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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Paul 9.37pm
Your ok, you might not get a season out of your ticket
They are doing a grand job of liquidating Sevco themselves :-)
That’s what they do
Gerryfaethebrig, yeah, ur right, just the love the idea of a boycott alonside us having a bunch of tix!
but any sort of insolvancy event is not good, we want this to go on as is for as long as possible, HH
*insolvency doh! Should know that spelling by now ;)
Celtic in another final
Was going to say the guy that ran on looked older than 23 but hey, he’s been watching Sevco for 5 years. He’s aged well.
When Jozo made that tackle, we broke quickly, Griff hits the bar, Scotty misses the rebound. If it goes 3-0 at that point, 25 mins gone, we could have been looking at a pitch invasion with thems trying to postpone the game. The locals were in some state.
During the BBC politics show re: the occupied six counties section earlier and, at the last couple of minutes there was a couple of journalists to sum up the the weeks events.
Well,…..apparently, the DUP leader Arlene Foster has been on a charm offensive this week….
Meeting teachers at a Nationalist school where she has been getting lessons on how to speak the Irish language and, she had a meeting with the CEO of Celtic FC.
I saw a clip on the news of AF’s meeting with with the teachers of St Mary’s and, the teachers were grand, just grand.
I don’t know anything of AF’s meeting with Celtic FC but, anything that our club could do to strengthen the peace process has to be applauded if that’s what it was ? Who knows ?
Has AF had an epiphany ?
Or, maybe AF was asking our CEO…….
If, a consortium of DUP MP ‘s where going to take control of the huns FC, would Celtic FC look the other way from any “corner-cutting” until the new DUP MP led huns FC get they’re feet under the table as it where ?
Anyway,….
Thoughts and Prayers for all
Supporters of Glasgow Celtic.
…….off-oot.
Yet again, and in the company of many fans of different backgrounds and ages for nearly a full season….
Brendan has united the whole support……. even the most ardent negative fan that I have ever met (face to face) has not a bad word too say about Brendan, I love the fact that Brendan is loving his work
by the way I try not too comment on the Lisbon brigada (jealousy is not a good thing) but BRTH outstanding stuff and Frantic07 just caught your post from earlier today hope you have a smashing time in Lisbon, am pretty sure you will be in great company :-)
Broonie should have said “look at you man, you’ve as much chance as your team”
John Parrot in the commentary box
John Parrot in the commentary box
CATHACH on 30TH APRIL 2017 5:32 PM
Hola mate.
Sadly I’ll be otherwise engaged of cup final day.
My wee cousin is getting married on that day ffs!!
HH jamesgang
Good night all, keep politics off here and I’m a happy Bhoy. Lot of gardening to do tomorrow, so better have an early night, my coupon crashed early today and the EPL stuff was pretty tame in comparison to the madness yesterday and the Rome Derby earlier today.
Take care everyone. HH
Celtic legend Harald Brattbakk was our main man when John Higgins won his first world championship.
Cheers Gerryfaethebrig looking forward to the pilgrimage to Lisboa, the only downside is when we play in the cup final I’m travelling home via London and won’t know the final score till about 6pm. So hopefully a celebration drink in Heathrow.
Yeah are we sure the pitch invader wasn’t a sub
Well done all the Celts teams recently.
Not impressed with Horse&Barge, Dalmuir tonight. Ridiculous, the big fat drunk is allowed to take away drinks from customers who use the toilet.
Joke pub.
Frantic07
Delighted to see you posting today, hope your good lady is going to keep you in check :-)
Am sure you will have a great time
Not sure if it has been posted and I don’t do those link things, but Football Focus interview with James MacLean yesterday is a pretty decent 11minute watch…….
bournesouprecipe on 30th April 2017 10:21 pm
Celtic legend Harald Brattbakk was our main man when John Higgins won his first world championship.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It’s CELTIC FIRST an T Celtic overall.
The Finest Unit.
Next Season it will be 10.
That Style?
In Crossmaglen.
We were Cheated. The Court is saying so.
