Celtic, Falkirk, Ayr United and Kilmarnock all set for Hampden
This weekend Ayr face Kilmarnock, and Falkirk play Celtic in the Scottish Communities League Cup semi-finals.
Both games are previewed on this week's podcast at http://theawayend.libsyn.com, and George Cran takes an in depth look at Sunday's live TV game at Hampden.
First Division Falkirk will be looking to claim another Old Firm scalp this Sunday as they take on SPL leaders Celtic at Hampden in the Scottish Communities League Cup Semi-Final.
The Bairns, currently second in the league, knocked Rangers out in the Third Round thanks to an injury-time Mark Millar goal securing a surprise 3-2 victory at the Falkirk Stadium. They also saw off Dundee United on penalties in the Quarter-Final.
Celtic’s run to the Semi-Finals was not nearly as dramatic as last year’s finalists eased through with a 4-1 victory at Hibernian in the Quarters and a 2-0 win over Ross County in the Third Round.
Both teams come into the fixture full of confidence as each boast impressive recent form. Falkirk are unbeaten in all competitions since the end of November and Celtic have won each of their last 13 domestic matches.
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Celtic v Rangers: Hooper-Jelavic head to head
Two vital men in tonight's Old Firm clash at Celtic Park will be the free scoring Gary Hooper and Nikica Jelavic. Stephen Temlett takes a look at the two hitmen and sees who is likely to come out on top in the Glasgow derby.
Gary Hooper
Gary Hooper joined Celtic in July for £2.4 million and has been on fire this season with 11 goals.
The ex-Scunthorpe frontman has experience in Old Firms with four goals and three wins already.
His 11 goals have helped Celtic get back into the title race and he has really hit form in the past month. He has seven goals from the last eight games including a hat-trick against St. Mirren.
Goals this season = 14
Celtic's five key players
Robert Hynes looks at five men who will be crucial in Celtic's fight for the title.Gary Hooper
The Englishman has shown on numerous occasions he can score goals finishing last season with twenty goals and having eleven to date this term. The ex-Scunthorpe player has also scored in three out of four Old Firm appearances. Hooper started this season quite slowly scoring just once in Celtic’s four opening league games. He is still awaiting an English cap and has yet to represent the country at any level. During the 2009-2010 season with Scunthorpe, Hooper was the third highest goal scorer in the Championship with 19 goals, finishing ahead of the likes of Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam.
Celtic v Rangers: It's winner takes all
Celtic will tonight host their fierce rivals Rangers in yet another titanic struggle for the SPL crown and Paul Deeney believes its winner takes all.
With elbows flying, red cards flowing and appeals left right and centre the build up to today’s big game has been as ferociously festive as ever. But what have Neil Lennon’s Bhoys got in their stockings for Ally McCoist’s men?
The Bhoys go into the match on an eight game winning spree high on confidence and oozing with self belief. On the contrary the Gers fans aren’t as eager for the encounter especially after dropping three points to St Mirren in Paisley. A sure bet then, Celtic runaway winners? Not quite. As everyone says form goes out the window in the Glasgow derby and there is no such thing as a sure bet.
It’s also highly notable that the last time Celtic where as highly touted for victory was the League Cup final when Rangers ran out 2-1 victors but I won’t need to remind any Celtic fans of that.
Celtic v Rangers: The crucial match-ups
We're just over 24 hours away from the second Glasgow derby of the season. Colette Carr makes her The Away End debut and looks at two crucial match-ups that could decide the game and even the league title.
Fraser Forster v Allan McGregor
It’s the 90 minutes that brings the west of Scotland close to a standstill, as most of its energies focus on the happenings at Parkhead. As the second Old Firm fixture of the season draws ever closer, we take a look at, and compare and contrast four likely starts from both ends of Glasgow.
Both Fraser Forster and Allan McGregor have starred throughout the season, and it would be a major shock if either of them failed to start on the 28th. However, the two stoppers have very little in common.
