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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Working hard as a player is a must especially if your wearing the hoops,i always liked Kenny Millers attitude/work rate.Henrik broke his leg tracking back for us doesn’t matter how good you are you still have to put a shift in.
1904telegraph news
not to sure about this Quinn guy, he cant play upfront, we are 2 doon to a poor rangers team, and maley swaps the forward line around, whats that all about.
M42
god bless…
I was at the game today, so I’m probably not allowed to comment on Hooper :-)
Anyway, first half he made 2 or 3 decent runs off the ball, and in every occasion a packed Dunfermline midfield meant our defenders either didn’t have the confidence or ability to play the killer pass.
I’ve noticed this a few times with Hooper that his head goes down a bit if he feels he is making the runs but not getting the ball.
He needs to work on this, and his heading, to take him from being a good player to a great.
thaks bro. a 22 yo keeper will cost us the league..
Glad to see you are coming round to the FACT that Big Fraser is a keeper.
You know who you are :>))))))
Re March fixtures
3rd March Aberdeen away 12:00
17th March Dunfermline Home 15:00
CIS Cup final is Sun 18th March.
Lennon’s Passion
I saw Gary doing a fair bit of closing down. If any player was lax in that regard it was James Forrest, who also, like Gary, had an off day but effort was not the main cause of their problems.
31003
Again, that problem of slow return from offside is not peculiar to Gary Hooper. Both Antony Stokes and Giorgios can annoy in that regard too. But it was not a problem for any of them today and it is only about today that I am arguing.
I am loath to get in the way of a bit of scapegoating but Gary Hooper tried hard today but was ineffectual, in my view. Two bits of skill by Charlie Mulgrew (aided by their keeper), a flash from Tony Stokes and some hard driving from Scott Brown was enough to win today. I see no reason to moan when we win at a time we are not playing brilliantly.
Some fear it is the beginning of a downturn in form. I see it as the promise of better things to come. When it all clicks, this team will destroy another Scottish team
10 wins in a row- No complacency but I cannot deny that I am happy
SFTB,
Im not takin a dislike to hoops. Just think he could do more.
Gotta go… But luv ya Bud
F
When Stokes isnt getting enough of the ball he goes looking for it.. When Hooper isn’t getting the ball he gets fed up. We are lucky to have both though as they can both hit back of the net. I still think Stokes will score more in his career than Hooper and mor this season.
Right now we are not short on striking options.. Sammi, McCourt, and some guys chomping from the reserves.. I’d like a striker but important we get a Centre Half.
I think we have goals in the team no matter who we play.
Just been reading back, and I see some are trying to provide the LL with some negativity…….we were in 2nd gear throughout tody…..great team performance…..no individuals merit ANY criticism ……..leave that to the LL etc
Phil Mac G
on Twitter 2 mins ago
Pmacgiollabhain Phil MacGiollaBhain
Excellent source. Diawara and Rhodes very much on Celtic radar. It’s getting to decision time.
Phil MacGiollaBhain @Pmacgiollabhain
Excellent source. Diawara and Rhodes very much on Celtic radar. It’s getting to decision time
My limited footie brain is struggling with the buying of a new target man up front.
Sammi isn’t one, got that, he needs to roam although in some matches his head-ons for Hooper are great.
Hooper isn’t one , no problem
Stokes isn’t one ,no problem
Stokes and Hooper playing together is their best combination
Stokes and hooper don’t play well off a target man or maybe they haven’t had the opportunity
Who is the target man for ? To play up front on his own ? To try with sammi/stokes/hooper ?
Anyway, with ledley as BRTH pointed out earlier and other great grabs, there’s people at the club who know a good player when they see one.
Clashcitybhoy
A very fair comment.
All strikers have that selfish streak that makes them believe that, if they’re available, it should be passed to them.
SFTB
from your preferred position in the crowd…
can you agree that FF is becoming a keeper, ?
I was unable to tell as I only watched on TV…
Swap the two of them for Rasmussen and Bangura
Hooper is a good player.
We are a young team and a little cautious so our service is a little slow and deliberate.
This allows opponents to get back and outnumber our strikers.
He made a few good runs to the front post today.
When we gain more belief our centre miss will get forward to support and they will be more willing to pass early and incisively rather on keeping possession.
setting free the bears says:
2 January, 2012 at 22:53
That’s the joy of football mate we all see things different.Did you see stokes steal the ball of Izzy when he was going through on the keeper and he was offside.Would have been good if Izzy had finished that move.
oh SFTB
on TV wee say Izzy kiss the badge and throw away the strip..
do you as a real fan think he will be going now?..
I’ll be very,very surprised if Rhodes is one of our targets.
Blantyre Tim,wee short ginger lad along with me today in Tracys.No,not Strachan..
bt
Hoopers in a huff?? Id huff his bank account this week. That shld do the trick!!
To take the debate elsewhere, I really think we should start and then keep playing 4-3-3, IMO our forward line is our weakest link when we persist with 4-4-2.
Sammi and Forrest are frightening Udinese AND their incredible home record defensively.
The one thing that is certain, if Udinese make next years CL, they will not want to meet Celtic from a sporting perspective.
