Falkirk played some good football at Hampden this afternoon and looked competitive with the bottom half if the Scottish Premier League, but Celtic scored three, hit the woodwork three times and had a good goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, emphasising how comfortable a day’s work it was for the SPL, Scottish Cup and League Cup favourites.
James Forrest reached the goal line and cut back to Scott Brown, whose shot was deflected onto the post before rebounding to Gary Hooper who made no mistake. The nearside linesman did nothing for the reputation of Scotland’s officials by raising his flag despite a second defender being inside the six yard box while the Celtic striker was 8 yards out.
Six minutes later Thomas Rogne got his head onto a Forrest corner but saw the effort rebound from the crossbar. Falkirk maintained parity for 27 minutes before conceding cheaply. Darren Dods, aware of Rogne’s potency at set pieces, hauled the Celtic defender to the ground inside the box from a Mulgrew corner. Scott Brown converted the resultant penalty.
Stokes could have made Celtic comfortable six minutes from half time when he connected with Hooper’s cutback but his shot was blocked. A minute later Falkirk were level. Victor Wanyama misplaced a cross-field pass to Cha in the middle of the field, Emilio Izaguirre had pushed forward while no one dropped back to cover.
Cha and Wanyama both had chances to get tight on breaking Falkirk players but Higgingbotham feigned a shot and rolled the ball into the path of 17-year-old Jay Fulton, who finished clinically.
Within a minute of the break Rogne had a chance to put Celtic ahead again but mistimed his header before Gary Hooper set James Forrest through with Falkirk keeper McGovern to beat but the winger was denied.
Falkirk’s best chance to win the tie arrived six minutes after then break when Fulton drifted in unattended at Celtic’s left but his half-volley from 7 yards flew over.
Thomas Rogne hit the cross bar for the second time with a deflected shot after another Mulgrew corner. A minute later Anthony Stokes put one foot in the final when he lifted a free kick over the Falkirk wall and into the side of the net. It wasn’t the hardest struck free kick but he caught McGovern mid-jump on his line, so the keeper was slow to move to his right.
Falkirk pushed forward whenever they could and Duffy got the better of Joe Ledley to setup Alston but the substitute couldn’t convert. 12 minutes from the end Fraser Forster made an impressive double save after a corner. He stopped the first from Darren Dods and then saved from Stuart Murdoch.
Ledley saw a shot from a Matthews cross deflected over before the Celtic full back cleared at the other end when Weatherston got behind Wanyama to cross.
Gary Hooper secured the win for Celtic when he collected outside the box after 85 minutes, turned his defender and headed for the bye-line. His cross was converted by Stokes with Ledley waiting if needed.
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It is absolutely clear that Jelavic is being touted around England because the Huns are desperate for short-term cashflow. Even allowing for VAT, Rapid’s cut, and the player’s cut, a fee of 6million with at least half up front would probably be enough to keep them rolling along for another 2 months.
Remember, if the plan is parachute a newco into the SPL, it is much, much easier to arrange phoenixing during the summer, when there are no pesky complications like games to play and points to account for. I think Whyte will be trying every trick in the book to keep them trading till the end of the season.
I predict Jellylegs will have an uneventful career in the EPL before heading back to Austria on a free transfer in a few years time.
Kojo says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:47
Well, sometimes..
Kojo..
Feels like a Nut.. and Sometimes.. He ..well.. Disnae..
noo.
______________________________________________________________________________
The most sensible poster on this, or any other Celtic related, board!!
(Long-time lurker, now that you ask!)
Starry Plough
Cheaper Pies for starters!
HH
hamiltontim says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:47
You’ll see plenty of saltires at Ibrox and on the Shankhill.
Salmond referred to the people of Norn Iron as ‘blood of our blood bone of our bone.’
I think we all know what he means by that.
Ragers have just announced that all future trialists will be boarded at the Aye Ready B & B near murky park. When asked abt this club spokesman/bus driver/groundsman/doorman/toilet attendant/dog poo lifter Ian Durant replied. &uck aff ya buncha fenian B$%?”&DS F T P.
