https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/news/cel...d=msedgntp

I must say take the money if it is anywhere near £35M esp after this COVID affected season that has been disastrous for Celtic and unprecedented in Scot footie. Such a big "pay day" would financially compensate for more than any loss of the Scot Prem title and would signal the start of the rebuilding process to a team that needs to be strengthened in various key positions. I must say Celtic already still have dollops of previously acquired money from Euro ventures etc anyway and are certainly nowhere near Rangers position of having so much debt attached to them from various sources of "vested interest" - time to turn a negative situation into a positive one plus apply a huge boost to future footie operations!

Well this is probably the worst fixture v an unbeaten team that Hibs could ask for after such a humiliating semi-final defeat to a Scot Prem team that hardly won a league fixture in its last nine matches and operates to a fraction of Hibs spending budget!! Anyway, moving on to this testy match and how we tackle it, I know for certain that Stevie Mallan won't be involved because I gather he has been loaned out to a Turkish footie club - is this the start of the "clear out"? How do we take on this game v Rangers?? Well I think we must try to inject some kinda "positive feel" to lift this group of players in the face of the negativity surrounding the events of a horrible showing by players whose character and work ethic is being seriously questioned by thousands of Hibs fans who expect better. Indeed show some pride in "playing for the shirt"! Maybe that is what should be preached by the manager - COMMITMENT and applying it effectively on the park! I call it "busting a gut" for the badge and no questions asked after any game when one has done everything possible to try and win a footie match - no guilty feeling of "letting the side down"! So down to business - how to beat a team that generally has probs v Hibs and clearly don't like playing us? Well a physical confrontation is definitely a tactic for starters after observing their previous "whining" re this type of approach. At least we don't have to drop Murphy because he is a Rangers loanee. Is Newell available? I hope he is back from injury because he is currently one of our best players and was sorely missed at Hampden on Saturday! Gogic definitely has to play in this match mainly to battle their midfield although I must admit I'd like to combat their defence in a hi-press strategy but not with such a fragile defence with CBs who I don't trust one jot TBH!! I hope the manager can somehow organise this pair to just do the simple things - focus and stop pissing about!! Also my next strategy is to target Tavernier's position again and force him back to his own defensive line where I expect some mistakes from this Rangers captain - lets focus on that defensive weakness!! Place Boyly in front of him and demand a performance and proper work ethic from this Hibs player once and for all or else!! Nisbet up top with Doidgy or do we leave the young lad on his own? That is a hard one to call!! I'd try to field close to the same Hibs team as played at Ibronx but I'd be loathe to list Wright!! IMO he should be moved on, the same as Mallan - gotta get rid of the "dead wood" and replace with better! But the forages of Barisic need to be stifled - put a tough tackler/marker on him and double up with McGinn? Also try to get the midfield balance right and we MUST BATTLE THE MIDFIELD AREA - THAT PHYSICAL BATTLE IS IMPERATIVE - GIVE NO QUARTER!!! I must say this is a game I'm not relishing one bit but I think the players must try to take it on as described previously and with the right formation and strategy to "hurt them". C'mon Hibs - surprise me FFS and "show up"!!

GGTTH

So the big question, with Letheren off to seek gainful employment elsewhere, who gets the gloves at Boreham Wood?

Does Mr Rowe go with a young lad who is third choice behind a fairly-mistake prone if talented giant at Ipswich - Holy? Or does he choose Grant Smith against them, their own former star keeper?  Would that pressurise Smith or inspire him? It would certainly tell him the manager believes in him.

If he's fully-fit I'd go all the way with Grant Smith. It has to be a good sign the manager didn't fancy Letheren.

Football's decided by goals. Aside from the officials the only position involved in every goal scored either by commission, or omission, is the goalkeeper. My only worry with Grant Smith is nothing good happened for him after Boreham Wood. He was the best non-league keeper in the country at a time when a young Nick Pope was coming through. It wasn't a case of being the best of a bad bunch!

THE MATCH

WEDNESDAY 27TH JANUARY 7:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



Not too surprisingly, our cup run came to an end at Goodison Park. Everton fielded a fair strong line up including Calvert-Lewin, Richarlisson & James. We had a couple of chances which were saved before Everton took the lead when Gomes crossed for Lewin to score from close range. We kept it to 1-0 until the second half when Everton scored from 2 set pieces with Richarlisson & Mina both scoring. With the game over there were plenty of substitutions as Everton progressed to the 5th Round as we focus on the league.

