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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TETE & HT,
you remind me of ma two grannies, luv ya both t bits and you’re both sayin the same thing.
You’re the backbone of this blog… geez a kiss
Agent Craig “Green and” Whyte!! on 25 March, 2012 at 18:46 said:
Well done agreed with ever word….hail hail
Right bhoys have just read back and every time on these occasions the big decisions alter the game.let us start with collum over the last 2 season the amount of decision against us Hamilton and the Huns at paradise,also how he missed the taclkle on stokes at Hampden .Next up Callum Murray the shame game and today,the first red for cha was only a yellow as outside box and never last man.the second red for vic was only a yellow as ball was so close to him and had to get out of Huns way as he jumped over ball an twisted to try and Kung fu kick his leg.If in any doubt watch clip on you tube.
Also today stand side lines man flagged for stokes when 2 yards onside plus second goals was offside.And for the assault on brown from elbows who led with his knee and Has no intentions of playing the ball here haw.All this and some Celt on here and even some of my friends must be watching a totally different game from me by saying we never turned up Yeah some player were poor but that’s for another post later .The way the sfa and ref handle our games are done with bias and another agenda.Peter lawell and Celtic plc should be writing to the spl and Neil Doncaster with great concern and demanding action as we are the customer and the sfa as the supplier are not providing us with low quality refs even after a large pay rise.The game today was like a protecting rack run to keep the Huns sweet.The time has come now to either step up and get change or shut up.In the next few weeks the spl and sfa will be Working to do everything to keep this rigged game alive.Just hope Celtic will demand all rules to be adhered to or they will leave.The sooner the Huns are no more the better for Scottish football as a whole.As more days like today will drive more people from paying to watch a set up.
Jam67
THE EXILED TIM on 25 March, 2012 at 20:03 said:
HT
My post was not directed at you, I responded to you, and I never made it personal, if I had wanted to make it personal I would have.
I read your post, and you have every right to say what you did, it was considered, and it was not slaging for slagings sake, like many others on here tonight. they were whom I was refering to.
====================
So its not personal but it was not HT, so who was it you are referring to? What makes your opinion more valid than anyone else? I am being personal here, some people write with alacrity and vision and others just slag. You want to slag others for their view, then say its not personal, my arse!
Zbyszek on 25 March, 2012 at 20:25
you’re a blessing to this blog, we need your objectivity… just sayin I appreciate it
Eyes Wide Open,
You appear to be looking for perfection and if that doesn’t materialise in front of your eyes then you log in and vent your spleen Traynor style.
My standards are low and yours are more akin to big Jock you say.
Celtic were not great today but it was 12 v 9.
Rogne is a terrific defender, his goal was akin to Paul Elliot or Billy McNeill.. Credit where credit is due. Did McCulloch score or provide a knockdown for any goals? Their danger came from wide.
We are watching the footballing equivalent of the WWF and you come on here and slaughter an excellent young Celt who tried his best…….
Shame shame shame
TET
having met you am 100% sure that you are a hun…. 8-))
JQB
Not on your nelly.
Disappointed with the performance today.
Cha is pace and nothing else for me but his sending off was dubious if not predictable, which pretty much sums up the referring performance as a whole. Give nothing of significance to Celtic, give everything to the huns on the flimsiest of excuses.
Great wee fight back but not enough stand out performances for me.
These chances don’t come around too often…
Gordon64 on 25 March, 2012 at 20:22 said:
I just showed that to my missus. She disagrees and laughed so hard that she almost had an wee accident :-)))
What a mix CQN is tonight. A wee love in, the usual knockers who come out when we lose and tell us every player is below our standard, and a few looking at the bigger picture. At least the more obvious of the huns have gone.
It takes all sorts I suppose.
pggtips2
When you watch the corners, you can see the players pulling, pushing, putting hands on shouders. Would you give penalty everytime when you see that happening.
setting free the bears on 25 March, 2012 at 20:25 said:
maybe i should have said expectations then!
there is a mental strength problem within the celtic team, I think results from big games from this team in the past 18 months has proven that.
rogne is up there with those culpable – at this stage I must add. Loovens is too old to grow the set required of a Celtic player, maybe its not for Rogne.
RWE @ 20:16
You saw more of the detail than me. I think I just turned away from the screen in disgust, Skin-crawling stuff. Not unusual for that feeling to overcome me whenever we’re forced to “play” them though.
as for HT never met him..
he is a hun…
tiger tim total frick btw
TET
You big daft hun.
My man will be ringing the cave door the morra morning early. He is going to rip up your pool tile by tile ;-)
HH
Wat if lennon was given a touchline ban, say a 3 game ban for doin somethin, and we wer to play them at ibrox in that time where would he sit then?
Hamiltomtim
Had an wee accident????? teacher my arse.
G64,
ye know ye want to… I’ve got my “throbbin purple” lipstick on
Naw?
jungle jam
well said !
If you are going to lose derby games then when they don’t ultimately count they are the ones to lose. Maybe even keep Ally in a job – no bad thing.
We made it too easy for the ref to affect the game today. Cha and Victor sending offs were soft but the cute ref done us by the letter of the law. Just a pity he turned a blind eye to everything else. Samaras got fouled a number of times in that first half yet he chose to ignore every single one.
His performance was as predicted. He’ll get the cup final for sure now, that’s how it works.
We need experience in the side for games like this – how often have we said this in recent seasons? We need to start matches better.
its a good place this when you are gutted about the result
you see people, fighting with each other, calling each other green huns etc
you see people who were at the match saying that the away support were cheering and singing after the 2nd and 3rd goals went in and outsinging the home support (tbh i would not have known this as i only watched it on sky)
and you see people who see different things during the match
its a bit like therapy
HH CQNers
BT
You are on fire tonight.
In true craig brown Style..
Wel ost the first half and drew the second Half playing the majority of the game with 2 less players.
Hardly a humiliation is it?
Oh dear- lost to Rangers at Ibrox. Not the first nor the last but possibly the most meaningless.Let them have their pyrrhic victory.
Some random thoughts.
Cha – no thanks -not good enough. Def red card.
Wanyama – first real mistake. Probably not a red but gave the ref an easy decision. He’s a player though and wont make that mistake again.
The nine left on the pitch did us proud ,especially Brown.
They are rank, Davis and Aluko are passable as is McGregor – the rest are duds.
Their second goal was miles offside – not the ref’s fault but unmissable by the linesman.
Ref was poor – typical performance – they foul with impunity and we get reds at the drop of a hat.Couldnt wait to blow full time.
All in all a disappointing day but they played as if their whole season depended on that game , which it did – if you can call it a season.
We played as if we’d already won the league.
Still ,three points really is something to celebrate against a back ground of a humungous gap (even ignoring the ten points deduction) , administration , a tax bomb ticking in the background and their better players on deals which may well see them go cheaply in the summer. Isnt it?
i think the biggest story of the day is that a manager of one football club cannot sit safely in THE DIRECTORS BOX of another club
mindblowing !!!!
but will the press report it — aye right
The criticism on Rogne is OTT, McCullloch with full Masonic diplomatic immunity can be an awkward opponent, however cant remember him having a clear cut scoring opportunity in the opening 20 minutes.
Aluko ran riot from the start, we failed to deal with him despite several warnings and paid the price when he was given time and space to run at the defence, Brown and Samaras were our two best midfield performers, Ledley and Ki were anonymous, both made no contribution leaving Wanyama on his own in central midfield, cant play at Ibroke with no central midfield it was similar at Hampden last week, very concerning, we badly miss Kayal
Bring Me The Heid of Thunder Crap Reid on 25 March, 2012 at 19:37 said:
That is the first time this season that Commons (and Izzy since his leg break) have shown last season’s form. Commons had a mare at Aberdeen, it happens when a player is just off his best, so I do not blame Lenny for not starting him. But I will if both Izzy and Commons do not start next game.
In fact I thought our improvement was down to their arrival and that, with the return of Hooper and Forrest will give us fresh options for the run in where we have some more meaningful games to play, including a return at CP.
Tommy Joad on 25 March, 2012 at 20:29 said:
You seem to have forgotten everything pre 9 vs 11.
When it was 11 vs 11 we were 2nd best.
Man for Man we are far far better than them.
Its from within I am worried we are lacking in.
I dont think for a second Lennon didnt have the team motivated to the right level last week and this, however the players never had the steel to convert them into 2 victories.
Rogne in my opinion, displayed as many of the mental frailties as anyone else.
Go easy on the criticism of TET.
All he said was that, if you understand the limitations we operate under as a club, you will know why we still have players like Cha at the club. (Incidentally Cha made a great saving block tackle before he was unjustly red carded, to prevent a possible opening goal).
It amazes me how thin skinned certain critical posters can be who come on here and bad mouth good Celtic men, players, managers and other staff, and then cry foul if someone defends those criticised and asks for perspective.
If you dish it out, expect some back. In the end it’s only a blog.
Gordon J The biggar picture is what matters imo we used to have a great European pedigree and I for one would love to get it back.Scottish football we will win honours of one kind or another for years to come and todays cheats will not be with us in the not to distant future now that appeals to part of me but there is another part that worries that the lid will be sealed on the biscuit tin as the board will take a blinkered view. H.H.
Sorry if i offended earlier.
Probably still P’d aff.
Think i should take my own advice.
Exiled: Peace.
blantyretim on 25 March, 2012 at 20:31 said:
tiger tim total frick btw
=================
Is a frick good or bad?
From a blanter bhoy to a haufwy boy I would presume bad?
Or maybe bad blanter spellin.
Bring Me The Heid of Thunder Crap Reid on 25 March, 2012 at 20:20 said:
Your ‘name’ says it all.
voguepunter on 25 March, 2012 at 20:24 said:
Now that made me laugh ya bam!!!
I’ve never known the big man to be so lucid and sensible :-)))
JQB
Kisses, only if you’ve shaved!
G64
pissed off…
scum scum scum…
we shal overcome ….
I am soooooo Pised offffffffffff u wouldn’t believe it..
I tell mini BT we don’t hate… I am very close to hate tonight…..
TT
flip…o))
Eyes Wide Open,
We wont agree.
But you’re a Celt and so am I so we’ll leave it.
Nice talkin to you and enjoy the rest of your weekend mate.
TJ
apologies, looking back, last comment looks worse than intended… apologies, again