The signs were ominous for the first 55 seconds of yesterday’s game at Ibrox. Newco successfully pressed Celtic back and forced a corner, from which Leon Balogun struck the crossbar with a header. That was the last time the home side were able to press Celtic out of shape.
In the previous three games between these sides, Newco upset Celtic’s possession by pressing defenders out of their comfort zone. By contrast, this game was characterised by Celtic’s defenders linking with Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels to play triangles around opponents.
It is worth analysing this variable in more detail than I have thus far, but Celtic’s composure on the ball made the Newco press look unstructured. My suspicion is that the press was not fundamentally different than before, but Celtic’s ability to play through was more practiced.
I only have the one witness, but when Raskin’s header hit the net midway through the first half, I immediately called it offside. Replays show the ‘scorer’ was a yard off, five attackers in total were in offside positions. Despite Celtic’s defensive line holding straight, the assistant referee failed to raise his flag. The same official would later incorrectly flag Celtic’s goal offside. Never question the value of VAR in Scottish football.
Newco are a counterattacking team and with seconds of the first half remaining they broke from a Celtic corner. Cerny’s step-over setup Dessers, who caught Liam Scales on his heels. Scales attempt to stop the striker by grabbing his jersey and lunging to block were not enough. Newco were again in front against Celtic.
This was Viljami Sinisalo’s sixth successive start for Celtic and his only real test in that time. There was nothing he could do about the goal, or the offside effort, however he more than delivered on other occasions. I counted three excellent saves by the Finn. His distirbution was also a factor in Celtic’s ability to succssfully play out from the back.
Celtic’s equaliser was all about attitude. Daizen Maeda did what he always does against Newco. Harass James Tavernier, then somehow erect a wall so wide, John Souttar was unable to clear past the on-rushing Daizen.
Adam Idah had no right to score. His back to goal with the ball heading in the wrong direction – this was a chance which called for the agility Kyogo was famous for. The Irish striker steadied, opened up space, then put his laces through the ball. It was a lesson on what happens when you get the ball into the box when playing against limited defenders. Adam should have put Celtic ahead immediately prior to the opening goal. They all miss ’em, the good players score important goals too.
In the final seconds of the game, Reo Hatate lunged to intercept a pass and divert it towards Daizen on the halfway line. There was no chance on and any other player would have held play up and waited for reinforcements. Daizen, however, channelled his inner Usain Bolt. When he next drew breath, he was inside the Newco box, but travelling so fast, he was unable to execute the killer move.
I suspect everyone left Ibrox happy. Newco held the champions and are now four games without defeat (penalties aside) against Celtic. Celtic rediscovered their ability to pass around Newco and are setup for the Cup Final.
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Wonder what story the rags will lead with today?
Happy Monday all.
Morning all – are they coming?
Morning TexasTim.
Off to walk the dog.
An American invasion!
The hollow apology from the huns ,is only to protect the fakeover, it wouldn’t have happened otherwise
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head.
Texastim
Naw! 😂
Wood woof Aipple, woof woof.
End of season feel to he game yesterday, officials so poor, missiles raining down……again, Huns ugly.
To share the points with a goal involving two deflections off Souttar is fun for me, wish DM had buried that last chance or squared to Kenny.
Excellent summary P67!
We need to learn how to defend set pieces and corner kicks.
The wee waffle mentioned that ‘we never learn’ and he was right.
Anyway, treble yell soon.
Beat Aberdeen = 3 trophies.
Beat Celtic = 3 points ( Hun season defined)
It’s-definitely-not-Rangers seem to have been a bit of a bogey team for us this season. Was Kilmarnock last season and Livingston a few years back. That’s just football for you I guess.
Adam Idah, who has had a knack of scoring in the big games, showed he can also do it in the bread-and-butter fixtures, which is something you need to be able to do as a Celtic striker.
Need to finish the season well and improve for next campaign.
Reo and Arne showed for the ball more and rather than take the ball in and be fouled/ tackled they cushioned the ball away and laid the ball off to a full back who had moved into position.
This broke the normal team rule of only passing to a man who was free …. Don’t pass to a marked man
No Hun player would get a game for us , so in that sense points dropped but given the end of season , pass markers except for the forward line who were a bit sluggish.
