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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Sonofdan
Just being honest mate
Cha was dropped 4 month ago from the squad cause he was a pub player
If you kid yourself on that is the sort of player that will take us into Europe enjoy
I tell the truth
We need a stiker and center half 4 years ago
Still waiting
No Bobby Does It Petta on 25 March, 2012 at 17:22 said:
Mise
Grow up. Get real.
Hey Bob, you should get yourself an agent. Why just handle yourself.
Not convinced about the second goal being offside. I don’t think Lafferty got a touch. If he did it was offside obviously.
Cha not a sending off except in Scotland if you are wearing green and white.
I had been waiting for the return of Truth. Any chance you could re-post that big list of clubs who have went into administration. You posted it last year and scoffed all at the very thought that your team would be added to the list of non-entities. Any chance you could re-post? Just for a point of reference. Thanks.
truth4767 on 25 March, 2012 at 17:08
That post sums it up.
You are the prototype Rangers fan, even when you try to act different.
You could not help yourself, even with all the inaccuracies in your post.
The Empire is Finished.
What is it, Morton, Motherwell, Hearts or Kilmarnock your team of choice next season.
Glasgow Celtic, Champions
ticgaz on 25 March, 2012 at 17:29 said:
yes
Williamson get yellow card at WBA game for less than what Elbows did to Scott Brown
It is now time to get out of this league.
Even if there is the slightest chance of getting into
England’s league 1 we should take it.
I could not endure another season of this nonsense.
Not one of the other 38 clubs has ever spoken on our behalf
so hell mend the lot of them.
Cha should not have got sent off
But!!! He is Anton nuff said
Westim
Lenny was doing his job
if he says he was polite and respectful i believe him
do you doubt him , do you side with Murray ?
Im glad thats the last time we need to visit the bigot dome.
setting free the bears on 25 March, 2012 at 17:21 said:
It was and still is a win/win situation.
As Neil said”we were never going to be allowed to win the league here.”
Our support were fantastic and had a party.
Cheerio Cheerio
jmccormick on 25 March, 2012 at 17:22:
Maybe instead of being peed off you should give the team credit for turning the season around. Twenty-odd games undefeated, most of them victories, under a manager who is still learning his trade and has build a young team that plays attractive football.
You were first with the ‘respect’ comment by-the-way…
HH
No Bobby does it Petta,
Hahahahahaha, yer club are dead.
Paul, can we bar this goon?
TJ
Setting free the bears.
No not petulant, disappointed. Or sorry should I think it’s great that instead of clinching the league reAlly early, not being able to quite carry on our great run right through to the end?So sorry if that makes me petulant or a three year old in your eyes
The huns just don’t get how easily spotted they are.
We don’t need to see their grimacing coupons or smell their rancid breath, or even spot their hate-disguised words.
It’s all about attitude. Into which they put the “tit”. Copyright Noel Gallagher.
TJ come on now, that’s putting words in my mouth in a big way, the connotations of that phrase as it applies to NL and the stuff he’s gone through is very far removed from me saying that today, he brought his red card on himself by speaking to the ref when I believe he shouldn’t have been.
Again, I’d prefer he leave any complaining etc until after the game is won, be it by our side or theirs.
And god no, the mccoist thing at the end was nauseating, especially when they had him in the studio after. When has that ever happened by the way? I’ve never seen a manager get invited into the studio to sit there and look dignified while his counterpart has to make do with the regular tunnel interview.
ps. My greatest living celt would be Henrik personally
It looks like our next chance to tie things up will come at Killie in 2 weeks. Should they not hand over 90% of their ground to us, will the Killie/Shiels love-in after last week come to an end?
First 10 minutes – we were garbage.
Then after Aluko`s goal we rallied and who knows how the game would have panned out as a fair contest.
Enter Calum Murray and Scottish football once again became a caricature of the rigged WWF wrestling.
