It was an unfamiliar Celtic starting line-up at Pittodrie this afternoon which resulted in the visitors dropping league points for the first time in four months. Andre Blackman and Mikael Lustig made their Celtic debuts at left and right back respectively, while Charlie Mulgrew played central midfield alongside Joe Ledley.
Neither full back got forward as often as we are accustomed to see Celtic play, which perhaps contributed to the disjointed performance.
Charlie Mulgrew almost opened the scoring on 5 minutes when his swerving free kick rebounded back off the inside of Jason Brown’s far post in Celtic’s only genuine chance before the 28th minute goal. Mulgrew was key again in the move that counted, controlling a difficult ball before twisting his marker and knocking the ball forward to Kris Commons. Commons spun before playing a perfectly weighted pass into space inside the box for Anthony Stokes to run onto. Stokes first touch took the ball past Brown in the Aberdeen goal before he slotted his shot into the net.
Aberdeen were well out of the contest in the first half and had to wait until near the end of the half before they managed an attempt at goal, a Fyvie shot which was blocked. Then, only seconds from the break, a long ball forward to Fallon brought Aberdeen level. Fallon turned and his forward run drew Blackman, Wilson and Rogne, leaving the right back space unattended. Gavin Rae ran 70 yards to fill that space and fired a shot which was going narrowly wide before Blackman’s block bounced over Forster into the net.
A minute into the second half Ryan Jack almost reached a cross from the right as Aberdeen seemed to take encouragement from their goal.
Anthony Stokes looked Celtic’s best player but whenever he linked with strike partner, Gary Hooper, the ball invariably bounced out of play or to an Aberdeen player, most notably on the 55th minute when Hooper failed to control on the edge of the six yard box.
Aberdeen’s best chance to win the game arrived on 63 minutes when Meganson evaded Lustig but shot wide when clean through inside the box.
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Ah well
Possibly the worst performance by a manager that I have seen this season.
Incredible team selection.
Poor use of substitutes.
All on at 67 mins – mental.
JL / CM – never a CM pairing.
It didn’t help that both were poor today.
GH – having a stinker – nothing done.
JF – very tired / very limited – nothing done.
Team was very flat in the 2nd half and nothing was done to improve things.
DMcG – should only have come on for JF.
In his defence three other people had a poorer performance today.
CT – media tart, rank rotten, mobile chicane – the CB (ESPN) hat-trick.
The Sheep groundsman – I have seen better ploughed parks.
The RS commentary team – rubbish, partial, anti CFC – as always.
First?
Dear oh dear
Hail hail
The main thing today is that I got the podium. Nothing else matters.
Shat, Cracker & I’m yer Mon!
Whoops
Run had to end at some point. Will maybe raise focus levels for next few games
I’m assuming given their respective perormances today that Gary Hooper did Vic Wanyama a favour during the week and went all the way to Kenya and back to do Victors shift for the Kenya – Togo game.
Gary Hooper looked like he’d had a mid week jaunt to another continent and back, whilst Victor Wanyama (granted it was only a half hour shift today) looked so assured that he’d had the midweek off to rest.
Still, the league can still be won at ipox, given that the huns get beaten by the jam farts today and then draw their next game at Tannadice.
Today’s match was a poor spectacle, our goal apart.
The changes to the side meant that we lost our fluency and guile in midfield. The two new full-backs didn’t impress on their debuts but hopefully better days will lie ahead for them.
Commons’ lay-off for the goal was sublime but he looks a shadow of the man that graced the hoops last season.
Victor is a collosus and made a difference when he came on.
I take comfort from knowing big players didn’t start that game today – Matthews, Ki, Brown, Kayal, Izzaguire, Wanyama, Samaras.
Very diasppointed that our winning streak has ended but great days of celebration lie ahead for us.
Mad Mitch@14:17
‘Possibly the worst performance by a manager that I have seen this season’
Your post will take some beating today for its utter banality
Had every player been fit, rested and available, would we have performed better with the following alternative selections today?:
Matthews for Lustig
Izaguirre for Blackman
Brown for Forrest
Wanyama for Commons
Kayal for Mulgrew
I think so.
It is important to bring new players through and give them competitive game time. But making five changes for one game and almost completely re-jigging the midfield, especially against a team undefeated in their last 11 games, is always likely to present a major challenge.
So we can nno longer clinch the title today, even if 2nd place Motherwell lose… although that outcome would leave Motherwell needing to win every remaining game and Celtic to lose every game, with a GD swing of at least 40, for Motherwell to pip us to the title.
