It was not pretty, but for the second time in 2024 Celtic subjugated St Mirren in Paisley and eased into the Scottish Cup quarter finals, where they will face Livingston at home. We now have the potential of three games in Glasgow to win the cup, a prospect which should focus minds. Hampden has been as profitable a venue as Celtic Park for nearly eight years now, we’ve won 24 out of 25 visits. No team has ever had a better Hampden record, including Queen’s Park (renamed Cathkin Park doesn’t count). The business end of the season is insight.
Brendan Rodgers decision to play Adam Idah up front with Kyogo in a withdrawn role played out perfectly. Luis Palma’s 15th minute cross behind Idah was perfect for Kyogo to run onto. The ball had plenty of pace on it, allowing Kyogo to divert its course from 18 yards into the net. Had he been playing as striker, he would not have been in position for this cross.
With the continuing absence of Reo Hatate, pulling Kyogo back one position gives us an added option. It was also refreshing to see Idah get involved in the physical side of the game early on yesterday. This is a quantity we have been without for a while.
Six weeks ago Joe Hart’s suitability for the second half of the season was being debated. Joe can go weeks without making saves that have any consequence on the end result. Since then, he has made outcome determining saves against St Mirren, Hibs, Aberdeen and Ross County. The keeper will hope for a quieter period in the weeks to come.
Stephen Welsh and Liam Scales are not the dream team in central defence, but both have particular strengths in the air. With Idah also in the side we look far more comfortable defending set-pieces. On a park like that in Paisley, defending the air is particularly important.
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Maeda is the first, and best, ‘defensive-forward’ in world football.
TURKEYBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 8:03 PM
WBC,
Oh,I see another wee snidey remark from you
You clearly don’t do irony
Angry from Ankara always… :-)
SFTB- Thanks for reply, B78 continuously trots out stats,as if it’s a Role of Honour for him,Hun referee Bobby Tait, used to start his ‘act’ in the Masonic/Orange Club circuit, with the trophies his heroes won when he was refereeing. Similar nonsense
King Lugo,
That rant is not Anti Semitic,but would,I wager,be branded,Anti Israeli.Not Jewish,you understand,
At the present time,the only people preaching Genocide,for around 70 years,to be precise,are Iran,who never used to,backed,Muslim Brotherhood,against Israel.
Not taking sides in a conflict that can’t be won,if one side has only one aim,and any peace is impossible,just commenting on a fact that gets forgotten.
DuckDuckgo works perfectly on the ole CelticQuackNews
King Lubo
“Surely it’s about time the world powers told Israel , enough is enough,.
The horror of the haulocost is history, but it does not give them carte blanche permission to commit the genocide currently going on. They are bully boys, nothing else, aided and abetted by the west.
Israle is , whether you like it or not, a mickey mouse country, with loads of support from the west.”
Can’t disagree with this at all
Parkheadcumsalford
Possibly 68-69 as both were in the first division that season. Did a bit of checking as I could remember being at home games against them around the time.
Arbroath were promoted at end of 67-68 season.
Faith Rovers were also in first division in 67-68. I was at a Celtic Raith home game that season. My da pointed out Bobby Evans as an ex Celt playing for Raith at that time
*SENTINEL CELTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2023-24*
*RESULTS FROM GAME #34 ST MIRREN 0 CELTIC 2 (KYOGO, MAEDA)*
Good evening, friends.
Sunday saw a change in formation with Brendan surprising many of us with his 4-2-3-1 approach. And with 1 of the 3 being Kyogo Furahashi it was great to see him getting so many touches and being actively involved; and of course opening the scoring in the 15th minute to finish off a great move started with an inch perfect probing pass from Captain McGregor.
Given the state of the pitch, the aerial route was the more likely option for passes reaching their target and so our back 5 again had to face up to loads of pressure but each one of them performed very well and we reached the break a goal to the good.
7 minutes into the 2nd half saw Celtic double our lead when Daizen Maeda managed to keep his shot just under the bar from 6 yards out. If only his crosses into the box could stay lower than 30 feet!
Although I never felt completely relaxed throughout the 2nd half, our 2 goal cushion proved to be enough and we progress to the quarter finals with the reward of a home tie against Livingston
We have now played 34 competitive games, enjoying 22 wins, 5 draws and 7 defeats, scoring 67 goals and conceding 32. We are 3 ties away from winning our 42nd Scottish Cup which would be 9 more than the now defunct Rangers FC managed. And we top the league by 3 points and 2 goals We have 13 league games remaining; still on course for our 54th league title.
My thanks to the 67 who voted this time around. That’s the highest turnout in 2024 (so far, of course) although still only two-thirds of the numbers that joined in when we beat Aberdeen 6-0.
The total votes cast for each player are as follows, with my own nominations asterisked.
