In football, the world changes on goals. Not skill, general play, or doing enough to deserve the win. When you are trailing in title chance, running out of games and level in the last 10 minutes of a match you really need to win, a goal changes the world.
Celtic should have been out of sight after a dominant first half, however, we have seen this story too many times this season for anyone to think the same would follow after the break. In the early moments of the second period, Tomas Cvancara missed the second chance when clean through on the Dundee goalkeeper, and that seemed to spark the home side into action.
Dundee are not a good team, but they did what they needed to do to get back into the game – get possession inside the Celtic box. Colby Donovan was the unfortunate defender whose arm met a shot. If Cvancara’s earlier miss motivated Dundee, the equaliser gave them a further shot of adrenaline. Celtic were briefly on the rack.
Change came in the unexpected form of Luke McCowan. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain flagging, Luke was preferred to Reo Hatate. I am pretty sure this was about energy. Luke can get around the midfield better than Reo and that quality was judged most required by Martin O’Neill.
Within moments of that early second half miss, Martin readied Kelechi Iheanacho. The Nigerian striker came on immediately after the Dundee equaliser and was able to hold the ball, and bring others into play. These two changes pinned Dundee back, who were not an attacking threat again until a couple of free kicks in the dying moments of the game.
It was a third substitution, Marcelo Saracchi for Kieran Tierney, that completed the win. The Uruguayan made everything look simple – most notably, getting the ball past the first defender and into the box in a manner that an attacker had a chance to get on the end of it.
When Kelechi controlled Marcelo’s cross and spun to shoot I didn’t think he had space at the near post, but this guy has banked tens of millions already in his career for a reason. You feel if we could get 90 or even 60 minutes out of him every week, odds on Celtic winning would shorten.
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Proclamation read outside the GPO to commemorate 1916 rising.
https://youtu.be/QB7ETHJhcxs?si=bmEJktvcRBqAs0mi
Thanks for that PaddyF. I thought this was a Celtic FOOTBALL blog. 🤷
We need about 8 first team starters next season, yesterday again made a good start,early goal,but couldn’t get a 2nd,and again from about 30th minute to 70th minute, we fall out the game because the midfield dies,we get a lift when we bring subs on,we are hanging on in there,been saying for weeks Saracchi needs to start every game
Hearts, league leaders with just 6 games to go, are now THIRD favourites with Paddy Power to take the SPL title. I guess that’ll get a mention in Derek McInnes’ next team talk. Let’s see if Falkirk can effect another change to the identity of the bookies’ favourites next Sunday…
Yesterday was a high stakes, high pressure game with ‘no margin for error’. The fat lady was clearing her throat and I can only imagine how the watching Hertz and huns fans felt when our second went in.
I’ve long thought Ihenacho [sic] would be pivotal to our chances. Here’s hoping he can build on yesterday’s performance.
“Colby Donovan was the unfortunate defender whose arm met a shot.”
Sorry, I beg to differ.
This was another example of poor derfending.
Donovan turned his back on the shot, as so many do, instead of being brave and facing it, trying to block it.
I have been in many places in the world praying for a Celtic victory. Yesterday I was in a Mosque in Cairo when my phone bleeped with the news of the second goal.
My world changed !
Still believe we might just win this league.
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. The celebrations continue. 🍻👍
Three very welcome and much needed points, but it’s incredible to see how far we have regressed in the last 15 months. Just think what we would look like if we had progressed by the same amount. Of course that would have been hugely damaging to the old firm. Oh well, thems the choices…..
Had just about lost all faith in our squad after the Tannadice debacle. Not getting my hopes raised up too much either, after a narrow victory at Dens.
Que sera, sera.
Bada Bing, I reckon we will likely and/or need to lose Maeda, Hatate, Bernardo (if we’re not going to utilise him), Schmeichel, Arthur, Engels, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Balikwisha, Adamu, Mvuka, Iheanachu, Cvancara and potentially Tounekti.
