It was Roy of the Rovers stuff at Fir Park today at 18-year-old Tony Watt made his Celtic debut and scored the first two goals of the game within five minutes of getting onto the field.
Celtic have been notoriously slow to start games this season but were on the front foot from the off today as Pawel Brozek looked lively on his first start for the club. They should have earned a penalty kick on 4 minutes when Victor Wanyama was dragged to the ground as he latched onto the end of a Ki free kick.
Thereafter Celtic’s experimental line-up laboured for much of the game. Passing from midfield was profligate and the front pairing of Gary Hooper and Brozek was never a partnership.
After Wanyama’s penalty claim Motherwell enjoyed the bulk of the first half chances. Craig Highton headed on for Chris Humphrey who had an excellent volley saved by an equally spectacular save from Lukas Zaluska to keep the scores level. Humphrey then had a shot blocked by Thomas Rogne before the rebound was fired goal-ward by Steve Jennings to bring another fine save from Zaluska.
Wanyama started the game in an unaccustomed right back role but got forward on 34 minutes as he carried the ball 30 yards before threading a pass through to Brozek. The Polish striker spun inside the box and prodded a shot but he missed the target.
The final minute of the first half brought two chances for Celtic. Charlie Mulgrew did well to rescue a ball on the by-line before flighting a cross in which was knocked out to Kris Commons. Commons shot from 18 yards went narrowly wide. Seconds later Commons and Brozek combined before the Pole’s shot clipped Randolph on the ankle and trickled behind.
Motherwell were first to show in the second half when Nicky Law’s shot from the edge of the area was saved by Zaluska, who had a good afternoon. Joe Ledley then pinched the ball from the toe of Humphrey after the Motherwell winger cut inside Izaguirre on the wing and set himself up for a shot inside the box.
Paddy McCourt, who replaced injured Ki, split the Motherwell defence open with a fabulous pass for Cha but the right wing-back’s cross went straight to Randolph.
Celtic then brought on Tony Watt for the ineffective Brozek and the teenager made an immediate impact. Cha knocked-on a long ball for Victor Wanyama to run onto before crossing deep beyond the far post. Watt had an incredibly tight angle but somehow managed to steer his touch between the posts, leaving Randolph helpless.
Two minutes later Joe Ledley exploited space in front of the Motherwell defence before passing to Watt just inside the box. Tony steadied himself before firing low and hard into the far corner of the net.
Paddy McCourt was quiet on his return to the team after a lengthy lay-off but on 83 minutes he used the abundant space afforded to him outside the Motherwell box to hang a back-post cross for Cha, who headed high into the net to complete the scoring.
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Rogne and Victor were superb.
SffS
HH
HH
top 10?
wow, top 5, that’ll do.
Joe Ledley had some second half. That is the kind of application the others will need to show next week.
I thought Rogne played intelligently when defending and once he beefs up he will be some stopper.
Paddy might not have done any mazys but he sure has an eye for a pass.
Hooper right out of touch and not pulling away from pursuit, Commons mixed like the curate’s egg and the young fella Watt has probably sent the Polish lad back home.
Did you see PL turn to Neil at the end and say “how much will that save us?” I feel a bit sorry for the Polish lad he could have made the same name for himself as young Watt had he taken the two chances he made for himself by good positioning and excellent control.
Top 50 ya brammer
……..
RobertTressell on 22 April, 2012 at 16:15 said:
Vmhan supporting Lenny and his Lions on 22 April, 2012 at 16:08 said:
Man of the match….. Well who made the difference? I think it was Patrick McCourt, others may say Tony Watt, or Ledley et al.
A great debate to be had…..isnt life good……
——————————————
Football talk eh? You never know it might catch on………
………
Only CFC amigo nowt else.
V
Looking forward to the Man U v Everton highlights tonight. Missed it earlier. Sounds like some game.
Well done Tony Watt.
