Celtic will have to keep the Champagne on ice for a while longer after failing to collect the three points required to win the league at Ibrox this afternoon. The champions-elect looked nervous early on with few looking comfortable in possession, allowing Rangers significant periods of possession. After only 10 minutes Rangers were ahead when Sone Aluko beat Thomas Rogne before cutting inside Charlie Mulgrew and firing a shot past Forster in the Celtic goal.
Celtic scarcely featured as an attacking threat in the first half but moments after going behind Georgios Samaras produced one of the most scintillating pieces of skill on the day. The Greek international collected the ball 70 yards from goal, beat four opponents before his shot from 12 yards was saved by Alan McGregor. Anthony Stokes mishit the rebound allowing McGregor to tip over.
Stokes forced a further save from McGregor with a fine volley after controlling on his chest but the game was soon to look ominous for Celtic. Cha Du-Ri was caught wrong side of Lee Wallace and made the slighted touch on the Rangers player who went to ground two yards outside the penalty area. Referee Calum Murray sent Cha off despite the covering attendance of Charlie Mulgrew.
Despite their numerical advantage Rangers seemed content to prevent Celtic scoring, Fraster Forster didn’t make a single save while Celtic were numerically on level terms or only a single man down. Ten minutes after the break Victor Wanyama was red carded for a two footed tackle on Steven Whittaker.
Lee McCulloch was fortunate to remain on the field after elbowing Scott Brown on the head. In a carbon copy of the incident which ended Beram Kayal’s season in December, McCulloch went to ground after the incident until attended by a physio, which perhaps tempered the referee’s response. Clever, if predictable.
With things clearly not going their way Celtic then lost an offside goal. Celtic had an opportunity to make an attempt on goal when they won a free kick 28 yards out. With Charlie Mulgrew still running into position Scott Brown played a quick pass to Kris Commons but Celtic players were crowded out by a number of opponents and lost possession. Rangers broke forward and applied pressure which brought the best out of Fraser Forster but Andrew Little put Rangers two ahead from what was clearly an offside position.
A further breakaway on the 77th minute resulted in Lee Wallace putting Rangers three goals ahead.
Despite being two goals down substitute Kris Commons started to dictate play and brought Celtic their best period of possession. In the 89th minute Georgios Samaras broke through the Rangers defence but was scythed to the ground by Bocanegra. The referee awarded a penalty and ordered the Rangers player off. Scott Brown scored the penalty
Moments later Commons got the better of Whittaker on Celtic’s left before being brought down by the Rangers player. Commons found Thomas Rogne with the resultant free kick which the defender powered home.
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someone commented that Duff & Phelps have backed out of the 3.6m quid London high court case on the 30th.
Can anyone confirm ?
and if so why ?
Hail HAil
Aw naw ….re Kayal we must keep this guy ..he was sadly missed today though with his total passion to win the ball ..brother Murray might have seen that differently ..big vic is a raw talent but in midfield needs to make make more of a difference when passing the ball … I think you are so right re the football being a sideshow .. Especially after today’s shameful
treatment of our young manager ,a man who has had bombs sent to him and his family but still chose to go to work the next morning ..and today was advised not to sit in the stand of one of the so called institutions of modern progressive Scotland …dear oh dear
Gordon64 on 25 March, 2012 at 18:57 said:
RT
It is that bad.
I love Celtic but i cannot suffer anymore
of this utter garbage that is spouted by the SFA and it’s
media acolytes re the need to save the most morally and ethically
bankrupt institution that is RFCIA.
Pass me a square sausage someone i’m close to losing the plot.
———————————————————————-
I see where you are coming from and I respect your opinion but remember this:
The Emperor has no clothes.
Today changes nothing for them.
As for the cheating – days like today in the time we live in only hastens the day when the SFA gets what is coming to it. And it is coming. Light is being shone in to corners that they had well hidden.
I look forward to Neil’s appearance before the beaks on this one. And I look forward more to his subsequent appeal.
sixtaeseven: No NewCo in SPL and it’s Non-Negotiable! on 25 March, 2012 at 18:54 said:
Believe it or not but I spent the entire last night dreaming about riots and Celtic fans being harmed by the animals.
I even woke myself up, went for a toilet to break the cycle and went back to bed again only to have a continuation of the same dream only from a different perspective.
Ive been fairly worried about tims in Scotland tonight – we still cant breathe easy because we know they usually choose to ‘celebrate’ by knifing a Celtic fan.
However if that is the case – then I agree with you.
They think that because Paul Mc Bride has left us that they can go back to how things were before he came on the scene.
Hail Hail
long haired yins man @ 19:00
Hah. Aye, to 0-3. Would be sad to see Rogne’s excellent goal chalked off thanks to hunnery, but justice must prevail.
wonkyradar on 25 March, 2012 at 19:01 said:
A real touch of Ibrokes dejavu the day.
Why anybody cares about MSM l have no idea. Masochism? Mcleod, Nicholas (kissass), Provan,, Burley, Walker even Nevin are all Uncle Tims. Everything these haddocks say might as well be scripted. McCann: no a peep for aeons and the day its a gloatathon- when chips are down they show their colours.
——————————————————————————–
Correct my man. The only service they have done to is to keep the mess at Ibrox hidden for so long that no one has been able to act to save them. Brilliant.
However what I do not like is their silence on thugs like McCullough. But that is not a particularly Scottish phenomenon. Happens with the favoured ones in England too.
Silly, Silly Bhoy EC67
After 55 years supporting the magnificent Celtic I should have known that there was no way we would be allowed to win the championship at the Bigotdome.
Foolishy, I thought it possible.
This squad is not the Lions.
This squad does not even have a homegrown player of the quality of a McStay, McGrain or Dalglish, nor do we have purchased players like Henrik, Lambert, Sutton, Reiper, Lubo, Hartson and Lennon to namecheck just a few.
We will win the league.
How stupid am I, as a 56 yo man, to think we would be allowed to win the title at the Bigotdome?
Better times ahead when they are gone.
EC67
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 25 March, 2012 at 19:05 said:
They think that because Paul Mc Bride has left us that they can go back to how things were before he came on the scene.
————————————————————-
It is possible that they think there are no other good Lawyers in Scotland. They are stupid enough. Lessons will be learned one hopes.
wonkyradar
Thought Matthews did well. Kayal would have been a cert for first red because he has the cheek to make tackles.
Home safe but still hurt and angry.
I would hope that I’ve been posting here for long enough that I won’t be referred to as a hun, a malcontent or a glory hunter.
I feel massively let down by the Celtic players and management today. If anyone bothers to read my posts then you will realise that it is an extremely rare occurence for me to be critical of anything Celtic. These players know that they will win the league, it is inevitable, it is merely a matter of time.Today should have been about us, the Celtic support. They had an opportunity to give us something for our faith and backing, and they let us down in my opinion. I worry that some didn’t appreciate the significance of it and worse, that some of them didn’t care enough about it.
Neil Lennon needs to stop tinkering with tactics and team selection more than is required. Cha should never have played today and certainly not at right back, someone mentioned previously, he’s a right midfielder at best.
I feel for Sammi, who worked his green and white socks off once again, Ledley who must be shattered after his efforts and Broonie but only after the bang he got on the head. Commons also deserves mention for his cameo performance.
I’ll be back next week and the week after and the week after but tonight I’m so disappointed and hurt.
Fromm FF..oh the irony!
______________
– Wallace this time
He was magnificent today. He was up and down that wing like a steam train.
Showed exactly why we shelled out the money for him.
RT
Thanks for your reply.
I was brought up to believe in fairness
and equality for all
I can no longer stomach this farce that calls itself
Scottish football.
thankfully it wasnt just me that thought that mccoist thing was a set up at the end
as for that clampit Charlie nic, if anybody tries to tell me he is one of ours i will scream
he is an Arsenal man and a prick – big John should be on sky even WGS other than these people like charlie
RobertTressell on 25 March, 2012 at 19:03 said
I sincerely hope you are correct, we have had too amny false dawns, smoking guns and dossiers to raise our hopes.
The most hideous fact is that we know we are right. The type of ingrained prejudice and sectaranism has been rife in Scotland for 70 years and yet we are supposed to acceot that the SFA (and all that it controls) is immune from this virus?
I’ll leave you with this thought/ question:
Is it actually beneficial to Celtic FC that we didn’t win it today? It would have been great yes, but think about it – what would it have done to attendances for the rest of the season barring league trophy presentations. As it is we are guaranteed a full house against St Johnstone and then again for the game which is chosen to present the league trophy officially.
Financially it is probably better – doesn’t necessarily feel that way right now though!
did anybody else hear someone shout ‘dougie dougie ‘ today, I’m sure I could hear it.
Hamiltontim , nothing wrong with feeling let down ya tim
I thought the midfield for the 4th or 5th game in a row were static and had nothing going forward. They sat 5 yards in front of the back 4 which stopped the defence from pushing out.
Wales was posted missing today, Adam had a shocker on both sides of the park, third goal a joke. While Joe, apart from keeping Whittakers arms busy at corners was non existent.
Big Vic can win the ball but struggles creatively with it. Broony chased everywhere today but was in all the wrong places.
We played football for two ten minutes spell today, first after the Aluko goal and the second after Commons came on and we almost got a draw.
Stokes has been found wanting in big games before and like last week he was found wanting again today. Still thought it was daft substitution though, drop Victor back move Charlie left would have left 2 strikers at 1-0 down. We needed him to work Rangers from the back, not his forte I’m afraid.
Samaras, I loathe and thought he should have been away 3 seasons ago, lead the line well and tormented their defence the few times he actually got a ball in space.However he requires support and as I said earlier the midfield was missing.
The cross park ball Rangers have now used successfully against us for 5/6 years must be defended against, if Mailby cannot do it then bring in someone who can.
For the sending off, I cannot understand how there can be a goal scoring chance if the player was no where near the ball, and had no chance of getting the ball. Foster or Mulgrew would have got there before Wallace.
The second goal, has Lafferty leading with his elbow on Rogne before any off side or Wallace hits the first shot.
Murray had words with Whittaker early on for holding Ledley then allowed him to operate with impunity after that.
Victors challenge has the studs showing down rather than up. “Elbows” continued with the same flying challenges he has got away with for years and bossed both Mulgrew and Rogne most of the game. Dissappointed in central defence today, if not the whole back four.
Onwards to next week and hopefully we maybe use either Commons or McGeoch wide while Hooper will return after a rest. It dissapoints every year that we sign players in the January transfer window then fail to use them. What happened to “we will only sign if they are better than what we have”.
If Lennon was unable to sit in the stand due to safety issues, then the place should be shut down or the game should not have taken place. No where in the world would accept that.
We.may have lost the game,and to be fair we were poor in most of the game.
Murray was a disgrace,some on here were saying that he was an honest type of guy,but when it comes to the crunch he is the same as the rest,a cheat.
What about that slimly bstd mcCoisty wanting to shake hands with Celtic players,in front of cameras,thank God Stokes seen through the bun.
Every night I thank God that I am not one of them.
My family were having a gathering tonight in our garden,what did we put up with,a group of buns arguing and fighting between themselves.They are indeed a sad sad peepul.
HT
Feel your hurt pal
I’ll now stop ranting.
Tomorrow’s another day.
Sammi was majestic today, the run in the first half was like watching a Giant of the game waltz through everything the hun had.
Even at 3-0 down and with Sammi up top, I was unwilling to give up. We really do have a World Class player in this man in our team and he can destroy whole defences by himself.
Never leave the big man out of the big games again would be my preference.
I thought Fraser had another good game as well and didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
Kris Commons looks like he is getting back to last seasons form and he certainly made a good impact when he came on.
Brilliant header by Thomas.
Superbly taken penalty by Broonie.
The Celtic support were magnificent as always and are the heartbeat of Celtic.
They had to to cheat even in stoppage time just in case, even against 9 men.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me.
Gordon64 on 25 March, 2012 at 19:11 said:
RT
Thanks for your reply.
I was brought up to believe in fairness
and equality for all
I can no longer stomach this farce that calls itself
Scottish football.
—————————————
I know exactly how you feel. Believe you me I was absolutely ‘bealing’ during the game. But the whole context of the game today was totally different from anything that has ever happened before.
We are approaching the end game. The habitual, lifelong cheats are slowly getting their due.
And today will be long forgotten by the time Scott Brown hold aloft the SPL trophy in the not too distant future.
Hail Hail.
Have to go.
HT
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=8444&cpage=8#comment-1355761
What you said.
Sometimes we feel we don’t deserve the team on the park.
Sometimes we feel they don’t deserve us. Today was a day like that. I knew the result after 5 minutes today, just not the manner in which we would lose the game. THat’s two bad let-downs in a week, two games we were capable of losing but also capable of winning – we’ve lost both of them, and the team’s attitude seems to have been a major contributory factor in both defeats. That bothers me a lot.
neveralone on 25 March, 2012 at 16:45
Your comments suggest you’re an older fan – like myself – than many on here. We’ve seen it all and don’t kid ourselves. Most posters on here are doing just that. Kidding themselves.
Quite simply, we didn’t approach a game at Ibrox the only way you can……….with fire in your belly from minute one. They did. There’s been guys on here all week predicting stupid scorelines. Have they anything between their ears ? No.
The referee was as fair as any I’ve seen in an Old Firm game ……….and I’ve seen a few ! If we had played well, if we had been focused from the start, if Neil Lennon had a bit more tactical nouse, the refereeing decisions would not have been an issue because we would have won – comfortably. We didn’t. We’re not as good as many on here obviously think. We have good players but not brilliant. We play sideways. Exactly the way Neil Lennon use to play.
We will win the league and deserve to do so because, over the piece, we have been the best team but, come Europe we’ll be eaten alive ‘cos, when it comes down to it, Neil Lennon can’t do the big games.
Sorry guys. I’m not a hun. I’ve seen more Celtic games than most on here.
I’m a realist.
Get it sorted, Neil.
P.s I also felt that for about 70 minutes we, the Celtic support let the team down. Too many day trippers and part timers who go to be entertained rather than to support, encourage and lift the team.
The last 20 minutes went some way to make up for it, memorable and inspiring. To be doing ‘Let’s call the whole thing off’ tune after their second and third had the hun hoardes staring incredulously.
Alright troops?
Hope everyone got home safe from this afternoon’s live re-enactment of every carry-on movie ever conceived.
And the Huns got the win they craved. Honestly, that deluded, deranged bunch of intellectual hobbits would toast a victory over St.Trinians first IX just because of the ‘Saint’ bit.
Honourable mentions:
Samaras – shame on those who wanted the big man’s head on a plate all those early season weeks. Nearly scored the goal of all goals v the huns with that run in the 1st half. Never hid, as always. Incredulous at his treatment by the charlatan in black. That 1st half double-hack on him by Whittaker that went unpunished summed it all up for him.
Broonie – led by example. Everywhere, all game. In thei face, constantly looking to do something positive on the ball. Often I’ve bemoaned his lack of guile. Today, he displayed utter committment that was sadly lacking in many.
Lenny – Cheated yet again. Kept his composure, asked the obvious questions of the sycophant in the middle, sent off with no reasonable explanation and unable to watch from the stand because of the uncivilised scum which inhabit the heights of Mordor.
Dishonourable mentions:
Ki: If you can’t raise your game for this one, mate, don’t let the door slam on your way out. As in September, posted missing in Celtic’s hour of need. Utterly culpable at the first goal – watch the replays – he’s fast asleep as the Huns slip the ball to Aluko 30 yards out. Ki should have been covering that area and picking him up. Dopey, costly. and as for ana ttacking force: non-existent. Bite the hand off whoever wants him; if we get seven figures we’ll be more criminal than generations of Hun directors.
Matthews: Many pointed out (PF Ayr?) that he was in a slump. Lived up to his billing. Hanging around the six yard box for their (offside) second like a spare prick at a wedding, then gifted them possession on the halfway for them to break and nail the third. Again, like Ki – if you’re not up for it and tuned in to pump the Huns, don’t wear the Hoops,.
Calum Murray – LMAO. Are you reading this? You servile, spineless, ball-less hollow excuse for a man?
How’s your head feeling after all those pats on it from your lumpen gurning half-witted masonic masters?
How’s your mind after having to narrow it to aged Hunnic mentality?; that no matter the circumstance, the Hun must win; that no matter the paltry recompence, be it of reputation among the hordes, of ‘standing’ within the cloven-hoofed socities, the Hun must win.
