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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never missed lenny, nice one mate. maybe the team got off light and he kept his rage for burley. ace. just saying what all of us have been saying.
KLV
Mad Mitch. Pathetic. Truly pathetic.
Joe Filippis Haircut on 3 March, 2012 at 14:28 said:
“Hooper is a good striker but not a great one he appears to be very moodie and has a dreadful lfirst touch”
Joe, I would agree that Hooper seems to be moody, he certainly seemed in a huff today, and his first touch today was dreadful – consistantly so.
However, in general, I think Hooper has a fantastic first touch.
I’ve said this before on here, I’ll say it again now while it’s relevant: ESPN and SKY need to tell their pundits that they are there to sell a product not to run it down. the SFA and SPL need to tell SKY and ESPN the same.
The product is being rubbished and devalued not by rangers being in administration but by people like Burley continually running the game down and being relentlessly negative.
I am sure that advertisers take such things in to account. money was forked out on screening these games, Burley is surely not going to please the people who pay his fee for being at Pittodrie and other grounds and slating the scottish game.
The game in Scotland is what it is. You have to promote it’s good points. You have to build some hype around it.
If we are being frank the Championship would be a reasonable benchmark for the SPL also rans – it is hyped as the second wealthiest league in football, it’s painted as exciting. I don’t know who is top of that league, I watch bits of the games now and then, they are generally dull. But it gets more hype and more money than Scottish football and you would not get Burley being allowed to run it down. It is what it is and should be enjoyed for that.
The conference games are what they are. The Irish League games they sometimes show are what they are. You tune in you expect a certain standard and hope for a bit of excitement. Technically skilled football is nice but without excitement and emotional investment it is not as exciting as watching your own club or, I hate to say it watching your own clubs rivals get beat.
I appreciate the technically more gifted players in the EPL in some clubs but it has it’s share of bore draws, walkovers and snore fests. Sometimes I get a better buzz watching the Orcs struggle than watching Tottenham turn on some style against Wigan or Blackburn.
Bottom line – people like Burley need to be taken aside and told to bum up the game. yes, let him be controversial, let him wind up the supporters – it adds value, it gives us talking points – but running the game down? That will cost money and will cost players their jobs when TV money goes down as a result of people like him dragging the game down.
I often flick between the EPL game and the rangers game when they are both on.
huns and minis?? any predictions?
KLV
The unbeaten run continues…
I blame….
The wedding DJ in the hotel last night, absurd scheduling and the currant psychological rejuvenation of Scottish football teams for the end of the winning streak.
Things could be worse…
MadMitch on 3 March, 2012 at 14:17
———————
Take a chill pill amigo. Relax. have a Jamaican woodbine. have a chug. Give yourself an hour.
Remember who is going to be champions very, very soon.
An away draw at Pitoddrie?
Marvellous result against good and determined opposition.
Surely gives the lie to the fallacy that Scottish football needs the hun.
The hun desprately needs us.
Depart from me ,ye cursed.
I say celtic make a statement saying give them their 10points back.
Neil chose that team today as he knows bigger games lie ahead.
Two cup games coming up that will determine whether we are on for a magical treble.
He was RIGHT to shuffle the pack.
God bless him.
Mr X
Were they Lenny’s actual words?
If so, my respect for him, which was already skyscraper high, has just hit new heights!
Onwards and upwards with Mr Lennon and the bhoys.
I am beginning to think that Lenny may end up as our second greatest manager, ever!
HH
re-post
I’m gutted the winning run is over but Blackman’s unfortunate intervention for their goal aside, I reckon we would have comfortably won.
Ah well, it now becomes an unbeaten run.
Gary Hooper had a terrible day at the office. First touch completely deserted him today.
Stokes’ goal was a peach and as cool a finish as you’ll see all weekend in the uk.
Impressed with Lustig, no sign of nerves on his debut and used the ball very well.
Kris Commons not at the races today. Great pass for Stokes’ goal but nothing even approaching that level of guile again from him in the game.
