A year ago, after a late 10-man winner against Dundee United, we gave ourselves a platform to go top of the table next time out, a status that was earned and not relinquished. Yesterday’s win against Dundee United was just as ominous for those hoping to get the better of Celtic.
15 games remain in the title race, Celtic have 7 away from home and 8 at home, where we have been imperious all season. Bookies are offering a 4% return on money placed on Celtic, although the period required is less than a year, that is below interest rates.
It took until early in the second half, and we benefited from a goalkeeper error, but the incessant pressure from Celtic was always going to find whatever vulnerabilities United had. Aaron Mooy’s speculative cross looked harmless until Jota seemed to defy the laws of physics to bend the ball over the line. How many players get to see a goal they scored when looking back onto the pitch?
Despite having a pretty good view of the action, referee Don Robertson failed to spot Kieran Freeman raise his hand to block the ball inside the United penalty area. Freeman quickly hid his arm behind his back, so perhaps Robertson believed the player only had the one upper limb.
VAR corrected this aberration. Despite the clear hand-to-ball action, the referee declined to caution the already-booked player. Your thoughts may return to the caution Alexandro Bernabei received when the ball struck his arm, behind him, mid-jump, and wonder why the gaping inconsistencies persist in Scottish football.
Do not trouble yourself with that. Also, set aside any thoughts you may have that the punch on the head Kyogo received was worthy of a penalty. Instead, consider the new rule. If you stand on the ball and fall, you receive a foul*.
Liam Smith stood on the ball, tumbled, obstructed Reo Hatate and, according to Don Robertson, earned a foul. It was an egregious interpretation of the rules which highlights the scale of the challenge we face.
*may only apply when playing against Celtic.
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5 clean sheets in a row now. We conceded 11 in the 10 games before that so we’ve clearly tightened up.
Genuine question.
Can there be another team in professional football any where in the world where the biggest
threat to that team winning the premier league in that country isn’t other teams but officialdom?
You’d think that would have died out with the Communist Army teams.
The only other likely or common circumstances might involve outright corruption and bribery – see Italian football. I genuinely don’t believe that happens here.
The statistical anomalies surrounding “honest mistakes ” , their impact on the game here and the real cause of them is worthy of a full independent investigation.
Robertson and Collum both put in strong applications for the cup final last weekend.
“You see it all the time now, take the ball under pressure and fall over. Easier to give the “foul” than to have the attacking team take possession in a dangerous position and have to deal with a very controversial moment. It’s a low percentage risk move from everyone, and opposition managers know it all too well”
You do indeed, step on the ball, fall over and get a free kick under little pressure is a new low point in this regard tho!
QB
the long wait is over,
“You’d think that would have died out with the Communist Army teams.”
or Spanish fascists eh?
Laughed at this from Garngad to Croy earlier
expected to see “Celtic close the Gap on Rangers to -9” on the BBC website last night.
———-
Some further statistical context to the possession and foul stats provided earlier.
(Part of the issue is these data are not routinely looked at TOGETHER, instead are just spat out on to the screen)
Assuming 73% – 27% and 12-7 foul count are true?
Yesterday’s game actually lasted 100 minutes.
2 x 50 minute halves.
So Celtic out of possession 27 minutes
Dundee United, 73 minutes
(Contested time can now be measured in other jurisdictions but let’s leave for now)
Every 2¼ minutes out of possession Celtic committed a foul.
Dundee United? Every 10½ minutes.
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Aww well , no cup final ticket for me this time
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev5coK-DcCA
Some comments earlier re the `Green Brigade` and the song book.
Yesterday was my first Away game for many a year.
I was very disappointed with the `Ooh Ah up the Ra` type stuff.I have often argued with my Utd supporting pals that the Media exaggerate this kind of stuff but exaggeration was not the case yesterday.
On the other hand, I saw nothing to support the view that those songs and chants were the work of the Green Brigade.
My own experiences with the GB have been very positive. So, does anyone have any proof that the GB were at the game yesterday and that they were responsible for all the IRA singing and chanting?
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 30TH JANUARY 2023 2:19 PM
I have often conducted a similar statistical calculation for our games. We really are the dirtiest side in Scotland.
Pre Var it could be argued as an honest mistake
Post Var it is confirmed as bias against Celtic and Helpful for Huns
Celtic have had more decisions go against them than the Huns have had decisions go for them – that’s a lot.
There is no doubt that all in Scottish Football are favourable towards the Hun.
Var has simply magnified the issue
67ECW
HOT SMOKED on 30TH JANUARY 2023 2:27 PM
The GB don’t control the songbook at away games.
The away support are well capable of making their own entertainment.
I didn’t have the sound on yesterday during the game. I seldom do. After reading CQN, I thought I’d play back with the sound. It’s now the 20th minute and only now are the support (Green Brigade??) singing a proper Celtic song, Shame.
ERNIE LYNCH on 30TH JANUARY 2023 2:37 PM
That was my point. I certainly didn`t see any GB identification banners.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 30TH JANUARY 2023 2:39 PM
My only surprise is that it was as early as 20 minutes !!
If we beat Livingston on Wednesday, I feel we may increase the points gap between ourselves and Sevco.
Cheerio for now.
PS I thought Oh looked an interesting player.
Where’s Philbhoy?
PAUL 67
You seem surprised at the anti Celtic stuff ongoing.
Unless challenged, it will always be so
KINGLuBO
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS @2.37
100% MY FRIEND
Me again, sorry
I can grudgingly agree Kyogo pen was not because prior to the smack he got he was offside, OK
So by that ruling, lets say the goalie has a bi kick to take. Before he takes it he decides to kick lumps out of an opposing forward, what happens, is that ok then
What a contrast between Celtic having to play (and win) with ten men, as Paul refers to in the article, with rankers playing against ten men every other week these days. That means those 10 men have to play against 12+. So what can you do? Be patient I guess, as the fans at Celtic Park showed during the first half yesterday. Keep the media heat on it however and Ange has come out more this season commenting on referee issues than when he first arrived. Now he does so as a winner and long may the nine point gap last. It reminded me all of this of the 10 men that won the league in May 1979. I was at college the morning after the game and I found out then. As we now realise, 40 + years later, BBC Shortbread morning radio was not going to open its breakfast bulletin with the glad tidings. Someone had a daily record in the coffee bar though and there were the usual spread of good photos at least but of course there were no TV cameras at the game. However, there was nothing that Tuesday morning like the pride you felt at hearing about how the team had come back from being behind, with only ten men, against the eternal rival and in front of your own supporters. We had to imagine but we were sure that Aitken, McGrain, McCluskey, Provan and McLeod had been stand outs, as they usually were. And that Lynch, McAdam and Conroy had been solid, giving 100%. There was great big Shuggy as well playing that night (who passed away quite recently) and an Englishman in goal, Peter Latchford. And among the others there was a Lisbon Lion on the field that night, one of the all time greats, Bobby Lennox. And two more Lions in the management team and Mochan and Rooney and Tommy Burns in his shirt and tie and I could go on and on and on. Who does get forgotten a bit though is Johnny Doyle, because he was obviously not one of the ten men, but he played that night and we know what Celtic meant to him. His sending off could be easily transported to where we are today with injudicious refereeing and now Varring. Alex McDonald was a Glasgow boy and like Doyly played for the jersey, ok no comparisons but he was a competitor too. According to accounts…no cameras there remember…wee McDonald was making a meal of a tackle he suffered and Doyly gave him an innocent, if you want something to cry about I´ll gie ye it, sly kick, as if to say, you are at it. Yer ref zones in and similar to when jinky always got ordered off for “retaliation”, after taking x number of kicks, the scottish ref , in this huge match, with no player injured, disfigured, concussed, etc etc due to anything, sends off a Celtic player. Note: Back in the 60´s/70´s ordering offs were rare in big glasgow derbies, everyone knew they were highly charged matches, sendings off would generate even more crowd disturbances, which we saw in games later when the likes of “agent provocateur” Dallas ruled. I think it would be just to associate Johnny more with that night because we know you have to stand up to the hun in these games and always stand your ground and that is what he did. We were one nil down at the time, he was battling as he always did to keep up the pressure and he was sent off in the first half, something else which hardly ever happened in scottish football…..until that night.
Obviously “Ten Men Won The League” is an immortal phrase which can never change and I hope it resonates forever but there were eleven Celts on the battlefield that night.
Doyley himself would be having a chuckle to himself about it up in the stars.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 30TH JANUARY 2023 2:37 PM
Pre Var it could be argued as an honest mistake
Post Var it is confirmed as bias against Celtic and Helpful for Huns
Celtic have had more decisions go against them than the Huns have had decisions go for them – that’s a lot.
