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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God,this red wine is going down a treat,time to start playing Fianna Live in the Dungloe Bar Derry.Hail Hail
If all theirplayers go.up for sale….I would take Aluko …
….the wee ‘bould’ chap perched in front of Neil today………
ye’d have take yer ‘hat ‘ off to him…….
Topper!
Thomas Rogne @ThomasRogne25 Reply Retweeted Favorite · Open
Best team is Scotland! Like there ever was any doubt.. Great game today!!
Big Tam..
Agent Craig “Green and” Whyte!!
It’s Johnny Higgins (Roads and Tar Magnate) Big Investor and he’s got me a few tickets over the years.
Don’t know whits happening with the barnet though!
TTTT
GP asked Broonie to take team on LOH
Thought it quite funny today before game Sky had Roger and Broonie with a Q&A
I think they asked Brown’what’s youre pre match meal ?.’
Answer : COCOPOPS !
Well done the Bhoys.
I’m shattered, but happy.
googybhoy ♥ Celtic and Integrity on 29 April, 2012 at 19:29 said:
Where would you take him and do you think he would he leave you a tip?
HH
CRC
Ps Hail Hail to all the bhoys going to the PoY awards tonight. It will be absolute jumping!!!
RoyC
Magnate or Magnet ?
I am peesed . . . what a hangover and it’s still daylight. I LOVE CELTIC. Who the feck was in front of Neil Lennon with the barnet and permatan? A reluctant well played to McGregor, reminiscent of Goram at times. Last we’ll see of him, I think.
Just so happy that the record will show we humped them at the start of their history and at the end of their history. Good night, God bless from Denia.
Thinking about tomorrow morning, I have just realised that this is the only time I regret that I don’t work with any rangers fans.
Roy Croppie do we have magnates and the huns have tycoons?
adi_dasler
lol :)
he’s a good ghuy.
Can anyone tell me the last time the huns had a clean sheet against us and won?
Was watching Mulan with the wee one and even Disney know the Huns are the bad guys. Lol
Was it Hollywood celebrity and sometime Goodfella -Joe Pesci…….?
Thank you VERY much, Fholks, for the THAI TIMS video etc….made my day ….. As did BROONIE …..my MOTM
..and Provan is now KING FUD …. Back to the game……E- haaaaaaaa
Lhads! I’ve just photoshopped the false wig and moustache off that guy sitting in front of Lenny today and guess what……..It’s wee craigy Whyte!
Paul The Spark
he’s got money unlike their charlatans:)
Not one bad performance today. Fantastic football. Fantastic green and white atmosphere.
Now to sit back and watch the pantomime come to a gory finale.
Roy
Im sure he is
Just wee joke :)
Roy Croppie
I think I have more money than them and thats saying something.
SunSport Now @SunSportNow Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
BREAKING: West Brom have given the FA permission to speak to Roy Hodgson about the England manager’s job
Billy’s Bhoy on 29 April, 2012 at 19:38 said:
Now to sit back and watch the pantomime come to a gory finale.
In those first heady days back in February, someone said to just sit back, enjoy the show, and watch the bodies floating past. What a show it’s been. Football, Karma and GURUYism all rolled into one. I’d like to say long may it continue, but I’m dying to see the end.
Notthebus
On SSN
There will be rockets……
I can exclusively reveal that THE Guy in front of Neil was in fact Joes Pesci re-enacting the cameo role he played in the movie JFK…..
FACT.
notthebus on 29 April, 2012 at 19:09 said:
Can anyone identify this chappie?
http://twitpic.com/9f99ix
Spit the dogs other half?
===================
Hey now. That’s enough .Let’s not start a fight about him.
Calm down, calm down, calm down…
Shameful…..
Sandman Is Neil Lennon on 29 April, 2012 at 19:26 said:
Whilst I agree with you – I think the players who would have been withdrawn earned themselves 80 minutes of action and subsequent enjoyment.
Lenny has finally made me tingle with joy tactically.
Bug Bear Number 1 for me has always been my perception of what is tactical naivety. There is a reason why no top club plays 442 anymore and the most adventurous Lenny has been outside of this has been 4411.
At Ibrox – the hun official website announced their team (and for some reason they actually go into the detail explaining why someone has ben deployed in that particular position) which was a 541.
We for some reason approached it cautiously with a 451 – causing fat sally to out manouver lenny and change to a 442, to which we had no response until we were a goal down, when we pushed Samaras up top.
Today we picked a team and formation that was designed to play against rangers.
We set out with a shape that was designed to restrict their supposed strengths and also exploit their undoubted weaknesses.
I think it was a 32212 – it was so imaginative that that twat Provan insighfully said Wanyama and Matthews were rotating right back aound 6-7 mins into the game!!
We gave the huns no plan B – they had no answer because our tactics were so spot on.
Thats exactly what we need to be doing in every game. Research the opposition and pick the team and formation to suit.
To make things better – my other bug bear was what did the players do at training because we never ever saw any training ground drills on the pitch – our 1st goal was borne in Lennoxtown.
p.s. the tim in us all wants to see our bhoys on the park asap – I was screaming for them! but Commons deserved 80 minutes, as did Hooper.
Today’s game
Anyone else see Broony on the ground after Commons goal, obviously having a conversation with one of the Great unwashed, then laughing??? Priceless.
What a great result – now the last derby is over what odds on the FTT being announced this week.
I see liquidated huns
BREAKING NEWS
BT is sober…
well I have told MrsBT that I am..
Just back from the clock in Coatbridge. Guid day oot. Green brigade surpassed themselves today. Orcs spent 90 minutes giving us their usual bile. No pope and paedo songs remind me why in my moments of weakness I should never forget why I WILL be having a party when the rangers die.
for craigy boy
oh look ….
I see its the usual character thats at it aswell.
Tosser
yes yes yes
Sandman
Dats grate dat is !