Does a Celtic goalkeeper have to be hit in the head with a bottle ( oh wait we had a coach hit recently) before the Hun get sanctioned , empty seats behind both goals now a requirement at Ipox
HH
Although the match had no real significance apart from bragging rights there are some aspects of our game which need addressed. Our inability to defend set pieces is alarming. Liam Scales is not good enough and he was posted missing Balogun and Raskins headers and was really weak in his attempt to tackle Dessers for their goal. He is slightly better than the other options and that’s all that can be said. Adam Idah might get better with a full preseason but is still not good enough to be our main striker. Scored a good goal but should have scored before their goal and his pass to James Forrest was very poor. KT will be a major improvement on the left side.
Paul 67 doing what he does best with that excellent analysis of some key points from yesterday’s game .
Much better team shape yesterday, Engels was excellent for me, if our passing had been sharper ,we would have caused them much more bother
Adam Idah is a bit of a puzzle . The two first half chances he missed by taking extra touches were not the hallmark of a natural striker but the goal from a much more difficult position certainly was. I hope he takes a lot of confidence from it , as that seems to be lacking at times .
Sevco’s problem all season is a lack of creation. Yesterday’s start was identical to CP. From kick off, a long punt into the left corner and then press. Had Balogun scored we’d all be asking questions today about how we allowed that same thing to happen.
The Celtic fans pulling their hair out at Idah’s miss in the first half must be very few follicles left having watched Kyogo for 3.5 years…
We were the better team and deserved more but it’s really all about Aberdeen.
The Cup Final preparation now gets underway, I suspect we’ll see plenty of changes in the next few league games.
yesterdays draw, are we still the champions or is it taken off us now.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/5819/live/368b8ee0-299f-11f0-9e0d-f7604ad6a803.jpg.webp
Japan international Maeda, 27, has scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists in a stellar season for the Scottish Premiership champions.
It is the ninth time in 11 years that a Celtic player has taken home the prize.
Scotland’s shame survives, called Sevco
Hell mend their board of directors, reaping what they sow, in sacking Philipe Clement, to play the Orange card. The men in the pointy hats, rinse and repeat, this time with Murty of Alloa, and his media hang outs. It may, or may not stymy their foaming supporters, yet another record, seven home games so far without a win, Barry even beats Rainjurz.
The ‘Home’ and theatre of hate once again swayed in their memorial ground which continues as a true 2025 demonstration of racism and bigotry. Faux apologies that end with complements to their supporters, the worst of whom they have strategically moved with militaristic precision behind the goal, in the Copeland Rd end. Statements could have been written by any of their board, members from glib and shameless liar to Sir Patrick anytime after Celtic’s first visit when Odsonne Edouard and company, put them to the sword, by way of the humping.
You have to ask Celtic though, for how long we tolerate in public silence without intervention, the real risk of physical injury faced by our visiting supporters, players and staff, by having to fulfill this Premiership fixture?
Brendan Rodger’s and his ‘by a country mile Champions,’ emerged unscathed from another deadly ‘near missile’, the already meaningless actual game of football, had been kidnapped and smothered by hatred. Celtic were well ready for it this time, ironic that VAR, another of Sevco’s pet hates was on the side of the good.
Hail Hail
What is it about playing for them that you immediately become a wee ned, rocket tadger fanny boy!!!
Wee raskin trying to rile up CalMac and then bahjramin noodles trying to do the same thing!!! I would be embarrassed if our players did that stuff. My only concern, as with most folks, was that a wee guy like Raskin can always get free and get a header off. I liked the fact that we tried to play football and pass our way thru them. Wee Fergie showed his true coaching skill by taking off death from the Bill and Ted Movies, Cerny, and replacing him with another dobber in Haggis, I mean Hagi. As for the antics of their fans and their bottle throwing, we shouldn’t be talking in the press that we are used to it now. Did someone check that the half bottle of Buckie was actually finished as I hear that the end of the bottle is the best part as told by some teenagers in the 1980s. Anyways, glad that game is over with and we can maybe give a few players a wee rest until closer to the final.
