Nicholl: Killie need to fear Hoops

12 March 2010 16:17
Celtic have the chance to avenge their 1-0 defeat in the Scottish Premier League when they return to Rugby Park for the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup.[LNB]The pressure is on the visitors who, having fallen 13 points behind Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the SPL, are probably left with only the prospect of cup glory this season.[LNB]However, Nicholl, who revealed boss Jimmy Calderwood will be back after missing a few days to deal with a family emergency, attempted to put his side's task into perspective.[LNB]"People will say we beat them last time but this is totally different," assistant manager Nicholl said.[LNB]"If you are playing against the Old Firm you have to have the fear of losing, the fear of being humiliated and getting beat by five or six.[LNB]"That drives you on, you are pumped up and you are driven on. I have seen it when my teams have played against the Old Firm.[LNB]"That's why people ask the question, 'How come you did that against Rangers and Celtic and you don't do it against the team at the bottom?'[LNB]"If Celtic keep getting told that this is their last chance for silverware they will be more determined to do something about it.[LNB]"If their players have the fear of losing then that makes it really hard for us."[LNB]Robbie Keane made his Celtic debut at Rugby Park just after signing on loan from Tottenham.[LNB]Thanks in part to the good form of goalkeeper Cameron Bell, the Republic of Ireland striker drew a blank in front of a healthy and expectant travelling support, but has since notched five goals to confirm his status as a top-class striker.[LNB]"I thought Keane played well against us that night," Nicholl said. "He was making runs that the other Celtic players didn't see.[LNB]"But the weeks have gone on and they know him now so we have to be very careful.[LNB]"I watched his runs against Falkirk last week and his movement and the positions in the box that he takes up are terrible for a defender.[LNB]"He drags centre-halves and full-backs into places they don't want to go and they hate that.[LNB]"We have to put pressure on the ball and make sure they don't deliver the pass.[LNB]"But whatever we do against Robbie Keane, we have to do against the player on the ball and Aiden McGeady.[LNB]"There are loads of things we have to do if we are to win this cup tie."[LNB]Bell told Press Association Sport that he will brush up on his Keane homework before facing him for the second time.[LNB]"I watched DVDs of Keane before his debut and looked at the way he played and the way he finished," Bell said.[LNB]"I knew I couldn't go down too early and it was something that I focused on.[LNB]"I was standing behind everybody and I could see his movement, it was phenomenal.[LNB]"It was maybe a case that the Celtic players weren't on the same wavelength at the time, but now they have clicked and they have started scoring goals.[LNB]"So I will have a look at some of the games he has played in Scotland since then and have a look at his finishing again.[LNB]"Sometimes his finishing is outstanding and there is nothing you can do, but if it gives you that little edge then you might have a chance of keeping the ball out of the net.[LNB]"But we will be going into the game thinking that we can beat them again."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk