Congratulations to all at Celtic on securing our fourth consecutive trophy. Those of us who lived through the 90s (and those who also lived through the 50s) know how precious these times are.
Collecting that trophy yesterday is not the act of a vastly better resourced club picking up what is their divine right. It is the consequence of over a century of struggle, denial and sacrifice. The current success of Celtic is as remarkable as it looked to be unlikely for much of its existence.
The reflective glory that shines on all of us is the gift of downtrodden ancestors who wanted to escape hardship. When the trophies arrive, celebrate a deliverance.
Throughout the first half yesterday Celtic were well below their normal incisiveness. You and I have seen so many League Cups slip away over the years against weaker opponents. At halftime I thought, “All it will take is a half-chance for Motherwell and it’s the same old story.” Instead, James Forrest found the breakthrough and Craig Gordon (and the post) were up to the job when called upon.
Motherwell manager Steve Robinson has done very well but he set himself up for a fall after beating Newco in the semi-final. Pedro Caixinha was correct predicted Motherwell would not finished the final with 11 men on the field.
The get-into-their-face/leg/body approach was Motherwell’s best strategy for taking on Celtic (and Newco), but there’s no point crying about the consequences afterwards, when you lose.
There has been more heat than light shed on the penalty incident, a consequence of seasonal pantomime analysis. Ask any referee the question he is trained to ask himself in this scenario:
What is Kirpe’s arm doing across Scott Sinclair?
His arm is there to inhibit his opponent. No one will be able to give you an alternative scenario.
The incident would have been a foul and a yellow card anywhere else on the field. That is the statutory punishment for putting an arm round opponent in possession, unless it is a goal-scoring opportunity, in which case the card should be red.
It is unacceptable for a player to fall to the ground when he was not fouled, but not only is it acceptable to fall when you have been fouled, it is expected, unless you want the referee to play advantage.
I do feel sorry for Kipre, who by that stage of the game must have assumed his could foul and hack with impunity, but as well as pumping him up to play this brand of robust football, his manager should educate him on the consequences of putting an arm around and in front of an opponent inside the box.
There is a lesson here for Celtic too. When we lose a cup (or a game), it is likely to be when we concede a penalty and a red card.
Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon: love your work, but your performances on TV yesterday is why good analysts learn the guidelines given to referees. Stick to baiting Newco fans and finishing second in the league respectively.
Moussa, love your work too, but I don’t like penalties that go right down the middle of the goal. Note that every keeper in the land watched yesterday’s game and many will gamble on your repeating the exercise next time you face them from the spot. This is a tactic you must use sparingly.
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I’ve just rewatched the match with a Dutch commentary. On the foul on Moussa in the first half the commentator says it’s at least a yellow, probably a red card. He says it’s unbelievable that the ref does nothing, he’s only a few yards away. On the second half penalty he says it’s ridiculous and a dive.
That’s from a neutral. I have to agree with him. I can only imagine that Thomson was told about the first half incident and wanted to compensate for that. But referees should never do that.
Thomson once denied Celtic two stonewall penalties at Ibrox and even yellow carded a Celtic player for alleged simulation. He should have been demoted after that. Instead he became Scotland’s number one referee and was given games in Europe, where he has also blundered.
I have no doubt Celtic would have won without the penalty. After we scored the game opened up as M’well had to attack at last. I think we’d have scored more than one more goal without the penalty.
Woke up this morn feeling guilty…..as you do after suppin too much…..I was in touch with my bro in law…..who ‘s just lost his father…..did my inanity help…..;-))
H.H.
whoknowsCSC
CELTIC40ME. exactly if it was moult at the other end we would be calling him a feckin orange cheating bassa and thompson a masonic orange cheating bassa. ive seen them given and seen them not given .hh.
Hypocrisy or What?
I posted this footage earlier today which illustrates clearly how completely neutral is our national broadcaster NOT….and we all , including Ernie should pay no heed to their opinions
Firstly have a look at the video then consider both these actual commentaries below by the same BBC’s Tom English on both decisions, by the same
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZjT1uISHsM
“In that fateful moment, Mikael Lustig allowed Schalk to get away from him and on to a loose ball in the Celtic penalty area. Ambrose was slow to appreciate the danger and, in his attempt to recover his ground, his knee came into contact with Schalk, who went over.
It was a penalty and it was a red card for Ambrose. Storm Efe had done its damage again and Woods sent Craig Gordon the wrong way from the spot.”
