The manager got the big calls right. Moussa Dembele’s form has shaded recently, while Leigh Griffiths has been scoring freely, so the latter was the form horse. Not only did Moussa score the equaliser, Newco found it impossible to deal with him throughout.
His circumference of control with the ball at his feet is considerable. I’m not going to burden him with the ‘new Dalglish’ tag, but that ability to shield the ball in tight areas takes me back to my early days watching Celtic. Kenny did this to great effect, creating space for others as he used his strength and close-control to create havoc.
Kenny Millar’s opening goal had been in the post from the first minute as Newco pressurised Celtic off their game. They were the team forcing mistakes of nervous looking defenders (I’m looking at you, Erik). Celtic just didn’t get going early on as the home team controlled midfield with Barrie McKay in particular causing problems.
The turning point came around the time Scott Brown picked up his yellow card (deservedly). It was a typically-calculated Brown intervention.
Moussa’s goal was quite unbelievable. The corner came from a breakaway chance when Scott Sinclair seemed to lose the opportunity by standing on the ball, but recovered to run at the Newco defence before firing a shot which was deflected onto the inside of the post before being knocked behind by a defender for a corner.
Dembele was standing 8 yards out when a high corner fell to his feet. Unchallenged. The ball bounced head-height but Moussa still had time to wait on it falling before finishing into the top corner.
Danny Wilson was marking him when the corner was taken but for reasons all too evident to those who have followed the player’s recent form, he left Celtic’s striker to challenge players already marked. It was an unfathomable mistake.
From that moment on, there was only going to be one result. Celtic should have gone ahead three times in the opening nine minutes of the second half. Their passing was now crisp and fast. Sinclair and Armstrong’s movement made defenders look statuesque.
One stat I’d like to see is the number of touches we had inside the opposition box. We spent a lot of time in there, pinging tight passes, which opened up the home defence. Dembele, Forrest, Sinclair and Armstrong should all have added to the score but Foderingham made himself big throughout and stopped the result from being as embarrassing as the performance.
Forrest made way for Patrick Roberts, who, at his first involvement, released Armstrong with a reverse pass into the box. Celtic had been in this position many times in the minutes beforehand. Their format was to cut the ball back, which is what we were all expecting Armstrong to do, but he released the ball a fraction of a second early across the face of goal for Sinclair to side-foot into the net at the far post.
Craig Gordon had a few comfortable saves, which he dealt with assuredly. Sviatchenko made up for two early poor touches by making the tackle of the game to deny Forrester. Emilio Izaguirre put in his best 45 minutes of the season in the second half; he looked like the player who arrived six years ago.
Mikael Lustig sprinted 40 yards across field to cut-out a breakaway inside the box. Big Jozo Simunovic must be wondering when kick-off is, he didn’t break sweat.
Off-piste mention to Leigh Griffiths, who was warming up behind the goal when the guy who kept him out the team picked himself up off the turf after a fruitless effort. Leigh stepped forward and patted his team-competitor on the back three times while shouting encouragement.
Great team-mates make great teams.
Have a Happy New Year, everyone.
842 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 23
- »
THE_HUDDLE
Poor we Andy Walker he wants so much to be loved by the huns.
Yet on the hun forums they hate him and never have a good word for him.
Why does he do it.
It’s probably an understanding of his masters bidding.
That shows how much we are up against it in the best wee bigoted country in the world.
Hope he enjoys his soup.
Soukous-5:09,agree there playing to their peepul:-)))
Can’t understand the stick McGregor gets. After a poor start, along with everyone else in the hoops, he came onto a game and improved as the match went on. I thought him and Armstrong dominated the midfield after the initial 30 minutes.
MOTM Scott Sinclair, they were terrified of him, closely followed by Dembele, his best performance since Man City at home, and the aforementioned middle two.
GARY67,
totally agree, I was delighted Calum started rather than Nir and think that he did exteremely well. Never hides.
A lot of sky bashing going on and to be fair much of it deserved.
However….last night I watch Hull and Everton and the studio presenter was Rachel Riley. ..surely she is worth the subscription fee. ….or is it just me that she smiles at.
Midlife Crisis CSC
Just watched those highlights, plenty chances created by Celtic and their keeper played well, dont think SA will miss all those shots at goal again, great result going into a long break which is well earned.
How many will Celtic bring in and how many will go will be interesting to see, I think 4 or 5 will leave and not weaken us. I have complete trust in BR to get who he wants, or, someone he knows and has untapped potential to improve the collective.
Make no mistake we are in a great position to plan for the CL qualifiers in June.
On the Sevco forums (forae?), they are torn between seeing a narrowing of the gap, and a gradual acceptance of a long, hard, Russian winter ahead.
The 1-2 scoreline flatters them, and I expect the MSM to translate the “tightness”of the result into a “tight” game, which it really wasn’t.
Again, such willful wishful thinking I feel doesn’t ultimately do them any good. Constantly thinking they are just “one more heave” from parity is something I believed as a Celtic fan in the mid 1990s. It was BS then, and is doubly BS for them.
The Miller shot against the post came from a breakaway when we had a corner.
This is a problematic area for us as it happens often.
We need to sign a strong defensive mid to control that zone and allow our creative players to be more expansive.
I thought McG was quiet.He didn’t do anything wrong but just was not involved enough.
I am not a fan but Bitton did well when he came on.
I thought MacGregor came on to a great game after the first 30 mins. Was everywhere and kept the ball well. Gave us a great platform in the second half.
Armstrong is emerging as a top top midfielder. Would have loved to have seen him score.
Happy new year to everyone at CQN,love this place:-))))
Italiabhoy,
That’s a very good last paragraph, sums things up nicely. Now I’m to spend the night with Hun’s and Hertz fans, God is good to me………:0)
Celtic heading to Dubai to train.
Sevco having a week off.
Sevco most expensive player sitting in a public A&E in Glasgow on the day of Celtic visiting ibrox!
Is it just me or does it all smack of amateur hour?
Might be my imagination but even the seats in the crumbledome look faded. The whole operation there is depressed and depressing. Good.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 31ST DECEMBER 2016 5:26 AM
Congratulations to Andy Murray. And to Ken Dodd!
*no a bad chanter but urine comedian, the latter that is, top goatshagger tae, him and his diddymen.
James Doleman @jamesdoleman 38m38 minutes ago
The “Joey Garner” song reached #31 in the charts which, coincidentally is also the number of people in front of him for the X-ray machine
Photos on Facebook/twitter of Garner sitting in A&E at Southern (or whatever it’s called now)
Italian hot-5:37pm,I hate sky sports but if I get rid then I’m sure you lose sky 1,I think,and my wife loves sky1
ROBERTTRESSELL on 31ST DECEMBER 2016 6:31 PM
Celtic heading to Dubai to train.
Sevco having a week off.
————————————–
But do they get holiday pay :))
THE HUDDLE-I honestly wouldn’t give bonner the time of day
Fairhill bhoy,
Nope you can bin Sky sports without it affecting Sky 1, me knows this cause I’ve done it!
Missed the first half as I was at the earliest Vigil Mass possible – 12.05 on a Saturday afternoon.
Thought we were really good in the second half and could have had a couple more – I reckon if you had offered most huns a 2-1 loss before ko they would have bitten your hand off
9 games in December – have a well deserved rest
Over to you Aberdeen 2 points adrift with a game in hand – go get 2nd place
I think sevco may have a busy transfer window – I expect a few departures.
As far a we are concerned maybe if we can get a bargain on a pre-contract
Sitting relaxing listening to the God-given talent that was Amy Winehouse. Sublime.
Will get ready shortly and go to the late Vigil Mass (11:00PM); soup, steak pie & spuds afterwards cooked by Fr Tom (though i still have to peel the spuds!)
19 points clear after win number 15. It definitely is a Carlsberg New Year!
KTF
I thought Ken Dodd died years ago
Like the Huns
Fairhill Bhoy 6.29pm
Hope you and all of yours have a great 2017…..
You are a great addition to Cqn, especially if you agree with some of my shoite :-)
All the very best fellow Celtic fan
Msm headlines suggesting “old firm shame as yobs break silence”.
Anyone there know if it happened? I didn’t watch the game
Brendan Rodgers?
damn straight!
Pic flying around of Garner in A+E at the QE Hospital (the old “Southern”)
Still in his kit.
Surprised at this – would have thought Sevco would’ve had on site medical facilities that could’ve patched him up before sending him to Ross Hall (if they can afford it).
But instead, on the busiest/drunkenest night of the year, their most expensive signing is sitting in a queue with the winos at the local NHS hospital, still in his kit and boots.
Lower league stuff…
Sevco Media in meltdown because Joey Garner was sat at the RAH Hospital A&E, Hahahahahaha.
Prestonpans Bhoys- I’m with virgin though
Thank you, Celtic. We are some TEAM.
Ken Dodd died.
Didae?
No, doddy
might not get back on later so just want to say
A Happy New Year to all on CQN
The bhoys done good today so 2016 has ended a lot better than I thought it was going to
may 2017 bring each and every one of us health , wealth and happiness
Hail Hail
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 31ST DECEMBER 2016 6:51 PM
Msm headlines suggesting “old firm shame as yobs break silence”.
Anyone there know if it happened? I didn’t watch the game
——
Level 5 pi**. I was there and heard one guy in the Celtic end shout something once. Complete idiot all the same but that was all.
Even from an early stage we looked better. Twice the linesman wrongly called offside when we were effectively two on one with the keeper. Celtic always looked dangerous with half chances and Newco just getting away with breaks of the ball. There were points in the second half when our dominance was embarrassing. Newco’s main chances came when we were caught up the park with ten minutes left even though we were the team winning,2-1 just didn’t satisfy this team. I’ve heard a lot said in the media about Newco’s improvement over the last two game. Personally,if we’d won the semi by 3 it wouldn’t have been harsh and if we’d won today by 5 I don’t think it would have been harsh either. We are miles and miles ahead.
The “minute’s silence” articles were – as I and Canamalar and others on here last night predicted – pre-written. Sure enough, the Herlad and Record had them up instantly.
Sadly for them, as confirmed on Follow Follow, a Rangers fan actually shouted out and swore during the silence. Therefore the narrative of “Celtic Shame” is much harder to maintain.
Doesn’t mean they won’t try though.
I hear some litter was dropped on Edmiston Drive…
transfer window aiming for cl quals to look forward to
Fairhill bhoy,
If you stuck “a” in front of virgin it would have changed the whole structure of that sentence!!!
Italiabhoy,
Exactly right.