Paddy McCourt was the difference between the teams today as Celtic came from behind for the second time in three days to beat Motherwell at Celtic Park, securing second spot in the league. Craig Higdon opened the scoring for Motherwell after 11 minutes with a header from a corner kick but Anthony Stokes levelled, also from a corner, two minutes later. Substitute Gary Hooper scored the winner late on.
Despite a sprightly first minute Celtic were on the back foot for most of the opening period and it was no surprise Motherwell opened the scoring. Nor was the manner in which they lost the goal a surprise. Tom Hately crossed from a short corner which Celtic slept at, failing to mark-up. The defence also pushed out in instalments, leaving Craig Higdon free six yards from goal to head home.
Celtic immediately pushed forward and Georgios Samaras flicked a Kris Commons header onto Stokes at the back post, who volleyed into the net.
A Commons free kick was blocked by Samaras, whose shot was saved. Thomas Rogne headed a Commons’ corner on target but the ball was blocked on the line. On the half hour mark Higdon drew a good save from Fraser Forster.
Four minutes into the second half Stokes should have given Celtic the lead when he latched onto a long ball from Daniel Majstorovic which evaded the defence but Darren Randolph closed the space. On 54 minutes the lively Stokes cut-back for Commons who took one touch too many and was robbed. Fraser Forster was called into action again soon thereafter when he blocked a Nicky Law effort.
Paddy McCourt replaced Samaras with 15 minutes to go and transformed the game. On 79 minutes he collected the ball inside his own half, drifted through a nervous looking Motherwell midfield until he reached the edge of the D before feeding Stokes on the left. Stokes made space before rifling the ball into the six yard box for Gary Hooper to score the winner.
Tim Clancy was shown a straight red card late on for kicking Gary Hooper. If referee Charlie Richmond had taken an earlier opportunity to control Lasley or Jennings, Gary Hooper, James Forrest and Beram Kayal would perhaps have finished the game with fewer injuries.
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During the huns niar the midfield wasn’t the problem, it was the back line who with the exception of Tom Boyd where no where near good enough and a poor attack with the exception of the last year.
McStay is probably our greatest ever midfielder.
Oh, and they haven’t replied to my prompt yet.
McNair is the greatest says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:09
We could put the ball in the net, but between the ref and the linesman they contrived to knock them off for no valid reason. Had Cadete’s goal correctly stood at Ibrox the history of the world would have been very different. If any world authority ever writes a book on chaos theory that moment would serve as the perfect and ultimate case study.
Dick Byrne -many thanks for posting that interesting story about a very brave man.
The Horribles niar was the nadir for the ole Hoops.
BlantyreKev says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:17
McNair is the greatest says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:09
I of course meant to say we were not allowed to put the ball in the net. The current Barcelona team would not have stopped or be allowed to stop their 9IAR – Jim Farry, George Peat and Ernie Walker made sure of that. Paul McStay is/was a Celtic legend and easily 2nd best central midfielder we have had after Bobby Murdoch.
Yesterday was a case of the “result is king” everything else is secondary to that. The huns have carved out a few of these results recently where we have failed.
I don’t think the result it was anything that we weren’t due of course but I do remember at one point murderwell had 10 corners to our 2 corners
I wouldn’t particularly blame the ref although commons had a penalty claim and stokesy shouldn’t have been booked.
Im not a big fan of Sami but I thought he worked hard enough and had a hand in the equaliser- well done Sami. I notice that the red tops are getting on his back though
Three cheers for the Derry Pele again
2 goals in 2 games coming off the bench for hooper
Defensively – I don’t know if its zonal marking or what, but they are poor at set pieces and Forsters “star Jumps” effort didn’t fill me with confidence either
But like I said its all about results and we got one
If we look back to half time vs killie a few weeks ago, we were at crisis point. Make no mistake. we have stepped up our game a bit (albeit with dropped points vs hibbies) lets hope that half time was our trough and the only way is up!
Following DBBIA’s exegesis on Saturday evening, the missus gave Se`udat Purim a go on saturday night. Remarkably, at the end of the night she was unable to tell the difference between arur Haman and baruch Mordechai.
This ol’ Purim malarkey seems to work.
Had a look at one of the boys in work daily record,the hotline page.
