Celtic struggled for much of the afternoon against Aberdeen but a second half goal from Charlie Mulgrew secured the win. The home team opened well and had a patience about their play which prevented Aberdeen from seeing much of the ball.
Aberdeen had the best chance in the opening stages of the game when Fraser Fyvie crossed from the left but Fraser Forster did very well to intercept an awkward cross under pressure. Celtic soon regained control and profited after 17 minutes when Beram Kayal found Gary Hooper, who squared to Ki in space. The Korean midfielder shot low and hard; Aberdeen keeper David Gonzalez could only slow its progress into the net.
Glenn Loovens, who put in a solid shift in Rennes on Thursday and opened well today, retired injured immediately after the goal, giving Daniel Majstorovic a return to the team.
Aberdeen, who lost by 9 goals in the corresponding fixture last season, slowly played their way back into the game as Celtic perceivably wilted. The early fluency from Celtic was clearly absent as the second half got underway. Anthony Stokes was combative up front but struggled to link with Gary Hooper, who is clearly playing below his best.
Ryan Jack drew Aberdeen level just before the hour mark when he jinked past Joe Ledley and Victor Wanyama, and shot into Forster’s bottom right corner.
Celtic then realised they were in a game and applied themselves with greater effect, forcing Aberdeen to defend four consecutive corners within minutes of drawing level, but without a cutting edge up front, they failed to work Gonzalez.
With 20 minutes remaining Neil Lennon recalled Paddy McCourt from a lengthy period out of the team but before Paddy could work his magic Celtic were ahead. Majstorovic knocked a free kick onto Charlie Mulgrew who took a touch before firing high into the net.
McCourt was an effective relief on an uninspiring game and clipped the ball narrowly wide after one of his trademark runs, proving beyond any doubt that he possesses unique abilities.
With 10 minutes remaining referee, Stevie O’Reilly, who has having a poor game, ordered off Ryan Jack for a second bookable offence. The Aberdeen goal-scorer will miss next weekend’s game against Rangers.
Aberdeen’s 10 men caused Celtic a few anxious moments in the final minute of the game but could not find a way past Forster.
624 Comments- Pages:
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Vmhan who Supports Neil Lennon says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:07
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Hi Vinnie Big John McGachy let this bus know about Joe on the way back from the game, totally shocking hope he makes a speedy recovery, a sincere true Celtic gent.
HH
Paddy G, he’s in a bad way….. 60yrs of age, I understand its on the news in Belfast, not known if it’s sectarian, Joe is a founding member of the Falls rd Emerald CSC……. ps thanks for that offer, you have a kind heart.
V
HH
THE EXILED TIM says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:27
well said mate
This is the all new, all dancing, all transparent sfa btw.
How can a player get booked for celebrating a goal in front of his own supporters and not leaving the field ?
They are cheating us with impunity, still cheating as if their lifes depended on it.
All the crap that the sfa put in place won’t work as long as the hun refs are in charge.
Make them accountable.
Goal Athletic Bilbao against Valencia, a cracker 0-1
HX2
General consensus is we are a poor team.
My opinion is we are not a team.
A disjointed collection of players.
We are totally reactive and i’ve never seen a side with so little anticipation.
We are the football equivalent of the standing stones of Callanish.
No movement ,shape,system or purpose and an absence of leadership at all levels of the club.
i am happy man city beat man u because im getting bored of man u being the best in england
hamiltontim,
Sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Lubo.
Stephbhoy @ 2022
You say that the likes of Paddy don’t contribute enough….sitting on the bench does tend to back up that statement.
Paddy gets us on the edge of our seats and gives the fans a lift , that was evident today before and then when he came on. The GB even have their own song for him !
I am biased though , my maws frae Derry… bring back McGinn !!!
Hail Hail
Is there any official way of asking for clarification of the “leaving the field of play” rule? It needs to be applied equally or not at all, and at the moment it feels like we are the most penalised. Also, we need to get the players to stay on the pitch. Charlie may have stayed on green stuff but it looked to me like he crossed the white lines of his own accord.
Good night amigos – going for a couple of Guinness, respect to you all.
ulysses mcghee says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:19
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re Ledley at LB….. agreed, after the Rennes game he was asked why he was playing at LB and he replied, “don’t know you’ll have to ask the manager about that” ….. strange answer. Ledley is an important member of our midfield and should always be played in his best position where he can be of most value to the team, football can be simple or complicated, I would like NL to keep it simple.
V
HH to ye!
Just back from the game and pleased to see CQN back on line……even though it means I have to read so many negative comments about my tea. I agree it was not a good performance (until Aberdeen scored then we picked up the energy levels by a big factor) but I strongly disagree that ALL the players were poor. I am not a fan Of either Majstorovic or Hooper but Dan was OK today (Hooper wasn`t). I also thought Charlie M was excellent and am astonished that Forster is being criticised. I thought he had a very good game but I will need to see the goal again to see why it was cocnceded. Three points gained was the important matter but we do not look like a team at present. Can`t help thinking that is Lennie`s fault but he will, of course, receive total support from me and I am still hopeful that, when everyone is fit, we might see his real plan in action.