We also need to allow for McGregor playing fewer games and be starting succession planning for the key midfield role and captaincy. We need to have a contingency should Jota’s recovery not allow him to return to the impact player that he previously was. And if Forrest and Ralston remain they will be at best third choices and have most benefit from a coaching perspective, with all their experience and knowledge of Celtic club culture.
So, as a minimum I reckon we need incomings for both wings, potentially 4 midfielders, 3 strikers who can deliver at least a goal every 2 to 3 games and a backup keeper… as well as permanently signing Araujo & Saracchi.
Even if we can still get £25-30M for Engels (who is rather keep of we could), those purse strings are going to need loosening by a considerable margin to deliver the above as an absolute minimum in order to build a team capable of pushing towards another 9IAR (if we can scrape over the line this season).
VALE BHOY
I agree , Donovan forgot the first rule for defenders in the box , keep your arms by your side . I recall Scales and Murray doing similar in a goal we conceded v Hearts . Nobody would choose to be smacked in the coupon with a ball but turning your back and leaning out of the way is something that really bugs me
Vale Bhoy, had Donovan been more “cowardly” and actually ducked out of the way of the shot, the ball would have ended up harmlessly somewhere in the vicinity of row Z in the stand behind the goal!
Yeah, aiming for old firmery – that’s definitely the way forward…….
I would agree with most of the yesterday’s summary, except for Luke McCowan, who imho consistently gives the ball away, is easily dispossesed and tries to place it when he should blast it eg the chance at Ibrox.
The Ox had his best game in a Celtic jersey and if we could get 3/4 critical goals out of Iheanacho we have a chance.
One last comment on Big Tam. His misses could have been very costly, but strangely his back to goal play was reasonably good with some decent knock ons, but facing goal he was dreadful. The one positive is surely he cant get any worse.
glendalystonsils, just before the fateful handball, in the same penalty box sequence, there was another shot at goal where Donovan did quite clearly and deliberately thrust his arms behind his back.
Alas, as the ball then ricocheted to the left (from the defender’s perspective), he turned to try to move to block any follow up shot. Given his body movement, his arm naturally moved into the position it was in to balance. There was no deliberate movement of his arm towards the path of the ball and no obvious deliberate intent to block it with his arm, it was just unfortunate.
Big Tam was first to congratulate Iheanacho at full time, good attitude, but he needs a goal
BIGCHIPS
I don’t think it was in any way cowardly of Donovan , it was just an automatic, unconscious action that I’ve seen numerous players do . But it looked to me that the way he spun round threw his arm out from his side . There was still an element of bad luck about it , the ball could have just as easily hit his back , backside , or missed him (and the goal) completely .
BigChipsUK on 6th April 2026 12:07 pm
Thanks for that PaddyF. I thought this was a Celtic FOOTBALL blog. 🤷
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Indeed glendalystonsils. Perhaps it would have been far more fitting had the shot hit Donovan’s ass, as the handball/penalty law as it stands currently is itself an ass. IMHO there should have to be deliberate intent to handle the ball. Unintentional handball (formerly “ball to hand”) should not result in a penalty kick… particularly when that could materially affect the outcome of not just a match, but the entire season!
IMHO, praise is also due to JF.
His ability to hold the ball and still , despite his years, get beyond the defenders over 5 yards or so, even if he has to turn back and recycle , meant Dundee were pinned back more than at any time in the game.
It might be they were falling back anyway to try to hold on for a point but , for me, JF played a big part yesterday – not for the first time this season and , hopefully, not the last.
There’s a hun works down the bookies swears they’ve won it
Just like he said two years ago
Well he’s a fooking liar
And I think he’s never had his h**e
Irving Berlin 2026.