Five so called tims ,giving the Celts pelters,one letter from hun really pleased
with effort over at ipox.
know it is all made up pish,but still a tad irksome (nice wee word for pissedaff)
TBB -baruch Celtic!
For a great Jewish festival Purim does seem to tick a lot of Celticminded boxes.
A few interesting comments on the Well site.
They actually believe that Lasley has harshly treated.
Jeez
http://www.steelmenonline.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=11953&st=200
LB
Nuclear Bovril and a Half Munched Pie says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:07
lionroars67 says:
7 November, 2011 at 10:58
Romanov was also called ‘a maniac’ several times on the Jabba show on Saturday which the goons in the studio found hilarious. Cant imagine any of the Orc persausion being on the receiving end of this.
Wouldn’t want him anywhere near Celtic but kudos to Romanov for ‘Media Monkeys’
Hypocrisy beyond compare are the media hacks in Scotland
We all know that the best book ever to be written in World football has been and still is taking place now in Scotland
Sir Minty and his destruction of Rankers and Scottish football aided by the SFA
Will any of the media monkeys write the book?
I hope Phil and some others take on the task, rather journos with integrity had a go at it
No Celtic players in the Scotland squad for a meaningless game in Cyprus.
Good.
Livi
Yes, I ‘d take him, but I’d rather we concentrated of plugging the gaps at the back, I’d imagine despite having so many, we’ll be looking
for another CB in January.
The sooner we get a left back as El Kaddouri seems unquoted, the better. – Bolo Zenden?
Adam Matthews is a good player just about getting by, but playing noticeably out of position, vulnerable and
non overlapping.
Re the maestro,
As a youngster he delivered as if he was an older more experienced player
As he got older im not sure that he lived up to his early potential, or maybe we just expected too much.
Maybe the fact that he stayed with Celtic for so long hindered him and in an era when Celtic couldnt keep a player if he had 3 good games in a row- I often wonder why Paul never went elsewhere
I often felt that his “niceness” held him back and I would have preferred to see a nastier side to his game
His parting from the club was quite strange and it’s still a bit weird that he isn’t connected with the club in some way
Folly Folly says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:11
Ok m8 no probs!!
Hail hail
Neil Lennon/Celtic Soul Brother
Fed up, it’s a fix devised by the rolled up trouser brigade! Great survey though seriously. Henke 100%, kinda says it all.
How about a Celtic 11 with duffers in it,eh?
KINGLuBO
NEVER LISTEN TO LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS AT SIX IN THE MORNING
NEVER LISTEN TO LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS AT SIX IN THE MORNING
NEVER LISTEN TO LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS AT SIX IN THE MORNING
NEVER LISTEN TO LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS AT SIX IN THE MORNING
NEVER LISTEN TO LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS AT SIX IN THE MORNING
if you have trodden a similar wee path through life as myself.
Typing from behind the sofa.
I can’t say I’m surprised at the tactics employed by Motherwell, you play to your strengths and their strengths involve kicking good players and if they can get away with it then why not. It might not be pretty but it can be effective.
In their last 2 games against us at Fir Park they have committed 42 fouls. In the past 3 games at Celtic Park they have conceded 21 fouls so the game plan is obviously to tackle harder at home as they must feel they are able to get away with it a bit more.
In last 3 games against Rangers at Fir Park they have conceded 26 fouls. At Ibrox they have conceded 21.
If they were as dirty against other teams as they are against us, I could understand it (not agree with it) but it doesn’t seem like it based on those figures. If I was a Motherwell fan, I would be concerned about an apparent increase in effort against some teams but not others.
I’ll leave you with this. Their only league defeat apart from Celtic and Rangers this season came at home to St Johnstone in a 3-0 reverse. In that game, St Johnstone scored as many goals and fouls Motherwell committed. Had they put a bit more effort into that game, they may have got something out of it and that is why they will never be genuine contenders. They can get up for a big game, but not for equally important games they have a chance of winning.
Mort
Tamrabam -as a youngster Paul McStay was playing with much, much better players than towards the end of his career.
Unfortunately he had to retire the same year as Henrik arrived; just think of him looking up and seeing Henrik [or Harald!] for the pass, instead of the likes of Willie Falconer or good grief! Wayne Biggins.
This is more related to the issues at hand asking why the SFA/SPL silence.
http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=795:the-maddening-silence&catid=47:season-2011-2012&Itemid=83
Anything that does not address the three issues
Refereeing Service (and after Charlie Richmond yesterday how strong is the case?)
