The most interesting point to make about Adam Matthews is that, for another month anyway, he is still a teenager. You and I have seen enough of these games to know that the occasion has a habit of consuming inexperienced youth but Adam patrolled Celtic’s right with remarkable authority last night. All the more remarkable considering this was his first game back after injury.
Football business for 2011 is finished and new signing, Swedish international right back, Mikael Lustig (25), is now available for selection. At 6’3” Mikael has previously played in central defence but Neil Lennon insisted the player was primarily recruited as a right back but, despite the rate Celtic right backs pick up injuries, the need appears greater in central defence. It’s hard to see Adam Matthews losing the right back berth.
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BBC accept that Joe Ledley’s header was over the line.
The final stats give us 56% possession to 44%, 14 attempts at goal to 6 and 9 shots on target to 2.
The only thing they beat us in was fouls: 22 to 11. And that was the ones Collum gave!
I would have liked a second goal when we were in control, but it never looked like they would equalise. We were only under pressure when a couple of punts found the box in the dying seconds. It was a much more comfortable victory than the scoreline would suggest.
For such a young side to put in such a mature display speaks volumes for the manager. The preparation was spot on and all of our players showed commitment, worked hard and kept the head. If we can kick on from here and keep the winning run going the gap at the top will increase.
fergus slayed the blues says:
29 December, 2011 at 13:16
Hehe. I always find it funny that journo’s in this country try to pretend not to support Celtic or (most often) Rangers. Everyone knows Chic Young is a Hun. He knows, we know, he knows that we know. Why deny it?!
Same goes for Daryl King. Anyone would think they were ashamed ;-)
In England a Manchester United fan or Liverpool supporting hack would have no issue with admitting it.
BontyBhoy says:
29 December, 2011 at 12:44
I think Lennon would love to give Rogne a run in the team but unfortunately he seems to breakdown after 5 or 6 games and be out for a couple of months. His positioning is superb. Last night he looked like a 28 year old defender with 70 caps and won every header he challenged for in the second half. He is still just 21 so hopefully his body toughens up but right now he just can’t cope with a full season.
It’s interesting that when he returns from a prolonged absence he seems to slot in as if he was never out. A very good sign.
Another great find by our scouts. If I was chairman of one of these English clubs I’d be scouting our scouts instead of our players!
Bada Bing
A sinister development, all jest aside.
Let’s officially give money to Operation Save Rangers.
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
29 December, 2011 at 13:46
Bada,is that bad news of a friend of yours?
Sorry if it is big man.
ASonOfDan 13:34
Those stats aren’t accurate.
PLG was 31 16 8 7 according to Wikipedia
FPLG is 26 15 5 6 by my reckoning
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon says:
29 December, 2011 at 12:38
“Did the huns sing any illicit songs last night?”
I am sure the Match Commander will let us know; I am sure the SPL delegate will let us know; I am sure that if they fail to do so then Rob Shorthouse will leak it to the media.
Cultsbhoy
Have to disagree about selling Ki.
He is sheer class and I hope we only sell him in 2 or 3 years time for megabucks.
He is growing into the peculiar circumstances of playing in the SPL.
When the time comes and he is playing for the likes of Barcelona he will prove he can hold his own at that level.
All about opinions as they say.
‘…..richt waurs me agenda?…’
Thomas Rogne has stopped the opposition from scoring in 17 of the 25 SPL matches he has played with Celtic.
@optajoe
nothing without fans
I knew PLG was in charge of more games, I assumed it was his record after 26 games and right now Aunt Sally has a worse return.
Willie Collum
Hamilton v Celtic
12.01.11
James Forrest’s straight red anyone? Compare with Healy challenge.
The MIB has indeed bottled it.
Forget the hurting hacks versions of the poor game last night .
Games tend to be poor when only one team is attempting to play football ,they become poorer when the football team has to avoid being bullied by the other non football team and the MIB refusing to curb the assaults .
We only had to match them physically which our young team did .
