 Sunday, March 20, 2005
Celtic and United serve up a treat
It was as though we were transported back to the early 1980’s. Celtic and Dundee United both played fast attacking football, shared five goals and served up a thriller right to the end.
If the SPL could figure out how to serve this fare up every week there would be no talk about moving to pastures new.
Where to start with Craig Bellamy? Five minutes into the game he had enough time at the right edge of the box to fire home a right foot thunderbolt. It was a technically excellent goal which would have been beyond so many Celtic strikers we have seen between those heady days in the 1980’s and the late 1990’s.
There has only been one Celtic player in the last twenty years who could have scored Bellamy's second goal, and of the 242 goals that striker scored, few would eclipse this effort.
Ulrik Laursen carried the ball forward at speed before spotting a space into which he could release Bellamy. It was a fast moving ball, it was on his weaker left foot, he had a defender on him and it was outside the box.
This time the shot was a controlled finish into the postage stamp corner, not the hurried thump we see from so many strikers. Breathtaking football.
His hat-trick was another piece of art. Chris Sutton got a touch on a long clearance from Rab Douglas, Bellamy controlled on the chest at such speed he found himself free of the last defender at the edge of the area. This time it was a careful left foot finish which secured all three points.
Am I wrong to assume he has a weaker foot?
Craig Bellamy apart, we need to give credit to Dundee United. For a team at the bottom of the league who had lost by three clear goals to Kilmarnock last week they were great.
The contrast with ever other team we have played in recent weeks was marked. They are recognisable heirs to the Dundee United teams I remember from the 1980’s.
Their first goal mirrored Celtic’s third, a goalkeeper clearance where an alert striker lost his marker and finished with composure. My concerns with our defence are not immediate, they are good enough to deliver the double, however, before August is out we will have a Champions League qualifier to win – and that is a whole different story.
Barry Robson, smacked their second goal past Rab Douglas with the assistance of a slight deflection. It was not to be Robson’s last key moment in the game.
At the start of added time he pitched a free-kick to Rab Douglas’ top right hand corner. And we have been looking for a cure for those who leave early! On moments like these leagues are decided.
Robson must have felt it was Groundhog Day. Back in the autumn he had the same opportunity in added time at Ibrox. On that day he scored to deny Rangers the two points they are now adrift of Celtic.
Big Rab took a chance with the free kick. He lined his wall up to cover his left post and positioned himself near the right post – at this point I was busy screaming “move to the middle”.
His positioning was key, as he rose to save.
And it didn’t end there. There was a full five and a half minutes of added time, the most obvious justification for which was that it was a pity to end such a game.
And what did this time bring? Bullock, the United ‘keeper, brought the ball forward into the Celtic half before releasing a team-mate. Are these the characteristics of a team about to be relegated? I think not.
I even spent the latter half of the afternoon listening out for the results of United’s rivals at the bottom of the league, now convinced that I want this team to stay up. Well, they have denied Rangers more points than we have this season.
2 Comments:
-
Taggsybhoy
Ex analysis, as always Paul. I hope Utd stay up. I also hope Dline do too.
I am not a fan of Bellamy as the person he was in the past(we can all learn from our mistakes, and he has made them), but as a player, well this was the stuff of legends. First one today was reminiscent of Charlie Nick at his prime, second was Henrik all over and the 3rd was his alone. Speed, guts and a winning mentality. I guess the ball is in his court. If MoN gives him the money he can get in the EPL (45k a week. That's a week guys, can you imagine earning this?!!) Its the Henrik scenario. Outwith Man U, Chelsea or Arsenal, who else can give you the same dosh, but with CPL, ego massage, and a name in history, not just a squad number. Does Alan Smith (great player) ever get a game for Man U?
is it too much that the fans give Rab a shout at the next home game? We know, and he knows, he fecked up against TFOD, but he wasn't the only one. He just doesn't have the get out. His save today was worth as much as Bellamy's goals. As was a last minute save against Livi at home in December. Giving a guy a bit of support means a hell of a lot. Rab won us the game today. He wasn't the only one, Laursen is another very unsung hero to my mind in recent weeks, but give Rab in particular, a bit of positive encouragement. Great to see MoN give him a big hug at the end. I felt the same myself!
-
anon
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
<<
Home
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
