Dunfermline looked out of their depth in this SPL encounter for most of the game but a combination of sloppy finishing, last-ditch defending and Celtic’s still-unresolved problem from the penalty spot meant the game finished on a knife-edge.
Gary Hooper intercepted a cross-field pass from Dunfermline’s Paul Willis after 6 minutes, took a great first touch and fired a bullet shot into the bottom left corner of the goal to put Celtic ahead. After 19 minutes more slack play from Dunfermline allowed Celtic to break with fluency. Kris Commons, Anthony Stokes and Hooper combined to setup James Forrest to put Celtic in what looked like easy street.
Stokes almost finished from a tight angle after Forrest flashed the ball across the face of the goal, while Forrest failed to hit the target with a couple of shots from inside the box.
Commons, restored to the starting line-up, was clearly enjoying his free role, drifting from left to centre-midfield and twice found Anthony Stokes with outrageously precise 40-yard passes. Celtic’s effectiveness suffered when Commons, who must surely have been injured, failed to appear after half time.
Celtic, perhaps having things too easy, dropped off the pace without the prodding of Commons and, with Dunfermline offering no apparent threat, looked like getting away with a 4-4-2 formation, with two traditional wingers. Dunfermline had not read the script, however.
Andy Barrowman thundered a shot from the angle of the box into Fraser Forster’s bottom right corner with five minutes remaining – plus an eventual four minutes added time. Any match report should record that Dunfermline never got close to adding a second goal in the remaining nine minutes, but this was also a period when Celtic lost all composure. Fraser Forster was booked for timewasting and Adam Matthews will never take as long over three throw-ins all season. The final whistle was greeted with enormous relief by the home support.
343 Comments- Pages:
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Sabre67 says:
23 November, 2011 at 23:47
Apologies for picking up on 1 bit of your great post (even though I dont agree with your ratings) your bit below about the ref. There were 3 of them not 2 it may sound pedantic but it done my head in tonight There was a block on Kris very early in the first half as well.
Interesting and consistent interpetation of the obstruction rule tonight by the debutant ref. Two yellow card offences, one block on Hooper in the first half and another on Stokes in the second half, were both deemed legitimate challanges.
The ref also gave a foul against Dan at the half way line and then let the same challenge go without giving a pen against us a few minutes later
Did anyone else see the number 9 kick Victor when he was on the ground in our box about 5 minutes into the game?
The Comfortable Collective says:
23 November, 2011 at 23:56
I see steven (brother of ex rangers player brian) mclean is the impartial man in black for the Celtic – st. mirren game this weekend.
————————————————————————–
Now, this is a man worth the watching.
Cultsbhoy, I think we have an option to purchase FF.
V
summary, same old dross tonight, nae midfield, players sleeping second half.. green brigade – not one single person next to me clapt their hands to ‘if ye hate the f’ing rangers’ etc etc move on, no impressed. decent but flawed win tonight, fed up with lack of desire in second half, what diet are the midfield on? im personally fecked aff, shocking performance..
tonight’s banner and match images
courtesy Rhebel Rhebel
http://rhebelrhebel.co.uk/2179/still-moving-forward/
Nite all and Godbless,
Early start tomoz in ‘Dunfermline’
Roll on Saturday and another 3 points closer
hail hail
Cultsbhoy
I thought FF had a fee set for purchase at the end of the loan period. I recall £2m being quoted which I feel is a bit high as they are probably very happy with Krul so far this year.
I would want an upgrade on Forster if we let him go because we could not reduce Newcastle’s fee. I can’t see Given coming or Pletikosa coming back.
I do not want to see us reliant on the likes of Zaluska or Paul Gallagher or Darren Randolph as Number 1. They are Mark Brown standard.
Disappointing to hear Commons has ripped another pair of tights.
He is a real attacking threat at Celtic Park, if a little frustrating due to his ambitious shooting from the moon on occasions. But compared to the tippy-tappy feart-to-shoot we morphed into in the second half his attacking nature is most welcome.
