Outside Hampden, a wise man told me, “We’re going to win, because you wouldn’t want one of their players in our starting lineup.” This is 100% true, but Philippe Clement’s gameplan came perilously close to working.
Celtic dominated possession (67%) and, when things clicked, played all the attractive football. Newco, however, had almost twice as many attempts at goal (19 to Celtic’s 10). Their keeper kicked the ball long most of the afternoon, their players got stuck in so effectively, they picked up 8 yellow cards (which is fair enough), and they had one tactical masterstroke which combined with the direct and combative style, almost got them over the line.
The reason they came so close, despite having an inferior squad, is that they figured out how to press Celtic. Their first two goals came from a press which looked like it was triggered by a starting pistol. Passes by Greg Taylor (led directly to a goal) and Liam Scales (led to a corner and subsequent goal) were intercepted as Newco’s midfield and forward players sprinted into action.
Newco’s clear strategy of attack was to give the ball to the Celtic defence. That’s why Jack Butland kicked long, that’s why, from kick off in the 88th minute, they launched a long ball into our territory. Give it to the Celtic backline and pounce on the results.
We watched this game against Brugge and again at Dinamo Zagreb (and to an extent at Pittodrie). Three opponents have now figured out how to stop us passing through a press and each game has ended in a draw as a consequence.
At halftime I hoped Brendan would be able to sort this but changes were largely ineffective. Alex Valle’s appearance at the start of extra-time improved things, his first touch and choice of pass was on point, although by then, Newco were tiring and running the clock down.
The strategy which sees us miles ahead in the league, on nine points in the Champions League and with the League Cup back in Paradise has been rumbled. This will be our first uninterrupted week with a full squad on the training field since August. The manager has work to do.
The game came alive when Celtic were able to get the ball to Nicolas Kuhn, which was all too seldom. He crafted and scored what should have been a winner in the closing minutes of normal time. Daizen Maeda’s goal was so typical of his play over the last three years against Newco. His speed took the ball off Balogun’s toe, before a delightful cushioned touch and finish.
Penalty kick competitions feel like a lottery when you lose; you find evidence they are not when you win. Nine of the 10 kicks were excellent, even the saved kick, low and a yard inside the post, was not a bad penalty. Both teams clearly practised last week.
Kasper Schmeichel read four of the kicks he faced and dived to the correct side. It was a matter of time before he stopped one. Jack Butland only went the right way once. That’s why Celtic won the cup!
We won one League Cup only once in each of the 1970, 80s and 90s, a period which saw Rangers collect the trophy on 15 occasions. Celtic then collected the trophy four times in the 2000s, five in the 2010s and now three times in the 2020s with five to play.
So much football history played on at Hampden yesterday. These are special times, enjoy them!
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Just watching STV’s snippets of the SPFL matches this weekend.
Rumours that, prior to the kick off between St Johnstone and St Mirren, the crowd were announced over the tannoy to the players, are unconfirmed.
Big Phil with a couple of beauties in his blog today,
“The last game of consequence to be played at Hampden this year,was when a bunch of displaced Ukrainians,beat a displaced Basket of Assets”
“On Sunday,the team wearing,Norwegian Blue”.
Sheer brilliance.
2 well known Celtic bars targeted yet again, where were the cops? Swinney should start there…
BTB,
The Killie v Hearts game was not a great deal better.Official Att. 5,400.No chance.
MCPHAIL BHOY on 16TH DECEMBER 2024 3:11 PM
BBC Scotland’s coverage of the First Minister condemning the violence before/after? the game yesterday is accompanied by a photo of Celtic supporters with the caption,
‘Fans set off flares and pyrotechnics from the stands at Hampden’.
Apparently is only those uppity Fenians at it again!
They just can’t help themselves, can they?
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Two stories on there atm, one for pyros and one for the unrest/violence in town and both of them feature lead photos of Celtic fans.
Absolute Huns! Feck the BBC! 😡💩
The penalty – in rugby, on the line is over the line – ball or player. In football, not so.
There was an English ex-player commenting on the CBS Sports channel I watched. I thought his comments were good but disagreed with him that it was a pen.