“The Frenchman played a lovely ball in behind the Motherwell defence to Sinclair, who fell to the floor. What made him tumble was a gentle hand on his jersey by Kipre, an act Sinclair milked for all it was worth.
The penalty call was bad enough, but when the defender was red-carded on the back of it, Motherwell were sickened and sunk. Dembele went down the middle from the spot – and scored.”
BIGPACKY
Aye,and I’ve seen a referee applying the laws,and a referee not applying them.
Thomson applied the relevant law,penalty.
50 SHADES OF GREEN on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 12:41 PM
GARY67 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 12:10 PM
Anyone in Section F yesterday knows the penalty decision was 100% correct.
Spot on mate I was in f5 row H at the front, penalty all day long.
H.H
————————-
With you 100%. I’ve not seen a replay, and don’t need to. Stonewaller.
Let’s be clear here, Kipre wasn’t penalised for impeding an opponent; FIFA Laws of the Game state that:
Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the path of the opponent to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction by an opponent when the ball is not within playing distance of either player.
The ball was in playing distance of Sinclair and Kipre.
Kipre was penalised for holding an opponent:
Holding an opponent includes the act of preventing him from moving past or around using the hands, the arms or the body.
It is a cautionable offence unless it prevents a goalscoring opportunity, one of the seven offences resulting in a red card:
denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
The Laws of The Game also state:
Referees should consider the following circumstances when deciding whether to send off a player for denying a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity:
• the distance between the offence and the goal
• the likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball
• the direction of the play
• the location and number of defenders
• the offence which denies an opponent an obvious goalscoring opportunity may be an offence that incurs a direct free kick or an indirect free kick
It ain’t rocket salad; it’s the ref interpreting the Laws of the Game correctly for a change!
KTF
BHOYFROMSKY
Is that the video clip you intended?
The RC one was a peach. Thomson had whistled and pulled the card out before Schalk hit the ground.
Not so yesterday,reluctant at best.
BHOYFROMSKY
That’s an absolutely brilliant reminder of what we are up against in this country and also it seems from the resident shit stirrer on the blog.
ernie
When you say Sinclair dived, do you mean he dived to con the ref or to make sure the ref got the decision right?
JJ
Maybe video refs would help.I doubt it though. Some people just like an argument.
BMCW
This is the earlier version which is a bit longer…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5krVW7QyFJs
But I both illustrate the consistency of the same Referee in reacting to almost Identical incidents and how the so called neutral broadcasters viewed them
Wit about lie detectors after the game Jeremy Kyle style.
Have now seen it –
It is a Penalty in accordance with the Laws of the Game.
Thomson is a clown with a long history of Wowee wrong decisione but in this particular case He made the right decision..End of -everything else is agenda driven Noise /blabber and smoke.
I think it’s irrelevant if it was a penalty or not. The main point is that Motherwell got their karmic just deserts.
Now, if only the person that hit my parked car over the weekend without leaveing a note was to suffer a similar level of karmic justice then I would be happy.
I wish them nothing but bad things…like ingrown toenails, or their boiler to break down on a chilly day.
Don’t know if anybody has mentioned it ( not read back ). The way Moussa took the penalty ( right decision 100% ) reminded me of the way big Roy Aitken used to take them.
I had a wee peek into Fester Fester. There are at least a half dozen thread on the penalty incident. No need to ask what the numpties think about it. The cry is call the Compliance Officer to get involved.
Don’t give a flying f what the increasingly irrelevant mssm say.
Distraction,deflection and justifying of cheating is their everyday stance.
And we are expected to believe their faux outrage and false revisionism?
Only one team played football yesterday and the thug who was sent off should have been off the field long before the penalty incidentnt.
The scoreline flattered the hammer throwers.
Wee Jamesie @ Celtic
Debut: 2010 Games: 260 Starts: 183 Goals: 46 Cup Final Goals: 3 Assists: 42 Trophies 13
Big Jimmy when your feeling better.
Did you know that the Tollbooth has an upside down marble fireplace on the ceiling.?
Quite handy when you’ve flaked oot and are staring upwards.
( history lesson from the facing book )
HH.
Just finished watching all the aftermatch stuff, outstanding, the smiles of the players faces (& obviously the fans) is brilliant
Brendan is pretty special not sure who the young fan is but what a gesture, also at end of the gave seeing young Luke O’D taking a selfie with his Celtic scarf
Sutton & Larsson interview also excellent
Never a bad time being a Celtic fan but I can’t remember better times than this
Penalty issue, for me who cares what’s done is done……. :-)
News……………….
