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.
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md’s goal – from 8.16 onwards (who’s the hu* with his hand in the air on the sidelines when sinkler was 10 light years on side) anyway, his first touch – lucky or effortless class ?
oops
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjU9CeEmvzY&t=532s
Well said GFTB.
2017 is all set to be one of the best years in Celtic’s remarkable unbroken history.
Hopefully the zombie club goes to the wall and their decrepit midden is demolished.
Happy new year to all Celtic supporters, at home and abroad.
Slan.
KTF.
The drop balls we contested were huge for us today.
They told the huns we were there to win. The ref and Kenny Miller and a few of their players protested but Scott Brown rubbed his brow, looked down and stood firm.
This is the evolution of mindset the Brendan has brought in! We were never gona get beat today.
Scott Brown again summed it up when after going over the barrier and facing their support he jumped onto the advertising hoarding and paused.
The whole of ibrokes looked and took a huge breath.
So they could all hate him, which they did. The abuse poured from everywhere and the roof quivered,……..
He paused just long enough for the hate to pile up high.
Then fixed his shirt.
That was priceless and THE highlight of the game for me.
The only hope the zombies have is in bringing in Messi or Ronaldo during the January window.
But where does the money come from?
They need to shift a few to make room for newcomers on the payroll.
But who to sell?
Apart from McKay or Foderingham who else will attract interest from other clubs?
No defender stood out and a few are already past their sell by dates.
Midfielders? Do they have any?
Strikers? Miller or Garner? The Bad and the Ugly?
So Dave, you will need to open up the war chest, the family’s inheritance or King Solomon’s mines to satisfy the demands of your loyal fans.
I feel their pain. My sides are killing me and my jaws are sore smiling.
Moussa – Moses
@Coral: Kenny Miller is the only man in history to score for all 3 teams in the #OldFirm Derby
MWD
GFTB.
There is an oft told story about Robert Kelly believing that someone looked after Celtic. The last time was in a he coin toss v Benfica which he was a witness to.
I repeat from last night’s thread. The huns have £45m coming in 2017.
No joke – the silence on this suggests others know this as well.
Time for me to hit the hay. Been a strange day, Hogmanay has been that way for me for years. Need to be up early as I am on taxi duty then cook the lhad his hangover cure breakfast.
Daft as it seems I may even do a 5k before Mass and then cook the steak pie. I am nothing if not a creature of habit.
HH
WITS 9.54pm
We could have scored plenty today, I think I man-marked Scott Sinclair because I was on him at 45/1 hat-trick :-)
I hope you have a great 2017
By the way I was lurking the other night and had to laugh at your “Brendan out for old times sake” comment :-)
Clunks
Broonie bossed Doomdome today.
Fife’s finest Bhoy.
FRAMBO11
You can buy a controlling interest in a lowly EPL club for £45m. Who, other than a rabid Hun will put £45m in there?
I hope you are taking the piss.
Frambo11,
who is your source for this information you are so sure about,
pish if you ask me
Frambo11 10.08pm
Excellent, Mike Ashley might get his money back :-)
Jmccormick
You have a great 2017, looking forward (God willing) to reading many of your recipes while celebrating Brendan & the bhoys trying to notch another title
frambo – i’ll go and check me numbers too
Ooppps
Will the mods delete my previous post based on my nome de blog which was so fondly received by P67 back in 2007.
MWD
ah borrocks, I won a garners worth
McCormick & MWD
make that 3 rabid huns.
£15m – Check out the Ben Riach sale – major shareholder Billy Walker
£15m – David Murray
£15m – still tracking
I put this on here to see if anyone else has heard anything.
Frambo11,
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
GFTB.
Same to you fellah!
Recipes , I share with fellow cooks. If you want to get the pinny on, join in.
Clunks
Was it just me or do you think it crossed his mind to do the broony while perched there?
The Tim Reaper – thanks for your considered opinion.
How did the zombies no sing the Dave Clark 5 song?
Do they just sing sectarian bile against us?
HAMILTON TIM
Yes that’s right. If they start issuing statements we should be on Celtic’s case bigtime.
Silence was broken down in that corner.
Also 30 odd thousand singing about child abuse is disgusting.
Delaneys Dunky 10.11
Well done to Ross Co today, I sort of like Ross Co because of your mob :-)
Hope you and the family have a great 2017
Frambo Frambo gives us a song ……..
Nae teamtalk needed for the next meeting……..just pin posters of big Moussa all over the away dressing room.
Smell the glove?
Smell the fear.
The lad rips the proverbial out of them again and again :))))))
FRAMBO.
£45m. That will fix the damage caused over the last 10 years .
If they ask Wonga for a loan , they can then maybe buy a few players.
It is January 1st tomorrow or is it April 1st?
Frambo11,
in case you missed my question,who is your source for this story
Frambo11
If this was true BFDJ would already have pooped his kegs.
How much left after paying debt and fixing stadium,
I’d love to see David Murray waste £15m of his own cash but you know it won’t be his if the fairy tale is true.
Anyway, I’ll stick to non-fiction and enjoy 58pts and 6 becoming 10 in a row.
MWD
TR
He looked like Our Holy Redeemer perched there.
BROOOONEEEE!!!!!!
Jmccormick
Am an eater not a cooker :-)
But I enjoy your enthusiasm, if I ever win the lottery I will gladly try and cook but until that day I will rely on my sisters & my wife cooking for me (& my numerous delivery numbers :-)
Hi Bhoys
£45million that’s nice, one question that will answer( if we don’t already know). Same club?
If it is the same club then that’s roughly half the debt paid. If no (which it’s not) that might pay back the soft loans leaving £30 million,£10 million to fix the roofs leaves £20 million. Another £5 million for big Mike leaves £15 million.
That would be no bad if you had a decent first team pool of players not one full of donkeys and OAP’s. So £15 million to buy a1st team squad that should ensure 2nd place for a while.
I’m shaking in ma boots.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL
KEEP THE FAITH
L5pr ootplayed today too btw
It’s what I’ve heard.
From those of you who are around it would seem not to be substantiated. Not keen to make a big deal out of it.
Winning Captains – any chatter you have heard?
In 20 odd years Minty didn’t put a single penny of his own cash into that mob. And he took millions out.
GFTB
My sis drove up to Dingwall this morning to spend Ne’erday wi the bhoys. Glad she got two wins today. She got to my nephews for 12 to cheer the Hoops on tv before walkin up the road to cheer the Staggies. :)
DELANEYS DUNKY on 31ST DECEMBER 2016 10:11 PM
Clunks
Broonie bossed Doomdome today.
Fife’s finest Bhoy.
===================
Not for the first time either!