If Allan McGregor lives to be 100, I expect at that grand age, when he shuts his eyes, his mind will imagine the spectre of Reo Hatate hovering around the edge of the penalty area, preparing to shoot. 7 minutes in, the goalkeeper spilled Reo’s shot into the path of Tom Rogic, and Ibrox was shaken to its core.
Newco started well, forcing Celtic into nervous looking errors. Josip Juranovic left space behind him that was exploited by Ryan Kent, who cutback for Alan Ramsay to score in the second minute. The home side pressed high in the minutes that followed as Celtic struggled to break out of their defensive third.
When Hatate was given a second chance to find Daizan Maeda on the left, the break was on. Callum McGregor drove deep into Newco territory, riding challenges from four opponents before releasing the ball into the heart of the box. Rogic, then Hatate shot, before Rogic calmly turned the ball home.
Celtic settled into a pattern of defending and creating chances, they did both effectively. Three minutes from the break, the Newco defence failed to deal with a free kick into the box. The ball broke to Cameron Carter-Vickers who shot home from close range.
For me, the second half was never comfortable, I wanted Celtic to move further up-field, but they were content to protect their lead and break on the counter. It was the perfect position for a team in the league driving seat to be. In taking the lead so early, Newco had a genuine chance of winning the game and putting the title race on a knife edge. In truth, they were just not good enough.
Substitute Liel Abada had the best two chances of the half, one forcing an excellent save from McGregor. Joe Hart had one save of note in the entire match, he mostly collected trundling low percentage attempts.
The players all looked tired towards the end. Giorgos Giakoumakis, in particular, ran himself into the ground. After all our speculation on who would start alongside Callum McGregor in midfield, Rogic and Hatate were clearly the right choice. Tom could have had a hattrick but did enough to see through what should be another title.
Nothing today on the thrown glass and bottles, the bizarre “Old Firm” branding or the long-term consequences of yesterday’s result, we’ll pick this up during the week. Today is about Ange Postecoglou and his players magnificent performance and game management.
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What a day yesterday was. Inspired me to get out in garden for best part of the afternoon and evening.
Kyogo back for the run-in as well, what’s not to be happy about?
HH!
Silverado??
In case you haven’t seen this view, it is superb.
Two thoughts – why is Rogic’s first goal celebration so understated? Unusual for him.
Take a look at the Huns in the crowd at both goals. They look completely resigned, as if they expected them.
https://youtu.be/AFQHifGeMkc
Something I forgot to mention; Ramsay made zero effort to track McGregor at our equaliser. Having a luxury player doesn’t always work. Basically came out with a null impact by scoring one and inviting the equaliser.
And a great spot by SAINTSTIVS on the would-be pitch invader after the second goal. I missed that, first time around.
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Nice one Pablo.
Typo alert though.
You mentioned “Alan Ramsey”?
Think you mean “Alf Ramsey”
Pretty confident in my assertion above.
I’ve seen footage of Alf Ramsey running round a training pitch (c.1966).
The guy wearing no.16 for Sevco yesterday moves just like him.
Their bottle crashed. You could see it inside the box.
In the Unique Angle footage, watch the absolutely raging old Hun in the background try to climb onto the pitch and a couple of other Huns stop him. Stewards nowhere to be seen. By the way the article mentions the scorer of the Rangers goal, one Alan Ramsay. It must be the less talented brother of Aaron, because he doesn’t look like “the greatest signing ever to come to Scottish football” (copyright various tabloids).
INIQUITOUSIV on 4TH APRIL 2022 12:10 PM
Pretty sure I can hear the sweetie papers rustling in the hun hoards end, too!
INIQUITOUSIV on 4TH APRIL 2022 12:18 PM
And a great spot by SAINTSTIVS on the would-be pitch invader after the second goal. I missed that, first time around.
————
I think the would be encroacher had actually changed his mind after he did a ‘Strachan 86’ on the hoardings. Then the other guy nearly strangles him😎
Tom Rogic…we wont know what we got till we loose it. Technically, the best player in the country.
As good as Lubo and will be remembered as a club legend.
On yesterday, a defining moment. This Sevco team will never be this close to an Ange Celtic team again. In GVB they have an inexperienced manger who has a massive rebuild with no serious funding. Yesterday was his high watermark. He will be gone by Xmas.
The penny dropping for the Ibrox hoards was that yes lst year was a fluke
“the bizarre “Old Firm” branding ”
——————
Well it’s hardly ‘bizarre’ coming from the half who needs it. The only bizarre thing is that the half who doesn’t need it are so content to remain glued to it, regardless of how much it holds them back.
Solid if unspectacular win against a team we should be beating. Only disappointment is that we started the day on 76 points and are now only on 79, even after winning a “six pointer”. Hopefully just a minor error which will be rectified soon.
“Ramsay made zero effort to track McGregor at our equaliser.”
A bit like Reo for Ramsay’s goal ;(
But still a class act !
The Forces of Darkness will go inti meltdown!
Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) Tweeted: Willie Collum enjoyed Rogic opener 👀 https://t.co/qcND8u5CIV https://twitter.com/aboutceltic/status/1510673486573940741?s=20&t=06ewbTaWYibHjl7OgTggtg
Inti = into. DOH!!!
