Celtic did enough in the opening 16 minutes to put this game beyond Dundee United but only managed to score once, an excellent effort from Gary Hooper, before United tightened up and made a contest of the game.
Georgios Samaras sprung past the United defence inside the first 30 seconds and squared the ball across the six yard line but Stokes arrived a split-second late to convert. That signalled a period of relentless Celtic pressure as the home team found it impossible to get out of their own half or hodl any kind of possession.
Gary Hooper controlled a long clearlance inside the centre circle on 12 minutes before knocking the ball square to James Forrest, who had space to exploit. Forrest drove forward before returning the pass to Hooper inside the box. The Celtic striker turned outside Gunning before driving a shot low inside Dusan Pernis’ right had post to open the scoring.
Celtic continued to press forward with Forrest again involved in their most dangerous moves. The young winger threaded a through ball to Anthony Stokes on the edge of the area before racing past the defensive line to meet the return pass on the volley but his shot struck Pernis.
Give-and-go football was proving effective for Celtic and on 41 minutes Cha Du-Ri played a one-two with Forrest but could not convert his shot.
Celtic were so dominant in the first half their only real concern must have been why they were not further ahead but the second half proved to be more of a contest. Dundee United’s passing was poor all afternoon but Celtic slipped to their level, frequently succumbing to unforced errors. The visitors were never in any trouble defensively but Neil Lennon decided to shake things up in midfield, and substituted central defender, Glenn Loovens, pulled Victor Wanyama back and brought Scott Brown into midfield.
The subsequent change, bringing Ki on for Stokes gave Celtic more athleticism and meant that the final few minutes, which are often tense when defending a one goal lead, were contested almost exclusively in the United half. Fraser Forster had a few catches and the odd punch but had a relatively easy afternoon.
940 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 24
- »
Manager of the Month!
See iPhones
Wee buns today that was.
It’s been a long while since i have been so confident watching Celtic.
Comfortable victory.
A wee complaint – corner kicks and throw-ins – no use us winning them,we just give the ball straight back to the opposition.I suppose that it doesn’t really matter though,the way the team is playing.
67 – Such a signing!
88 – Money couldn’t buy our clinical striker!
Serge (10) Tommy Burns says:
4 December, 2011 at 15:55
Hoopers 2nd touch was stunning
That was Hoops touch from last season,before the rat boogie done him.
Hoops did the same move last week.
looking good for rest of season,unlike hun mob yesterday,now that was
turgid,relying on a totally non penalty,that even the new hun admitted was faked.
Ok now that the game is over
Br\o/gan R\o/gan Trevin\o/ and H\o/gan says:
4 December, 2011 at 13:41
Br\o/gan R\o/gan Trevin\o/ and H\o/gan says:
4 December, 2011 at 12:32
Good Afternoon,
When the management and players of Tadcaster Albion turned up at Garforth Town A.F.C for a Northern Premier League Division One North Match on 20th November 2004, they could not quite believe their ears……. or their eyes.
There had been rumours that Garfield Town ( formerly Garfield Miners ) had a new player coach, and that he was a “foreigner” but no one expected this. Matters were confirmed when the team sheets were handed out, and there among the list of substitutes was his name. Socrates!!
Socrates Brasileiro Sampau de Souza Veirs de Oliveira was Captain of Brazil, played in two world cups, and may well be the oddest class footballer of modern times.
Between 1974-78 he appeared fpr Botafogo SP on 57 occasions scoring 24 goals before moving on to the famous Corinthians club where he would stay for 6 years. By the time he left there in 1984 he had pulled on their Jersey some 297 times and had scored amazing 172 goals, which was astonishing for a midfielder. He then played with Fiorentina in Italy for a season making 25 appearances and scoring 6 goals before heading back to Brazil. By this time he was not far off finished with football and made 14 appearances for Flamengo and Santos over the next couple of years. That was it, until he suddenly turned up one day in the north of England and appeared from the bench for 13 minutes or so.
Socrates’ footballing abilities were in no doubt, and Pele named him as one of Brazil’s 100 leading footballers of all time. Anyone who saw him in the 1982 World Cup will recall him as the tall (6’4″) bearded captain with the curly hair and the occasional headband who was stick thin, immensely gifted and had an air of “cool” about him. Indeed he was declared the symbol of cool for a whole generation of football fans in Brazil.
But by the time he took the field for Garforth Town he was huge as the video below will show.
At his height, Socrates was known on the field of play for thrilling passes, great goals and for his trademark back heel passses that blindsided the opposition. Off the field he was known for his politics ( he once had a whole Corinthian team wear shirts that said Democracy in protest at the Government ), for being a fully qualified Doctor– and for smoking like a lum and drinking like a fish!!
Indeed he delayed playing any type of football to study medicine and after his retiral he practised as a Doctor in Rebeiro Preto where he lived with his wife and six children. He was also a newspapaer columnist on sport and politics, did punditry stints for the television and wrote books. However, he continued to smoke two packets of cogarettes a day and have a far from healthy alcohol intake which in turn caused balooning weight and health problems.