JJ
i think mccourt deserves more game time, same with commons…
the 2 of them in the midfield at the same time would be magic
HH
DB67
I felt we were very flat today one paced for long spells and very disjointed, after having watched the huns prior to our game, main diferrences IMO is that they are organised and disciplined, they now what their role is the team we on the otherhand look as if we have never played together. Unless Lenny gets this sorted he will continue to walk a tightrope.
stubhoy
right in front of me as well ..i sit in 201
as for the Matthews incident ..you must have heard me raging at that one :¬))
Welcome today’s victory but it is as plain as the nose on my face that this team under Lenny alone does not carry the inspiration to win the league. Lenny can tart it up all he wants but that was a turgid victory.
Take that and fact of not securing any victories in Europe has me thinking this will be a long hard season unless the changes a lot of us shouted for last week are made before it is too late.
We clearly, also, have a problem with fitness/sports science applications.
JJ
hope your tea wasn’t too bad…
I don’t believe in conspiracies but if ever a refereeing performance inspired thoughts of “they’re trying to get this gap as big as possible before the administrators arrive” that was it. “Poor” doesn’t even come close.
So glad to come away with 3 points but dear oh dear there are some real issues in that team
All we can do is keep turning up and willing them home. Liked the GB interactive today, good to hear the Celtic End join in!
TinyTim well said mate. God Bless them all
Hail Hail
Stephen with a “ph”
ticgaz says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:35
agree with you about mccourt but loaning out our younger players like mcginn is a great idea because they will grow in experience instead of warming the bench and then because of being loaned out will be our best player in the future :-)
Vmhan
the wee Joe you speak of does he work in a Bar just at the entrance of Belfast city centre?
Cosgraves/Cosgroves???
fan-a-tic
a sad but nonetheless accurate summation
Sorry to say this, but the buck stops with the manager and his backroom boys. They are tactically inept, yet persist with the same formations while it’s obvious it’s not working. Ditto with playing players out of position. How can a team perform to its optimum if week after week the formation and players are all over the shop? Why play people out of their position? It also looks as if Lennie is one to bear a grudge–not a good sign in a manager. Again, slagging players off in public is stupid. It makes the manager look stupid, the team look stupid, and the supporters I know are just shaking their heads. What does Paddy McCourt have to do to get a run of games? Play him with Big Victor and Joe Ledley as minders and let him dictate the game. He’s the best passer of the ball at the club with the best football brain. He’s wasted on the wing, even if he can play there. I think we need a manager. We need one who knows tactics, who doesn’t put square pegs in round holes, and can keep the dressing room together. We need the NL from last year, but I fear he’s gone.
Gamesare won and lost in midfield – even Sally knows that
Today he had Edu protecting Whittacker and Papac protecting Wallace plus Elbows protecting the two CBs
The idea is simple – you start with a clean sheet and keep that
Your better players will/should always create enough chances to win the game
Not pretty – not playing football the mythical “Celtic way” – but effective.
We need a midfield as others have said of
BK – VW- JL + one other
Win the midfield – win the game
HH
stephbhoy says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:22
“celtic need to get short of all those players who dont contribute a lot and replace with several quality first team players who can hold the team together and put them through tough games. ”
No shit Sherlock , that`s what t we pay a manager,scouting staff, coaches and CEO to do . Not having a pop at you personally , but FFS if we do not know that at boardroom level then we are truly fecked.
Evenin Fholks.
Worth distributing this video throughout the UK, but especially Scotland. A few minutes of time, but an overdue lifetime’s education for many.
http://youtu.be/I4WSqCpnM7Q
The result was EVERYTHING today.
Izaguirre will be back soon and I always think he makes the other players play better.
Great captain’sperformance from Charlie Mulgrew and a great hunger to score.
Matthews and Wanyama look better every game.
We have had terrible injuries but have some main players coming back.
All this, and the fact that our chairman shouldn’t be in jail, keeps me cheered this Sunday night.
I LOVE CELTIC.
stephenpollock says:
23 October, 2011 at 20:38
we should be top of our group in the europa league the only reasons we are not is because of a very dodgy penalty decision against udinese (was never a penalty!) and a stupid, stupid O.G from cha du ri
we still have a chance in the europa league
and i still think we will win the league when we get our players back from injury
Donegalbhoy @ 2042
Agree mate , my McGinn comment was aimed at his Derry link.
Unfair to have any judgement on wether Paddy is an effective player.
Today he contributed well in a short time.
He created space for team mates which is what positive players are supposed to do.
We have a lot of players who make our opponents day comfortable but Paddy is not one of them.
He has not had a fair crack under our defensive minded coach.
A defensive thinking coach with our defensive frailties is somewhat ironic.
We needed three points today and got it albeit not via attractive play. Don’t care, if Der Hun gets away with it then so can we. Roll on Wednesday for a few beers then off to Easter Road
TET
The ref was not up for the job notwithstanding my other view of him.
we should have won against rennes we didnt because NL cant read a game, he didn’t make a sub until the 89th minute (what is the logic in that?) i thought paddy would have made an impact on that game, bangura should have came on earlier because he has got pace and i think that would be his time to shine against a weakend rennes side. at half time i thought we should have gone 4-4-2 and went for it because what have we got to lose!
HH
DB67
Oooh oooh charlie mulgrew
New article from Phil
was Bangura injured today ?