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.
258 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Greenpinata
We are not even running a bus, two cars instead. Simply too much hassle, watching the dreadful stuff served up by Livingston , not getting home till after midnight.
You put up with it for a decent game but this mob are pure anti football
Agree largely with earlier sentiment re stonewallers and such.
It’s in the nature of football support that incidents are interpreted and debated (howled about) based on your bias.
No harm in it all IMHO.
When it comes to publicly or formal complaining or setting the narrative though?
We have sufficient objective measures
– fouls committed based on possession/ out of possession
– net penalties
– VAR interventions leading to negative outcomes.
All three clearly suffer from … ahem … statistical anomalies
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Going to be interesting to see what happens as St Johnstone have appealed Clark’s red card Is there any point in the appeals system? If a decision has gone through the VAR collusion is there any point in appealing it?
Heading back from a wee trip to Provence. Ryan Air as per usual too good to be true. Flight cancelled due to air traffic strike in france. £200 extra to get back in time for the game tomorrow night. Otherwise would have stated for a few more days in the lovely Sunny but chill down here in Aix.
Can’t believe Celtic fans are talking of not being bothered with going tomorrow night. We are playing great football against all odds and the team deserve our support for that. Not just the money.
I can’t recall a better time to be following our team.
Celtic Park under lights. Potentially some home debuts. Top of the league. Huns playing at same time. Potential for drama. Potential for Livingston to get what they deserve. A bloody cricket score.
Folk complaining about home after midnight ? FFS.
No doubt whether we are winning 1 nil or 4 nil the stadium will be half empty with 10 mins to go.
I guess it’s about consumers and not just fans but it seems weird to me. Maybes we have all been spoiled with success this past 20 years ?
These are great Celtic times for me. I hope we keep this manager for another season. Personally I am loving it.
BURNLEY78 on 31ST JANUARY 2023 8:37 AM
Give it a rest!!
Each to their own, of course but it is part of being a football fan in Scotland that some travel and some bad weather will be involved.
I leave Arbroath at 3:15pm and arrive home about 1am .I enjoy the good aspects and put up with the less enjoyable parts. Livi won`t be a good watch but Celtic probably will be. IF we beat them, good. If we beat them `comfortably`, inclement weather will be forgotten and travel will be a pleasure :-))
Out for a couple of hours so,
Cheerio for now.
PS Our Dundee bus will probably be full.
It’s a night when first plays fourth and third plays second in our league. Surely that can get folks engaged ?
Hot smoked
Good to hear the bus will be full.
Maybe we are of an age where we remember the tough times and appreciate the joy of the past 20 years.
I guess it is harder for folk who have only witnessed domestic success as a right rather than a privilege.
Burnley 78,
May I ask how you are getting to and from the game tomorrow night ?
HH.
I see ‘swooping’ and ‘jetting in’ appearing in today’s media. I wonder who that refers to.
Burnley 78…if our fans are as important as the team then stop complaining about them.
Good morning all from Govanhill. Rather dreich day in old Glasgow Town.
I’m retired now but when I was working, getting home after midnight was problematic when having to rise at 6am, so I often had to pick and choose which games to attend. At home to Livingson on a wet and windy winter night would certainly have forced a decision on me.
I’ll be there tomorrow but I sympathise with Prestonpans Bhoys and others who elect to watch on PPV.
still a penalty.
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 31ST JANUARY 2023 9:47 AM
and
BELMONTBRIAN……..
Im glad that you Bhoys got home safe and sound after yesterdays wee Session.
It was an enjoyable day.
HH Bhoys.
What is stopping us from having Spring/Summer Football in the UK especially here in Scotland, maybe it’s time fans got together and demand that watching football on a cold and rainy night is just not on,not many of us can afford the hospitality packages were at least you can have sit relatively in comfort with hot beverages etc,
If a OUTFIELD Player wins the Ball….BUT ” GOES THROUGH” his opponent from the back or side in order to win the Ball….According to the RULES….Its a FOUL with possible yellow or red card to follow ?
WHERE does it STATE in the RULES, that a Goalkeeper is ALLOWED to ” GO THROUGH” an opponent to win the Ball….and that Goalie or his Team will NOT be punished in ANY way ?
The Ref AWARDED that penalty almost straight away….WHAT did he see on that Monitor that made him change his ORGINAL decision ?
HH
SAINT STIVS on 31ST JANUARY 2023 10:33 AM
still a penalty.
Even more of a penalty than it was yesterday , and with each subsequent viewing.
Good morning Celts…
BURNLEY78 @ 8:37 AM,
As an uber fan, you seem to have a selective memory…
Our success didn’t start twenty years ago, far from it.
In fact in modern terms our success peaked twenty years ago, as the best team we’ve produced this century took us to Seville.
Hope you enjoy the game and atmosphere tomorrow, I’ll be ppv’ing, hope you realise how privileged you are.
Hail Hail
BURNLEY78
Ryanair.
Is the private jet in getting a service.
Ref – Livingston at home on a Wednesday night in January.
Celtic online ticketing has a few hundred tickets left on sale, mostly singe seats dotted around the top tier.
Well done the non season card holders who pay to go on a game by game basis.
To those fortunate enough to have a season card and not planning to attend physically , do your best to pass them on and let somebody see the Celtic and support the bhoys.
The “attendance” will be reported as something above 57,000.
Incredible.
The Aberdeen game in 3 weeks time is already sold out.
We live in great celtic supporting times.
and a no to summer football. All that is wrong this year is the world cup/early season break has skewed the fixtures into january, complaints about the pithc, well, nae wonder, that was some downpour again last night, and forecast again for tonight.
Go and enjoy, another 4 or 5 for the celts please.
I also feel something will give at tynecastle, very good interview at weekend with Snodgrass, he aint there to make up the numbers, the bhoy is up for a hun skelping.
BIGJIMMY@10.36
Answer to your question s easy, even for a chump!!
His future in “the ludge”
10.45, sorry mate
St. Stivs
I would like to wish Robert Snodgrass my fervent best wishes in his imminent endeavours.
Meeting Leggy and Brian M at the Crystal Palace 12.30. Embdy up for a swally, pop in and freak out maaaaan.
Timbhoy163,
For the suggestion of spring/summer seasons, every two years will be interrupted by international finals, so maybe only play when international finals are not scheduled? full season every 2 years then?
For purely selfish reasons (I have catarraks (sp?)) I would much prefer summer football. I hate driving in the dark. The last 7 or 8 miles of my journey home is a wee country road.
I think too that the pitches would be much better (apart from those plastic abominations), which should suit our football.
Summer football?
When would the season start? When would it finish?
Would the rest of European football be expected to follow suit?
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful”. Yes we know what you mean, Martindale.
A barman on his break walks out of a pub, notices two penguin siblings on the street pointing back at him, laughing. “Straight up guys, I don’t mean to be disrespectful. See, looking at her from a distance when she’s stretched out sun-bathing, your maw’s a classic”
I hope the Celts give the Livi thug a doing tomorrow.
new article posted.