You vacuuous charlatan of a human being. Hopeless, impotent little fraud. Look in the mirror, weep at the ghost-head gaping back. Empty of soul and bitter of spirit.
Cheat.
And the icing on your particular cake of malice: blowing the whistle at 93:57 as your lucky rocket-ship underpants filled when big Forster launched the ball towards the Hun box.
UEFA/FIFA RULES – A MINIMUM of 4 minutes as declared by the ref. A MINIMUM – injuries and substitutions to be accomodated. You let the mask slip ultimately there, Murray, and panic blew the whistle. A dead giveaway.
What. A. Prick. You. Are.
End of analysis.
Now, someone dig a hole and dig it deep. Bury them in it.
Mick on 25 March, 2012 at 17:25 said:
Bit late catching up with this one.
McCluskey was so dishonest that after hiding behind soft mark McBride on the night of the Di Canio ‘offside’, he refused to turn up at then customary off the record press conference to explain himself.
hamiltontim on 25 March, 2012 at 19:10 said:
I feel better now, got a few snidy digs earlier for saying exacly what you said. Have now had some good cider and Becks beer, the King Edward I planned to smoke in the garden has been put back another week.
I am well pissed off but…and it`s a big but… we are all as one , and we are not them.
Let the world be thankful for that.
Curious behaviour from Murray on 86 mins…
–7seconds from Sammi being fouled by Bocanegra, Murrray reaches for his hip pocket.
–16seconds on from that before he pulls the red.
Its as clear a penalty as you’ll ever see…..and he blows for a penalty with no hesitation. Why the delay in sending him off. He walked right past him on blowing for a pen.
Regardless of the referees performance today we still have to ask some questions of the team. Bested for attitude in the first 15 minutes we only started to play after Aluko scored.
I doubt Wallace would have got a shot away but if the boot had been on the other foot we would have been screaming for a red card for Cha’s tackle, but no worries for the Huns, the referee couldn’t wait to give a red.
After that it was always going to be difficult and once big Victor had been sent off, tackle was one that was similar to the Man City player a few weeks ago, the game was a bogey.
Second goal was offside but once Commons came on, which I was hoping he would do at half time for Wanyama (who had a mare in my opinion, still a prospect but sometimes a liability) we looked good, scored a couple of goals and had them hanging on at the end against nine men.
Two cup finals in two weeks, two trophies to win and have won none of them. Have to ask questions about bottle I’m afraid.
Only Sammi, Forster and Brown get pass marks from me today. Wouldn’t fancy our chances against Hearts in the cup playing like that.
Big step up needed in form.
Hail Hail!
RobinBhoy
Top Corner
It’s good to talk. More folks on here should skype in.
I feel better now. I get the feeling they are more interested in the Slovak girls :)
jmccormick on 25 March, 2012 at 19:20 said:
The hurt will pass but there is a tremendous ache at the moment.
Did you get a ticket?
Meanwhile back in the real world
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/rangers-administration-lord-hodges-decision-re-ticketus-part-1-new-information/
A wee comment about Broony’s penalty. Every one he has taken has gone into the same corner. Now if he continues to hit them right into the corner at pace there probably isn’t a problem with that – but he has no margin for error if the keeper knows in advance which way he is going.
Not only did Murray blow for full time seconds before the minimum four minutes added time had passed, he also stopped for half time when we were attacking the Rangers goal 20 yards out.
Sometimes its the wee sleekit decisions/ non-decisions that make all the difference although to be fair to Murray he also made plenty of big blatant dodgy decisions today as well as the wee sleekit ones.
The bould Hector’s bhoys….. Tá ár lá anois on 25 March, 2012 at 19:21 said:
I’m not sure that the idiot knew who to send off and that may have caused the hesitation. That, or he was just hoping that we would forget!!!
If Neil Lennon can prove that he was sent to a room for his own safety then surely this is a matter for the police as well as the football authorities. As a previous poster remarked Walter could apparently sit in safety in the stand at Celtic Park. But nothing surprises me in the greatest wee country in the world.
Zbyszek at 18:29
The only way Mulgrew was going to cover Cha was because Cha was fouling Wallace, and slowing his progress. Wallace unimpeded was going through on goal, he would only have needed about 4 more strides before shooting on his good side.
All I can say is I hope Cha’s contract is up for renewal soon