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.
614 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- »
Sad news to see Brendan leave Celtic, especially with a historic treble, treble in sight and another step towards the 10. It is patently clear that the fans don’t matter any more in football, it’s all about money and egos. What utter contempt displayed by Leicester to approach Celtic for Brendan at this stage in our season. But it takes two to tango or in this case three as Celtic must allow Brendan to go and Brendan must then decide to go. All of this without the slightest regard for the Celtic fans. Bring in Lenny as a token Tim, that’ll appease them and life goes on. To think that the effort this year in Scotland to stop the treble and the march to the 10 has reached new or plumbed new depths and we are complicit with this shambles.
It could turn out positively and we march on but it could turn to disaster and treble, treble, 8 and 10 could just be a fans dream.
@ BOB on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:56 AM
“it won’t be popular but I won’t name him.”
Why not name him?
Living in Englandshire I can tell you that nobody in top 6 would take Rodgers. Not rated. Arsenal rumours last season had their fans go apoplectic. Foreign is all the rage.
This is as high as Brendan could get and might get him a springboard up the ladder if he succeeds. More likely to be sacked after 12 months though.
Has he actually left? My understanding is that he was given permission to talk to Leicester, but there have been no further developments.
Like most here, absolutely amazed at the timing. To leave at this critical juncture of the season makes me sick,
It may well be that his relationship with Lawell had broken down or it could be that from the beginning he saw Celtic a a stepping stone back to the Premiership. It may also trotted out that he had enough of West of Scotland sectarianism.
If it was just Lawell or Sectarianism, surely he could have seen out the Season. Going at this point does initially tend to tarnish his reputation in my eyes but I will force myself to reserve judgement until the facts become clearer.
My immediate concern is the team, suddenly the Hertz game has taken on monumental importance.
BOB
David Moyes is the manager that could at a stroke knock 10,000 season tickets off the renewal list. Dreadful manager, Mowbray esque.
The hands, just pissed of with Brendan walking out, it happens with managers all the time, keep their mouths shut, then bring out books with the truth when nobody gives a shit. Best leave the whole lawwell thing to end of season, stay united for 8
Bob- Moyes?
When peter lawells project manager lost at Murray field in CL qualifier. It lost our club Millions in income
We thought that was the end of peter lawell
Nope of course not. He has made nearly 5m in
His personal income since then
I said on numerous times all that is important for peter lawell is his income
With Brendan possible going it now means the Dembele money sits in bank
To ensure that zero debt bonus goes on
No one or nothing will push peter lawell aside apart from the fans boycotting eg the Celtic shop
Why no new article? Are we waiting for PL to pen the ‘official’ take on why arguably our best manager since Mr Stein has (allegedly) been allowed to leave with a whimper.
At work so not up to full speed but it sounds as if Brendan is off . If true the fans need to know why , but I wont hold my breath with rich people making even more money by signing confidentiality clauses ! Are we just to go on and be expected to be ” faithful through and through ” and all that bollocks that leaves these guys behind the scenes to do ( or in celtics case , not do do ) as they please . This will shake Celtic to its foundations . It would appear that Brendan was nt backed , if true we will never attract a similar calibre of manager to our club again. We always do this from a position of strength .. why why why ???? Brendan…..IF you leave at this point of the season you were never a real Celtic fan , Leicester have nowt much to play for this season , you have a possible treble to win. I did expect you to leave at the end of the season hopefully with a treble treble in your back pocket and leave with your head held high . The least you can do is tell us why you left …….IF you are indeed leaving…PS if Brendan leaves only guy I would trust to get us over the line is Lenny , wheter thats on a temporary basis , I dont know . To be fair Lenny at times was nt treated well by the Big shots behind the scenes so maybe he would politely decline……………whoopswemesseditupagain@celticfc
To say I’m stunned that Brendan Rodgers has chosen to leave at a crucial point in the season when the treble s there to be one is putting it mildly.
I can only assume that the attraction of the premier league was too much for him to resist, but Leicester City, for god’s sake.
Breaking news on Leicester city quick news. Shortly after agreeing to join Leicester, BR is reported to have had a row with the Leicester Chief Executive, speculation is rife that BR is already looking for a new club, the main reason seemingly being that he discovered the chief executive had a heated driveway. Evidence for this was based on BR body language, there a number of Leicester fans who are experts on this.
Seems to me then that BR will have a hell of a job finding a club where he can get on with the chief executive, suspect they all have heated driveways
A Celtic fan my ass! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out Brendan. You could have stayed until the end of the season. No doubt the board didn’t want to stand in your way.