Joe Ledley and James Forrest not influential enough today while I had Charlie Mulgrew down as MOTM until Vic’s late showing.
Central pair at the back were solid and big Fraser was really, REALLY unlucky to see his clean sheet record damaged at what was a piss poor shot from Aberdeen.
Overall I’d put the performance down to Lenny’s enforced re-shuffle and I’m in no doubt he’ll be gutted at a result that came about through a single moment of nervous madness. On that note I wouldn’t be too harsh on young Blackman, his nerves got the better of him I think but he showed enough energy and commitment to merit another chance should it come along.
Well done to Lenny, it didn’t quite come off today but it wasn’t for the want of trying.
BroonSauce
Paul67
Good summary, pretty disjointed today which is usually the case after an international week.
Main thing is that we stood firm and did not lose the game.
Dust ourselves down and a solid week of training behind us will see us come out the traps next week.
The only extraordinary aspect of the match was the appalling ref standards by Thompson, if the Scottish game is to flourish and prosper, the rules need to be applied as per the rest of Europe. The option to punt the high ball and have a big guy basically constantly fouling throughout the game should be outlawed by the refs applying the rules properly.
Still relaxed about today, radio is interesting at the moment.
Hahahahacfc
Burley is a fud
I really cannot go the espn commentators, talk alot of pish
Proud of you Neil
kevinlasvegas on 3 March, 2012 at 14:32 :
As I exclusively revealed at 14:19, the huns get beaten by the jam farts today.
Not sure, but I believe it ends 0-2.
What was snydes big ibrox news??
Ryan Jack, Peter Pawlett and Fraser Fyvie –
all good young players
quick and clever
they have a fella called Joe O’Shaugnessy in their youths
talented CB, would add somethin to their team
Mary Reynolds his usual steady self
Mark not Mary
haha
Raman: “Is there a chance of Rangers coming out of administration by the end of March?”
Administrator: “That will be very challenging”n
Challenging? In the same way that running to the top of mount everest without oxygen would be challenging. Or that turning lead to gold would be challenging.
Lay aff. Mad Mitch..
He is a Guy who is Celtic Daft..
Wears his Hert oan his Sleeve…’
Ah Think he is Partly right.. and So dae
Maist o Youse Yins who are condemning Him..
Don’t jump awe over a Fellow Fan.. who
Expresses his Feellin’s
And canny control them.. as Much as The Moral
Majority,oan Here.
Kojo.
Kojo
Today we looked like a Celtic team from sept/oct and because of this it allows the mib to influence the game.
Blatant handball in the 1st half…playon
Fallon raises his hands on Rogne..play on
Two footed high tackle…only yellow…
He always seemed to play advantage when it didnt suit but pull us back for fouls when the advantage suited us….strange
But we had too many passengers today.
I thought GH should have been replaced by at least 70mins.
The good thing is Neil was not happy with the draw and he will let the dressing room know that it wasn’t good enough.
I’m hoping there is no more internationals before the end of the season, from now on play our best 11 and win EVERY game.
Hope yer right mate, No one wants to buy the huns get over it and theres no money let it sink in. Gunners winner 2-1 good week for the gunners. RVP
KLV
merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on 3 March, 2012 at 14:33 said:
Mr X
Were they Lenny’s actual words?
===================
Yes, that’s pretty much what Lenny said from my memory.
RobertTressell on 3 March, 2012 at
14:31 said:
Well said my friend. Spot on observation
The Comfortable Collective. Fella we will have to agree to disagree about Hooper but thats whats great about football we all lhave ourg opinions. H.H.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 3 March, 2012 at 14:32
I agree m8, it was a tough game, it usually is up in Aberdeen.
We have got ourselves into this excellent position and it would be churlish to disregard other teams.
Ten Men …
The team selection was poor to begin with.
The substitutes and the timings were incredible.
We use our three substitutes up by 67 mins.
Nobody appeared injured, ML possibly.
We then have to play the best part of 30 minutes on a ploughed park against a team iting to put the shoe in and a MIB encouraging them to do it.