Licencing
Proper Ownership
should be unacceptable to Celtic and our support in particular but to all football supporters in general.
The licencing rules have to be watertight and any acceptance of Rangers in whatever divison they end up should be conditional on them providing their financial plans for the next three years at least, for living within the constraints proposed (or similar) in the other article at
http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=693:sfa-reform-one-down-three-to-go&catid=45:season-2010-2011&Itemid=80
There must be no attempt at a shoo in.
Morning CQN, didn’t see the game yesterday and going by the BBC coverage last night you’d think there were no fouls. By going through the match here on CQN and KDS, here are a list of the motherwell fouls/assaults;
3′ Higdon fouls Big Dan – NB
16′ Higdon fouls Sammi – NB
19′ Jennings fouls Commons – NB
22′ Lasley fouls Kayal – NB
24′ Lasley fouls Forrest – NB
26′ Hammel fouls Forest – NB
27′ Lasley fouls Kalay – Booking!!!
32′ Higdon fouls Kayal – NB
34′ Sammi fouled. Not sure who by as posters couldn’t keep up with the fouling at this point. My guess either Higdon or Lasley. – NB
37′ Lasley fouls Kayal – NB
41′ Jennings fouls Commons – NB
44′ Lasley fouls Kayal – NB
45′ Jennings fouls Commons – Booking!!!
47′ Hammel fouls Cha – NB
50′ Higdon fouls Sammi – NB
52′ Clancy fouls Stokes – Stokes booked for dissent!
62′ Murphy deliberate hand ball – NB
63′ Clancy fouls Stokes – NB
65′ Law fouls Kayal – NB
71′ Craigen elbows Sammi – NB
75′ Higdon fouls Rogne – NB
78′ Lasley fouls McCourt – NB
82′ Clancy kicks Hooper – Sending Off!!!
90′ Hutchinson fouls McCourt – NB
I’m sure I’ve missed a few because there are two ten minute spells in each half when the motherwell players don’t appear to be hacking anyone!
I’m Neil Lennon
Paul mixed it when he had to, I think its a myth he couldn’t mix it. I remember him tackling 3 players in 3 consecutive games where the other guy was stretched off the park (when that meant the guy was hurt), one was Darren Jackson with a broken leg.
Paul McStay was my hero.
I was 10 in 1988 when we won the double and McStay on and off the park was a Celtic legend. Totally focused and commited. A gentleman and a hell of a footballer.
The goal he scored midweek v Hearts at Celtic Park eptomised McStay. He loved the club and ran to the jungle with all his emotions running out of him.
Probably the most emotion he has ever shown when scoring for Celtic.
He was so good it was frightening. I heard his brother on radio Scotland talking about him as a youngster and Derek Ferguson also spoke about Paul and said he was the best he had played against. Derek also spoke about his first Glasgow derby match.
He said that his dad picked him up after the match and as he was only 17 years old he asked Derek how he thought it had went.
Derek said he thought he had done OK.
His dad then said that he felt he started shaky but grew into the match and played well for his first match against Celtic.
Derek Ferguson agreed and said that he was talked through the match by a Celtic player. He thought it was a wind up at first but as the game progressed he realised it wasn’t. He was told to ‘keep it simple’, ‘Pass the ball’, ‘Keep the head’, Relax and enjoy it’.
Derek’s dad was shocked and asked who this man was. Derek said it was Tommy Burns and then said he was the nicest man in football.
I was almost in tears hearing that story. Ferguson comes across as a decent guy on the radio. Had his moments as a youngster but appears to have matured and actually makes a lot of sense on the radio.
Thought I would share that nice story for anyone who hadn’t heard it.
Paul McStay & Tommy Burns = Celtic legends. Wish we had them in the team these days.
LB
Mort says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:46
When Rankers went to Motherwell in August, the Mothers were unbeaten top of the league
Rankers were struggling to find real form, dodgy pens had gave them a win at ICT added to shocking form in Europe saw real pressure on them
All the reports from Fir Park that day stated Rankers strolled very comfortably to a 3-0 away win……………… says it all
Picking out Chris Morris with an inch perfect 60 yard rolled pass that was squared for Macca to rifle home in the New Year game and start the charge towards the centenary title was a career defining pass. It’s when you think of Paul McStay you know the word ‘Legend’ should not be used so lightly elsewhere.
seemingly West Brom are willing to pay 450,000 for Allan of Dundee United.
