So obviously Rangers are holding Aces at this time, and if you will allow me to continue the Poker metaphor, we have a good drawing hand and certainly have plenty of 'outs'.
What will happen next week will happen, If Rangers have the bottle to go to Tannadice and win then they will be Champions, and whilst I cannot bring myself to say that they will deserve Kings, they will certainly have earned it with their recent run of form.
And what of our teams form? Well that leads us into a separate area of debate that is probably best left alone until this time next week. Suffice to say that failing to get more than one point from Easter Road against a weaker Hibs side than the teams we have faced in recent years says it all. Ever since the loss to Aberdeen a couple of months ago we have systematically failed to see off opposition away from home, which leaves us in our current position. Who would have thought that a game that could have seen us go a staggering ten points clear [the Aberdeen game] was actually the start of our decline!
So what about next Sundays games then? Well obviously all we can do is win our match against Hearts, and hope that Rangers slip up. The fact that a draw will not be good enough for Rangers if we win makes me a little more confident ahead of next week. Had they had the luxury of being able to afford a draw then this could have made their life a bit easier. I am also hopeful that over confidence within their support may contribute to their downfall, which i concede as being a fine example of straw clutching!
Another positive is the fact that barring a rushed emergency meeting of the review panel, Rangers will be without Madjid Bougherra for next week's game. This would mean that either Daily or Webster would have to deputise for the suspended player making them weaker in defence and also losing them the driving force that their player of the year has given them this season.
So here we are then, we are 'all in' and Rangers have called us showing a pair of aces? Will our hand be enough to crack their pocket rockets? Will the 'flop' be kind to us?
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt