Celtic collected all three points in one of their most comfortable away performances of the season at Dunfermline this afternoon. Anthony Stokes and Victor Wanyama gave them a half time lead before a Charlie Mulgrew free kick completed the rout in the second half.
Mulgrew set pieces, the source of four consecutive goals, have become important to Celtic recently and could have led to an opener in 12 minutes when Thomas Rogne was wrestled to the ground inside the Dunfermline by Barrowman, who used both arms to prevent the Norwegian getting on the end of the corner, but referee Ian Brines, who had a particularly poor game, along with his assistants, missed the incident.
Five minutes later Celtic were in the lead when Mulgrew’s short corner was worked out to Anthony Stokes who shot from the 18 yard line into the postage stamp corner, giving goalkeeper, Chris Smith no chance.
Moments later Stokes, Hooper and Forrest combined well before Stokes tried a cheeky shot to Smiths’ near post. Celtic were now in full flow and Wanyama saw his shot from 25 yards tipped over by Smith. Five minutes from half time Celtic were in easy street. Charlie Mulgrew free kick from 28 yards was met inside the six yard box by Victor Wanyama who volleyed into the net.
Dunfermline almost caught Celtic snoozing within 60 seconds of the second goal when Barrowman knocked a through ball onto Burns but his shot was saved by Fraser Forster.
11 minutes after the break a Mulgrew free kick made its way left to Ledley who clipped a cross for Hooper but the strikers’ header went narrowly wide. On the hour mark James Forrest ran at Dunfermline from 50 yards but his cutback from six yards didn’t find a taker in the middle and slipped past the post.
High winds played their part today and almost caught out Rogne and Forster who struggled with a high ball that held up but Dunfermline couldn’t profit.
Charlie Mulgrew completed the scoring on 69 minutes with a free kick from 28 yards. Dunfermline keeper, Smith, should have done better as the ball went into the middle of the goal just under the bar.
Samaras linked with Brown to carve an opening but his shot was blocked. The ball broke to James Forrest who shot from outside the box but Smith made no mistake this time, turning the ball over for a corner. Mulgrew fired in the resulting corner and Ki found a yard of space 11 yards out but his shot went narrowly wide.
Ki Sung-Yueng made no contact in a tackle with Paddy Boyle, the Dunfermline player hurdled his challenge, but then grabbed and threw Ki by the throat. Ki never retaliated, no doubt expecting the referee to show Boyle a red card, but instead Brines booked both players. It was perhaps the most ridiculous refereeing decision of the season.
Emilio Izaguirre made his long-awaited return from breaking his leg at Pittodrie in August but almost marked his performance with a negative contribution. Having controlled the ball he then tried to dribble out of his own six yard box but was fortunate not to be punished.
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here’s a couple of good wines
Baron de Ley rioja
and
Barceliño 2005, Catalunya, Spain, 13 per cent, £4.99 Lidl (previously)
as for Gary Hooper, i don’t think he’s looking so uninterested, it’s just that any game after the Glasgow derby is difficult to get up for – i am sure he will have a wee rest and then go again strong as the season progresses
once the cup games and the latter part of the season comes along, he will be right up for it
would be smashin to have another sweeping move from Izzy, Georgios and Hoops as per last season’s beauty at CP
BRTH,
Spot on as usual mon capitan.
However, we’ve bought well, and one that took a while to light my candle, I’m now a confirmed fan of. Big chas mulgrew is no beckenbaur, but in terms of value for money, that man has been gold, and green to the core.
JimmyQuinnsBits
100yrs ago yesterday, Jimmy Quinn scored 3 v RFC
Vic had a belter of a shot saved in the first half. I think he’s learning how to celabrate a goal now.
ItaliaBhoy says:
2 January, 2012 at 20:25
Re: the Huns…
====
Agree with most of what you say except the bit about £1m to rapid. They would have to take CW and RFC to court first.
It’s so feckin windy here that Sky has just gone off, I think the dish has just been blown all the way to New York……..it sounds like we’re being bombed outside.
The missus is panicing, we may have to have a conversation!
Jings.
Maybe we just need something to complain about but I saw nothing wrong with Gary Hooper’s application today. End product yes but commitment no.