Don’t miss out Celtic if this is what it costs and we really want him.
Re the Maestro
I was at the League Cup Final in 2003 when BBJ missed the late penalty and the huns won. The Ticket Office had got me 3 cracking tickets to apologise (I still had to pay for them!!) for taking 2&3 Direct Debits out of my account each month in error.
At half time the singing from our end was great as the Hoops had got back into the game from memory and Jimmy McGrory was belting out. Anyway, I turned round just at that point to have a look back behind me (I was in one of the front rows in the new South Stand). There standing behind me with the usual beaming smile was the Maestro. I think he was loving the fact that his name is still being sung. He was the player I always wanted to be in the school playground in the 1980’s – even though I played in goals!
KINGLUBO says:
7 November, 2011 at 11:44
Thanks for that-never any doubt that Henrik would get 100% unless we had some Hunfiltrators of course.
Someone did post a duffers team a couple of days ago as a laugh-can’t remember who or when but think it included Muggleton,Payton,Archdeacon ,Biggins and Rogan.
Will let someone else do that survey!
whitedoghunch: 7 November, 2011 at 11:44
“What were the skies like when you were young?”
Memories…
Dick Byrne says:
7 November, 2011 at 10:29
I never knew that story about Robert Downie VC- my own family hail from the same parish in Tullylish -my gr gr grandparents were married in 1855 at St John The Evangelist chapel in nearby Gilford -there is a local CSC but never managed to locate them.
Fine story abut a fine man.
HH
M
lionroars67 at 11:54
It’s not uncommon for a decent side like Rangers to beat Motherwell 3-0 even with them playing badly and Motherwell on good form, but Motherwell only committed 8 fouls that day. Had they been as aggresive as they were against us, the result might not have been so clear cut.
It’s these little things that make the SPL a shambles.
Mort
Plan for the day to do the laundry.
Staying in and laundering, is the new ‘ going out ‘
Jungle Jim says:
7 November, 2011 at 09:20
The celebration of any event takes place on or around the given date.Christmas is 25th Dec not 18th New Years day is 1st not the 7th etc.
If Remembrance Day 11th Nov is on or around match day,then it should be respected,this elongation of event is a bit mischieveous designed to provoke attention and reaction.
Lob a quid in a bucket,wear an emblem,never has the moral high ground been bought so cheaply,or exploited, for reasons not associated with the welfare of the injured.
new article posted.
Neil Lennon Is A Celtic Soul Brother says:
7 November, 2011 at 10:52
Just missed out by one player. Can see why Reiper git the votes but wanted a bit more steel next to Elliott.
Neil Lennon Is A Celtic Soul Brother says:
7 November, 2011 at 10:52
Great work mate wll done to you puting all those responses together. Surprised no-one got the 11
Note: I picked big Mick McCarthey before Paul Elliot because he won a double and scored 8 goals in his time at Celts. Big Paul was a great player and won the POTY, but could only contribute 2 goals in a similar number of games played.
All about opinions of course, but I feel Mick’s contribution to Celts in the crucial Centenary Season does not get enough credit.
HH
M
Auldheid @ 11 52.
SFA/SPL ——-
If I was Celtic I would be sending a ” video ” of yesterday’s game to both the SFA and the SPL I would be asking the SFA/SPL to watch that game and then comment on whether they regard Motherwell’s approach to that game [ and the Ref’s tolerance of that approach ] as being acceptable.
I would also send UEFA a ” video ” of that game and ask them their opinion as to how Motherwell’s approach to that game [ and The Ref’s tolerance of that approach ]. relates to the criteria set out in UEFA Article 7.
Maybe 11 years of living in Italy has made me soft ——— maybe I’ve grown intolerant of Scottish football’s —–” Its a man’s game ” guff , but if I had paid to watch that game yesterday I would have been asking for my money back -citing The Trades Description Act.
Whatever that was —–it certainly wasn’t a game of football . Rollerball , maybe ?
The first 45 minutes featured some jaw dropping stuff . Truly astonishing that the Referee allowed it.
Scottish football is dying . —— Yesterday’s game was a perfect illustration of one of the reasons why Scottish football is dying. Dreadful !