We need an old head brought in come January, a real pro who can calm the team down and keep confidence high when we receive a setback. The last 15mins was an example of inexperienced players scared to make a mistake and as a result just getting rid of it. Our defence had a young keeper (who was excellent) two 19 year olds (who were also excellent), a midfielder at left back (who was excellent) and Big Dan the old man (who was good – but still looked nervous in the last 10 mins).
Gordon Strachan brought in Dion Dublin. He also brought in Steven Pressley. Neither were fabulous players at the time, but he knew what was needed. I think we need the same thing, more so because of our young group of players. There aren’t too many candidates around, but that’s where the scouts come in to it.
I hope Neil gives Martin and Gordon a wee call in the coming weeks. Just to catch up. You know.
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
Did you hear you are now uncle to 2 real Engineers
Would have been dreadful it we hadn’t got max points tonite. Ma bhoy Marc led the teams out ( mascot ) and both myself and Marc’s mother got to meet Rod in the directors box !!!! The points were a must ! !
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
Indeed we do have an option but I just don’t see him as what we need….Lenny loves him…a decent shot stopper but hopeless at kicking, and a non presence in the box despite his 6’7” bulk…may be an age thing but I look at other keepers and think we could do better.
Reading the Celtic View just there and there’s an interview with Paddy Crerand and a picture of him on page 39 wearing a Celtic change strip that is simply AWESOME.
A plain white top with green sleeves and a lovely big shamrock badge.
Magnificent so it is.
Celtic supporters….. Get this on you’re FB and twitters etc
…………
I see steven (brother of ex rangers player brian) mclean is the impartial man in black for the Celtic – st. mirren game this weekend.
————————————————————————–
Now, this is a man worth the watching.
………
Vinny
Keep McLean’s name high profile online until the game. They need to know the focus is on them…..Mr Norris didn’t give a penalty to THEM last weekend after awarding 5 in three previous games!
Night all.
TTTT
I thought Scottish football was going to clean up it’s act!
I see steven (brother of ex rangers player brian) mclean is the impartial man in black for the Celtic – st. mirren game this weekend.
————————————————————————–
Now, this is a man worth the watching.
Ah see we’re gaun up tae Peterheid in the cup…..God bless ma Teuchter cousins and of course Curly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD6zC0aqgCQ&feature=related
TAL
T4 doing it amigo!
Greenlion,
My ratings were meant to reflect the first 70 mins!
Perhaps better that I don’t post my ratings for the last 20 minutes.
i only seen last 30 mins of game so ill try and rate as fairly as possible
forster=8
matthews=9
vic=9
dan=8
ledley=9
mccourt=8
ki=7
kayal=7
forrest=9
stokes=8
hooper=9
samaras=7.5
in case anyone disagrees with ma Green Brigade slur, they/we claim we hate the Old Firm, yet the green brigade are so insecure they try to stir us all up and be on their side by singing and asking how much we hate rangers in a game against DUNFERMLINE… Ghuys yer no as smart as ye make on ;) NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON IN MY AREA JOINED IN WITH YER PISH
NO OLD FIRM
Thankful for the victory tonight but that 2nd half has to be the laziest performance I have seen from a Celtic team in a long time.
MWD
Sabre67 says:
24 November, 2011 at 00:18
I cant remember the last time i’ve been at a game where after 60 minutes or so we had dominated a game so much and not had it secured… When you watch Barca with that much possession they win easily, we struggle. I just thought Vic would have won the MoTM tonight
Mountainbhoy
Did anybody in your section sing anything at all tonight or were yeez awe too busy slurpin your Hot Chocolate or sitting on yir hauns wae yir fingirs up yir jacksie’s?
No stop tryin tae cause a fight in yir empty hoos!
STAND UP FOR THE GREEN BRIGADE
MWD
Greenlion2 says:
24 November, 2011 at 00:13
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
Did you hear you are now uncle to 2 real Engineers
……………
Aye GL2, I text Owen straight away, I’m really chuffed for them, and Mum and dad innaw.