As Celtic debuts go it doesn’t get much better.
Willie Gardner scored twice in his first match for the Hoops – in a 3-0 victory for St Mirren.
Unsurprisingly, big Willie never recovered from that setback…
Aguero missing chance after chance for Man City
Greatest Music Video. EVER.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8&feature=relmfu
Hail Hail to TONY WATT!
Another one off the conveyor belt.
Hail Hail
Yet more chaos in Serie A
The match between Genoa and Siena was suspended for 30 minutes when angry ultras demanded the players take off their shirts, as they were “unworthy” of wearing them.
Genoa were losing 4-0 at the 53rd minute when the Marassi crowd halted play by throwing fireworks and climbing on top of the tunnel.
Captain Marco Rossi went to negotiate with the ultras, who demanded the squad remove their jerseys, as they were “unworthy” of wearing the Genoa colours.
After some time, the players accepted and there were tears from Giandomenico Mesto as he handed over his shirt.
Rossi was walking around the pitch with a pile of jerseys to show the fans, but Giuseppe Sculli refused to co-operate.
Sculli went over to speak to the fans himself and insisted with great passion that he was giving his all for Genoa, so would not take off the shirt.
He too was in tears and comforted by the head ultra. This proved a breakthrough and the game was allowed to resume
Good win in a game that mattered more to Motherwell. Always nice to beat them though.
Well done to Tony Watt. Let’s hope a few other under 19s get a game for the first team this season – although without getting sent off and suspended first.
Well done Tony Watt!!!!
Awesome debut. You’ll not forget today in a hurry!
Hail Hail
Watt a debut!! One of many Watt puns I guess!
Great win, lethargic first half, dominant second; Ledley in particular was dominant, far and away MOTM.
Defence looks far more solid with Rogne and Mulgrew at CB as well.
All in all, an excellent result!
BRING ON THE RANGERS!!!……if they’re still alive ;-)
Auld Neil Lennon heid on 22 April, 2012 at 16:21 said:
………….
Agree you’re post Auld Heid….. Next week though is a nothing game, on the day I may differ ha!
HH Auld Heid
V
Aguero finally takes a chance
1-0 City
1-0 Citeh, Sir Alex is not panicking.
RobertTressell
You can get that highlights on the site Euro Rivals now. Save you waiting for it. HH
Tony Watt’s goals. Joe Ledley’s performance. Cha’s smile.
Great result. Started well though we quickly became a bit indecisive in our passing and movement. Despite that we still looked more likely to take the lead in the first half.
I thought the forced introduction of Paddy made the difference in the end. His presence seemed to allow Joe a lot more freedom to support the front line and earn his MOTM award. Loved both Paddy’s passes to The Cha, pinpoint stuff from the shaggy Fenian.
Tony Watt deserves enormous credit for taking both his chances. The Bhoy looks good in a senior jersey and I reckon we might see him make an appearance next weekend. On the downside I thought both Commons and The Cha were wasteful in possession, particularly Kris who seems to be lacking the spark and incisiveness of his game from last season. My MOTM is Super Joe Ledley with Big Vic hot on his heels.
Overall a good performance from a much changed Celtic side.
BroonSauce
Standing Up For Lenny’s Champions 2012!
MotM: Zaluska
Changed game without two crucial saves at 0-0.
links to goals emdy ?
out all day just in never saw the game.
cheers in anticipation
S-I-R K-O-J-O…………….
Well,well,well…..our fair-haired boy did the business today…and then some!!!!
You must feel like a ‘doting father’,at the minute…
Whatever happened to all the knitted-brow Cassandras,who dismissed your opinion so discourteously..”Kojo wants to throw in our Under-19s before they’re ready etc.. HaHa.”.
Cornerboy Jimmy Sandersons,One and All…
Step up to the Role of Shame: BMCUWP,MWD@Warts,Pol Pot,Hamiltontim,Kilbowie Kelt,Bin Laden…
…not forgetting our old friend,SFTB..Your Judgement Took One Hell of A Beating.!!!!
