Get your kicks, from Game 66

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How ballsy is Scott Sinclair? Arriving as a 73rd minute substitute, his every touch was booed by Motherwell fans. Dozens of missiles were thrown at him (and other Celtic players) as nearby stewards failed even to look in the direction of the culprits.

Then with three minutes remaining and Celtic a goal down, he told Leigh Griffiths to step away from the penalty spot. The kick itself – high into the top corner, was unstoppable, but goodness, not without risk.

With so much negative focus on him, taking that penalty was the equivalent of looking the Devil in the eye. He will be stronger for the experience.

Now others are left asking, “What will it take to beat Celtic, even once?” Legs and minds are tired among the squad, you can see it. Leigh, normally so sharp, was ponderous when his best chance occurred. Craig Gordon looks like he needs a holiday. That punch, the clearance which cleared no one and those kick outs! What’s going on, Craig?

There was a fascinating moment involving Tom Rogic when we were a goal down. A loose ball was there to be challenged for, but Tom didn’t quite throw himself at it, prompting clear feedback from the travelling fans. What he did was take control of proceedings from then on.

His defence-splitting pass for Callum McGregor led to the penalty and gave us our kicks, on game 66.

The penalty itself followed a goalkeeping error. Carson saved a gilt-edged chance from McGregor, but instead of knocking the ball out for a corner, he kept it alive with a side-swipe. McGregor put his body between ball and defender. Then waited.

The not too subtle message from Motherwell after Sunday’s cup final is that they were incorrectly punished for putting arms around an opponent in the box. On an intellectual level, they knew they were banged to right (or they would have appealed the red card), but the emotional part of the brain took over.

“It’s OK to put your arms around an opponent to inhibit his progress inside the box” was the subliminal message. Just think, if Stephen Robinson had told his players not to take such actions after the final, Rose might have kept his arms to himself last night.

Every referee in the country knew Craig Thomson was hung out to dry on Sunday after making a correct penalty decision. Willie Collum would have prepared for last night’s game clear in the knowledge that no amount of wining would prevent him making an unpopular decision.

Would he have made the same penalty decision if Motherwell and the assembled media did not round on Craig Thomson a few days earlier? Perhaps. But it is never wise to harden the resolve of a referee.

Oh, and yes, that was our first penalty of the league campaign, no one else in the division was penalty-less until last night.

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280 Comments

  1. THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY,

     

     

    I was amazed at the 5/2 being offered for Aberdeen last night.

     

     

    Turns out the bookies got it spot on as to was the favourite and who was the outsider.

     

     

    cv

  2. Nuno Holy Spirit , I suppose these days anything is possible although I do not think he would go down too well.

  3. For those looking for ticket v Anderlecht, one has,come on @Celtic spares 5 mins ago.

     

    If your quick you may get it.

     

    Hail Hail

  4. So King was asked at the AGM what school he went to. Was that just a joke or was it a genuine question?

     

     

    JJ

  5. TOSB

     

    Whooooo

     

     

    Sorry but it may surprise you that I didn’t actually read your original post and any subsequent corrections you may have made. I did read Scullybhoys post at 2256hrs where I believe he copied and pasted the post I suspect that you a referring too. Maybe in future I should go over each post in minute detail and check back and see the original,if it’s copied and pasted later.Not.

     

    If it offers you a degree of comfort I managed to see your post addressing me before it was spirited away by the moderator, so you may want to cut him some slack and glow in the satisfaction that your post was seen by its intended target. Anyway hope the deletion didn’t cause you a sleepless night

     

     

    Ps you may have asked Scullybhoy to copy and paste your correction as well

  6. hot smoked

     

    After our AGM Tom English wrote an article lambasting one of our shareholders asking a question on us using Parks Buses. I’m sure he’ll be all over the ‘what school did you go to’ question from today’s jamboree.

  7. Penalties in league so far mmmmm

     

     

    Dundee 5

     

    Sevco 4

     

    Hamilton 4

     

    Aberdeen 3

     

    Hibs 3

     

    St J 3

     

    Motherwell 2

     

    Celtic 1

     

    Hearts 1

     

    Ross C 1

     

    Thistle 0

     

    Killie 0

  8. mike in toronto on

    Hello lads

     

     

    A good night at the TFC game with LiaminToronto last night. Not the best performance from them, but they managed to scrape a goal, and made it through to the Cup Final.

     

     

    Sadly, I dont think I will get tickets for that one …. which is fair enough ….I didn’t go to enough games, and those that go more often should get first crack … so, would have to go to a reseller lkel;y, and they seem to be asking about $400 for a ticket …. so I think I will be watching that one on TV with the lads, eating pizza. So, cant really complain. ,

     

     

    Almore … how is Dublin? Is it missing me yet?

  9. I feel like mentioning again that the free kick which led to Motherwell`s goal was also `controversial`. Well, it would have been had it not been given against Celtic.

     

    I suppose it is only fair, though. We have had many opportunities in the last 18 months to enjoy any and all of our` rivals ` experiencing defeat. They are still awaiting that pleasure re us.

     

     

    JJ

  10. i'vehadtochangemyname on

    me dad always said his cousin, Frank Nolan was in a showband but I can’t track it dow – he married a woman called Vogelsang -of german extraction

     

     

    irishhistroyisamazingcsc

  11. I went to Buncrana in the early 60`s on a family holiday and had my first experience of Irish Showbands. Brilliant .

     

    I remember the Royal Showband, Casino/Carlton ? and The Tommy something ( Flynn , maybe?) band. There seemed to have been a totally accepted hierarchy. eg These are the number four Band in Ireland; these are number two and so on. Great.

     

    I don`t think they would be my music of choice to sit and have a listen but they were all fantastic for a lively night at the dancing.

     

     

    JJ

  12. Anyone got a link to Brendan’s press conf today?SKY showed a wee bit of it when he was talking about Motherwell making lots of complaints.Would like to hear all of what he was saying. Thanks

  13. HOT SMOKED on 30TH NOVEMBER 2017 5:48 PM

     

     

    The Miami Showband has just sprung into my mind.

     

    ——————————————————————————–

     

     

    That was the best wan – wee Gloria Estefan – what pair o’ lungs on her….

  14. mit

     

    tfc very poor last night, thought cg was in goal.

     

     

    great irish show bands in toronto in the late sixties, maple leaf ballroom.

     

     

    then the windsor house for a good rebel night, the great jimmy carten(sp).

  15. mike in toronto on

    Natknow …. not sure if you are joking or not … (if so, apologies … sometimes, it is hard to know online) …

     

     

    Miami Showband were an Irish band some of whose members were killed when the UVF attacked their bus in ’75 …

     

     

    Gloria Esteban was with the Miami Sound Machine (I think they were called) , and was badly injured when her tour bus crashed (cant remember when) …

  16. Goood Evening CQN

     

     

    Hot smoked, if it’s the same Miami Showband which done the club circuit, they were regulars in Cowie Bowling club

     

    One of the band is married to a Cowieghirl – whose brother travels on Dunblane Tommy Gemmel bus with Winning Captains

     

    BhoyfromSky will know the family & the band

  17. Mike in Toronto

     

    Belated birthday greetings for yesterday. You’ll be pleased to hear that it wasn’t my birthday yesterday, and nor is it today.

     

    Hope everything is good and your wee friend is still bringing joy into your life.

  18. MIT: Of course Dublin is missing you. There were coloured lights on all the city streets last night for your birthday.

     

     

    Hope to go into Bad Ass on Tuesday night for Anderlecht game. Will raise a glass for you there. Hope Derry is ok.