Neil Lennon will make a late decision between Glenn Loovens and Thomas Rogne to partner Charlie Mulgrew in the centre of the Celtic defence against Rangers tomorrow.
Loovens is high in the Celtic bosses thoughts with doubts over the fitness of Rogne
The former Cardiff defender started his first match in five months against Inverness Caley Thistle on Wednesday with Rogne left on the bench.
Loovens has had a difficult time since joining Celtic from Cardiff in August 2008 and has made just 14 top team appearances this season.
Rogne has had an injury interrupted season after being given a regular run in the side from November to January until he picked up a calf injury in the Co-Operative Cup semi-final win over Aberdeen.
Mulgrew and Loovens played together for the first time in the 2-1 win over Inverness on Wednesday with Lennon forced into trying out the partnership after Daniel Majstorovic suffered a broken toe in the 2-0 win over Hamilton Accies.
Lennon will also have to decide on who to play in midfield with Scott Brown available again after sitting out the win over Inverness due to suspension.
With just five substitutes allowed in the competition and no u-21 rule James Forrest and Efrain Juarez look like being left out of the 16 selected for the match.
Keatings on target for Celtic u-19s.
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I would rather see Rogne in with Charlie . Glenn is an accident waiting to happen, all depends on the manky mob though. If they don’t play anyone up front then we should be okay . penalty shoot out ?
Glenda is a nervous wreck, no confidence, clumsy and gives away too much.
If he gives away a set piece to Rangers and they score, they will then stick 10 men behind the ball.
Would rather Rogne in there, or if Loovens must play – he should have a haircut first.
Loovens looked kind of solid against Caley… until he gave away the penalty.
He’s been frozen for too long, Lennon shouldn’t gamble on that guy
Loovens is a one man disaster. Rogne would be my prefered selection.
Glenn wouldn’t be anyone’s first pick but he came in in similar circumstances in the 2009 CIS Final.
He had a stormer alongside Stephen McManus, Gary Caldwell moved into midfield, and Rangers barely got a sniff of goal.
On January 1 there weren’t many folk confident going to Ibrox, mention Charlie Mulgrew and Georgios Samaras in the team and thousands of hearts would have sunk.
RESULT? Rangers 0-2 Celtic
After getting it badly wrong in the first Rangers game of the season, not quite as badly as Willie Collum, Lenny has changed his team and tactics for every game against Rangers and came up with three wins and a draw at Ibrox with ten men.
I’ll trust his judgement on Loovens and if a change is needed he’s not afraid of unpopular choices as he showed at Ibrox taking off goalscorer Kris Commons when Fraser Forster was red carded.
I’m not a fan of Glenn Loovens, I agree with Crowe, he’s clumsy and needs a haircut. But he is probably the quickest center back we have. This may have swung Lenny’s decision. Not sure what pace they have in their side.