Ernie
Do you not think we can change that ?
I do
There is intolerance everywhere in the world.
Scotland is no different.
Remaining in the Union will not take us forward
but keep us in the past.
ItaliaBhoy says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:52
You think HMRC will ever see the VAT?
row z
They’d need bigger flags :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed that game of football today and thought Falkirk were a breath of fresh air.
Sure we made errors for their goal but they still had to execute it and they done that very well, Baggio will be proud of his boy.
To be truthful we never stepped out of first gear and there was never any danger of losing this match – the gears were there to be upped if needed.
My main concern is that after several weeks of respite the boo bhoys seem to be trying to raise their ugly heads again. Whether this is being done subliminally, surreptitiously, unconsciously or willfully I don’t know.
What I do know is it MUST stop.
Get off Cha’s back to name but one – do not make him a target for the boo bhoys.
Why oh why must we perpetually put down our own?
Instead of looking at the positives, some seem determined to pick out the very few negatives they can and highlight them to attempt to create some sort of magnified vision of the shortcomings of some players.
Get over yourselves. It takes many personalities to make a team and within that team each will have their own, integral role to play in order to make it a success.
The key word is support…. .. SUPPORT! And if they young ghuys are anything like me, then when they need the most support is when they are having a mare or feeling low. It is so easy to support when all is going well. Think back to the early start of the season and the abuse Lenny was getting. Think back to last season, to the death threats that Lenny was getting…
Do you think for one minute he stopped supporting or believing?
Get behind the bhoys
WIN LOSE or DRAW
and SUPPORT them
I am proud to be a Celtic supporter right now (well always, will never falter). More proud than normal because I truly believe we are at the incipient stages of a truly wonderful era.
pyfinl
HAIL HAIL
TinyTim at 21:32
That clip was posted on youtube in 2007. Looks like the guy who posted it is LKS Lodz supporter. Brozek played for Wisla Cracow.
I can suppose earliest miss is 2004 or 2005.
Remember, politicians tend to keep the majority ‘on side’….
Gordon64 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:54
That’s utterly meaningless.
Just tripe.
Away and watch Braveheart.
The worry about an independent Scotland is that it would be “an Edinburgh jury” writ large.
Remember, until very recently (1970s) it was entirely normal for some of Scotland’s biggest businesses and public institutions not to employ Catholics. Most didn’t even feel the need to hide this fact.
Tolerance of Catholics (specifically Irish Catholics) is a relatively recent phenomenon in Scotland. Taking the long view, it would be naive to assume that this tolerance is Scottish society’s default position.
What would happen to the position of the Catholic community in an independent Scotland is therefore a very real worry.
Delighted to have won today against a very good Falkirk side.
Nonetheless, a lot of needless square passing today where one or two just seemed to be happy to pass the buck. Yes we got there in the end but we need much more creativity, penetration and inventiveness. You know the kind of thing Paddy mcCourt provides in spades !!
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:53
Ragers have just announced that all future trialists will be boarded at the Aye Ready B & B
What is their rate for one night ?? :-)
ernie,
Re: VAT. If the rumours are true, I am flummoxed HMRC haven’t stepped in already…
knoxy2000, fantastic!
EmeraldBee, indeed.
Kojo, sure, you would have to be Kojo No. 1.
davythelotion, I’ve had to delete your comments with long, unbroken, lines. Please refrain, they spoil the page width.
Hamiltontim
Could be a wee business opportunity there. The expandable butchers apron. One size fits all!
HH
ernie
They are now more prominent in Republican parades in Scotland.
Maybe time for us to reclaim it?
ernie
I completely agree…..
horrible negative reasons ……and you missed out the fat controller too !
a twisted media manipulating, talentless apology for a real government…
the sole purpose of this government is to keep our pathetic wee old media going and vice versa…..
nothing really actually happens, it is all hot air from the ultimate narcisist himself…..