Lenny rips Burley a new one in the post match interview
Superb Lenny ma bhoy
LENNON SLATES BURLEY!!! Superb
HH
Sp we need to talk about our long unbeaten run rather than our long winning run? Not the worst thing in the world, is it?
I wasn’t confident about today and I’m not too disappointed with a draw given that we had a much changed side. Good for the two full backs to get playing time, and young Dylan also.
Two much bigger games coming up over the next two weeks. We will have a few back for those and hopefully one or two others firing on all cylinders.
Brilliant comments from Lenny
lol. madmitch thats harsh mate, he did get alot wrong today, but external stuff didnt help.
KLV
Is Lee Wallace playing today?
If he does, let me get this straight: – Rangers take a player from Hearts on tick. They will most likely never pay Hearts for the player.
And they play him against his old club with this knowledge having almost literally stolen him?
Have I got that right?
Class or what?!
Madmitch –
Thanks for proving what I have always thought of you.
How many months have you been waiting?
What were Lenny’s words about Burley??
Kris Commons showed on the Stokes goal what he is capable of. Injuries have played their part this year for him. I don’t agree with the punt him comments (KLV). Today he had to link up with a bhoy who put on the jersey for the first time. KC mad a few passes today that were there for Andre but he didn’t read them, inexperience. You can see from Neil’s reaction to Stoke’s goal that he was delighted, not for Anton but for KC. KC still has a role to play for this club.
gsu
share
Lenny doesnt like burley anyway, the mans a joke tbh, neil cant win, if he reacts we moan and if he says nothing we moan.cant win. but the club in general are taking no p@sh
KLV
Paul67
raman “is there a chance of rager coming out of administration by the end of March”
adminstrator “that will be very challenging”
Sir Paul
Good Summation..
Fair Dukes.. Kiddo..
Look, where diz it say that a Celtic Fan..
Must always go thru life..
Wi a Big Smile oan his Kisser?
Na..
In fact , it is quite the oapposite..
A Celtic Fan, must always be .
Eethur.. Laughing his Heid Aff.. or
Moanin’ wi his Heid …OAN!
And by the way..
Steel yersels guys..
The Way things are Pannin oot the Day…
Ah widnae be surprised if the Hearts.. Lay doon…
and Relinquished thur Ghost..
Kojo
You truly are mad, Mitch.
Lenny on Burley:
“One of your commentators says the title is devalued. The only thing that devalues the game is your commentator and people like him. He should come into our dressing room and say that or say it to our fans”.
He’s disrespectful and it’s disappointing he gets a platform to vent his spew”.
Craig Burley is a disgrace . “don’t you tell me that this title is not diminished”
“whats the fuss about a 12 kick-off ?blah blah blah
Has he not been told to tone down his obvious dislike of Celtic?
Madmitch
You’re possibly mad as your monicker indicates, a seriously sad person who is only content when miserable, or you have a nice line in irony!
HH
Celtic were very poor today .
Celtic didn’t lose today…
It was a poor game .
Wanyama is a player..
Some Celtic players look tired and off form.
The Officiating was dreadful..
Onwards and upwards . -way down south.
Watching KC his body language is terrible, last season he was my favourite player, but he just looks unintrested and out of shape, he could have stepped up today but chose to sink down with the rest of the team. windy and no long range shots from him. last season he hit them from anywhere. more disappointed in KC than angry. a let down of a season for him and us.
KLV
MadMitch on 3 March, 2012 at 14:17 said
You sound unhappy.
You sound as if you have issues.
Your Celtic brothers may be able to help.
Lenny……….you beauty.
Keep it coming.
Mad mitch ARE YOU MAD??
From previous article:
General consensus seems to be: you can’t win them all, and I agree. To many changes, too many regulars on an off day. Not to mention brother Thomsons lack of control, and an unbelievable booking for rogne. Still undefeated. Still champions. Still going to be here next season, and the next, and the next, and the nex…….
Bring on the first leg of the trebble, then bring on the termanily ill huns for one more last dooing.
Hail hail!
how many points do we need til we win the league ?
MadMitch
Was it the timing of the subs you thought was mental ?
I stll think we lack a creative midfielder somone who can thread a .pass through a defence Mulgrew tried his best today but neither him or Ledley are creative enough.Hooper is a good striker but not a great one he appears to be very moodie and has a dreadful lfirst touch we did miss Broonie and Sammi today two of our older heads The International travel seemed to have taken its toll on our Bhoys when we play Dundee United we will need to raise our game.H.H.
Madmitch
Stick to having a whinge about the bus routes and the surrounding areas of Celtic Park.
Here in Oz we see the game and that’s it. What is Batty Burley saying now?