McGregor, who turns 30 next January, has far more experience over the 23 year old loan star Forster. Forster, who is on his second loan spell to Celtic from Newcastle United, has featured in seven Old Firm clashes since his move to Celtic, but McGregor has been in over 250 games for the Light Blues, and a considerable number of these appearances would be in the derby.
And the superior experience over the Englishman doesn’t end there.
Celtic v Rangers: Two days to go
Another crucial Old Firm clash is looming, with Glasgow's big two seperated now by just one point. Peter Owen previews the big Parkhead match.
As the festive season is upon us, so comes the traditional Old Firm derby on December 28th. As always this fixture is hotly anticipated and passionately fought. Nearly always this match is seen as 'key' to either - or both - Rangers' and Celtic's race to the SPL trophy.
This time around is no different.
Both clubs have major stories surrounding them as we build up to the second derby of the season. Rangers, having built a 15 point gap over their Glasgow rivals, have hit turbulent times. Important players have seemingly lost form and their ability to win despite playing poorly has disappeared. That once massive lead has been reduced to just one point.
While some of this is down to Rangers' inability to play good football and win their matches, a lot of it is down to a fantastic revival from the Hoops. The Parkhead club have now won eight SPL matches on the trot and are undeniably the side with all the momentum going into the match. Manager Neil Lennon has found some consistency in his central defensive partnership, with Dan Majstorovic and Cha Du Ri becoming the favoured combination. Gary Hooper has continually scored goals at the other end of the field, while goalkeeper Frazer Forster has been on top form of late, most notably during the Hearts game where his penalty save in the dying moments preserved a Celtic win.
Jonny Boyle's weekend betting tips
Last week was a poor return betting wise as on more than one coupon a couple of teams suffered unexpected results, but Jonny Boyle this week hopes to make amends.
Two coupons from three weeks isn’t bad. So, this week I have some at shorter odds, but have taken into account the poor weather in Scotland and high chance of postponements. Here goes…
Treble – Short Shot
Motherwell @EVS Home
Cardiff @23/20 Home
Hull @EVS Home
Motherwell makes up the Scottish part of this treble, with a home game to St.Mirren. St.Mirren had a good game at Pittodrie last week but Motherwell will be too strong for them I feel. Cardiff are at home to Middlesbrough at 23/20 and are due a result to get them back in good form. Finally, Hull are at home to Millwall with William Hill offering odds of EVS for this game. Hull are in decent form and are especially strong at the KC Stadium. This coupon is all home wins so represents smaller odds, so go for a bigger stake to return higher winnings.
Combined odds are 7.6/1 so a £10 bet will return £86 at William Hill.
Jonny Boyle's weekend football bets
Jonny Boyle managed to bag £107 last week after placing £10 on his recommended short shot treble with William Hill. He predicted wins for Chelsea, Brighton and Airdrie last week at odds of 10.7/1 as well as predicting 6 out of 8 winners for the Boyles bigg’un. If you didn’t back him shame on you, as that’s been two treble wins from his first two weeks. However he’ll try his best to get you some money this week! Good Luck.
Treble – Short shot
Hull @ 6/4 Away
Raith Rovers @7/4 Home
Clyde @13/8 Home
Less of a short shot as the odds are very favourable for the teams backed so get a good return. Firstly, Hull are on the back of two wins on the bounce, with a brilliant home win at Birmingham midweek. Wouldn’t be surprised if Hull go on a win streak, adding to those victories with an away result at Coventry who are struggling. Raith Rovers are another team on form and you cant look past them getting all 3 points at home to Livingston who, despitea brilliant result at Hamilton last week, will struggle at Starks Park. To complete the treble is a home win for Clyde at Elgin. 13/8 is brilliant odds for a Clyde team in form against the perennial Third Division stalwarts Elgin.
Combined odds are 17/1 so a £10 stake will return £117 at William Hill. Worth a shot!
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