Celtic outclassed what could simultaneously be both the worst Rangers** team in past 20 years and the best in the next 20 years.
**If they survive.
Goals win games but on so many occasions in the 124 year history of these games brave tackles are equally important and it was an exceptional tackle from Adam Matthews which set this contest alight. Lee Wallace was in possession when Matthews hooked the ball away from him before whipping in a cross which Goian knocked off the toes of Hooper and behind for a corner.
Kris Commons was to have an enormous influence on the game starting with the resultant 17th minute corner. Rangers marked man-to-man but as the Celtic players inside the box moved towards the front post a huge zone was left unmarked at the back post. The ball was inside the box before Charlie Mulgrew but the Celtic defender was flying and dived full-length to head downwards. The bounce left Allan McGregor no chance.
Celtic’s stranglehold on the game was a result of their domination of the key midfield area. Rangers played with Little and Aluko either side of McCulloch up front but Celtic matched up with a risky three in central defence, Loovens, Mulgrew and Wanyama. Such was the gulf in class between Rangers forward players and Celtic’s defenders that the profit Celtic gained in midfield didn’t have a corresponding debit in defence.
Kris Commons scored his first goal of the season on 31 minutes. Gary Hooper collected on the by-line before playing a square pass into space 25 yards from goal. Commons was first to the ball but feigned forward before pulling back and allowing the ball to pass across his body. This fooled Kyle Bartley into lunging for a tackle in a space Commons never ventured into. The deliciously intelligent move unlocked Rangers defences; Commons was clean through with only the keeper to beat, and boy did he beat him.
With McGregor advancing as though the tax man was chasing him, Commons was the personification of cool, carried the ball until 13 yards out and chipped the goalkeeper.
Although Charlie Mulgrew’s crossing was missed, the addition of Emilio Izaguirre, Commons and Adam Matthews into midfield ensured Celtic were always comfortable and threatening in possession. This allowed Scott Brown and Joe Ledley to dominate the central midfield area. Brown played his best game of the season, putting his body between ball and opponent innumerable times, no matter the odds.
By half time, the only question was, how many?
The record books will show a Kris Commons tackle won the ball off Ross McCabe on 54 minutes before Giorgios Samaras passed to Gary Hooper. Hooper’s shot from the 18 yard line rifled into the top corner to complete the scoring.
I said the record books would show this is how the goal happened but another version of events will say that coordinated singing from Celtic fans spooked an inhibited looking Rangers team.
*In administration.
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k and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.) What you say?(Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.)
Woah Woman, oh woman, don’t treat me so mean, You’re the meanest old woman that I’ve ever seen. I guess if you say so I have to pack ma things and go. (That’s right)
(Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.) What you say?(Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.)
well baby, listen baby, don’t ya treat me this-a way Cause I’ll be back on my feet some day. (Don’t care if you do ’cause it’s understood) (you ain’t got no money you just ain’t no good.) Well, I guess if you say so I’d have to pack my things and go. (That’s right)
(Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.) What you say?(Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.)
well!! (don’t you come back no more.) Uhh what did you say?(don’t you come back no more.) i did not understand it (don’t you come back no more.) i came to talk it over (don’t you come back no more.) i thaught we had a better understanding (don’t you come back no more.) oh baby dont be so chicken (don’t you come back no more.) you dont want to see me cry x2 (don’t you come back no more.) oh baby it isnt fair ooh yeahh
Tommy Joad on 29 April, 2012 at 21:38 said:
The Loving Cup ceremony 2012
Spectacularly funny.
http://youtu.be/-dJpf3zOXd4
TJ
—————————————–
So funny but a little scary that these types of people actually existed in this day and age.
midfield maestro on 29 April, 2012 at 21:34 said:
Quick read of Rich List again during adverts in Hawaii Five 0, still can’t find Craig ‘off the radar wealth’ Whyte on it. Mmmm
You will once he’s finished with the huns.
BT
If you are still about i want to say
that is the best post ever.
Dannysbeard ,remember it well,at the Broomloan end if memory serves me well.
oh by the way i think you need a shave,cheers partner
hh
phil
Dick
I noticed you. See my comment earlier. It wizny you I was meaning. It was the guy next to you. Honest!
