Ryan Christie’s pitched cross for Scott Sinclair to open the scoring with a volley was a thing of beauty. It was 30 minutes into the game and Motherwell were withstanding everything Celtic could muster; it was going to take something special to open them up. Sinclair’s finish was accomplished.
Ewan Henderson, on his first start in senior football, created space on the right wing to send a ball onto the forehead of Odsonne Eduard for the French striker to score his first of the day. His second, which arrived on 88 minutes, but was just as crucial, was a thundering free kick from 26 yards, which clipped the underside of the bar on its way in.
You wait weeks for a great goal then you get four in one afternoon. James Forrest darted into the box before sliding the ball into the path of Oliver Burke, who finished in the top corner.
So good for Celtic, but the story of this game runs a little deeper. As though our central mid problems were not significant enough, Ryan Christie collapsed injured, prompting Kris Ajer to knock the ball out of play. But, also making his first start in senior football was Motherwell’s 18-year-old striker, James Scott.
Scott collected the subsequent uncontested throw-in, which convention dictated would be returned to Celtic, but the teenager ran into the empty Celtic half and fired a shot at Scott Bain. The Celtic keeper saved, but Scott had an accomplice in the form of 24-year-old Gboly Ariyibi, who scored with the rebound.
At this point, the game needed someone of character to make the right decision. Unfortunately, this proverbial football fell at the feet of Motherwell manager, Steve Robinson. He just “didn’t know what to do”. Motherwell accepted the advantage their break with acceptable standards provided them with, without recourse.
I get teenagers make worse mistakes than this, although we should be clear, he has played the game all his life and will be more familiar with this scenario than you or I. I could also understand that Robinson was caught like a rabbit in the disco lights, but then the Motherwell manager tried to throw Celtic fans under the bus in a clear case of whataboutery in his post-match interview, by accusing them of celebrating the departure of injured Carl McHugh. Robinson has already told the radio audience McHugh has been knocked unconscious for the fourth time in his career.
This context was unavailable to Celtic fans during the game. The context of Robinson’s comments were crystal clear. It was shoddy, calculated and therefore worse than James Scott’s earlier transgression.
If you like football of the blood and snotters variety, the remaining 39 minutes, plus 9 minutes added-time, were right up your street. The goal upset Celtic’s hold on the game and until Edouard’s late strike, Motherwell controlled the game. But, the champions had enough and finished the visitors off in distinguished fashion.
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The timing of this, truly stinks. Strange.
Uncle Jimmy on 26th February 2019 8:49 am
Ps, I don’t envy Paul trying to write his article today!
####
I suspect most of us already know what line it will take.
Let’s all keep calm.
The Hands
” How about a reasoned view that can encompass more than one of the choices you listed? ”
Fell free ! I was by no means suggesting there were n other options.
I was, though,suggesting that we be as positive as we can be and you 8:49 post does just that.
JJ
I had a strong feeling he would go at the end of the season, after fallout of last summer, but leaving now is not the right time to go
Catman getting a bit of stick was pretty unfair given his 100% record on info. Even if he only hints at certain things, as he said, its not a huge extrapolation to join the dots given the rumours flying about the last few days.
HH
UNCLE JIMMY on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:47 AM the team will implode.remember the cardigan announced he was leaving the huns?????????
https://stv.tv/sport/football/1435828-brendan-rodgers-to-leave-celtic/
For anyone who is interested, Leicester’s CEO is Susan Whelan, an Irish woman.
No, me neither.
No, no, no.
A huge retrogressive step if they replace him with Lennon
The players will know this is Lawwells doing, back to him playing Football Manager 2019….
WitS @ 8:50 am
:-)))))
Humour is a fine medicine :-))
JJ
Please tell me Brendan is taking Peter the Bonus Collector with him as part of his team!
MWD
Traditionalist88
A rather skewered view of what SC said my friend.he referred to the fact his kids and grandkids are reared away from the bile n shite sectarianism due to Chelsea taking him away from it,not their fans,.as someone who spent time living away from Scotland and now back I see his point totally.
HH
feck it …it is Krombacher time….
no smiley things today….
no sae Braw
fecking Leicester….
Lenny for me …
oor Chairman is on the naughty step now …let the season ticket fun begin …
Braw
Steve Clarke’s text inbox:
” Hi Steveroonio, Pete here. You wouldn’t mind giving me a wee bell as soon as you can?”
