MJC

Aye I’d feel more comfortable if there was the usual smugness and expectancy coming from Rangers. Wins over them are few and far between but for as long as I can remember where ever we’ve beaten them it’s been when it’s been unexpected. When we beat them back in March they were on a good winning run and thought they were shoe-ins for the league. Then there was the playoffs where they were favourites and even when we beat them in the 2017 Semi the sponsors and the tv companies built the two semis up as preceding an Old Firm final with their two badges blown up in the foreground and ours and Hibs badges small and in the background like an afterthought. The fact that they are getting a hounding by the media and their fans and there is almost a belief that we will beat them from certain quarters doesn’t sit well with me. Im looking forward to tomorrow but can’t help but think it’s going to be a sickener for us.

Our last five games against Rangers at Hampden have been tight affairs with the obvious exception of the 2005 LCF. Unlike when we play Celtic there we always seem to manage to at the very least score against Rangers at Hampden so there are reasons for optimism. 02/03 SCSF L3-4 04/05 LCF L1-5 10/11 LCSF L1-2 17/18 LCSF W2-0 24/25 Scot Prem L1-2 The Scottish Cup Semi in 2003 still grates at me as we had them that day and Clarkson missed that sitter when we were 2-1 up and we end up losing.

A fair assessment even if he does have an extremely annoying accent and a doofus bunnet.

Us getting to Hampden for a Semi Final/Final is huge for us as a club. The number of tickets sold alone is a clear pointer to that. It’s a big occasion that doesn’t come around often and when it does then it’s something to look forward to and gets the mood around the club and the support fired right up. As for the game itself, Rangers aren’t on the same level as Celtic, who we did okay against in the early stages last week, but they are still man for man a stronger side than we are and we are second favourites going into this one. We do have a chance but as I’ve said before when we are facing them when they are coming off a bad run and all the pressure is on them then it usually ends badly for us.

Always a risk for young players when they play so often at a young age. Hopefully Miller avoids this.

Can see this being a “brave effort” type of game on Sunday as we lose narrowly. Rangers losing a game right before we are due to play them never ends well for us and I think we’d need to score at least twice to have any chance as we will concede as well. Going for a ‘gallant’ 2-1 loss and their winner to come from a late penalty.

His surname is Maswanhise. I had to look that up to make sure I spelt that correctly. Easier to just spell his first name. He’s played about five games so far this season.

Seddon, Casey and Tawanda start. Halliday benched Stam starts up front

Respect everyone’s opinions but for me the Semi Final is the bigger game out of the next two by some distance. If I was offered a choice between winning against Dundee Utd and winning the Semi Final then I’d pick the Semi every single time. We’ve got a chance to get to a Cup Final, they don’t come around very often atall.

Nope, another defeat here I reckon. Without Gordon at the back that leaves us light and we will struggle. SO’D and Halliday will start again and offer nothing as usual and Miller will be our main hope of getting something. 2-0 home win

A very good summary of the game.

Of course. But Steelboy seems to be fair game for a lot of posters on here and that’s why I’m highlighting this. I don’t agree with everything he says and sometimes I even think he can be a bit harsh on certain players and coaching staff but he clearly loves the club and wants the best for us. Suggesting that because “he’s constantly criticising players and management” (which isn’t accurate) suggests that he doesn’t support the club or supports someone else is absolute nonsense. He is clearly very passionate about the club and wants us to succeed as much as we can. It appears though that it’s been ‘decided’ that he’s the main villain on here and anything he says is fair game to be pounced upon.

Pretty much as expected. Well beaten by a much stronger side and no complaints. Had either of Millers efforts which hit the post early on gone in then we might have had a foothold and a chance but they didn’t and as soon as Celtic scored that was that. It’s a shite state of affairs but Celtic are just on a different level to every other side in Scotland and the only chance you have against them is if the breaks go your way and when you hit the woodwork twice in the first half at 0-0 then you’re not getting those breaks and you’re not going to get anything. All that said we have some serious deadweight in our squad in Halliday, SO’D and Robinson and this needs to be addressed if we are to make any progress.

The guy is clearly Motherwell daft and cares passionately about the club. Give him a break ffs!

“They’re Glasgow Celtic, they’ll do what they want”. And anyone who doesn’t let them do what they want…woe betide them.

Which is why I’m surprised it wasn’t given, it was a clear push which caused the handball. HT 0-1. Not the worst performance by any means and Miller was desperately unlucky not to score with his free kick especially as the goalkeeper was beaten all ends up. But in these games you need those to go in for you and when they don’t then it’s never going to end well. We’ve been chasing shadows since the goal and are very fortunate that it’s only 1-0 so far. It’s a question of how many Celtic will score now.

Should be 0-2. That was a penalty.

Game over.

David Dickinson is the referee today with Alan Muir on VAR. I don't believe any match official is deliberately biased but you do get some who are very easily swayed by St.Brendan putting his hand up at every 50/50 challenge and Callum McGregor getting in their face trying to referee the game for him. I don't envy the match officials in games involving Celtic to be honest as they know that if they give decisions that don't suit Celtic then they will be scrutinised and harassed for weeks on end. So I don't think it's a case of requiring an impartial referee it's more a case of requiring a strong one.

As has already been said, one of two scenarios are more likely than not to happen today and they both begin with an S. 1) Sickened As we were on both occasions we played Celtic at home last season in that we hang in there and lose late on. or; 2) Skullfucked A defeat by four or more goals which if we concede inside the first ten minutes is a distinct possibility. Either way it won’t be pleasant viewing. I’m going for the second scenario and a 0-5 defeat.

It would have been their first domestic defeat in 18 months, or pretty close to that. McGregor’s swan dive after a nothing challenge from Andy Rose got them the penalty which Scott Sinclair (who had dived to get the penalty in the League Cup Final and got Kipre sent off) scored from. Rodgers got on his high horse about Burrows showing footage of the penalty award on his laptop and went into full condescending mode.

Rodgers, Celtic and their fans were absolutely insufferable during that trilogy in late 2017. Two soft penalties and they couldn’t bring themselves to admit they got lucky with them and the smugness and self satisfaction was off the scale. It won’t happen on Sunday but it would be fucking magic if we finally got a win against them and send their hoardes home angry and have that blobfished face false prick of a manager shaking his head in disappointment during his post match sermon.

Celtic are in a different league to every other clubs supports when it comes to vandalising the South Stand. Add to that the standing in the the aisles in their thousands which would clearly suggest doubling up at the turnstiles and the usual pyro/invading the park and it’s a horrible atmosphere.

One of those two scenarios is almost certainly what will happen on Sunday. No doubt accompanied with the usual damage to the South Stand by the self righteous “social justice warriors” in the away support. I can see it far enough already. 🙄

That was dreadful.