Neil Lennon faces an injury crisis for this afternoon’s clash with Inverness Caley Thistle with FIVE players rated doubtful.
James Forrest will see a specialist about his recurring injury problems and he could be joined on the sidelines by Georgios Samaras, Kris Commons, Anthony Stokes and Derk Boerrigter for today’s match.
With the return leg of the Champions League qualifier against Shakhter Karagandy coming up on Wednesday the Celtic boss could do with having a fully fit squad to select from.
Speaking yesterday the Celtic boss explained: “We have a few doubts. Samaras, Forrest, Boerrigter, Stokes and Commons are all very doubtful for tomorrow. We won’t make a decision on them until the morning but they are all receiving treatment today.
“Sammy’s is a toe problem, sciatica, which is a real concern for us. Watching James he’s dragging his leg a little bit now which is definitely holding him back a little bit, he’s going to see a neurologist and we’re going to try to get to the bottom of it, the kid has been plagued by injuries for the last eight to ten months.
“It’s a shame because he is a magnificent player, when he is in full flow he is such an asset for us.
“Boerrigter is still the ankle injury that he picked up against Ross County, Stokes is a calf and Commons is a groin problem.
“There are serious doubts about them for tomorrow (Saturday). I’m not interested in giving them a rest, we do have genuine concerns for them, it’s not come at a great time for us with the game tomorrow and a huge game on Wednesday.
Given the old adage of only being as good as your last game – then clearly some of them will not be missed at all. Great chance for others to step forward and claim a place.
Pity about Derk as I think he could really lift the crowd.
Might be time to unleash Balde / Watt & McGeough….Rogic if he’s fit.
Agreed Williebhoy. We have a big squad for a reason. Time to use them.
There is constantly a bigger queue at the Celtic physio room than at A & E in the country’s largest hospitals. And sorting the problems completely seems to take even longer than in the NHS and that’s some going. Either we are pampering a team of “wimps” or serious questions need asked of our medical team.
H H
The bold Ten Therty says the Lions never knew what a metatarsal was, you just got on with it, and The Buzzbomb talks about a game were he had an eye full of grit when the sponges man (physio) came on and actually licked his eyeball and that was him ready to go!
I think maybe the clubs themselves are more responsible due to the fact that these guys are Multi million pound investments for the club and as such are mollycoddled a bit.
HH
Why don’t we stop focusing on the negative reports of this injury or that, and start to
plan our tactics with what we have available.We have a big squad,so lets use it.
Well said we have some good young players let start to use them give them a chance to show us what they can do All the best Hail Hail
Gotta agree PJ, when you look at the side we fielded against L’pool, although I realise a couple have gone out on loan to develope their game, with a couple of untested new Bhoys we should be able to field a side capable of beating any sfpl side at Celtic Park.
We all had a moan about Tuesdays result, and rightly so, but now lets get behind Lenny and the Bhoys and deal with what’s infront of us right now.
HH
PJ44
I think you may just have missed my point here. I believe it is very much a negative to be focused on when you have and have had for many a season now, a line of cripples the length of Sauchiehall St. with no sign of a final repair in sight. This is the medical aspect we are discussing here not football ability or potential.
I have no qualms whatsoever with looking to our youngsters; good enough, old enough in my day. I have indeed long argued that we should be doing far more to better prepare these lads to take over. That way the likes of Wanyama, Hooper and Wilson would not catch us out the way they did. It would also stop the squabbling about transfer money. Though, if I can be negative again, the youth development at Lennoxtown has been, up till now, a massive investment with relatively very little realistic return if you look at the numbers who come through to succeed, for Celtic at least, at the top level.
H H
It doesn’t matter what they can do Lennon will drop them for the next game anyway. And I still can’t believe derk (sicknote ) boerrigter is still injured. He complained when he arrived about the Dutch media labelling him. Sicknote. He then gets taken of injured within 35 mins of his debut after the most innocuous tackle you’ve ever seen. And we havnt seen him since. You honestly couldn’t make this up. I’m grumpy today sorry bhoys. Come on you bhoys in green. Let’s smash the butchers boys. HH
I’ve heard from a Dutch friend that the lad’s got a serious attitude problem and didn’t get on with Frank de Boer at all. Infact in the first interview in Glasgow he slagged De Beor of quite vindictively.
Apparetly the Ajax camp were not well chuffed.
I only hope Lenny can turn the lad around.
HH
Well let’s hope so. HH
Balde, Ambrose, Kayal, Rogic and Watt all starting today.
Full line up:
Forster, Matthews, Ambrose, Van Dijke, Izzy, Broony, Kayal, Rogic, Mulgrew, Amido and Watt
Subs:
Zluska, Ledley, Mouyokolo, Lustig, Atajic, McGeoch, Henderson.
HH
Thanx Sweeney am at work and keep checking on this. Might try to get on radio. Come on you bhoys in green HH
1-2 ICT.
First goal ICT was a great shot, I think taking everyone by surprise.
Second ICT, defnce….???
Mulgrew scores 10 mins from h/t.
Players of note, for me, Celtics ‘prodical son’ Mulgrew and ‘son of Celtic’ Balde.
HH
ICT shamelessly time wasting.
Lustig and McGeogh warming up.
HH
Van Dijk off
Lustig on
MATTHEWSSSSSSSSS 2-2.
9mins on the clock
HH
F/T 2-2.
Frustrating.
Wee Jamsie caught yawning in the stand.
Has anyone thought about asking his mum to take his playstation out of his bedroom?
HH
Brilliant. FAF. Keep em coming Sweeney