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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Magners is the best drink in the world and Celtic is the best Football team in the world and if the pair up I will probably die of alcohol poisoning next year.
NEIL LENNON IS A CELTIC LEGEND, SADLY HATED BY MOST IN SCOTLAND BUT LOVED BY MILLIONS OF CELTS WORLDWIDE! We will not bow to intimadation, we are too strong. CELTIC are more than a football team we are a PHENOMENON! The most unique team in the world, built for the love of people. As brother walfrid said. “a football club will be formed for the maintenance of dinner tables for the children and the unemployed” THAT IS WHAT WE ARE! HH
Word going about that we can expect an even better day tomorrow with an announcement being made……………
Stand by yer bunks………..
NFL: excuse me mister but did a gynaeclogist make that wig?
punter in seat in front: no, why?
NFL: he’s made a proper…commons! goal…of it!!
DownForSam – I’m one of the doubters, who has since been delighted to eat his words about our £4m signing from Hibs,
The man’s a genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrmP2jFdmsw (thumbsup)
CRC
You have mail
HH
philvisreturns on 29 April, 2012 at 23:26:
“Steinreignedsupreme – The great thing about human beings is that they can always surprise you, in a good way. (thumbsup)”
Definitely Bruce’s Bonus Ball in this case – and on the day of the final Celtic v Rangers game. Had I met him next season coming out of The Park after a match against someone like Dundee, I would have assumed he jumped the dyke … in supersonic fashion.
Timing is everything – as our old pals the Huns are about to find out.
celticrollercoaster,
Yes please. Just emailed you
It was nice to watch Celtic today. Best Scottish team for four years.
BRTH,
You tease….
HH
Whoosh,yo! Paul67> the fun continues,more to come too.
Yo!peeps, what gives?
Fabulous night at kano bash.great to meet so many great peeps again.
To round off the weekend jollies a hunskelping dished out to Dodo FC.
Smashing.
Think bedlam deserves a night off for once.
Slan
Aldo
Will I have to post tommorow night, duff and phelps fantastic today. I hope so.
philvisreturns
The great thing about it is he loves being a Celtic legend in the making. Forget conspiracy theories about tattoo’s. I watched him leave the park at Ibrox the last day, “behind enemy lines”. He doesn’t very much like the huns. He’s one of us.
Steinreignedsupreme – Timing is everything – as our old pals the Huns are about to find out.
You know I’m a dreamer
But my heart’s of gold
I had to run away high
So I wouldn’t come home low
Just when things went right
Doesn’t mean they were always wrong
Just take this song and you’ll never feel
Left all alone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbRfYDP5P28 (thumbsup)
Zbyszek
Not quite…
The best scottish team for 124 years :>)))
celticghirlanew on 29 April, 2012 at 23:21 said:
Enjoy the rollercoaster of being a Celt. Today was a massive high!!!!
Lows to come no doubt, but at least we will not liquidate soon or wake up tomorrow as huns!!
HH and enjoy the jelly and ice cream
CRC
philvisreturns on 29 April, 2012 at 23:28
Thank you……. immediately welcomed here on my first evening…
(after the barrage of “are you a hun?” questions!).
Love being part it of all now…….. but still playing catch up, being such a newcomer.
One day, decades from now, I’ll be reminiscing about the 3-0 defeat in April 2012…….. with my zimmer regaled in green and white ribbons!!
HH……… and thank you :-)
Margaret. Lucky you getting a rerun soo soon
Setanta Oz making me wait till 9pm, another 12 hours
Grrrr
Ps. When I saw commons name on team sheet last night it made me smile
He performs a wonderfull link role between midfield and strikers
Immense , hope we see more of him
ST
celticrollercoaster – Lows to come no doubt, but at least we will not liquidate soon or wake up tomorrow as huns!!
Can you imagine?
It would be like awaking to Rod Serling standing over your bed, narrating about the moral choices that led you… to The Twilight Zone. (thumbsup)
Doc is Neil Lennon on 29 April, 2012 at 23:32 said:
Got your mail. Will respond tomorrow
HH
CRC
I also gave a nod to Alex Thomson before the match. He was standing at the side of a chuck wagon chatting to some of the good ghuys about how he thought the Huns should be send packing to the Third Division.
celticghirlanew – I still feel like a new Celtic supporter, even though it’s been since the early 90’s. (thumbsup)
philvisreturns on 29 April, 2012 at 23:42 said:
I thank my father for that! :-)
He loved today and the GB. Never seen him laugh so much.
HH
CRC
celticrollercoaster says In Neil we trust on 29 April, 2012 at 23:40 said:
celticghirlanew on 29 April, 2012 at 23:21 said:
Enjoy the rollercoaster of being a Celt. Today was a massive high!!!!
crc……
honestly, in the short time I’ve watched Celtic, and cheered them on, I’m sure my blood pressure has suffered!
What a team!!…….. and even when the lows happen, I’m still in awe of their talent and sportsmanship.
HH……… what a team!!! :-) x
TET
I know :-)
philvisreturns on 29 April, 2012 at 23:44 said:
celticghirlanew – I still feel like a new Celtic supporter, even though it’s been since the early 90′s. (thumbsup)
Brilliant!!! Great reply!
HH
TET
I should say the strongest.
celticrollercoaster says In Neil we trust on 29 April, 2012 at 23:43 said:
Cheers.
ST
I missed your reply last night, was rather the worse for wear, as I am presently :>)
After seenig how the team performed today, especially Kris and Glenda, do we really need to splash out ????
Of course we do.
I hope big Fraser decides to stay, he will be worth many millions in a few years, it would be nice if we were the recipients of said mills.
We still have Beram to come back, and Izzy today was aproaching what we know he can do.
Still a couple or three quality additions we are looking good.
The Andalucian mountains, the Sierra Castrils, heaven on earth.
HH
Best banner today “your grandchildren will be Celtic fans”
Now that must really make their blood boil
celticrollercoaster – Ha! I haven’t felt this good since partying in the Whifflet in May 1998. (thumbsup)
anybody know how the PoY event has gone tonight?
HH
JealousCRC
Agent Whyte you were fantastic this season.
Notthebus 19.09………………….guys name in pic….johny higgins….dont follow you sense of humour about his description….hees quite a big shareholder in celtic
This photo of the Thai Tims and Reamonn Gormley’s parents says more about our club than a thousand words.
https://twitter.com/#!/HannahPeyton94/status/196300370903969792/photo/1
Árd Macha
Earlier when I was abit high with the emotions of the game I posted a comment I now regret.
The guy sitting in front of Neil Lennon is a Celtic fan.
Like you, me and every other Celtic fan.
Im pretty sure if anybody wanted to have a laugh at my expense they could.
I was the Celtic fan in section 445 with the walking stick.
You may have seen me raise it three times in the air, every time we scored, celebrating with every Celtic fan in the ground……EVERY Celtic fan in the ground.
Im pretty sure that the Celtic fan everybody ( including me earlier ) has had a pop at, who is lucky enough to sit next to Neil Lennon, will laugh this off…but hey…after so long its just not funny.
We are Celtic Supporters!!
Wee Jamsie won ypoy, Charlie won poy, and Dylan won goal of the season and Agent Whyte won man of the year.
Had a beer with Alex Thomson after the game ….good guy ; his first Celtic rankers game for 20 years ; he enjoyed it as much as us.