Hopefully Alan Morrisons honest mistakes will feature this in future to see what the Yorkshire whistler has to say. I say NO Penalty and get it up yez!
Bada,
Was that the” Old Firm”riots that took place in Glasgow on Sunday when ” Old Firm” fans,dressed all in black,wearing face masks and Red ,White,and Blue Tammie’s,went on the rampage in Glasgow,throwing large exploding fireworks into Bars with families inside,attacking Celtic Bars,smashing windows,fighting with Police ,terrorising,women and children Christmas shopping and eventually being herded onto trains heading to the Rangers end of Hampden,with no information of any arrests,if any at all.
When will this ” Old Firm” violence cease.
Courtesy of every Rag commenting on the shocking scenes.
TB – aye. Top level football.
Must admit did wonder about Brendan’s decision to take one centre-back off at half-time and er… replace him with er another centre back. Wondered if this was a time to go with a back three, Liam obviously on the left.
He has used that format before, a few seasons back mind. Was not to be alas, and my tactical acumen was not put to the test, though I think it is fair to say his was…..
TB- Its why the SMSM call it the OF, they know 95% is caused by thems,and throw us in to it,the OF tag has to be shot down in every conversation
CM- Looking back,that was a big decision to sub Scales for Trusty
TexasTim – I agree, it wasn’t a penalty. I think the media are too focused on whether or not Scales had a hold of his jersey inside the box or not. There was a hold there, but it was so brief it would not be given as a foul on most occasions. Definitely not enough to give a penalty.
I watched Reporting Scotland earlier where they were reporting on the violence between Celtic and Rangers fans before the match. They then showed the video evidence from inside what was clearly a Celtic pub, where an unidentified supporter opened the door and threw in a firework thereby endangering everyone in there. I don’t know why they can’t report it for what it is, rather than talk about Celtic and Rangers fans being violent.
Bada,
” Where were the Cops”?.A few under the facemasks and Tammie’s,I bet.
There was a very large Police presence there,as I was told that the UB got permission for their Corteo through the town centre to train station from whoever.
After the mayhem they caused earlier in the year,I am stunned by this.
This is all because we take over this area for celebrating Cups, Leagues.
alongside Business Finances, Liquidation, “relegation”. law, articles of association and directors responsibilites add to the list of things huns dont comprehend” the subject of the scottish league continuing with no changes during world war one, versus the competition being suspended during ww2 as being beyond their ken.
thier thickness on their own history is mind-boggling, failing to know that they actually won the title in 1917/18.
not knowing british history, particularly given their yearly armed forces day, well i blame their schools.
Anger management vidjoe
https://youtu.be/dhSrbwpoQbE?si=to1iqqrNUU8vYsGc
Oh krissi dear why are you so sad
On this bright december morn….
HH
They then showed the video evidence from inside what was clearly a Celtic pub, where an unidentified supporter opened the door and threw in a firework thereby endangering everyone in there.
————
still pictures from cctv have been released in which a clear desciprion was given, a head popped in the door, wearing a red hat with a white bobble, and pyro chucked in.
https://i0.wp.com/www.pyroshows.com/wp-content/uploads/Santa-Arrival-Destin-Commons.jpg?ssl=1
i think we should replay the game cos they’re suicidal!
NAH GIRFUY YA BUNCH OF ************
I have heard some rubbish in my years watching these games but Celtic getting a helping hand from two people who people agree are fans of Ibrox is nonsense.
If that was a penalty I am not convinced. Was the foul for the first touch lunge or the shirt pull? If it is the former, there is no case. These same whiners dismissed Cadete, 96. They guffawed when Hartson’s onside goal in 2003 was dismissed. They also crowed when the seasons of honest mistakes happened to keep a dream alive.
That dream is now a nightmare for them and I am glad. Payback for the late 80s and 90s must be absolute and right now it feels that way.
HH
They call it ol frim
To imply continuity from a different club
ie Sir Hunner if Pence didnt toilet them.
Used only by meeja and hun fans.
