Source: Team_Talk
Strachan laughs off set-piece worry
Celtic's last league defeat came at Pittodrie in January when Zander Diamond converted two late Charlie Mulgrew free-kicks to give Aberdeen a 4-2 victory.
Aberdeen's first two goals also came from crosses into the box and Strachan admitted Mulgrew's free-kicks posed a serious risk.
But he is confident Celtic can cause Aberdeen similar problems and feels their 2-0 victory over the Dons two weeks ago is proof they took the loss on board.
"You could say that about Nakamura's free-kicks," Strachan said.
"If you deliver the perfect free-kick, there is not much you can do about that.
"At Man United, when Dave Sexton went there he was trying all sorts of corner kicks and bits and bobs.
"Gordon McQueen said: 'Why don't we do that one we've been using for years when Steve Coppell just puts it in the box and I head it in the back of the net?' That has always been a good one.
"If you get great delivery and bravery, then you have always got a problem.
"We're the same with Nakamura and Paul Hartley delivers a good free-kick, so does Shaun. So we have those weapons as well."
Strachan added: "Hopefully we have learned a bit from that defeat. You try and learn from every game, you try and learn from the game we won last week.
"We're looking to the victories as well as the defeats and
what we can use as ammunition.
"From the defeat a few months ago to the victory last week, we have used that information."
Celtic have only won once in their last seven away games but Strachan pointed to the conditions of their opponents' pitches when discussing recent matches on the road.
"I just think that if we had won a few of them, the league would be over," he said.
"So they have done very well to keep the league open.
"I think the away games, some of the conditions of the football fields have made it more of a physical test than a football test.
"We'll have to see what it throws up. We always have decent games against them and been relatively successful over the last four years.
"The players know fine well there is a hard game coming up. Hopefully they will be switched on.
"They seem fine if the recent performances are anything to go by.
"Their attitude is first class and their football has been very good."
Celtic go into the post-split run-in one point ahead of Rangers, a different situation from last year when they overturned a seven-point deficit in the last seven games.
Strachan feels no more or less pressure though - just anticipation for an exciting finale.
"I think it's pressure for the fans because they just come along and watch," the former Aberdeen player said.
"All they can do is sing, enjoy themselves or get worried but we can actually participate. So it's exciting for us.
"It's been exciting the last three years in different ways and we seem to have handled it okay.
"We'll keep our fingers crossed that we've got the right mentality again.
"Every year last year had to be a winning game. We don't know if we need to win the next five games or we might have to win the next three, so that's the exciting part of it."
Stephen McManus and Shunsuke Nakamura will overcome fitness problems to play, which is a boost for a Celtic side missing the suspended Scott Brown.
Brown is one of four players in line to receive the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award on Sunday, but Strachan hinted another, Gary Caldwell, could fill his boots.
"Gary Caldwell has played in midfield on many occasions, Paul Hartley has done it brilliantly for us," Strachan said.
"We feel we have got good players, different from Brownie, but that's fine, we can adapt."
Meanwhile, Strachan kept his cards close to his chest when asked for his opinions on the Old Firm's potential move to the English Premier League.
Bolton Phil Gartside is considering putting a proposal for Celtic and Rangers to join a second tier of the English top-flight to his fellow chairmen in June.
Strachan said: "It's not going to happen in the next couple of years. If I'm here and it gets any closer, then I'll give you a view."
Celtic 4/7, Draw 13/5, Aberdeen 9/2