Thanks for the heads up James1955, but I’ll give that a miss. I’ll not spend another penny promoting political or religious contexts through my favourite FOOTBALL club, even given historical influences, as this just adds fuel to the fires of division and conflict. Let’s keep the football arena for sporting action and take the politics to venues appropriate for those issues and debates… like MP’s surgeries and Westminster.
Bigrailroad
When I started reading your post I thought you were headed here:-
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QccPUSTMriM
The great thing about an all inclusive football club is that we of Irish heritage are free to embrace that heritage and others are free not to . Some other clubs are not so understanding ,in fact you might say they are not open to all . How lucky we are .
90 minutes a week from Kelechi?
Bit greedy, Paul ?
If (and it is an if) we win the SC semi …
… we’ll have 8 games in 8 weeks.
45 minutes a game from Kelechi will do me.
Similar to Ox, he’s a proper professional used to operating at a higher level now playing more from memory than current fitness.
He’ll be important for sure … but we can’t overburden him.
Slices needed also from Tomas, Callum and, in particular, Daizen.
The long wait is over
I was old chap but I was sidetracked by an encounter with a gibbering hun in Hills. Thanks for posting the song.👍
TLWIO
Great point about JF . One of his first actions was to hit the byline and get a good ball in , something I was yelling at yang to do for most of the match
BRRB
GDT
👍 x 2
Re: the Dundee penalty …
… focusing exclusively on Colby’s contribution in isolation, IMHO, ignores broader root cause.
The specific attack comprised six connected phases of play.
Celtic won the 2nd and lost the other five.
Unacceptable.
The Ox
Reckon his best days are well behind him, he is definitely not fully fit , and in my book , the sizzle without the steak.
Why the hell is he not fit, bewildering.
Flynn, hope you are well
kingLUBO
BTOB 1.40 pm
For most of second half they got tighter to us and won most of the 50/50 balls…
Midfield let us down badly….. again….
Seen JPD on Skysports this morning talking about the game……..kept saying we need the supporters in the stadium don’t think they know what he meant ?
Thing is … what is the current situation with the “ green brigade” getting back into the stadium as I huvny a clue 🥴
Players who have had terrible injuries or constant injuries always play half cocked…they are frightened of really opening up …its a shame but a fact…we should totally stay away from those types in the future!
Having said that …a half cocked Ineacho and Ox could still be highly significant…especially if played together for a half at home
Celtic FC’S POLITICAL History: The Undeniable Facts by Liam Kelly
https://thecelticstar.com/celtics-political-history-the-undeniable-facts/
For the most part the team did fine yesterday. Better finishing and we would have coasted to the win and I wouldn’t have been watching from behind the couch. Thought all the subs did very well and brought the urgency needed to secure the points. I hope Arne is close to coming back. Callum is really struggling and causing the midfield to malfunction. I also thought Daizen worked extremely hard in the first half and had his best 45 of the season. The title is still there for the taking and the table could look very interesting after next weeks games.
The SPL is working for everyone except Celtic fans this year because we have been crippled with injuries and because our executive leadership have no idea what they are doing. We have been reduced to levels not seen for many a day, while the likes of Falkirk, Motherwell, St Mirren and Hearts are being better coached and giving us a run for our money. Hopefully normal service will resume next season.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 6th April 2026 1:40 pm
Re: the Dundee penalty …
… focusing exclusively on Colby’s contribution in isolation, IMHO, ignores broader root cause.
The specific attack comprised six connected phases of play.
Celtic won the 2nd and lost the other five.
Unacceptable.
‐—————————————-
Agreed, far too often there is a real lack of ‘ownership’ in the penalty area with poor challenges or none at all and the ball bounces around. Watch Scales go in for the duel just before the ball drops for the penalty incident.
Like clashcitybhoy I must have been watching a different Luke McCowan out there, given that he did not add, improve or enhance our midfield one iota, or any more than he might have done by staying on the bench. No, it was the intro of JF, Serracci and Kellechi which made the difference, that and Yang moving across to the left. Job done.