I have lost count of the number of times they have pitched up at CP and kicked everything that moved (apart from the ball)
never even rates a mention from the LL hacks
Makes the T taste all the sweeter knowing they are hurting big time .
C’mon Hector make it a year to remember
hail hail
Grant on your call
:O)
Hilarious
Anyone have an update on Beram’s injury?
gsu
VP- it is mate,guy i worked beside for years,a great guy and a great friend.Wonderful family man,far too young to go.In bits here.HH
Just about sobered up.
I’m starting to get excited about this Celtic team. There is something in the air I haven’t felt for a long time, a real sense of something big around the corner.
Good young players all over the pitch who look hungry and up for the fight.
Only worry is the increasing amount of EPL managers appearing at our games.
PS. Skoosh last night was immense. Phenomenal workrate, he must have tackled every knuckledragger a dozen times.
PPS. Well played Celtic’s twelth man. That’s what Paradise should be like.
HH AG
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon at 13:53
On those possession stats, I was going to post the following before yesterday’s game but thought it was tempting fate:
For Rangers possession is four fifths of the law
Their first ten games of the season saw them drop just two points, with average possession of 58%. Their next ten games have seen them drop ten points as average possession has fallen to 49%.
In fact, apart from their opening day draw with Hearts, where they had 57% possession, all their dropped points have been in four of five games where their possession was below 49% – their one success in those five games, with 45% possession, was the recent game against Inverness, and that they didn’t drop points in that game was due to a great deal of luck and some favourable decisions from the match officials.
For us, the correlation between possession and results is far less clear cut; we lost to St Johnstone despite having 63% possession. Only twice this season has our possession dropped below 53%: a win against St Mirren with just 43% and the loss at Ibrox where we had 47%.
As their win against Inverness showed, luck and refereeing decisions can play their part, but the possession stats would suggest that if we keep a high possession percentage against them, it won’t necessarily directly help our own performance, but it will deprive them of the possession they seem to need to win games.
BadaBing
Condolences mate.
nothing without fans
Sorry, forgot to say thanks for digging that out.
…….somewhere in the broadcast ether, a faint, tear-filled utterance has only now been recorded by Shortbread’s illicit coughing sonar…….It’s only one wee word……….. “goal”……..
Forensic sound engineers have attributed it to a D. Begg.
“fergus slayed the blues says:
29 December, 2011 at 12:28
cabbageandbacon says:
29 December, 2011 at 11:51
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018cg10/Your_Call_with_Jim_Traynor_28_12_2011/
41 – 46 mins! Grant fae Perth bursts out greeting!”
Brilliant!!!!!! Have listened to that about 5 times and it’s funnier each time.
“ah don’t get much enjoyments in life”. Well Grant from Perth, you’ve made lots of people laugh out loud, so take pleasure in that.
I liked how Tom English laughed out loud at him too and you can hear him snorting in the background.
Happy Days!
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 says:
29 December, 2011 at 14:05
Feel for big man,sincere condolences
to you and his family.
“A mean don’t get me wrang Chick, I’m the biggest Rangers fan you’ll meet, Ah go tae awe the games and sing awe the songs”
2 minutes later.
“Ah mean am just an average fan”
THE EXILED TIM says:
29 December, 2011 at 13:30
PMSL!
Grant from Perth was me
Hail Hail
Big Tam Rogne and the Young Joe Bugner.
Spooky.
nothing without fans,
Interesting stuff. Perhaps it is to do with their lack of creativity? They don’t make too many chances so need more time in possession?
ASonOfDan at 14:01
If the PLG stats are right for his first 26 games, then I think they have exactly the same record.
Partizan- thank you.
VP- cheers,going to visit his family in Rutherglen then Vogue if you out HH.
It’s awe right for awe you Sellick fans, a mean a want tae be one oh yous.
Boohoo hoo hoo ahhhh boo hoo hoo oojh
Forrest in the 1st half always went inside to heavy traffic and lost the ball, he never went for the byeline once. He did in the 2nd so I’m assuming Neilly had a go at him for it!