Cha`s foul looked like a yellow card to me from my vantage point behind the goal. There was a Celtic player covering, Wallace was not in control of the ball and was considerably wide of the goal. Never a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Throughout the remainder of the first half and the early stages of the second half Whittaker and McCulloch were given licence to foul at will. More often than not fouls perpetrated by this pair of talentless thugs were not called; on the rare instance when the ref did call them they weren`t even spoken to.
Also, McCulloch was forever in the referee`s ear all game long, clearly having inherited Richard Gough`s old referee whistle. It appeared to me that both Elbows and Murray were of the view that Elbows was actually refereeing today`s game.
Half time – and it is curious that Murray – who was comfortable with El Tadg and Weird Heid Bougherra manhandling him last season and even spoke in their defence at their disciplinary hearing – should take exception after 15 minutes of reflection to something said by our manager.
50 minutes or so – Whittaker goes in two footed on a Celtic player just outside the Celtic box, Celtic player is prone on the ground, as Whittaker sneaks away back to his right back position. Not even spoken to by Murray.
55 minutes – Celtic denied a clear penalty when Rogne was sandwiched by 2 Hun defenders at a set piece. Happened right in front of me. Blatant.
59 minutes – Wanyama sent off. Correct decision. However, identical to Whittaker`s challenge 10 minutes previously which did not even merit a talking to.
I did not call the Orc 2nd goal as being offside at the time as it was too hard for me to see being up the other end of the ground. TV evidence now shows it was offside and of course the linesman and referee should be calling that.
Kerkar then came on for Rangers and was booked for his first foul which is amazing considering what Elbows, Whittaker and Goian got away with all game long.
Bocangra red card – Murray took forever and a day to actually send Bocanegra off, again Bocanegra did the same super sally sneak move in trying to skulk away from the incident in the hope that the ref would forget to send him off.
An extraordinary refereeing display.
I`m disappointed with the way we started the game, but so pleased with the way we finished the last 12 minutes or so, playing with a man down and then 9 v 11 (or 12) for so long to come back like that speaks volumes for our character but also shows just how poor Rangers are.
Watch Wanyama’s tackle on whittacker…keep your eyes on whittaker’s foot, isn’t that worse?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6MKZwSIMmM&feature=player_embedded
Have to say I’d be a bit concerned about the ability of this side to get through a CL play off.
Paul67 et al
Good spirit from both the players and the supporters from three nil down. Was always going to be tough with ten men, impossible with nine. Still cannot see how Cha can get sent off for what is at worst a clumsy challenge, a foul at most. Victor has to stay on his feet, has to. Let us enjoy our football from now on, starting next week. Let us see Kris Kommons and Izzy start.. It is not often we have had the chance to win the league at Celtic Park, something to look forward to.
My bottom line is this: we played one up front against a team who most other teams in the SPL have done easily (I’ve watched some of their games on the laptop).
We went with FIVE across the middle! Come on FFS!
Murray was always going to be dodgy but his worst decision in the first half was not even giving a foul and booking for the tackle that the hun did when he led, studs up, aiming for Sammi’s knee. I suspect that complaining about that might have been the reason NL was sent off.
Anyway we’ve been rotten for weeks due to: NL’s team selection, stinking performances and what looks like the lack of desire.
I’m mystified!
Flemming should be ragdolled out and made to explain the difference in Stokes penalty claim and that pathetic effort today.
I personally thought Stokes went down way too easy,…a bit harsh ?.., maybe,…but I expect A Celt to stay on their feet and never even consider dropping…..(all too easy to say sometimes in the scope of things) Anthony didn’t do that. His left leg collapsed.
but ..
1. there was definite contact made with his right foot,
2 it was a sliding tackle from behind
and
3 the contact was made foot to foot which is more likely to cause imbalance to the player being fouled.
Contrast that with today. A complete and utter dive.
Not a goal scoring opportunity
Not a blatant foul– a sneaky pull back of the arm [which is naturally moving in the direction it’s being pulled anyway] which Murray cannot possibly see from his position.