The huns will be having parties now. Arggh! Disappointed and angry this morning.
JAMESGANG on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:54 AM
Well he was always going to go at some stage. No time is good but given how seismic maybe for the best we have an 8 pt cushion
HH
Bob
Its Moyes, isnt it…
HH
David Moyes is the manager who could end 8inar and the treble treble – fact
P.S. I’m the guy who made fun of Bob’s intervention. I’m still not certain if he just jumped on Catman’s story and embellished it. However if he is a genuine Tim & was relaying genuine information then of course I do and will apologise.
If it is Moyes, we may see more than 10K season books disappear; along with
our ability to win the league! 10iar no more!
I thank NFL for his services to Celtic. But he chucked it. The reasons he chucked it are probably still there.
Don’t understand this default position of NFL.by many supporters.
To replace BR ( if that is indeed the case )we really need to think outside the box and pull out a cracker.
Would Rafa fancy a change of scenery?
HH.
CELTIC Football Club today confirmed that it has been approached by Leicester City FC to speak to Brendan Rodgers with regards to their current managerial vacancy.
Brendan has indicated to the Club that this is an opportunity he wishes to investigate further and therefore, very reluctantly, the Club has granted him permission to speak to Leicester City.
EDDIEINKIRKMICHAEL on26TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:35 AM
Your jumping the gun there mate …for me the Eight is now in doubt .
Hope you and the family are well pal .
Yhttp://www.celticfc.net/news/15814
I was told a couple of weeks ago – and posted here – that he was away in the summer , the
final straw seems to have been board criticism of his team selection at Ibrox, so this shouldn’t really be as big a surprise as it feels.
Huge loss in terms of the timing but no-one IS bigger than the club so we move on.
I’m grateful for everything BR has done domestically (who couldn’t be happy with a perfect trophy count) and wish him well but there’s also the simple reality
that we have not done well in Europe and many of his signings have not worked out. That’s not sour grapes or bitterness but a cold fact.
We – now not including BR – have a title and maybe a treble to win.
Nothing today changes that.
Its def Moyes then.
Bad enough BR is leaving, for whatever reason, dont care who is to blame, as it matters not a jot, but Moyes is firmly at PL’s door. I dont know him have never met him but what i know of his actions i cant see that they are in the interest of Celtic the team (PL).
BR refused to throw any further games to keep the spl interesting and was told to find another club
wouldn’t that be a story
No one is bigger than Celtic – really? Perhaps someone needs a word with our CEO in that case.
@ GREENPINATA on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 10:05 AM
The three managers that preceded Brendan were Mowbary, Lennon (in his 1st job) and Deila.
BR has raised our expectations across the board- we now expect a quality manager to replace him, when in fact BR was the aberration, not the norm. But looking at the approach taken by the club in relation to finances v football success, I would say it’s highly likely that we go for a cheap option again.
Lennon in the interim and if he wins the league and cup, on a permanent basis. Clarke is also a possibility., depending on Lennon’s results. Moyes? Who knows.
Kennedy has zero gravitas and Lawell is now toxic so massive pressure on Broonies shoulders to keep the show on the road.
Hopefully Rogers was not the reason he turned down a move to Oz lest he be mightily pissed off.
One of the reasons Lennon will get the gig: ‘to unite the club/fans.
Desperate, desperate stuff.
@ THE LONG WAIT IS OVER on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 10:07 AM
“Huge loss in terms of the timing but no-one IS bigger than the club so we move on.”
Expect PL who has been CEO for 15 years.
MARSPAPA on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 10:06 AM
All is well, working in Hull of all places. Was down in Kent last yr, great place, Aylesford. Construction industry up here is ran by Huns so after my escapade with the smoke bomb in the Hun pub I now can’t get work up here.
Moyes is an old firmist so will fit in well
BOB on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:56 AM
oh no not another wan.
AH KNOW SOMETHIN YOU DON’T .NA NA NA NA NA.
Why did Brendan take Toure and not Kennedy?
Wasn’t Moyes at Celtic park recently to take in a game?
And not a capable manager
Emday Think Boyata will be at Leicester next season!!
I can remember Davie Moyes at bearsden train station before an rangers (IL) game in 1980
Most of the fans like me wore the green and white
Only two wore rangers scarfs A guy called tini Martin and his mate Davie
Paul 67 will not make a statement until he chats to his mate Peter
@ !!BADA BING!! on 26TH FEBRUARY 2019 10:13 AM
Kennedy was first team coach under Deila. He is linked to Celtic as opposed to BR.
Toure is part of BR’s team.
God, this sucks.