Udinese are 2 points off the top spot in Italy.
I happen to think Napoli are the Best team in Italy and IMO are a very good bet to win the CL @ 50/1 ;)
Chaplin
I heard from my source during the week { Marca } that Diawara quite fancies playing in a good league, and that ain’t the SPL, there are a couple of Spanish clubs looking at him, wages may well be the deciding factor, we could be in a position to weigh in more that what is on offer in La Liga, and some Greek outfit are looking as well.
I have said before he will not be a Celtic player, I stand by that, and I hpoe I am wrong, but I doubt it.
As for Rhodes, not as good as what we have presently, only my opinion.
Tricolured Ribbon
I apologise for last night… as you know new poster take a slagging..
HH
Sacrilege .. Hooper reminds me of McCoist as a player.. Didn’t ever look like the best player but could sniff out goals and has a habit of being in the right place.. one of those strikers who doesn’t need to hit the ball cleanly as even when he scuffs or fluffs the ball it hit off him and goes in anyway.
Better to be lucky than good… Sometimes!
You get a better view being at the game than watching on the TV Fact.You get a better view watching on the TV than listening on the radio Fact.You get better information listening to the radio than getting texted the score Fact.
Petec,
thanks for posting this.
Not so keane on the music , but the images are magic.
Our Lennon has the hex in them huns I tell ye.
also guys take a look at Hoops scoring against them, top class movement and finishes,
he is still young, methinks, honestly that Gary will go on to be a top class striker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vntBg5uWKg
SFTB,
I am a fan of both Hooper and Stokes.
My gut feel is that Stokes has found his level at SPL, whereas I think Hooper can score in SPL and in Europe.
In saying that , Stokes work rate and attitude has jumped a gear this season, but, Hooper needs to do the same.
I was also surprised that Bangura didn’t get a run today when we went 3 nil up.
Maybe this is the manager showing a bit more ruthlessness and making guys win a place on the pitch, and not feeling it necessary to play someone because of his price tag.
CQN Saturday Naps Competition – Results – Week 20 (Boxing Day) & Week 21 (Sat 31st December)
Cathal was our only Boxing Day winner (Blackstairmountain @ 9/2)… but we had 3 winners on Saturday – hunza rugli (Novellen Lad @ 3/1), PF Ayr (Cue Card @ 5/2), What is the Stars (Shadow Catcher @ 7/4).
+£12.00 voguepunter (3)
+£10.83 fleagle1888 (5)
+£ 8.83 bobbymurdoch’s winklepickers (5)
+£ 2.63 Rockon (5)
+£ 1.50 twists n turns (3)
-£ 0.50 Cathal (5)
-£ 0.75 Eurochamps67 (5)
-£ 2.50 wolfetonebhoy (3)
-£ 3.75 What is the Stars (3)
-£ 4.70 Som mes que un club (2)
-£11.50 hunza rugli (2)
-£12.50 PFayr (2)
-£14.00 Raymac (1)
-£16.00 Che (1)
-£21.00 BULL67
-£21.00 oldtim
-£21.00 The Token Tim
-£21.00 tommytwisttommyturns
*No selections from : Eurochamps67, Raymac*
Happy New Year to one and all !!!
Cheers, fleagle1888
I heard that Rhodes being considered along with Long for Sunderland… ?
No bother BT and I know who ye are.Good spies in Derry son..
Watched the game here in Geneva.Will take 3 -0 away from home anyday.
However, shades of last year – lack of the weighted pass that Hooper and Stokes feed on.
I thought it was a very average performance. Another day we’ll rue the same. Half empty maybe but dont want a repeat of last year. Squeaky bum starts now.
just wayching MOTD…
what do I know coz I didn,t attend any of those games…?
I thought the strikers got better service once Ki came on.
TR
I know, thats why I am saying sorry… o))
Norwich playing in an Eire strip today??
BT
There is enough of you to have attended a few games today
Love
BT
I am taking pelters here for your cheek :-)
Everybody who pointed out Fraser Forster’s weaknesses (command of his box, and kicking) were quite right. He was no more than a promising young keeper who was about to become a better more mature keeper. Pletikosa and Given were both currently better keepers than him but Lenny judged that Fraser, in a few years, would be better than Pletikosa and that, meantime, he’d be good enough.
Even though Celtic Underground could not find a place for Fraser in our top 10 players of 2010/11, I do not share the view that there has been a dramatic turnaround in Fraser’s performances this year. He was always a talented shot stopper; he made a great save from a deflected Jelavic shot in the CIS losing final last year and his best ever save was against Atletico away, IMO. I don’t think he has made dramatic improvement in form because of his Hearts penalty save but I do think he has become more confident and more trusted. As a consequence, he is prepared to be a bit less conservative and come off his line more.
Sooner or later, Fraser will make a howler. No goalie alive has ever had a career without one. I hope we will give him some license when he does.
I bow to Paul Lambert who knew Fraser would be a good keeper before FF ever came to Celtic. As with this team, his best is yet to come.
lennons passion
Yes i saw that move. Stokes was (lazily??) offside and deprived Izzy of a good scoring chance in a good move. That’s strikers for you.