And what can we expect from SFTB,if the populist groundswell to bring D.O’Dea back to Paradise continues to gain momentum ?
The Biggest Flounce in CQN History…?
Contain yourself,Virginia…
interesting time ahead for Lenny – blood the young ‘uns, give injury returners a chance, get new players and get the squad back to it’s best for Champion’s league qualification, a massive challenge.
A somewhat Jekyll and Hyde performance in my opinion. I admit to being concerned for 60 minutes as the game was following a pattern we have become used to. Lots of Celtic possession with no end result. However within the space of 5 minutes the whole game turned. An inch perfect cross to the far post by Vic was met and buried from the tightest of angles by a young Bhoy who was fulfilling a dream that we have all had – pulling on the hooped shirt and scoring in front of the support. He then went on to do something our forward players seem to have forgotten how to do ‘shoot’ that is put your boot through the ball and power it toward the goal. 2-0 Celtic and 2 goals for young Tony Watt. ‘Dreams are indeed made of this’. Paddy McCourt put the ice cream on the jelly with a sublime ball into the box that was meet by the on rushing Cha to head past the Well keeper and make amends for the sitter he was guilty of missing earlier in the half.
Positives from the game, Big Vic playing in an unfamiliar position, Joe Ledley, Paddy McCourt who we need to keep, Lukas Zul who had a great game between the sticks, and of course young Tony Watt.
Not so goods – Injury to Ki, Kris Commons who continues to be an enigma, Brozek maybe I am being harsh but I can’t see what he offers that is different to what we already have in our squad and why is Hoops is playing so deep I can’t see what this adds to our game.
Anyway opinions, opinions. I am however looking forward the last ever Celtic V Hun game.
nobony on yet to tell us how Neil Lennons team selections might just have cost us some points ?
or his formation is wrong ?
or he shouldnt be in the stand ?
or he was snarling .
hhhhhmmm
glasgow celtic champions.
Well done Tony Watt………..
Can remember James Forrest capping off a fine display by scoring on his Celtic debut v Murderwell………..
Omens………
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Always good to beat mwell , well done to young Tony with 2 good goals. Joe my motm his goal saving tackle at 0-0 was superb. We look a better team with Thomas in the back four and big Vic playing .
Looking forward to winning the league again next week :)
Just back from the game and I have found the internet has been restored to G72 by Virgin Media.
Life is good- surely there’s no much to complain about this week :-)
Anyways, just want to say well done to Tony Watt for a striking debut. Please don’t write up the young man too soon but that’s a good start to his career. He’s no John O’Carrroll mind ye (heard his stats on Radio Shortbread after the match).
Thought Commons did well in the first half and Joe Ledley was magnificent in the second. Izzy needs the game time and Zaluska saved his bacon twice in the first half.
Wonder if we’ll have another 3:0 next weekend- with less sweat expended.
Hamiltontim,
Just read your post from 04:43 (and just damped down my eyes).
Based on what you have set out, you have every right to be proud of your dad (and mum)! Love the story about the orange walk passing by and your dad through what food he had at them (done similar in what seems a past life).
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Sir Paul..
Excellent Report of the Festivities..
How about that maist Promising Youngster.. Tony Watt?
Tony, did whit a Striker is Supposed tae Dae..
which is….tae pit is Succinctly..
“Gether The Pass, Haud His NERVE..and Tuck it Away!”
Seems easy.. but ,it is No!
Tony, pit his Contemporaries, tae Shame.. the wey he Handled his chances..
Ah Like This Lad.. because he is A “Likely Lad!”
Face it… Some , Strikers ..Should… “Hiv It”
Some, Strikers, Don’t… “Hiv it”
Some, Strikers, Wull Nevah… “Hiv it”!