In August of this year, he was admitted to Hospital with internal bleeding and placed in intensive care. Regrettably he died this morning at the age of just 56. The liver and other parts apparently had seen enough for one lifetime– maybe two.
He will be mourned in Brazil as a past player and as a political activist and a character. He will be mourned as a father, husband and friend.
I won’t pretend to ever understand a clearly bright, intelligent,professional athlete who abused his body with cigarettes and alcohol the way he did. He knew exactly what he was doing, was dedicated to medicine from an early age and yet seemingly did not give a toss and lived the way he wanted to.
He loved John Lennon, Fidel Castro and Che Guevarra and named one of his children Fidel! When his mother complained and said that this was a “harsh” name for a child he responded ” Eh– You called me Socrates!”.
He was the captain of the greatest entertaining team to win absolutely nothing, and there was a suggestion that that teams general attitude could have been better if someone less laid back had been captain. After all this was the guy who only took two steps when taking a penalty! That may very well be– but Socrates was Socrates and you only get the good with the bad. Take it or leave it.
It was said that the longest he used to go without a cigarette was when he was sleeping or during the 90 minutes of a football match. Yet later in veterns exhibitions games, one ex pro talked of the unbelievable scene of the great man wandering to the sidelines and getting the occasional puff from someone during the game!
There may well be a hell of a price to pay for being a chain smoking prince of cool as can be seen here in that last footballing appearance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJzp5BjixzE&feature=related
However, it would be unfair to leave with that image as a finale.
So if you have 5 minutes to spare, grab a cup of coffee ( a fag if you indulge ) and just watch football the way it should be played– even by a mad, philosphic, political,chain smoking Brazilian Doctor and his team of under achievers! As a boy this is what makes you want to kick a football!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZxvYy5-ekI
Socrates– Purveyor of Romantic Football,Revolutionary and one cool dude—– more than a name RIP
bamboo
watch yourself the pandas have landed!
canuckbhoy
Given that I’ve never conversed with you on CQN I’m wondering why you would start posting to me about calling cqn’ers huns, can you explain that?
Can you re-post where I’ve been calling cqn’ers huns (apart from coorslad as he’s from Londonderry, that’s a pretty obvious one)
I await you’re reply with ………
I really don’t know why I’m wasting my time with this tumpshie but hey ho :¬)
V
bournesouprecipe says:
4 December, 2011 at 15:58
no, I’M Neil Lennon “i’ll never walk alone” (fourstonecoppi )
You think he’ll get £20,000 a week for being club captain, and to sit on the bench?
of course your absolutely correct, but ghod help us if goes back to the “monkey chasing a balloon sketch”.
i had high hopes for broony when he joined us, a tenacious player in the style of riberi, but it just didn’t happen.
just my opinion of course.
voguepunter
As good a touch as the day he went past Davie Weir like the wind!!
We need to get him on a new contract, Reward him like we did Kayal. Fully fit this Bhoy is special. HH
dwptom – where did you get that quote from?
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:03
Don’t you be worrying about canuckbhoy,he is trying
to turn back the tide mark on his neck.
no, I’M Neil Lennon “i’ll never walk alone” (fourstonecoppi ) says:
4 December, 2011 at 15:53
I’ve always said that you tighten up the midfield and the defence will cope more comfortably, Kayal and Vic are looking like a great partnership, with Ki and Ledley being able to slot in and add to the tactics and flexability.
I agree that bringing Broonie in is not going to do anything to enhance what is now looking like a great midfield.
But there’s a big derby game coming up and Broonie is just back from a long lay off. With the possability that Vic’s game will go the way of many newbies to a Celtic derby game, i.e. it will pass him by, then I can understand Lenny’s urgency to get Broonie, with plenty derby exerience, back to match fitness. He could be crucial in getting that result on the 28th.
Well played Lenny! :)
Rico
BRTH
Superb post.
The squad is strong enough as it is,but how good will our team be when wee Emilio returns?
Chuck,Joe Ledley and Commons as well,all left sided players.
Balance is what they will bring to the side.
Frightening.
God help the hun.
Gordon64 says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:09
Thanks for the hospitality ,yet again.
Is the missus allowing you drink yet?
Okay bhoys, going out with Mrs G and my dear auld mammy for a meal, should be heading up to Glasgow town with Bridget next Sunday.
Hope the weather holds as it’s a long enough drive even in good conditions. Great day for us, Neil and the players.
voguepunter, kowtow crew. Slow clap. Well done son.
BelfastCityCelt says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:10
Was saying the same.our squad will strengthen,that mob will have to sell,sell ,sell.
Hopefully for pennies.
If we are even money or better on the 28th of December,i am having the lot on us to crush them.
Smash this,and smash that?
The only thing that is getting smashed is the tin can Ally crew when Lenny sends our team out to steam-roller right over the top of those pesky skintos.
Roy Croppie
Already dispached a load of fresh bamboo shoots to Edinburgh and I’m now working on my exmas orders.
Bamboo is the very latest fashion as an alternative christmas tree !