BacktrackingCSC
Awe Nae – No problem. My son has Sky+’d it so can’t wait to see it. If I say so myself I was looking good – had my new white jacket on & everything.
sannabhoy on 29 April, 2012 at 21:08 said:
still stocktaking through yesterdays emails. Will let you know if I have any CQN badges left asap?
HH
CRC
Hamiltontim
I agreed with your earlier post re neils post match interview, but we can discuss that another day!
Great to be a Tim.
Anytime.
Dick, you will always be you and I will always love you, but personally, I loved the old you a wee bit more. Ditch the syrup and shave off the moustache.
Dick Byrne on 29 April, 2012 at 21:47 said:
You wish you had that hair…
TC
PSG have blown a couple of my pre seson bets, so have Barca and a few others, not to worry, Santos are leading 1-3, 15 mins to go, happy days :>)
and that dress sense
All we want now is the fourth green field to come back home.
Dick Byrne
Is Tam Shepards open on a sunday?
Sportscene in 10 minutes!
Do ye think we’ll be on first?
There’s no been any women’s hockey or curling or anything on the day, has there?
Reallt need to get to my bed, but………
C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Huddle
The guy at the back looks right shifty!!!
Dick
Thats exactly what the wife said to me also ….that must be Dick Byrne she said
HH
ft
2-1
:)
Awe Naw – are you she said Byrne ? :-)
Philbhoy 21.38
Yer da wid be happy :))
Ach, seeing as it’ssuch a special day here’s a wee Brucie Bonus for you: an evening EK weather report. It’s very, very dark and the rain’s stoatin’ down. And on that bombshell it’s good night (and a very very good noght it is!) from me. Looking forward to Thursday’s game already – let’s get more than last season’s 91 points.
Four Green Fields.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJYL4yM4b10
Good night all!
Sleep well!
a wee comment there re the loving cup…
This cup has now been traded for a parking fine incurred by Craig Whyte. However a replica cup can now be seen in the new Walmart store which sits on this sight.
bournesouprecipe on 29 April, 2012 at 21:35
BSR is that Tucker Barbour you mentioned mate. If it was he was a relative of mine.
HH
Dick
Yes. It was the first time she has ever spoken English! ;-)
HH
mm
He surely would!
I just hope someone pissed in that cup before they passed it around.
It’s like that movie Society, freaks.
Will we be first on Sportscene? :-)
When you hit your pillow tonight think of winning the league next year and Euro games. When they hit the pillow tonight they will think of;
East Stirling, Montrose, Clyde, Berwick, Peterhead, Annan, Elgin, Stranrear and Queens Park well at least they will be at Hampden!!
Danny’s beard ….. Sorry, no…..recorded it on SKY
The day was for my dad an all the people who are no longer with us, who knew what we had endured, thank you Neil Lennon an the bhoys.
Sleep well Jamesy D, ye earned it.
Bma
Philbhoy
God bless.
Good night all tims
Brilliant team line up today.
Fanadpatriot. Hope the family enjoyed B’s birthday. Not heard the stories yet
Hail hail
In the mood for sharing.
I’m a Perth boy.
My old man was a football man and
took me to see the Saints as we lived a few streets away from the old Muirton park.
One glorious afternoon he took me to see the saints play Celtic in 1969.
He carried me on his shoulders the whole afternoon.
To his dismay i fell in love with this team from Glasgow
who played in the amazing green and white hoops.
Thanks dad.
A couple of police cars, sirens going, have passed the house in the past hour, but it’s been pretty quiet over all.
I hope the door skelped the McMoist and Jardine degenerates on their ar*es as they left Celtic Park today.
And I hope the bill for today’s damage is on it’s way to ibroke. Better still I hope they had to pay a security against damage up front. :)
Bye bye rangers, rangers bye bye – bye bye rangers
Bye bye rangers, rangers bye bye – bye bye rangers
Bye bye rangers, rangers bye bye – bye bye rangers
Eric
Glenn Gibbons for me, has always been one of the top 2 or 3 sports journalists in scotland. everyone has gone on at great length about spiers, but for me, Gibbons always remained impartial, even through the 90s when the entire media were slobbering over rangers, he refused to be drawn in by Murray’s spin. He is an excellent journalist, and his article about McCoist is top class – it is accurate, and it says a number of things that needed to be published, but unsurprisingly nobody was willing to write them. It took a real journalist to do it, and unfortunately there aren’t too many of those on scottish sports desks. well done Glenn Gibbons.