Young Celtic fans-u12,who get their Celtic news from Murdoch binraider telly need sat down and givin a talking to bout the value of 100 pence and how the symbol of the union in Scotland did business prior to being shatoot publicly for all to see.
HH
D UTD next Sunday – well enough time to adjust and for Br to think about squad shuffles
Snake Plissken
Good to see you on
HH
Daizen’s interview on CelticTV is class. Interviewer heaps praise on him for the second goal but his response was that he was at fault for allowing the cross into the box for their late equalizer. What a guy. He then asked him about the final penalty, and Daizen said he was fortunate because he mis-kicked it. 😁😁
An Tearmann on 16th December 2024 7:27 pm
Snake Plissken
Good to see you on
HH
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aye, seconded/
Thierry Henry on a different level to the Muppet pundits we have here
There is one common denominator , one club whose fans are omnipresent every time there is fan violence in Scottish football.
Can you guess which one it is?
Answers on a postage stamp to
Scottish Ministers
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
MNCELT on 16TH DECEMBER 2024 7:28 PM
Daizen’s interview on CelticTV is class. Interviewer heaps praise on him for the second goal but his response was that he was at fault for allowing the cross into the box for their late equalizer. What a guy. He then asked him about the final penalty, and Daizen said he was fortunate because he mis-kicked it. 😁😁
=======
He did too
Only obvious on a replay but he definitely sclaffed it.
I think I can find it in my heart to forgive him
Hi guys,
I appear now and then but hopefully I always say something worthwhile.
Christie 4/1 a card on Skybet….bet responsibility
mncelt on 16th December 2024 6:58 pm
TexasTim – I agree, it wasn’t a penalty. I think the media are too focused on whether or not Scales had a hold of his jersey inside the box or not.
Guardian man, Ewen Murray, reported that at his presser Clement ‘implored’ the hacks to big up the penalty claim. On Sportscene McCann and alleged ‘former Celtic star’, Scott Allan, did the Belgian’s bidding. It was left to the referee from Christmases past,, Madden to give us the definitive verdict – ‘Penalty!’.
Well, I suppose when you’ve got someone as objective and disinterested as Madden you really must listen.
Sevco demand answers from the SFA re penalty claim…… new CEO Patrick……(I’m sure they will find a pet name),taking charge on his first day….
aye, nice to see you on snake
Yes, his foot was on the line and therefore in the box. If Scales had kicked his foot it would have been a penalty. But he didn’t.
In my entire football-watching life (and that’s a lot of games!) I can’t recall ever seeing a penalty being awarded when the ball has struck a player’s hand outside the box but where the back of his heel (or his bum!) has been inside.
Maybe one of the hundreds of people who contacted Philippe Clement could come up with some examples…..
I should say I have seen penalties given when the ref has mistakenly thought the handball was inside.
Seen a penalty awarded by a Ref who was looking the other way.
!!BADA BING!! on 16TH DECEMBER 2024 2:42 PM
The scenes at the end of the Unique Angle are brilliant
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Amazing i love seeing the energy of the players just jumping up and down in pure excitement.
Brilliant
Turkeybhoy on @6:49pm
Celtic have yet to call the Ibrox club “Sevco” or even “Rangers” in any of the past 12 years of PLC statement stalemate ahem!
So Celtic PLC, Lawwell, Desmond, etc, just retained the extra large 2012, old Rangers ticket prices, for new club Sevco, £49, £52, £54, £56, £60, £80, £1690 or whatever it is now on the Celtic vs Ibrox Club tickets.
Knowing that Celtic’s wee x 60,000 sneaky, cliquey, clipey, creepy, grassing culture, cancel culture, krankie degenerate vaxxeen genocide culture, version of Timmy, who loved nothing more than to bathe in such disgusting slime, and then go finger pointing for the witch hunters, these types of [ Tims? ] would always see the ‘bent’ in the PLC’s Ibrox cover up job in 2016 after Ibrox club got promoted, and wee Timmy would fall into line behind the PLC’s cover up.
There there little Timmy sheeple.
Would ii buy Engels for £11m having seen him – yes.
OJ
Ya banger.
Any time you fancy a chat, call me.