Aipple, you must hold the record for the most podiums, whit a bhoy:)))
Hail Hail.
Sean
EKBHOY I Disagree I would take Raskin,as for our club Rusty .Nawrocki ,Lagerbiele,Ralston, Taylor, Scales Welsh,,they all need to .move on..
IF wee DAIZEN is flying to Japan this week to see his family etc, I would expect that he MAY get a wee holiday from Brendan towards this week ends game against Hibs ?
MAYBE he was a bit subdued during the Hun game yesterday which was caused by being in Japan and flying back before yesterday and suffering a bit of JET LAG ?
I will leave DAIZEN OFF my Goal score bets this week…
I MAY REGRET that decision…so I will keep my options open until I see the team sheet for the game against Hibs. ?
LOL
HH.
boondock saint re: neds and tadgers
Quite right.
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BSR
Good write up.
IF only Adam Idah had passed the ball harder to wee Jamsie in the 1st half ?
IF only wee DAIZEN had squared the ball to Johnny Kenny in the last minute ?
IF only I had put a £20,000 Bet on with the Bookies for the game to finish 1 – 1 ?
LOL
HH.
Celtic teams play 4 – 4 – 2 with 2 strikers and with Kenny or Maeda as partner for Idah, then Adam Idah instantly becomes a Celtic version of Ian Rush.
I think wingers are now a waste of time as they are doubled up on and become a waste of resources.
The winger position should have been retired out of respect after Jimmy Johnstone and Davie Provan eras. Although MON did get a fair old tune out of Bobby Petta for a right good few games as well.
Danny McGrain Andy Lynch and even the Immortals like, Jim Craig and Tommy Gemmell, all played less pedestrian football with a lot of ‘direct’ forward balls, or long diagonals to our pacey forwards to form a different and some would say, a more effective attacking approach.
Or they could bring their deckchairs onto the pitch with them and just leave it all to Jinky.
Blessed be these great Celts.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/lisbon-lions-the-greatest-team-in-history-the-football-history-boys-ask-39733486
BRRB- Is Lubo still in?
BSR- Spot on
As cocky – and emboldened by indulgent ref Walsh – as Raskin had been all game, I thought he shrunk when Tony R took a grip on him and indicated he was to cease his flemish fuckeration tout de suite.
Wonder if the San Fiasco 49ers will have enjoyed the kutchural experience of the day ??
But again find myself wondering why we couldn’t get properly up for it and deliver a spanking?
a wee passtime read of our founder.
Ignoti et quasi occulti in hoc mundo (‘hidden and unknown in the world’)
https://the-shamrock.net/2015/04/06/the-brother-walfrid-story/
I only have the one witness, but when Raskin’s header hit the net midway through the first half, I immediately called it offside. Replays show the ‘scorer’ was a yard off, five attackers in total were in offside positions.
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I counted 4, as the one who was furthest offside was running back the way, and could be argued not interfering,
i did scratch my head as to how long it took to come to the correct decision, and was baffled by the tv var lines, which ran through the 4 rangers players in a line, but tv said was it raskins arm ?
feckin eejits.
watching the whole game again.
just another fixture, not the old firm at all.
quadrophenian on 5th May 2025 1:58 pm – I can’t stand the fake club and they’re accepted fakery.
This season they have made us look like a team who are struggling to work them out making it difficult to work out who is the team with all of the resources, and who is the cobbled together team.
No matter who their manager is.
https://images.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/3c8bf960-29ae-11f0-a71e-4f326ec7b72d.jpg
https://images.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/3c782340-29ae-11f0-a1fd-4bcb50aaf719.jpg
https://images.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/3c8f2db0-29ae-11f0-acc4-a77186b43e0b.jpg
https://images.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/3c79f800-29ae-11f0-b7bf-2f2344e8f85f.jpg
https://images.gc.celticfc.com/fit-in/1400×1400/3c775ff0-29ae-11f0-acc4-a77186b43e0b.jpg
Bada 1.53
He asked for my autograph then got a taxi to the Tolbooth.
scullybhoy on 5th May 2025 2:18 pm – Outstanding pictures mate.