Tony, No only .. diz….”Hiv It”… He, also, HIz.. “Goat It”!
Man of the Match..??
Toughie..
Ah Plump fur
Victor Wanyama..
wi. Joe and Thomas and PADDY.. yes . Paddy…
Gieing him a Fierce challenge fur that Title.
Kojo
Still Laughin’.. and Happy as Larry , wi oor Team Effort
the Day.. and Yes….The Right Attitude , wiz There,an Awe.
When Tony Watt made his debut as a trialist in the U-19 game v Liverpool at Celtic Park- a precursor to the NextGen series, did he not score 2 goals that day?
I hope this will encourage a few to get along to Hampden tomorrow night to see the U-19s in the Scottish Cup final v Queen of the South, a chance for back to back league and cup doubles for John Kennedy’s young Celts.
This is the future for our club!
Saint Stivs on 22 April, 2012 at 16:37 said:
============================
Out all day? Missed the game? Are ye a hun?
HH
Palacio67
aye.
first walk of the season.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/8399373/tony_watt/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/8399388/watt_watt/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/8399406/cha/
from Glenn1888 on CM
Great result if somewhat inconsistent performance from some players.
I think we are now seeing what Neil Lennon doubtless knows he must do next.
Build Team 3.
Some players from year one and before need to be moved on or simply leave on freedom of contract.
Cha despite his goal and contribution to the first goal was and is ineffective regularly. His crossing is simply not good enough for the position he plays in and his decision making is poor. A decent player but not one whose contract should be renewed. I gave him pelters for that miss, I stand by it.
Pawek Brozek – came with a decent reputation and it is perhaps unfair to pan him after his first start but he looks to be decent and no more. His finishing is now suspect and it seems unlikely that Neil will take up the sale option. I feel sorry for him but that is life I’m afraid.
Paddy McCourt though again showed why he is an asset. He may be inconsistent but having someone like him who can unlock defenses is a brilliant thing to have. Sadly I think he’ll be moved on.
Big Dan, Mark Wilson, Loovens and Cha are all out of contract and must surely go now.
McGinn, ODea, J.Thompson, Juarez, Rasmussen, Daryl Murphy and Bangura all remain on the books. None of these players have been consistent nor have they impressed – in short, they must be sold unless Neil wants to keep them and the evidence we have suggests in most cases, he doesn’t.
11 players in total with little or no future at the club based on current evidence. the saving on wages alone is worth it. If all of the sell-ables were sold how much cash could be generated? At least 3M total and this money is important in the grand scheme of things. There are too many players at Celtic contributing nothing and getting paid for it. This must be addressed.
Neil needs a striker, a defender and very probably a goalkeeper but what he also needs is some more experience just to help the younger players through. Our squad is ridiculously young (not a bad thing but it needs experience to get through some more difficult situations.
Samaras and Brown are now the most experienced in the side and it has started to show in both cases. One or two more would enhance this.
This is now a very exciting time for all of us as Celtic fans. We have a young and improving side and our only rivals are going down for a period of time. Neil needs to wheel and deal and deliver a Celtic side that dominates in Scotland and tries to do something in Europe. That is his remit and he knows it.
Promoting young boys and developing them for the first team is very important. Today’s result is doubly pleasing for him and us in that regard. Tony Watt, the Twardziks Paul George, Darnell Fisher, Marcus Frazer, Dylan McGeouch and of course James Forrest among others coming out of the youth set up are the future of Celtic and we haven’t had a production line for a very long time. Hopefully with Rangers down these kids get their chances and become the next chapter alongside others. With thems kept impotent for a while, the pressure to win win win will lessen and Celtic can once again develop a brand of football which will make us all proud.
Neil Lennon knows these boys, he works with and promotes them. This makes him a good Celtic manager
HH
Saint Stivs on 22 April, 2012 at 16:52 said:
==========================
Are you still walking with that gammy leg, playing the dummy flute?
HH