can gear Celtic up to an early lead.


I am looking forward to the taunting of the Rangers fans and I imagine the Celtic fans will have been busy making up a few funny banners to hold up for this match.



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St Mirren v Hibs


St Mirren

Injuries - none
Available Squad - Samson, van Zanten, Tesselaar, Carey, Mair, McAusland, McLean, Murray, Mooy, Thomson, Imrie, Hasselbaink, McGregor, McGowan, Thompson, Smith, Mooy, Teale, Reilly, Barron

Probable XI - Samson, Van Zanten, Mair, McAusland, Tesselaar, McGown, Goodwin, McLean, Imrie, Hasselbaink, Thompson (4-3-3)



Hibs


Injuries - Stack, Galbraith
Doubtful - O'Connor
Available Squad - Brown, McPake, Kujabi, Hanlon, Doherty, Towell, Soares, Sproule, Stevenson, Osbourne, Griffiths, O'Donovan, O'Connor, Doyle, Francomb, Grant, Claros, O'Hanlon, Murray, Wotherspoon.

Probable XI - Brown, Doherty, McPake, Hanlon, Kujabi, Osbourne, Claros, Soares, Sproule, Griffiths, Doyle (4-4-2)



Prediction : St Mirren 1-1 Hibs

It's squeaky bum time for the dirty Hibees tomorrow with Dunfermline getting the win against Aberdeen, the gap is down to only 3pts for the relagation place. For me though, and I have been saying it for a few weeks now, Hibs are improving now under Fenlon and he has reshaped the team adding his players and its starting to show and pay off. Obviously showing the good form in the cup, but what I am starting to notice with Hibs they are winning the games against the teams in the lower half of the league which suggest they are in a bit of a false position (even though it pains me to admit it)

St Mirren have actually only one once in the league in 2012 and I notice a strange stat sticks out that they draw the majority of their games played this year. Played 19, Draw 10, Won 3, Lost 6 (Cup & League)


On this basis and as I not convinced about either team managing to win this game, I shall do a rare thing for myself and take a DRAW @ 3.4 (BETVICTOR)



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