Forgiveness is always Good.
The facts need to be out there.
Is there anybody out there?
Jobo – You have a Wonderful Holiday dood.
Lzy tbng gn
https://youtu.be/ZSbj_cwIvtE
Scott Brown at ibrox reminded me of Roy Keane there, whether anybody liked Keane or not he owned Ibrox that day, so did Brown…… Probably more so than anybody who thinks they own the place :-)
We are being drawn into yesterdays crowd disturbance debate.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/798594/Celtic-Rangers-heavy-fines-SPFL-probes-Scotland-News-Gossip
Lennybhoy,
Delighted to contact you for final. Also booked up for game next day.heading back after game on Sun. Son booked flights, I would have been happy to stay to Mon
Clogher Celt . Always good to return home.
I could learn so much from you. I was invited to Oldbridie by guy in OPw. Very imprestive and on our doorstep. Will contact you re. Dowth. Cathach
Gerryfaethebrig,
Lenny and Roy said Ibrokes is NOTHING that day.
Brendan/Tommy
So much more to come.
Njoi.CSC
Sweet Harmony
Tommy B.
Tommy B.
Brendan is on it.
Petec 10.56pm
I love Lenny, so glad he isn’t in the Scottish Cup final just in case I cheered if his team won :-)
Neil thrived on their hatred, even though Roy Keane gets a bit of abuse he was brilliant for me, he could have picked up a wage but I actually admire the fact he wanted to don the Hoops, and I think he brought other players on…..
Anyway back to the present ….. Brendan is special, so glad we have him
Petec
Meant to add…..
Brendan is even more special through our Tommy Burns…..
Celtic isn’t about winning I love all the romance (but winning is magic :-)
Gerryfaethebrig on 30th April 2017 11:02 pm
The Hour is late but Celtic are going to rock Big Style.
Hopefully we are pot 3.
It makes things easier.
Everyone wants to Witness Celtic noo.
Magical.
Tommy /Brendan fitba.
WOW
From the Celtic awards:
Players player of the year: Scott Sinclair
Young POTY: Tierney
Top Goalscorer: Dembele
Goal of the season: Dembele (St.Johnstone)
Women’s POTY: Kerry Monters
Academy POTY: Jack Aitchison
Special Recognition award: Lisbon Lions
Rodgers: “This is the most enjoying spell of my life as a coach.”
You could argue Dembele for POTY and YPOTY, he is the best player in the country and his eventual transfer fee will reflect this(hopefully next summer rather than this one), but from a more MVP standpoint Sinclair is deserving, and no ones going to grudge KT getting it. Nice to see the awards getting shared around anyway.
Petec 11.08pm
Stuff pot3 do a Benfica and just aim for 3rd place, stuff the rich cheating playground of last 16 of the CL….. Aim for third and take a wee Europa final (if we get through the qualifiers, which am sure Brendan will)
I wonder if the Lincoln Red Imps would have put Aberdeen into 2nd place in the SPL, by all accounts that was the worst result in this record breaking season :-)
Gerry the good lady will not be on this adventure, just me n the boy(good ship Celtics), even though we’re away for 4/5 days most of the time is already planned. The dinner, stadium visit and a street party taking up the bulk of our visit, but also we have planned a visit to the Oceanarium on the Wednesday to keep us off the local brew till later in the day. A sort of self policing!
Candi Stantion
Joining the cup scheme asap.
it was easy as a teen back in the day to watch Celtic Win trophies on the day.
changed days.
Reggie 11.13pm
Cheers for the update……
Best line was Brendan is loving it……. He has already done the premiership, I hope Brendan keeps loving it, he could stay for years (the more the better)
Oh and err getting INTO the Group stages is my only concern. Anything we do when we get there is a bonus
Frantic07
I had read a while back that “the good ship Celtica” was going, you have a great time with your Bhoy, at least he is going to keep a check on you :-)
Lisbon 2017 is my Seville 2003……..
Will look forward to all the great stories, ya jammy bams :-)