Both Gary and Anthony ran about trying to be available for a pass. Gary pulled off his marker to approach our midfield and be available for a central slip pass. Stokesie peeled off for the channels and wings. Our midfielders decided that it was easier to find Stokesie and most of Gary’s runs were in vain. Gary also made the wrong choice twice at the cut backs from Sammi and James Forrest but did manage to get the run on his marker late on for a header which slipped wide. That shows me that he was still trying even when it had not been coming off.
Our midfield passing was weak today but there was still plenty of good energy and tackling by Broony and Wanyama, even though they could not make the forwards look good.
We beat a poor team today and we were nowhere near our best. We did the same thing in our last game too but we were delighted then and we are a bit more downbeat today.
I enjoyed both 3 point wins.
BRTH,
Agree with you about Joe. I have to admit I was not immediately impressed but I am convinced he is a very important player an one we need to stay injury-free and suspension-free if we can if we want to win this title.
The win stats I read when Joe plays are incredible.
Árd Macha
TC,
1904… 2-0 down to them. They must’ve thought it was over. Quinn 3, bye bye.
fergus slayed the blues says:
2 January, 2012 at 20:58
I know what you are saying but even if there are no big changes to the structure of European competitions, Celtic still has a lot to offer Victor. There are no better fans in World football and if he is not money orientated and I doubt he is, then why not go to the latter stages of the Champions League with Celtic for a few years, is 25 too late to go to the EPL/Bundesliga/La Liga? ;)
Neil is quietly building a very formidable team, our EL performances were admirable IMO given the backdrop of what was happening in the League, this says we are primed for a decent effort in the CL next season and the snowball starts rolling from there. The age of this team is very exciting, and I’m sure they will all want to grow up for a few years together.
And anyway, Peter Lawwell may not be most Celtic fans favourite but the one thing he would do, if Victor indicated he wanted to go, would be to get top dollar for the young man and that would blow the existing Scottish transfer fees right out of the water, at a guess doubling Flo’s £12 million ;)
praecepta says:
2 January, 2012 at 21:04
I agree in the SPL he could become more offensive but in Europe against proper teams he will stay behind the central midfield, that is where he will be most effective. Today he was central and still played a very dominant game.
The really good thing is, we have scouts who are doing an excellent job and long may it continue.
Neil didn’t come into Celtic with any sort of managerial record to protect so he Trusted the Celtic scouting system. And he is being rewarded with very good talent to work his magic with.
I think it was Auldheid who said earlier that it was time for the whole club to get back together fans/board alike because then we are really unstoppable.
Even more powerful than moravcik67?
evening bhoys/ghirls..
don’t know if it has been said but after Wednesday and today I have never felt so confident about not loosing a goal since Mon and his defence…
only difference is we seem to have a keeper now who has the knowledge and beleif that he is good enough to be
a Celtic stopper…
and yes I am drunk again and disagreeing with the old crab…
I
Amongst all the clamour for Big Vic, I wonder if we lose Kayal or Ki, we could make a cheeky loan bid for his big brother, Mariga McDonald, currently languishing on loan with Real Sociedad, 15th in La Liga. It would surely be better to be winning a title with wee bro than fighting relegation with the Basques.
If that was not possible, maybe we should consider others in the family. According to wiki :- “Mariga’s younger brother Victor Wanyama is also a professional football player currently playing for Scottish Premier League side Celtic F.C., while another brother Thomas Wanyama plays for the Kenyan Premier League champions Sofapaka, Another brother Sylvester Wanyama Plays for the Kenya premier league club Sony Sugar. Their younger sister Mercy Wanyama is the captain of Langata High School basketball team, previously she played football and netball. ”
Team Wanyama csc
I’ve been concerned about Hooper’s attitude and lack of application for most of the season.
When you look at his work rate, link up play and desire to get on the end of things in the opposition box from last season and compare it to this, there’s a vast difference. I first had worries when I saw him making passes in midfield and then meander forward as opposed to last season where he would sprint into space eg the huns at Parkhead 3-0.
I grew more concerned when I noticed an apparent lack of enjoyment from scoring goals. No running to team mates and no running to receive the adulation of the support.
Lenny addressed this by sticking him on the bench for a few weeks and this seemed to have made a difference. He came back hungrier and it appeared that the joy from scoring had returned.
Sadly in the last few weeks the disgruntled Gary has been to the fore. He has the talent, of that there is no doubt. I just think at times his head goes down which has a detrimental effect on his work rate.