Owen text me back and said thanks when r ye next up for a pint VMhan, good bhoys ye couldnae buy them.
V
setting free the bears says:
23 November, 2011 at 23:59
I want, nae demand, more work from a midfielder.
See Stan Petrov, Bobby Murdoch as my template.
Ki drifts in and out of a game and I thought he was spectral like tonight.
His (lack of) workrate puts too much pressure on the rest of the midfield and when possession is lost he never tracks back.
‘GG
The performance of Celtic players in relation to penalties over the last 18 months or so is really bad.
We’ve gave Hooper, Commons, Sammi, Murphy, Stokes and Ki a shot.
I think it’s time we gave those blokes who appear at halftime every now and again, who try to shoot a football through the hole in the letter “O” in the big sign they put on the goal line at the celtic end, to try to win a car, a go at taking the penalties.
They may be balding, have beer guts and wear Adidas samba, but give them a go says I.
MWD
Agree – Green Brigade are the future fans of our club..they are the only element of the current support that add colour to Celtic games – we were all young once – let them live and sing. THey are not causing murders…
GB V BB……..No Contest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-XUNjm_R04
MWD..Agree..one of the most lethargic 2nd half performances I have ever seen. Wonder if someone pointed that out to Lenny as they left the park?
TAL
MWD, thanks for the GB pics earlier, I dont know where ye got them but I forwarded on to UTLR and another in the GB. I know from experience that when in you’re part of the display you don’t really know what it looks like, cheers!
V
Comfortable Collective..
fat/ Balding? fair enough but I won’t hear a word against Addidas Sambas…next thing you’ll be slagging off copa mondials!!!!
central midfield simply NOT GOOD ENUFF
but delighted with 3 points no matter
how we win them cause we will need to win ugly
in january
1 goalie
1CB bulky and likes to spread his weight around(2-3M)
1CM same attributes as above but likes to shoot often and is a captain(4-5m)
1 striker who loves to scores goals but can also bring others into play and takes his chances(4-6m)
so at most 16m spent so ill have to sell
loovens(1.5m) dan(2m) cha(1.5m)
juarez(3m) ki(6m)
samaras(2m)
16m on the dot!
good that we won tnite our passing was top drawer and would love to see more of that
goodnite from me and remember lads we will win the league
3pointsonsaturday
HH KTF
DB67
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
24 November, 2011 at 00:31
Are you coming up next week. If not i’ll give you a call… We need to get Hoopy going..
3 points tonight, which is great BUT…. what an opportunity missed to close the gap re goal difference. In the 1st half we played some great stuff, and if we had finished even half our chances it would’ve been 5 or 6 at half time. Frustrating….
I thought Wanyama was superb – easily my MoM.
Oh, and referee was awful, a particular lowlight being Ki getting kicked in the head when it was 2-1 and him waving play-on.
Finally, Green Brigade – fantastic!
Hail Hail
Cultsbhoy the GB are not the future. The GB are the present :>)
But I do know whit yur saying.
V
Greenlion2 says:
24 November, 2011 at 00:30
Barca had their usual amount of possession and intricate passing tonight against Milan.
They were a tad fortunate to come away with a 3-2 win.
Same problem as we had, not converting easy chances.
( Nice to see we have something in common with the masterful Messi and company)
‘GG
Vmhan
..good point…glad you understand me!
Right now they may be the emerging upstarts..in 10 years they will be the ruling majority!
donegalbhoy67 says:
24 November, 2011 at 00:37
“1CM same attributes as above but likes to shoot often and is a captain(4-5m)”
I was thinking of Broony until I thought about the shooting aspect.
‘GG
Mountainbhouy
I am normally very restrained- however without the Green Brigade CL would have been a graveyard tonight.
I hop you and your wrist have a long happy relationship.
Let the People Sing