Wallace on sensing DU Ri’s tug drops like a bag of shite hoping for a penalty.
He is at least 4 yards from the ball and not certain to be anywhere near a goalscoring opportunity.
I despise Scottish refs as much as any inbred run-of-the-mill yokel hun.
Do we not win the league next week?
no bobby does it petta
god bless her majesty
Steinreignedsupreme on 25 March, 2012 at 17:33 said:
jmccormick on 25 March, 2012 at 17:22:
Maybe instead of being peed off you should give the team credit for turning the season around. Twenty-odd games undefeated, most of them victories, under a manager who is still learning his trade and has build a young team that plays attractive football.
You were first with the ‘respect’ comment by-the-way…
I did not say I was pissed off with the turnround,just the fact we allowed them to build the lead, we were not exactly setting the heather on fire back then as NL said himself yesterday. I am delighted wiht the response since then , however we have been flat since the Motherwell 1-0 home win , just an opinion.
My comment on “with all due respect” is light hearted, I am sure you are familiar with the understanding that when people use that phrase they mean exactly the opposite, which is why I never use it.
I agree we are an attractive young team, perhaps we have the answer to our current issue staring us in the face ?
Kingoh @ 17:38
? Not a Killie love in, but Kenny Shiels is worthy of more respect than the rest, surely??
Westim,
Ur no very bright
Are u
Anyway, off fur a barby, weve got so much t celebrate, ah dont know where t start
no bobby does it petta
s, revenue & customs
Ordinary Bhoy on 25 March, 2012 at 17:40 said:
only if they drop points at motherwell, and mccall will make sure that won’t happen
Any result other than a rangers win at Fir Park next Saturday, lets us win the title by beating St. Johnstone.
Even if rangers win, many of the Celts who are coming to that match are fully entitled to celebrate a title win if we go 18 points clear with 6 SPL games to go.
You’d have to be quite the miserabilist to insist that we wait till the next away fixture at Killie.
Kayal33 on 25 March, 2012 at 17:32 said
Totallt disagree !!
Never mind , let’s move on…
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
I refer you back to the game that Killie did in fact give over their ground to the away team. The last day of last season. The day a Shiel’s inspired Killie were 3-0 down after 10 minutes.
cheers Kayal. Im in the huff now!
The silver lining.
After a period of time, we should find that we won the game today 3-0.
Thought Davis played well mind, glad he could make it.
gutted today, really gutted – this team could have been legends – no bottle
——————————–
Sadly, I agree.It was all there for them and the couldn’t rise to the challenge when it really mattered….It’s becoming a big issue now.
I do think there could be more in what happened with Neil, regarding him not being allowed back in the dug out.Ominous
Timabhoy on 25 March, 2012 at 17:16 said:
/////////////////
The refs/establishment etc….have been anti-Celtic for the last 125 years so, why all the astonishment ?
For me, the trail leads back to when, WGS recommended, big Mark McGhee as his replacement. PL didny give MM the managers job because, MM is NOT a puppet! IMO!
Now, the questions are…..would MM have been a, safer pair of hands than, BTM ?
Would MM have been a, safer pair of hands than, Neil Lennon ?
Would anyone be surprised if…the mini-huns put us out the Scottish cup ?
Far TOO MANY, cheap/bosman/free-transfer types of players in our team. IMO. Wheres the quality ?
We have 3 quality players…Kayal & Izzy have been seriously injured but, from my viewpoint, Chris Commons, has had some injuries but, has been left out of the team because of Neil’s ego. That is not on!
Totally scunnered by the continued viewing of the same horror movie, season after season.
Never mind blaming the MIB’s either. They have ALWAYS been that way to us. IMO!
TV off
CQN off
Wolfetones on the i-pod :o)))
Hail Hail
Now who to believe?
Neil Lennon or Calumny Murray.