Callum McGregor would have started the scoring on 65 seconds if he got his shot away a fraction earlier, but it was the intelligence of Patrick Roberts after 5 minutes that started the party. He laid the bait in front of Newco’s Beerman, showed him enough of the ball to convince the left back to attempt an interception.
At that moment, Patrick conjured up his version of the Missing Lady. Before Beerman could make contact, the ball was gone, replaced by Robert’s limbs. Referee John Beaton took his time before awarding the kick. Conditioned by an earlier refusal to give a stonewall penalty to Celtic, we thought the worst, but the award was made and Scott Sinclair rolled the ball into the corner of the net.
Leigh Griffiths unleashed a lethal shot for the second. Stuart Armstrong won possession off Hyndman, when he really shouldn’t have. Goalkeeper, Fotheringham, got a hand to the shot, but, in a moment symptomatic of Newco’s entire play, he didn’t have the steel to divert the shot from goal.
Scott Sinclair will be exhilarated today, but on the odd occasion he’ll ponder why he didn’t help himself to a hat-trick yesterday. He squandered two great chances, one after a Griffiths shot from 18 yards rebounded off the crossbar.
Measuring a manager is difficult as there are so many other variables go into a club’s season, but if you want to judge Brendan Rodgers, take a look at Callum McGregor. He opened Celtic’s account in the second half, six days after scoring the first against Newco at Hampden. This season, Callum has emerged as a tidy and skilful central midfielder. So much of our play is dependent on the speed of thought and movement he brings to the game.
Dedryck Boyata scored the fourth, a header from a whipped Griffiths free-kick. This act was superfluous to the big man’s imperious performance. He simply won everything that came within his considerable reach. More evidence of his manager’s ability to improve players, teams, leagues and the mood of a nation.
I doubt Dedryck’s partner, Jozo Simunovic, required a shower after the game. He strolled through the occasion. Really good defenders are not called to defend too often. They simply know where to go to inhibit or intercept. This was Jozo’s game, apart from a simply stunning tackle on Kenny Miller. He swooped like an eagle picking up a field mouse, making a surgical contact with the ball and clearing the danger.
This brought a period of utter nonsense on the Sky Sports commentary, where we were told Jozo’s “speed” should have been penalised with a foul. I can only assume parallel universes exist, in another, fast players are not allowed. We were also told that Jozo went in “with two feet”. He didn’t, one knee was bent, foot under his gluteus maximus.
We are at a stage where television is asking for fouls when Celtic bring genuine world-class football to Scotland. Make no mistake, this tackle was of Beckenbauer standard. Mr Walker, take a look at yourself.
We lost our shape around five minutes before Newco’s late consolation. The players are not robots, fatigue may well have crept in, and the occasion was getting to all of us, but fortunately Mikael Lustig had a plan.
You remember that moment in Escape to Victory, when Bobby Moore is talking tactics, and Pele picks up the chalk and says, “Give me the ball and I’ll go here, here, here and here, the score”, while meandering across the blackboard. Mikael must have watched that movie as a child, and some long dormant neurons, which were protecting the memory, sprung into life.
That’s pretty much what Mikael did.
They were absolutely brilliant, every single one of them. But let me assure you, this really is just the beginning. 12 of the 13 Celtic players who touched the ball yesterday were at the club last season. Wait until you see what Brendan does when he makes the squad his own.
Newco surrendered. They looked like they didn’t want to be there. By the end, not many of their fans were.
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SCULLYBHOY 8.22,
Like many I suspect i have watched that great tackle dozens of times in slow motion……AFTER Jozo plays the ball CLEANLY….Miller actually hits Jozo’s arse and ….throws himself higher and further than a Hun can throw his scarf !
miller is an Alien…he is NOTHING.
HH
Melbourne Mick
Your ` state` post @ 6:28 made me smile…..well, laugh ,in fact 0:-)
JJ
That one was a bit deep for me BIG JIMMY.
H.H Mick
It’s so obvious miller’s trying to set himself up as some sort of statesman of real rangers man land so he can screw them out of more money and become their manager. Every time he misses a shot you’d think he’d just heard he had ten minutes to live , he very slightly and slyly ducked into broonie’s elbow, he takes on the mantle of I’ll sort them out whenever they get gubbed , tried to get a pen off a jozo ‘the mountain’ when the ball ricocheted back onto his hand.
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYNAME on 1ST MAY 2017 8:19 AM
‘The Portuguese gaffer has handed the board his shopping list for the summer and recruitment plans will be accelerated after the horror Celtic defeats.’
Good luck with that one Pedro….see my post at 8.25 ?
HH
MELBOURNE MICK on 1ST MAY 2017 8:39 AM
That one was a bit deep for me BIG JIMMY.
H.H Mick
Good Wan Michael Bhoy…very quick
HH
I wonder if Perdo’s shopping list includes professional stewards ?……to keep the Hun support INSIDE the Racist/Bigot Dome ?
hehehe
HH
I know how Sevco can raise much needed funds!!!
Sell bottles of Kenny Miller’s tears. I for one would pay at least £250 for one.
But Huns, mind no to sell them from the superstore or else the club/company will only get about 63p per bottle sold…
HOT SMOKED
If i keep this up i’m going to need state aid :-))
H.H Mick
Pedro will bring in his own guys. Experienced Portuguese professionals who don’t mind training 6 days a week.
Nuno Capucho didn’t get a fair crack of the whip first time round.