Maybe a spell beside Neil is required now and again to get the best out of him.
Star striker is our first priority in this transfer window….we need to devote all funds to getting one of sufficient quality.
Forget about another centre-half..
Mulgrew and Rogne should be considered the first choice pairing,with Dan and K.Wilson as back-ups until the summer..
Push the boat out and get Jordan Rhodes or Diawara,who both scored again today.
If we were unfortunate and one of our two orthodox strikers,Hooper and Stokes,were to get long-term injuries,we would struggle to win games.
Don’t tempt fate. Striker first..Striker now !
Evening all
Are my fellow Follow Follow Timfiltrators finding it impossible to get on the site this fine night?
SwanseaBhoy
HT
Hooper is in a huff because his pal Commins is not flavour of the month imo…
I like both but Stokes knows what it is to be a tim and imo he has been the scapegoat…
Which players have returned from their loan spells?
Thanks
setting free the bears
Rumours he was over last midweek for the game, if he was then he would have been blown away by the whole atmosphere. I think he also plays a defensive midfield position.
Good call. ;)
Stokes over Hooper every day of the week…
If we had to get a new Striker Skacel would do me..
BT
You could well be right. I’m not privy to what’s happening with Commons at Parkhead but it has crossed my mind that it may be having an effect on Hooper as his mate.
Ps stop gieing the auld man a hard time you :-)
The Singing Detective says:
2 January, 2012 at 21:37,
100% right.
I’m offering no comment on Hooper today or any other of our strikers, but we have for the last few seasons have bought the media line that our defence was the issue, when our problems have been someone putting our opportunities away.
Scoring goals is a major blow for our opposition, who have too often in the past thrived on the fact that they remain in a game they know should have been out of sight.
Sign Baba and we win this title. If we don’t we still have a very good chance, but I would rather remove all doubt, if possible.
Árd Macha
Cults
Skacel may be a regular scorer but he has never played as a striker
HT
I’m the only one allowed to gie the auld man a hard time… o))
HT,
Agree… Completely. Stokes looks hungrier. I’m disappointed at the number of balls played across the goal that aren’t capitalised on. Wee Forrest and Sammi played two today.
Cultsbhoy
I like Skacel but he would offer us nothing that can’t be provided by Hooper and Stokes. He’s not what we need imo.
I am one of those who has great regard for Joe Ledley. I would always have him in left midfield. Preferably Izzaguirre behind him, Kayal, Wanyama and Brown (only way out right) partnering him. I gather someone was allowing for Matthews to leave. IMO, the daftest thing I have heard this year. He is CLASS. Cha and Wilson should both go before him, if needs be (but only if needs be). Hooper is another to be treasured. He had little or no service today. As our manager says, we are building a TEAM. The players look as if they are aware of it and know they are on the verge of something really special.
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
Diawara, get him. If we do, we win the league… True story
therse sum rite unoriginal names on this blog tonite.
;-)
Skacel could easily be formed in to a great striker -anybody see his goal today?
Can’t see why anyone would want to weaken our threat or ability to field a strong team across the length of the seaon.
It doesn’t add up.
IF Commons is out of favour due to his mid-season golfing trip, which I thought was strange, then would Hooper not be similarly on the naughty step?
Workmanlike performance today, against a stuffy uninspired Dunfermline.
Once again, though, conditions didn’t lend themseves to good football.
Drab game, elevated by three good goals.
Team balance wrong.
Two wingers and two strikers leaves the midfield undermanned.
JQB
I like both Hooper and Stokes but I do think that the latter has been the one to suffer re team selection. I think he’ll score goals that Hooper won’t, today being an example.
I’d love us to get Diawara!
Rudi Skacel is 32.
He has played under several good coaches.
Not one of them tried to make him a striker.
Neil specifically asked for a target Centre Forward. Diawara fits that bill.
portglasgowtim says:
2 January, 2012 at 21:56
therse sum rite unoriginal names on this blog tonite.
;-)
—————-
i agree amigo.
thomthethim,
Thanks to you and some of your clann for the News Year’s Eve company.
I really enjoyed myself.
Árd Macha
What curious tabloid peeesh will we be fed now……….
BT,
VMHAN mentioned to me he would like to take your Da to the Green Brigade experience.
Dont know if he was pulling my leg or if thats a valid option ?