Magnificent. First huns game in my 5) years I was too nervous to watch. Living the other side of the M8 I heard their roars as they scored and feared the worst. But this team never lets us down. What a remarkable season they’re giving us. Ange is a god. CalMac is his man on earth. What a collection of Hungary winners. Credit to Michael Nicholson as enabler of all this. Stays in his lane. Good lad.
Loved Gavin Strachan’s reaction to the goals.
btw, whatever happened to all the negative back-room staff comments ?
GTTF 12.30pm
you dint seem to take any joy from Celtic mate
We are now 6pts in front, if we drew yesterday we’d be 3pts in front, if we had lost yesterday we would be still top on goal difference … simple arithmetic
There is your 6pts
GFTB
Gerry, I think GTTF was being tongue in cheek.😊
You need to be up damn early on this side of the pond to beat AIPPLE to the punch!
Iniquitousiv 12.45pm
Probably … I just wanted to type GTTF and use mate, I was typing it in an Ange accent :-)
That 6 pointer yesterday, in my opinion, was absolutely massive, with the goal difference being enhanced it felt like a 7 pointer
And the winner of this week’s ‘Haud Me Back Award’ is the British gentleman with the throttle marks on his neck ;))
Comedy gold. Almost as good as watching the ‘Hurtin Hand’ recap.
St.Tams
What one are you? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
They look as tho they are enjoying themselves
https://twitter.com/TommyCummings67/status/1510630857811365893?t=v5skAIFEUDwJPw1gc6DrdA&s=19
🤣
HH
Burnley78- from earlier
Glad you both enjoyed
Remarkable stat on trebles,
The transformation since I saw George Connolly rob Grieg and waltz round the keeper in 1969 is awesome.
St Johnstone on Saturday is my focus,heady days and treble thinkin is incredible now,we made great strides.
HH
SPIKEYSAULDMAN – If yo cast your mind back, the chemistry on display last season between NL and JK and Strachan was a good indicator that something was badly wrong. They rarely spoke. Most of us were chasing them all out the door with NL. Ridiculing them for not being able to sort out the defence in particular. Six games into this season, most of us would still have chased them.
Ange said last week he has kept them on because they believe in him and his methods. That he prefers to work with people who he doesn’t know from before as it keeps him much more alert. He gives people a chance and judges them on that.
Our captain got us back into the game with that brilliant run into the box. The best player in Scotland, the best player in the national team, still underestimated by some people.
Just waiting for madmitch to come on and explain to us why Calum McGregor had a bad game.
Absolutely tremendous team performance yesterday.
I hope Taylor won over some doubters yesterday.
Any news on the injuries?
Given where it was, and with the start we made it was a magnificent performance. We conceded early, couldn’t string two passes together to get out, and were under severe pressure.
This team reflects the mentality of its manager. Juranovic and Starfelt both had very shaky starts but were excellent after, the team could easily have wilted under the pressure but didnt and looked the stronger team physically and mentally as the game went on. Tam’s reaction to the goal said it all, stay calm and focussed on the job.
Ange is an excellent coach in all areas. The last two derbies have shown we can win playing great football, and win digging in. The two games, will have done wonders for our confidence, they’re left scratching their heads at how they were so easily beaten by a team that only functioned at full power for 1 out of 4 halves.
Rimtimtim @ 12.59
The mad abbreviator considers him to be no more than a squad player.
MAJESTIC HARTSON on 4TH APRIL 2022 1:01 PM
Ange said he took off O’Riley as a precaution and he should be fine
Still buzzing but now starting to overthink the game….
If we aimed to defend inside our penalty box for the 2nd half and expect them to fire in aimless crosses then what a ballsy strategy.
If, however, that was a consequence of failing to move 20 yards up the park and retain possession properly through the midfield, then we have some work to do and some lessons to learn. In a one-off game at hampden we may get punished for that.
I also think that Kyogo would have put away one of those 4 guilt-edged chances Maeda (x2) and Abada (x2) got as well. He should start in 2 weeks.
HH
Someone posted that a team that went behind has only won 5 of the last 90-odd derbies. I wonder how many of those were at the away ground, and I’d wager there were none with no away fans
Its a remarkable achievement against a team that we were neck and neck with leading into the game
BIG WAVY on 4TH APRIL 2022 1:06 PM
A game in a neutral ground will be completely different
Wee wishy huddle
🤣🤣
https://twitter.com/boylegsr3/status/1510617847415943168?t=wBfgkFYcJaPvSfE73klz6g&s=19
——-
BIG WAVY
wee Abada should have made your prediction come true for 3-1….am sure you’ll settle for 2-1
HH
Majestic Hartson,
I have nothing but enormous praise for GT’s peformance yesterday for applying himself at both ends of the park.
I have also a huge hope that we also target a better player with the physical and technical attributes to play the role as Ange would want it to be played. One that could not only make that great run beyond Jota but pull clear and make it count.
I we should have no place for sentimentality as any decent level Euro opponent spots that part of the park as a target area of weakness.
HH
I also think we’re evolving as a team. We weren’t capable of putting in two performances like the last derbies earlier in the season. The gung-ho attitude seems to have been replaced with a more pragmatic approach which still slows for creating excellent goal-scoring chances. A plan b, if you like.
Big shout out to the defensive coaches as well, Big John Kennedy deserves a lot of praise for his work this season :)