Corkcelt.
Enjoy the golf.
I agree about lost loved ones.
I often think about those no longer with us, how they would have loved this moment in time, especially after suffering through the EBT years.
I do miss my big buddy B.C. his mum was from Strabane, so as you can imagine a big rhebel. He would have loved this moment in time.
Ivehadtochangemyname.
I agree about Miller. In my opinion he ran into Broonie then played to the gallery to try and get Broonie sent off and if that failed get their revolting fans into even more of a frenzy.
To finish on a positive, what a fabulous time to be a Celtic fan.
Hail Hail to all.
Happy holiday Monday to one and all!
Can someone post a link to the goals on Saturday please?
Funny how Miller offered up NO statement when he went flying in against Stuart Armstrong with two feet off the ground at Celtic Park……yet another Hun with selective memories !
I gave the Butler and the Maid the same day off today ( Bank Holiday etc)….never ever again….as I now have to do my own shopping !
I just do not know what the world is coming to ?
HH
MELBOURNE MICK,
I know I am not alone among The Celtic Family, but thank you for your kind words Micheal.
It’s been 7 years since my last wife ran off with my best mate…..oh how I miss that Bhoy !
HH
Phil Mc G is suggesting that there’s a ” story ” around the Miller signing on fee that might interest an investigative journalist.
Hmmmm.
BIG JIMMY :-))))))
I
I asked this yesterday .
Why are Stirling Albion called `The Binos` ? Is it a shortened version of ` Albion` ?
JJ
PutmeoutofmymiseryCSC
I couldn’t sleep last night trying to figure out whom is the bigger FUD… Andy Walker or Joey Garner. I’m not optimistic about much sleep again tonight.
Goal of the season in all it’s delight.
@CelticLisboa: What better way to start a Monday than to relive the full move of Celtic’s goal of the season. Just marvellous! https://t.co/R2LtKvJjTV
MWD
Pedro’s shopping list will be –
1. as many Euromillions tickets for tomorrow nights draw as they can afford ( about 4 then…. )
2. a one-way ticket to Lisbon on 25th May.
A Stor Mha Chroi
Definitely Andy Walker for me.
JJ
Poster on FF saying 9 new players, 20k a week for each. According to Gordon Park (bus man’s son?).
Three possibilities:
* The Parks are looking to liquidate their business
* The Parks and their board are doing the tried and tested “jam tomorrow” routine in order to shift critical season tickets.
* Pedro has been taken for a ride, and will leave when the spending spree fails to materialise.
As for Kenny Miller: it’s sad to see how far he has fallen. Nothing but a whining plastic hard man, desperate to ingratiate himself with the Hordes. I agree with the poster above – he is looking for the manager’s job.
I never particularly rated Kenny Millers ability as a player..however d say he has been a constant improver and has got better with each passing year. One thing however is that his commitment is beyond question. He pretty much tried his heart out in the hoops as he does in his beloved Sevco blue.
I exonerate him because he tried every trick in the book to get his team an advantage. Nothing much wrong with that.
I was glad when he left Celtic as he was always a Hun in my eyes but at 37 he’s the best they’ve got…that brings a reassuring feel to me that things are not changing anytime soon. kenny Miller is a good yardstick with which to measure Sevco.
A STOR MHA CHROI
It’s got to be Walker, Garner you would expect to be a fud
but an ex Celt selling his soul, no contest.
Sleep well.
H.H Mick
Awe Kenny dry yer eyes…dry yer eyes…dry yer eyes…you typify the club you play for John Wayne at night, Big Wean in the morning..
MOONBEAMSWD
That goal should be run as an art installation at the National Gallery, a thing of sheer beauty!
HH
16 GOALS
Morning Celts
Mik Lustig….amazing goal, we all went mental:)
Nothing better than seeing that fud Tanner’s wee rat face, dejected.:)
But Sally….pleading for finance live on Sky…..couldnt stop laughing at his pain.
Leigh Griff….loves tanking them:)
Celtic were magnificent, a joy to watch.
HH
Kenny Miller is a total fud….but he did indeed try to play his best for his team, cant slate him for that.
Magic watching him greet though:)
As the camera pans round the shell-shocked sevconians….the outrage was hilarious:)
Is it really possible to be that stupid?
Im still buzzing from their pain:)
A Tonic.
HH
A STOR MHA CHROI
Thanks for the goals!
Walked in to the local shop … some guy attacked me with cheese ,milk and yoghurt…
I thought… how dairy. ;-)
PHILBHOY:
If you missed the game you’ll enjoy this…
Rangers 1 – Celtic 5
You can also watch the full game on youtube if you want.
I see that the guy who was pictured making the monkey gestures was arrested, but if you look at the photo in The Mirror today, another fool can also be seen doing the same. Was this not picked up?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/scott-sinclair-reinforces-anti-racism-10332147
brilliant big jimmy – more and more mess for them , they won’t be able to sell their ‘players’ hahahaha, hadn’t thought of that!
A STOR MHA CHROI
Thanks!
I was in Troon for the weekend and watched the game in a pub there.
The picture was a wee bit grainy plus I was not in front of the screen!
Thanks again!
EXCELLENT ARTICLE, Paul67 …… not sure about “improving the mood of a nation” though, unless you mean ROI …. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Gerry McCulloch hosted the Celtic Player Awards? Really??
Whichever Celtic employee made that decision is seriously, seriously out of touch…