THE MATCH



Back to the league and we travel down to Coventry. With a couple of games postponed we now find our selves 6 points adrift of Coventry so a win is a must. The Sky Blues have only won 1 of there last 6 games while we have won 3 of our last 4 league games. They are managed by Mark Robins who played about 20 games for us some time ago. Not really any recognisable names in there ranks. The Sky Blues will just be looking to stay up this season and try to progress next season.

CURRENT FORM

OWLS               -                        

COVEN              -                                          

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

LEIGH DOUGHTY
Steven Meredith and Wade Smith
Fourth Official : Geoff Eltringham

THE TEAM

Might depend on whose is fit, will Hutch be available after signing.

Wildsmith
Palmer Borner Brennan Penney
Harris Bannan Paterson Hutch Reach
Windass

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

0-1 Windass

BML STANDINGS

Owlkev 9
Washington 8
Stateside 7
Imre 6
Pei 6
SCO 5
Maddix 2
Wereham 1

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Everton v Leicester City
Manchester United v Sheffield United
Barnsley v Cardiff City
Middlesbrough v Rotherham United
Swansea City v Brentford

AHHHA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC





One for Washington

2 points for a correct result
4 points for a correct score
2 points for each correct scorer
Correct joker doubles your score      
Wrong joker result gives you minus 2
Correct Random Badger gives you 2 points

The random badger is used for any random prediction used once in each matchday sequence. For instance, a scorer at a particular match, the number of red cards in the matches or yellow cards or own goals or owt you want really within reason, I do need to be able to check whether it's correct or not. Please don't put stuff like....."Commentator says...."  
The joker   is played for one match in each sequence and if correct you get double points. So if you've predicted 1-0 and it finishes 2-0, you get 4 pts, but if you've predicted 2-0, that's 8 pts. But if you get it wrong, it's minus 2.
Jokers and badgers are optional. You don't have to play one if you don't want.


Cup games:
In the event of a draw, it's half the points if you've predicted a draw when it gets to 90 mins and the full points if it's still a draw after extra time. Half the points will be awarded for correctly predicting the winner of the match if it goes to penalties.

Random score generator: I will be using the random score generator again for those who miss predicting, so we shouldn't get some people too far behind that after missing a couple of weeks they lose all interest, because I know it's not easy getting on here every week.
To be fair to everybody, this is going to be like, say if three people in one week miss their predictions, the first one in the table will be given all 0-0, the second one down the line will get 1-0 and the third will get 0-1 and so on, like if there's four missing the 4th will get 1-1, then 5th 2-1, 6th 1-2. and if there are so many missing, might as well pack in.
And if you miss two weeks on the trot, I'll stop until you come back on again. Not doing it for half a season like I did t'other year.  

Friday 29th January:
Reading v AFC Bournemouth

Saturday 30th January:
Town v Stoke
Town scorers:
Stoke scorers:

Norwich City v Middlesbrough (12:30)
Birmingham City v Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers v Luton Town
Brentford v Wycombe Wanderers
Cardiff City v Millwall
Derby County v Bristol City
Nottingham Forest v Barnsley
Rotherham United v Swansea City
Sheffield Wednesday v Preston North End

Monday 1st February:
Watford v Queens Park Rangers

Tuesday 2nd February:
Millwall v Norwich City
AFC Bournemouth v Sheffield Wednesday
Coventry City v Nottingham Forest
Rotherham United v Derby County
Wycombe Wanderers v Birmingham City

Wednesday 3rd February:
Brentford v Bristol City

Table after Matchday 21:

1. jjamez = 515 pts
   
2. theo_luddite = 506 pts
   
3. themaclad = 503 pts
   
4. Baggiebob(BBB) = 500 pts
   
5. neonfoxinthebox = 487 pts
   
6. St Charles Owl = 476 pts
   
7. Lord Snooty = 467 pts
   
8. SHEP_HTAFC = 458 pts
   
9. ritchiebaby = 428 pts
   
10. Amelia Chaffinch = 402 pts
    
11. Beefy 1965 = 356 pts

What more can I say.
What a performance against a team described as one of the best in the world.!

Not surprisingly Ben Tozer declared man of the match but, the likes of Josh Griffiths not far behind.
Indeed all of the players played out of their skins and didn't deserve to lose by that margin.
As Manager Michael Duff said "You could tell by the way the City players celebrated their goals just what it meant to them"

Being partisan, I did think that one of City's goals looked a tad offside.

Where's VAR when you need it!

Come On You Robins

So with no football this week I thought it might be interesting to have a goal of the month competition from certainly one of the best months ever, December 2006 14 years ago so some of these will on our hit list now

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYLwinj-kI

   

DD