Royal to marry an American divorcee ( or a lady that’s been married before )
GFTB,
In all the years I have been supporting Celtic , there has never been a better connection between team and fans.
Possibly even club and fans.
HH.
Who would win in a fight between Celtic getting a penalty and Sevco no getting a manager?
Good to see that under the laws of the game it was a penalty and red card.
All the conditions to meet the law were met.
Without reference to the law I thought it was a penalty because as a player with a fair turn of speed ( I was never caught by the chasing copper when he interrupted a game in Calton’s Well St ) I knew just how much a slight touch when at speed could change balance and direction, crucial when bearing down on goal.
The law makers seem to appreciate that too.
So if folk without rule clarification think it was not a penalty then they either do not know the rules or lacked a turn of speed playing the game or never played it.
Neither Lennon nor Sutton came in the greyhound bracket which explains their view. :)
Bournesouprecipe @ 16.18 hrs.
It’s a sign of the times. Unthinkable some years ago.
We all need to remember it’s 2017.
HH.
1. If we want to use warbobble math then no penalty means 1-0 we won the league cup.
2. Time we used video and remove ref inconsistency from the equation
3. so we benefited from Thompso’s hubris; so what?
4. Paul67 I always celebrate deliverance style …oor hoose yesterday…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE
Greenpinata 4.19pm
I realise winning helps but as you say the connection between the players and fans is magical, I know they earn a lot of money but I think they appreciate their jobs :-)
By the way I didn’t know that fact about the Tollbooth, am not a smoker but before the smoking ban was in full force I thought it hilarious they had a “smoking section” two tables on the left when you went in the main door, actually heard some punter complaint one Friday afternoon that a smoker was smoking in the non-smoking part of the pub :-)
Tin hat on here ,but Sutton for me started the scandalous penalty debate . He even stated that SS dived . He went on and on about it ,ably supported by Neil Lennon . And picked up by anyone who was waiting to write the usual anti celtic angle , make no mistake the script would have been written by the kid on scribes ,Sutton’s rant only allowed them to change there minds , drop there scribbling and go for Sutton’s better anti celtic option . See i’m Different from a lot of the posters on here . After they leave celtic ,I have no interest in them at all . How many of the team have been called in front of the oh so eager compliance officer ,through things highlighted by ex celts on tv ..as I say tin hat on .
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
Aye he needs to pull his socks up that Wee Jamesy:))
Tremendous goal yesterday to take the game by the scruff of the neck, one of the most improved players under Brendan!
Flash CSC
Poor lassie marrying into that bunch of nut jobs.
Royal Correspondent……..get a real job ffs, Hewitt’s boy is punching well above his weight btw….
Yesterday our better play came from the right side.And when Paddy arrived it was fantastic to watch.
Those hammer throwers will be sharpening their studs for the next two games
.At fir park i would have Kouassi and Ntcham in midfield to give us a more physical presence
VFR800 IS NOW A MONSTER 821 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 3:12 PM
There’s two separate offences involving impeding an opponent:
1. involves impeding the progress of an opponent without any contact being made. That’s the one you’re referring to. The sanction is an indirect free kick.
2. involves impeding an opponent with contact. The sanction is a direct free kick.
I don’t think the contact amounted to holding. I’m doubtful it was sufficient to amount to impeding. I think Scott Sinclair was cute enough to make it look like it did.
I think Neil Lennon called it right.
In his Player ratings for yesterday`s game, Willie Miller had this to say:
Cedric Kipre (centre-back) 5
Was lucky to get away with a very strong challenge on Dembele in the first half. He got himself the wrong side of Sinclair for the goal, leading to his sending off. The manager can complain all he wants but there was contact and referee had to make a decision. He’s a young player and hopefully he learns from his mistakes.
Incidentally, for his Ratings, Willie gave `well 72 points and Celtic 83; Subs 18 and 19 respective totals for the 3 subs for each team.
JJ
Interesting article about this year’s Sporting Intelligence annual Global Sports Salaries Survey .
Compare the poor huns to us … and us to our European opponents …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42141794
ernie
I ask again. Do you think Sinclair tried to con the ref or `dived` to highlight the perceived foul?
JJ
Greenpinata
Aye they’ve come a long way
Starry
Blossoming with Brendan.
Another star with ‘Celtic hair’ in a different style nearly every week
Quiffs CSC