Worrying times.
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. Jist, Row Z
Thanks fur the Nod,palomine.
Ah AYESWIZ…well.. actually.. mebbe,No . AYEWIZ..
mair like
ayewiz!
try..tae endeavour, tae try and Tell,
The TRUTH..
And.. Like the Man said..
The Truth.. Hoits!!
And ,today.. agin the Falkirk..
our Display wiz..in a woid..
TORPID..
no… Turgid.. fur it wiznae a Display that wiz…Inflated ,like a Balloon..
or..the Money Supply..
Na..
Celtic’s, over-all display ,today..
Definitely.. wus
Torpid..
Noo .. How Torpid, wiz it???
Ye may ask.. or ,mebbe ye wullnae ask. but
Ah wull tell ye ..anyway…
It wiz…
Lackadaisically..and Lazily… and Sluggishly
TORPID!
Kojo
yer pal…who thinks yer swell.
Ernie
Fair play.
Thought you might be up for some reasoned discussion.
But as it turns out your actually a bit of an eejit.
row z \o/ (O) Mississippi Burnin Nearer Home says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:53
Alright I forget about the pies when I was ranting…
Cheaper pies please, over to you DD PL NL…
SP
Aye ready B&B, they do a just breakfast for the travelling day-tripper trialist?
Gordon64 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:59
Away and discuss it with Christine Grahame.
I’m sure she’ll agree with you.
Italiabhoy
Until 1990 anti Irish racism was the highest reported type of racist crime in Scotland.
I’d be surprised if it doesn’t head that sad list again now.
davythelotion says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:52
Kojo says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:47
Well, sometimes..
Kojo..
Feels like a Nut.. and Sometimes.. He ..well.. Disnae..
noo.
–
The most sensible poster on this, or any other Celtic related, board!!
(Long-time lurker, now that you ask!)
ItaliaBhoy
We live in the same country but in different worlds.
The Catholic/Protestant community. No one I know thinks in those terms. Are you sure you aren’t confusing the rest of Scotland with Larkhall/Airdrie?
Starry Plough
and smoking in the toilets. It’s like being at school when you need a slash!
row z
Too much lycra required to make it a viable proposal!!
Sportscene starts the show with a rangers goal against who????????????????????????
There was definitely something in the air this week with the mainstream media and them.
Murray at Murray Park, photocall, well publicized etc, Craigie Boy Whyte nowhere to be seen, hmmm…
Smith the hero doing the rounds of ‘here’s my opinion of what’s what an awrat…’, including a recorded radio interview with James Traynor. Hmmm…
On Saturday the 14th Jan, Traynor said live on the radio that the FTT had been delayed ’til goodness knows when… (Q. JT actually didn’t know about the resumption on Monday 16th Jan or was that throwaway remark for the MBB’s ears to crank up the pressure?)
On Friday 27th January James Traynor says on the radio that RFC have big financial problems that have nothing to do with the tax case. Hmmm… More pressure intended for Craigie boy?
Murray out and about for the 1st time in months, ditto for Smith, Traynor exclusive radio interview on the doom that is about to unfold at the brox, Keith Jackson saying RFC’s transfer window is a “farce” – KEITH JACKSON!! “FARCE”, THEM!! What the blinkin blink is happening!?
Are the peepel about to have a civil war?
Is that the early starter breakfast with a soft egg and a return bus pass to Glasgow Airport?? :-)
Hamiltontim
I’m sure it won’t be shortly………….once the new law comes in.
Seriously though, are we really to believe that 60% of victims happen to be polis??????????
larssonse7en says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:54
A fine post,
needed sayin
HH
Mike
My goodness 3.5M for jellyfish hahahahaha!
Neil Lennon Abbot of Clonmacnois
Don’t analyse.
Just savour.
Tin hat on
If independence does happen is it……..
“The unions over why don’t you go home!”
Or is that liable tae get me the jail