Hart*: 57
Ralston: 6
Welsh: 33
Scales: 18
Bernabei: 17
McGregor*: 41
O’Riley: 2
Palma: 7
Idah: 0
Kyogo*: 17
Maeda: 3
Bernardo: 0
Yang: 0
Kuhn: 0
Oh: 0
It’s only fair to recognise our most in form player of the month so far. With 2 Man Of The Match awards plus a runner up award in the 3 games we have played, take a bow Charles Joseph John Hart. No, me neither… 😉
And so, the players receiving POINTS for the game against St Mirren are –
Hart – 5 points
McGregor – 4 points
Welsh – 3 points
Scales – 2 points
Bernabei and Kyogo – 1 point each
The overall positions after 34 games played are as follows –
82 points – Scales
74 points – O’Riley
57 points – McGregor
38 points – Carter-Vickers
28 points – Palma
27 points – Hart
23 points – Kyogo
22 points – Bernardo
21 points – Johnston, A.
20 points – Oh
18 points – Maeda
16 points – Yang
13 points – Taylor
9 points – Johnston M, Nawrocki and Turnbull
8 points – Ralston
6 points – Idah, Iwata and Lagerbielke
5 points – Hatate
4 points – Bain, Bernabei, Holm and Kuhn
3 points – Forrest and Welsh
2 points – Abada
0 points – Frame, Haksabanovic, Kelly, Phillips, Starfelt, Tilio, Vata and Welsh
And so it’s back to league action on Saturday when we entertain Kilmarnock at home, kick off 3.00pm.
Hail Hail!
Faith Rovers?
They didnae huv a prayer…
Against the mighty Celts
Parkheadcumsalford
Possibly 68-69 as both were in the first division that season. Did a bit of checking as I could remember being at home games against them around the time. Arbroath were promoted at end of 67-68 season.
*One dreich February day in 1974 Arbroath went tae ayebroke and won 2-3 courtesy of an Andy Penman superb display. The huns had a young goalie fae the Vale of Leven who only made 3 first team appearances for them and this was his last one,
●● Name of venue●●
1) CELTIC V hearts league cup semi- final [2018]
2)Venue, if Celtic and Leeds outcome at Hampden [1970] had ended in a win for Leeds Utd.●●
3) Inter Cabel Tel v CELTIC [1997]
4) CELTIC v motherwell [friendly August 1965]
●●Toss of coin at Elland Road decided the venue in case of draw●●
●●.. in case of draw( over two legs)
GGH and TT,
It wasn’t, the 60s or 70s. It was sometime in the 50s, I’m fairly sure.
Turns out that this is the 150th Anniversary of the Scottish Cup.
1873-74 being the first season it was held. Think the Cup itself is the World’s oldest, a special episode of the Antiques Road Show proving that not only was the FA Cup bought off the shelf, it was almost certainly a wine cooler. Nothing wrang wi that ye might say, but anyways this years Cup is won worth winning even if just to stick it up the SFA once again.
I can definitely see Green and White ribbons
If it’s a Celtic – Hibs final that is
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD @9.51
Checked your query.
1959 Arbroath..0 Celtic..5 ●● Debut for John Clark.
Hope this helps.
1. Murray field
2. Hills borough
3. Ninian Park
4. Isle of Man?
Celtic Mac @ 9.38
😂
Gary@10.06
Yes.Well done. Isle of Man,as you say…King George v Park.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Arsenal v Celtic 2009 at Emirates.
●●Of the two sides that took to the pitch for kick off one englishman featured?●●
The name Rangers is not on the cup itself – I think Celtic were the last team on it
Jack Wilshere?
CELTIC MAC@10.38
That was my son’s answer.,,,,JW came on 2nd half.
bhoyjoebelfast
Was at the game, do remember him playing
Remember Samaras coming on as a sub too, got us back into it…..
GENE on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 10:29 PM
The name Rangers is not on the cup itself – I think Celtic were the last team on it
*we were and the only reason they are not is they withdrew their last cup final prior to that against the Vale of Leven who were already on it
Wild punt
Lee Naylor ?
Guessing BhoyJoe is asking as it is a Celt who is the answer
Gary @ 11.00
No not LN.
Yes Gary a Celt.
TB
and the only country/state practicing (not preaching) genocide in the middle east is right now as i type ????
and the right wings plan for gaza and the palestinians ?
not taking sides ????????????????????????
The full back from from Everton?
Can’t remember his name.
Guy with loads of tattoos and only one foot. Not very good defender but could cross a ball.
Gary @11.15
Danny Fox.
Time for sleep,
How’s that for data analysis?
Thanks Joe.
Sounds good to me,Garyetc
DuckDuckGo is far safer. The majority punt data in that field. They have to to stay alive. Don’t believe all you read. I know yous don’t. They stood up to Putin don’t you know!
Would rather read and chat about the hoops. Sorry.
Spikey,
” Not taking sides ??????????”.
Correct.
Bada,
Turning into a right wee snide and gossip recently.Not pretty.But if it makes you happy.I dont snide.If I have something to say,it will be to your face.Like now.