Schoolboy errors one and all.
Why did we change both full backs?
Why did we end up with two young guys in a MF that was competitive to say the least.
The team looked flat from the off.
They got up a head of steam as the 1st half progressed but it was patchy.
Second half we were flat and started to look nervous.
We actually played some good stuff but it was very limited and likely to be ended by a shocking piece of play. Only VW and AS looked as if they were fully focused on the game.
The microcosm of the team, game and season comes down to how hard the players work at throw ins.
We were back to our early season worst.
Nobody wants to take responsibility and very few players show.
How often do we lose the bal, cheaply in the opposition half.
Kojo
You are wrong concerning MadMitch. He is far too negative about Celtic. You are coming over in May? Excellent. It will be great to meet you. Will you be out and about in Glasgow?
JJ
Days like these happen. In some ways I am glad it happened today and not Tannadice next week.
Asses will be kicked, players will be returned to the team.
Big lesson today may be that Stokes should never again be rested before Hooper. I think we’ve been there before and a bit of a dropping from the team did Gary no harm.
Stokes is working hard and playing well.
Mulgrew was alright in midfield I thought.
Personally the performances of Commons and Hooper for me were at the heart of the problem today (such as it was).
Seen worse. Seen much better.
Blackman has potential but looked every inch a reserve team player getting a run out with the big Bhoys. A little out of his depth. But he’s young.
Lustig was decent but I thought was at fault for the goal. caught in no man’s land.
The defence needs to avoid getting sucked to the ball in those situations. You have to trust your team mates and do your own job. Rogne should have been nowhere near Wilson when the ball came across, he should have been blocking the dons players run, although he could reasonably expect his full back to be there.
We all needed a day off the Jelly and Ice cream anyway. Variety is the spice of life.
What was it Kipling wrote about Victory and defeat? And did he mention a draw at Aberdeen?
BroonSauce on 3 March, 2012 at 14:33 said:
Go home,ya hun………..
Hang on,do you still have a home?
What has brought all of this on with Burley ?
I remember him being a tremendous player for us when, Wim & Murdo brought the cheats to their knee’s. It’s only my opinion but, I though Burley was a good Celtic servent so, where did it all turn sour ?
Hail! Hail!
there was a good few madmitch types at the game today. some of the critism and abuse dished out was unreal.
Jungle Jim on 3 March, 2012 at 14:39 said:
Kojo
You are wrong concerning MadMitch. He is far too negative about Celtic. You are coming over in May? Excellent. It will be great to meet you. Will you be out and about in Glasgow?
—————————————————-
He’ll be easy to spot. Calling everyone Palomine and speaking in a sort of Dickensian Scots dialect while scouting players at Lennoxtown for CQN.
poor to hear st martin.
klv
Kojo
Your views are an irrelevance and I really dont know why you are indulged on here by so many.
What do you think? Broony might have changed the game, eh?
Try picking a non-footballing site for your cod philosophy!
People are criticising Madmitch because he was relentlesly negative following our team dropping 2 points after 20 (domestic) wins in a row, a great acheivement which he, at least, should have acknowledged to provide a little ballast to the load of negativity he spewed.
Perspective, man!
Magnus on 3 March, 2012 at 14:33 said:
Quotes for Neil’s response today for us DownUnder please?
Anyone? Burley’s sour comments need rejection before I can sleep easy.
Mr X at 14.25 on the new article:
Many thanks to you but I’ll post the above anyway as my personal Burley FudOfTheMonthAward
share
ah well had to happen sooner or later, just the 21 point gap then!
thought we were well on the way to victory until the unfortunate O.G; after that we never got started second half, was pretty poor fare
again thought hooper and forrest were each very poor, I would have taken them off before Commons; it was a stodgy game, I know aberdeen will get praised but what for really? they didnt even have a shot on target
Think the bhoys have more than earned a wee blip though!
RT
Aye! And wearing a pair of Oor Wullie dungarees and carrying a bucket!
JJ