“Hi Stevie, Pete again. Gimme a shout if you can”
“Steve, can PLEASE give me a call?’
“FFS Steve. Answer your fucking phone.”
Not many good candidates available to take over immediately. Neil Lennon is available, knows the club and many of the players so as an interim manager would do well for me.
The risk is that the players lose focus, they need to step up in the next few days.
David 17
Apologies, it seems sadly that you called it right.
And Catman also called it last night.
A sad day .
HH.
Ernie Lynch
“For anyone who is interested, Leicester’s CEO is Susan Whelan, an Irish woman.
No, me neither.”
Well, I have certainly heard of an Irish women.
My mother was one :-)
No official statement .
But P.L.to blame for whatever may transpire.
Stunned ………..To pull out at this point of time is very poor.
Big match on Wednesday.
Still in running for unprecedented treble treble.
I’ve a lot of time for BR but my initial thoughts surround why he couldn’t leave it till the summer. Leicester are safe.
If we are going for Clarke we must move quickly and decisively (like Leicester seem to have done). However history teaches us Celtic will delay and argue over a pittance
Brendan Rodgers…you came home to lead the green and white…
right up the garden path …
Braw
As Joni said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94bdMSCdw20
Only when BR is gone will we realise what he did for the club. Seriously worrying times ahead with 10 in a row edging closer; that said, 8 is back up for grabs.
I just wonder how much money his brother and all the people who drink in his pub had on BR going to LEICESTER .these thing always leak out.
Kennedy in charge tomorrow, with maybe Broonie helping out…..
Time for BR to let us know why he left.The truth not that nonsense about the English premier League…yes that same league he left…..truth Brendan truth.
Brendan Rodgers has shown himself to be only interested in money based on this move. Leicester are a provincial club backed by Thai money and an obscene TV deal.
They will skirt with relegation every year, never again qualify for Europe and lose their best players to clubs that can offer trophy winning chances, see Mahrez, Kante as examples.
Not much ambition beyond cash in the bank.
AN TEARMANN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:58 AM
I didnt quote Steve Clare so I dont know how I could have skewed his words.
He thanked Chelsea for coming in and taking him away from the West of Scotland for reasons not to do with football, which is fair enough. But Chelsea fans are hardly much better and even in recent times there have been several high profile unsavoury incidents involving them – but I suppose in a sprawling city like London he found his quiet spots away from it all.
I don’t live in Scotland at the moment either, I see where he was coming from but lets not pretend there are anything but a large percentage of small minded far right wingnuts that follow Chelsea.
HH
The tendency to seek precision in predictions is fraught with dangers of failure.
All those who predicted BR would go last summer or this summer were proved wrong in their timing.
But many will stand by their reasons for believing why it would be so.
Leaving halfway, or in the run-in, of a season, suggests that the pull factors of Leicester outweigh the push factors of Celtic (or Peter Lawwell).
Time for the body language experts and side-of-th-mouth interpretors to step up to the plate and tell us what is really going on.
Aff oot noo
Bhoyjoebelfast on 26th February 2019 9:06 am
Time for BR to let us know why he left.The truth not that nonsense about the English premier League…yes that same league he left…..truth Brendan truth.
####
He won’t say a word. That’s how these things work.
If it’s NL then I’m thinking it’s temporary until the end of the season, as there aren’t many potential candidates available at this stage.
Regardless of the reasons it’s disappointing to see him jump ship now when there’s a treble to be won.
So Kennedy stays? Always rumours he was Lawwells eyes and ears in the dressing room……
ernie
I think he will say more than ` a word`. I believe he will tell us how difficult a decision it was but…..
JJ
I agree with DD, if this is true, then the whole thing stinks.
Lawwell apologists can and will say what they like.
This stinks.
My worry is players like CMcG and KT being here next season.
Nothing offical
But the day Martin left peter lawell seized control of everything
That stayed that way until his project manger lost to sevco
When Brendan came in the heated driveway productions were limited at first
The one person who will be happy to see the back of Brendan is peter lawell. He will install another puppet and we will go back wards and down size again
One of the main reasons that Brendan might go is the lack of support from lawell
How much do we have in the bank
Well if he does leave then 100% it will not be spent
I can’t believe Rodgers hasn’t waited till end of the season. Leaving so close to another treble has sullied his Celtic legacy for me.