I will be taking orders soon with good discount for CQN’ers
NegAnon2 says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:05
dwptom – where did you get that quote from?
===================================================
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/celtic_unlikely_to_be_hit_hard_by_uefa_1_1990962?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
Aluko’s second appearance for the H*ns triggers the Secret Protocols of this complex deal,as Nigerian Generals release the impounded £15M Front-loaded Warchest,allowing it to wend its weary way onwards to Castle Greyskull….whenevers.
Little is known concerning any business interests Mr.White may have in Nigeria,but he is euphemistically referred to as “Big Hat,Nae Cattle” on the mean streets of Abuja..
Breaking…Breaking…
The SFA grant clearance for R*ngers to issue Aluko with squad number 4-1-9 .
http://www.419eater.com/html/419faq.htm
Anyone see the FA Cup draw: Man City v Man Utd!
Other ties of note:
Tottenham v Cheltenham Town
Arsenal v Leeds United
Fleetwood/Yeovil v Blackpool
Newcastle v Blackburn
canuckbhoy says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:12
voguepunter, kowtow crew. Slow clap. Well done son.
——————————————-
It’s called friendship,you know that thing you have on the 12th of July.
Paddy G tell yir mammy I was asking for her!
Enjoy you’re meal.
V
Enrico Dandolo nicked my Crusade says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:06
good point………..although vic has held his nerve, or rather been unphased during the euro campaign so far.
but yes you could be right in this thinking.
voguepunter says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:13
They can do whatever da fak they want mate,it won’t make a blind bit of difference.Buy,sell,whatever.Lenny’s Bhoys are going to stroll to the title.
Wee buns.
God help the hun.
Good three points on the road despite the tense closing minutes but in retrospect Dundee Utd never really looked like scoring. Wanyama is a very cultured footballer for his young years and is one helluva prospect.
The loss of Joe Ledley and moving Victor out of midfield was a major factor in our defeat to Athletico on Wednesday night. Things are going just nicely for the team but a lot of work to do.
Poor wee Billy.
Boo hoo.
BelfastcityCelt. We have lot of very talented players at the club and cant play them all at once.However,big mpney moves could be on the cards for a few of them and Celtic will take the cash so our squad will not allwats be this big.H.H.
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:16
Paddy G tell yir mammy I was asking for her!
Enjoy you’re meal.
***************
Just did mate and she said to tell you that she is still laughing at your ‘dugoot’ quote from through the week. ;-))
“behaviour and football grounds and the authorities’ concerns over the Green Brigade.
Privately, the police have admitted that it is their intention to “smash” the Irish Republican, Marxist Green Brigade. They are willing to go to extreme lengths, in terms of their use of survelliance and a wide range of extraneous powers, to do so. Meanwhile, Cetic would privately welcome a slap on the wrists from UEFA this week since they, and the vast majority of their supporters, want Celtic Park free of the embarrassment they feel over paens to the IRA – as the stadium was for the decade before the Green Brigade was formed. The complexities on these matters do not begin and end with what comes from supporters’ mouths.”
This was part of an article on the scotsman website this morning . I think the herald had it as well. —SCANDALOUS
For the first time this season I feel very confident about our chances of winning the league. Sure, we did not play particularly well today but, we got the points from a ground which, traditionally is difficult. Great stuff. To play like that, keep our lead and not concede is title winning credentials for wee me.
There seems to be a ” togetherness” with the bhoys which is fantastic reallly and for me, the only way is up, yes, UP!!!
Usually, we get sucked in to a false sense of security and what happens next??? We get mugged by some Mickey Mouse outfit, but not any more, we’ve grown up and know how to hold on for a win.
Hail Hail
KINGLuBO ( who just loves CELTIC more than anyone else!!!) So There!!!
Delighted with the win today, no panic, everybody did their jobs, vic looks like he’s made for that position, well done lennie. On a side note, I watched the Real vs celtic game on ESPN Classic a couple of weeks ago. The pace and determination was great, players took the ball and ran with it, put it to the opposition ‘we’re coming for you, see if you can stop us!’. Forrest has got that about him !
Joe Filippis Haircut says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:19
There’s a hundred million’s worth of talent in that squad my friend,at least.
Well done Lenny,well done son.
Nit-picking a wee bit here but bear with me.
My growing concern over the past few weeks is that we lack a killer instinct. Some of our football is great until the last 3rd and then we seem to attempt to play tiki taka football like a Barcalona tribute act.
I am desperate to see us bring in that battering ram in the January window. A big bad John type will see us win this league.
stokes was frustrating today but big Vic67 looks like the find of the season. I would like to see him kept in midfield though and if that means keeping our captain on the bench then so be it.
If we can get Commons back on form we will have a much more comfortable and enjoyable second half of the season.
Victor is a dynamic player with strength and energy .
NegAnon2 says:
4 December, 2011 at 16:05
dwptom – where did you get that quote from?
====================================================
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/celtic_unlikely_to_be_hit_hard_by_uefa_1_1990962?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed