League Cup Final Celtic v Rangers: The Fans View

So the Co-op Insurance League Cup Final is only a day away now, fans across the country are gearing up to see Celtic and Rangers do battle once again. Hoping that this time it is not another drab encounter like the league match at Celtic Park back in February.

Two of our Fan contributors look at their side and comment on who must turn up for the game, who can provide that killer touch and who could be a liability or such.

Can Walter Smith win another League Cup and send Rangers on their way towards a Domestic Treble? Or can Strachan mastermind a victory against Celtic’s arch rivals, stopping them from winning the treble and securing their first piece of silverware of the season before going on to win the SPL title for a fourth successive year?

Ian D. Rangers Fan - Kris Boyd won’t start, I’m certain of that. He may have been a “will he or won’t he” contender for Sunday to keep Gordon Strachan guessing, however this week’s heroic’s on the training ground will have put paid to that.

That said, if it was up to me I would make him the first name on the teamsheet. He has everything to prove, he scores for fun but is still written off. He’s just had a midweek run-in with his club manager and is still reeling from his bust up with George Burley who will no doubt be in the stands.

I’d be desperate to throw him out there and say “Go on then son, do the business.” The man who was deadly in last year’s League Cup success I would have no doubt would put Celtic away. However, I can’t see Smith giving him the chance, and a place on the bench will be an achievement enough.

Therefore, Walter will go 4-5-1. He’ll go for pace with Kenny Miller up front, put five across the middle, and Celtic will have their work cut out creating chances. Mendes and a back on form Ferguson will win the cup for Rangers in the engine room. Fleck will also stamp his authority on this game.

He was decent in the Old Firm encounter at Parkhead but Hampden is where the teenage heroes come alive.

Despite Celtic’s cup defeat, it should still be noted they put seven past St Mirren the week before so all the talk about Celtic’s failure to score should be ignored. If they are on song it’ll be a busy day for Allan McGregor.

I think it’ll be tight, it may well be a case of extra-time and penalties. But the Rangers havn’t lost a cup final this this mob since 1989 and Gordon Strachan isn’t about to change that statistic. 2-1 to the Gers.

Andy M Celtic Fan - All the talk in the past few weeks has been about the failure of the Celtic strikers to score goals. Despite the club’s 7-0 victory over St. Mirren in the league, this was followed by the shock 1-0 defeat to St. Mirren a week later in the Scottish Cup.

In the first game against the Buddies, it was the midfielders who duly delivered the goals but once again the strikers failed to take their chances. That sums up Celtic throughout this season.

At one stage the side was seven points clear and had the chance to go 10 points clear, yet Rangers clawed it back to go three points clear at one stage. Despite the failure to win games, Celtic have managed to go three points clear in the league once again and cut the goal difference down to four now.

While some say that the League Cup is a diddy competition, it is the competition that could make or break Celtic’s season.

If Celtic win on Sunday, then that could propel them towards another SPL title, their fourth title in a row. However if they lose it could go either way. Their season could implode and more points will be dropped along with morale both in the stands and in the playing staff.

However it could also be the kick up the arse the players need, if they do get beat - to get them fired up for the remainder of the season. We will never know until after the game on Sunday who will win and at the end of the season to see what side has taken the initiative from the Cup victory.

Strachan must get his tactics right, which he has failed to do more often than not this season. The players at times look jaded and unconvincing in many games. So what is to be done?

Celtic must take the game to Rangers, the midfielders must be at the top of their game on Sunday—with Nakamura & McGeady providing the creative outlet for which hopefully the strikers can use to punish the Gers with.

But who to put in alongside Scott Brown? Would I go for an experienced head in Paul Hartley or a youthful Marc Crosas? I would go for Crosas, because he gives you something that Hartley does not—the ability to send pin point passes across the pitch.

Hartley if needs be could come on later for Crosas to kill the game, but I would start Brown and Crosas together.

The defence has been shocking not only this season, but also last season and despite the warning signs, Celtic have not strengthened it at all. Loovens may have been an addition to the side, but he does not bring anything to the side other than a Squad player.

Hinkel has been in good form recently, although is still suspect at defending, while Caldwell has been the better of our defenders. McManus has proved that he is a liability, given that he was the one who conceded the penalty to St. Mirren last week.

Naylor is out injured so it looks as though Darren O’Dea will be slotting into the left back role again.

All four must be on their game if they are to stop the likes of Kenny Miller from getting a chance. It is still to be seen if Lafferty or Boyd will be playing, however if Celtic give the Gers strikers too much room they will punish us.

Vennegoor of Hesselink and McDonald should start up front for Celtic and the news that the big Dutchman has been called up for the Holland Squad to face Scotland, should give the player a welcome boost. Everyone talks of the goal drought, but it has to end sometime and hopefully Sunday is the day to do so.

Celtic should play their usual 4-4-2 formation, however the last time the two sides met Walter set out a 4-5-1 team leaving Boyd on the bench. That killed the game off and the entertainment also, making it one of the worst Old Firm games I have ever witnessed as a Celtic fan.

Hopefully Smith won’t do likewise again, if he does then I can see the game going to Extra Time and possibly Penalties also.”

Remember you can join Scotzine.com tomorrow from 2.30 PM, as we kick off another Live Match Commentary. You can take part in the show by sending your comments, questions and even vote in the polls that will be up throughout for our Panelists to answer.