Jonathan Watson takes on the range of footballing characters like Craig Whyte
Watson as a Celtic fan
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By BRIAN BEACOM
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29 Dec 2011
JONATHAN WATSON smiles as he maintains the financial meltdown of Rangers FC has been a terrific Christmas present.
Not that the actor is personally delighted to witness the malaise suffered by the Ibrox club, but when BBC Scotland produced a recent documentary focusing on the plight of the club, Watson knew Santa had come early.
“It’s perfect material for Only An Excuse?,” says Watson, who happens to be a Rangers fan.
“It offers us a chance to do our own take-off, to introduce characters to the show such as Rangers chairman Craig Whyte.”
He adds, grinning: “I’m also delighted Craig White has such a distinctive voice. It’s one I’ve had to work on, but it is a stand-out.”
OAE?, a spoof on the BBC Scotland documentary series Only A Game, has been running since 1986. Watson said: “It began with a sketch format that looked more at the punters than the players and management. But then there became more of a focus in looking at the characters. It’s about playing to the strengths.”
And, he said, it’s always a challenge. Watson adds: “It’s great to use the issues at hand. We’ve got a section on Sir Alex Ferguson’s 25 years at Old Trafford, where we do a Football Focus-like take on the manager.
“That gives us the chance to have fun with comments from Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Gordon Strachan.”
The show has benefited greatly from new technology, using HD format, slow motion cameras “to give a real sports programme feel” and YouTube
“When I used to learn a voice I’d have a BBC person dig up tapes for me to watch, which was time consuming. Now I can go to YouTube in seconds.”
OAE? doesn’t contain itself this year to luminaries. Watson said: “Everyone gets trashed. That’s what fans love.”
Only An Excuse, Hogmanay, BBC1, 11.15pm.
Still smiling here in Kirkie! Well done Lenny and the bhoys!
I would love Celtic to keep winning so that there is a massive gap between us and them to allow us to mix it with them without worrying too much about the result or the cards.
A wee bit of payback. The thug mcculloch, the streak of pash laughatme and that monkey Healy all stretchered off. Would be worth a few bookings and losing 1 match IMO…….
Thanks lads appreciated and yes partizan you are spot on because that’s the 1 things that’s scunnered me.
Our team win the biggest game of the season to go top and I act like an eedjit.
Not to worry bhoys top after being 15 behind total class.
Had to laugh at tanner and co last night
in the studio, they tried to make a big thing of the goal but Neil came back with yes but Gary hooper got called offside when he was clearly onside so that’s 1-1 lol.
I watched the game again this morning and at half time when they showed the disallowed goal they slowed it down and aluko was standing in front of the linesman and there is no way he could see it but I guess we won’t hear this tonight on Clyde.
How can any rangers fan be happy with their style of play is beyond me punts up the park and set out to injure fellow pros.
Passing through Bridgeton earlier and stopped for ciggies (aye ah know)
anyways standing in the queue waiting patiently for a caveman to bag his purchases, guy behind the counter says with a hint of a smile ” no papers today eric?” one red neck red faced eric replies ” yil no sell minny effin papers the day iqbal!”
“right serve this guy tae ah get ma money fixed” says the bold eric, carefully applying his clearasil
“yes mate” says iqbal still trying to contain his laughter.
Now I know I shouldnt have.. I know… I know ….I know
but….
” twenty club iqbal and can I have…… a record……., a sun……., a herald……., a star…….., and err ill take a mirror as well”
iqbal, my new found friend bursts into hysterics,
wee erics head turns around like the wee lassie in the exorcist and his spots just about burst with the venom…
my days just getting better.
I see a lot of Marc Rieper in Rogne, last night, and last season at Ipox alongside Dan he was immense. A real star , injuries permitting ,perhaps another half stone in muscle would not be a bad thing.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon at 14:11
And / or a vulnerability when the other team has possession.
It was a very superficial analysis of their possession stats, but I’d noticed how often they were below 50% recently.