There is no doubt that all in Scottish Football are favourable towards the Hun.
Var has simply magnified the issue
67ECW.
======================
68ECW
Pre Var Celtic commented in what way?
Post Var Celtic comment in what way?
You and i moan until the cows come home,does it just get continually ignored ? And “internal” enquiries are made and not relayed to fans.We sit in stadiums across Scotland awaiting results of var decisions with no feedback or in realtime
We need to show continually via statistics what you say is so,ie Celtic get decisions against them more than the huns get going for them.
You and i know there is a bias,here we will be accused of bias for questioning bias(irony)but it can be shown i am sure
HH
67 ECW i mean soz
Kinglubo
Ball’s not in play so he’s sent off and the game continues with a goal kick
Or penalty to raaanjjuurs
Good afternoon all from the Shipbank. A Heavyweight contest between Big Jimmy and BelmontBrian for worst jokes in progress. And I’m caught in the crossfire. Dearie me, courtesy of St Stivs .
Whilst it may not be the all of the GB singing the repulsive songs that were being belted out yesterday they don’t exactly sing many Celtic songs when we are playing at home do they?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyu1KKwC74
Such a bitter sweet day.
Laid to rest a young dude, who I knew was a Celtic Man and a Massive dance enthusiast and so much mair I dodnae ken aboot. Young twins left behind too.
Finally we have got 2 tickets for the Hampdump/Newco final, just being there with my only Child will be Special, Win, Lose…..I know technically it cannae be a draw.
The same sentiment remains.
*didnae
apologies.
Whether it was the weans that call themselves the ‘Green Brigade’ or other members of the away support, yesterday’s childish tiresome songbook at the start of the match only emphasises the fact that we have a not inconsiderable number of clueless a#seholes attaching themselves to the club
ONENIGHTINLISBON on 30TH JANUARY 2023 3:35 PM
I’m in the standing section behind them and at a guess I would say 1 in 5
AN TEARMANN on 30TH JANUARY 2023 3:26 PM
68 ECW would have been good but we will have to settle with 67ECW
BTW. We should have hade 70ECW but that’s for debate over a pint
HH
67ECW
Kinglubo
Kyogo was confirmed ONSIDE by the VAR but I still think it wasn’t a foul challenge.
PS
Other highlight for me was both Ms Barbour at Celtic game and Ms Irons on Sportscene both bang on trend with skinny leather trousers
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 30TH JANUARY 2023 3:42 PM
Many thanks for the reply. I wasn’t suggesting it was a majority but to hear such bile coming from so called Celtic supporters is disgusting. Makes them no better than the huns who sing about Tommy Burns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1uRgH3Ejxk
CELTIC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PH4Ramd0yg
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 30TH JANUARY 2023 3:44 PM
AN TEARMANN on 30TH JANUARY 2023 3:26 PM
68 ECW would have been good but we will have to settle with 67ECW
BTW. We should have hade 70ECW but that’s for debate over a pint
HH
67ECW
=================
You content with Celtics approach? Ie behind closed doors enquiries
I am not.not with the wall of decisions and evidence mounting with each game against poor refereeing.
Or shall we be girning here,same time same place,next week/month/year,with the same bias being exhibited
HH
⅜3
“ a not inconsiderable number of clueless a#seholes attaching themselves to the club
Aye, true that and a lot of them haven’t been near an away game .
Facepainter lol
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYNBvCXQ/
What songs in particular are the Francis Gay contingent getting so worked up about?
Oh to be a fly on the wall as they watch the game in the comfort of their drawing room.
‘Quick, Cynthia, the smelling salts, the smelling salts, I’ve heard an offensive song!’
“I just said to the lads in there, they’ve got to appreciate they’re sharing a dressing room with a real special individual. He’ll obviously go down as a legend of this football club. The biggest compliment I can pay him, and what I said to the boys was, he plays every game as if it’s his debut. As if he’s got everything to prove. He scraps for everything, is involved in everything, even though he’s done it all in the game here in Scotland. The players see it themselves. They live and breathe it. They’re amongst it every day. Mainly by actions but in his words too. I still don’t know what our dressing room at Lennoxtown looks like, I don’t go in there, because that’s his domain.” – Ange Postecoglou on Callum McGregor.