Sunday was a huge test of Celtic’s apparent return to form. Aberdeen had the luxury of training and preparing for their semi-final, while Celtic travelled to France to play on-form Lille; an exhausting occasion.
Apart from a couple of ominous looking early cross balls, the game was completely controlled by the holders, as they secured yet another domestic cup win: 35 without reply. 100 years from now fans will look back on this period in their record books and wonder at the incessant adulation the Celtic players and manager must surely have received……
Ryan Christie comes in for his fair share of criticism for shooting from distances that beggar belief. When offered inviting space 26 yards from goal he was always going to have a pop; it evaded the despairing lunge of Joe Lewis and found the top right corner of the ‘keeper’s net. It was a symmetrical strike to Mohamed Elyounoussi’s first in Lille.
By this stage, Odsonne Edouard, on his first start since recovering from Covid, passed up a double chance and, as manager Derek McInnes would later observe, the Aberdeen defence were “spooked” by his presence. Tom Rogic crafted the second and final goal of the game when he crossed from an unlikely angle, pitching the ball over Lewis to drop at the far post, where Elyounoussi committed to the cause, and the post*, to score.
There were many tired legs and minds in green and white in the second half but Neil Lennon chose to defend what he had. Aberdeen were given plenty of the ball but were unable to trouble Scott Bain. I was happy to see us play like this, there will be many occasions this season when we will need to shut up shop.
Hearts will attempt to be the first team to win the Scottish Cup in the ‘season’ they were relegated. It will be an historic final either way, as Celtic can become the first club to win four consecutive Scottish Cups, moving clear of the record they share with Aberdeen, Rangers and Queen’s Park.
We have become accustomed to setting records. The Invincible Treble was delicious and the first back-to-back treble historically special in its own right. That it was more of the same, did not make the last Scottish Cup final, also against Hearts, any less tense or celebrated. It is as though each additional achievement makes the next trophy all the more important, to Celtic and to everyone else.
Well done, Celtic.
*the post is receiving therapy.
310 Comments- Pages:
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MAJESTIC HARTSON on 2ND NOVEMBER 2020 11:22 AM
Big Jimmy,
So if we asked Rocky how you were looking he would say, “ruff?”
………………………
IF Rocky did say that I would be astonished…cos he’s a CAT !…..
Although, he has ” Growled” at Postmen on occasions over the years thru the front door…sounding just like a Dug ??
LOL
HH Mate.
Scotland play three games in a week. The most important is the first one, a playoff with Serbia. Our guys will want to play in this and will. For the next two, McGregor and Christie shouldn’t be used. Of course, we also have the Norwegian, Israeli and others on duty.
Can anyone help? Is anyone else having the same problem?
I’m being bombarded with Emails from Celtic to register My Celtic Household before 5 November but whenever I go through the process I’m told that I’m ineligible and that it applies to Standard Season Tickets only. I have an over 65s Season Ticket.
Does anyone know who I should contact.
Ive not seen any Media Reports about Hun players and Covid…what have I missed ?
Have the Huns ” Broken the LAW”…just as Bolingoli was accused of with celtic being punished ?
Big Duffy is fine if he just kicks the Ball the way is facing ( NOT when facing OUR Goal obviously…6 yards oot ! )
We just need someone to remind him at times that his name is ” shane Duffy”…and NOT George Connelly or Franz Beckenbaur…Simples !
LOL.
HH.
Ive just seen this …
” Jordan Jones and George Edmundson have been suspended by Rangers over a breach in Covid-19 regulations.
The Ibrox club have revealed the pair are under investigation as it emerged they attended a “private gathering with others outside of their household” on Sunday night.
Jones and Edmundson have been placed into a fortnight’s isolation and will remain sidelined pending the outcome of the probe.
Managing director Stewart Robertson has branded their behaviour “totally unacceptable”.
A club statement said: “Rangers have been made aware of an incident last night involving two of our players, Jordan Jones and George Edmundson. ”
I watched SOME of Nicolas brief at 12.15 Today for about 30 minutes, I didnt hear her mention anything about the huns…unless I missed it ?
HH
The “rangers” situation will be interesting.Anyone text Boyd and ask him for his opinion l’m sure it will be the same as his take on Celtic and Aberdeen, points deduction will send a message etc.👍
Thanks for the responses re Bolingoli/postponements.
I now see that whilst his action remains stupid, it was the Scottish Government that was malicious :-)
Apply the rules to all is indeed the correct course of action but it won’t happen, scotgov won’t comment on it neither will the SFA/SPFL it’ll get airbrushed away. If we complain, at least in public we’ll be ridiculed as normal. We won’t do anything either at least not in public.
We play against packed defences if we all started peppering teams goal with shots eventually either one will go in or one of the defenders break ranks and open up more space. I remember it was Lothar Mateus’ Internazionale tactic to break down stubborn Italian defences
TOSB
JPTaylor@celticfc.co.uk
The wee guy,Lamptey of Brighton,is a dead ringer for Wee Frimpong.Same position,same style.He is 20 though. Better when he gets to the byeline.Seeing the improvement in Frimpongs defensive game,already,these past few games ,he is going to be some player when his crossing catches up.Think Lamptey has about a year on him.Cant wait to see it all coming together.
The other advantage to the shoot on sight policy is that you might be lucky and the ball hit someone on the arm.
And if it’s 3-0 with five miutes left to play you might get a penalty.
Thought the workrate of the team was exceptional after the continental travel and the high energy performance against the French on Thursday night. Shane marshalled the defence very well and cut out trying the fancy stuff although Nir who also played well gave us a fright in losing posession in the danger zone.
Ryan our country boy from the Highlands did not disappoint with a cracking score almost a carbon copy of Ellio’s score in France. The team looked sharp and some of the one touch passing in those conditions was a joy to watch. Tom Rogic once again proving a right pain to Aberdeen.
SPARTIM,
We must hold them accountable.It was not the government that applied the punishments,it was the SPFL.
They made the precedent,stupidly,but nevertheless,they made it.If they fail to live up to it,we must .
Bournesouprecipe
Thanks for your help. Much appreciated
I’ve Emailed John Paul.
ERNIE LYNCH on 2ND NOVEMBER 2020 2:35 PM
The other advantage to the shoot on sight policy is that you might be lucky and the ball hit someone on the arm.
And if it’s 3-0 with five miutes left to play you might get a penalty.
——-
Now that’s funny. Cos it’s oh so true!
HH jg
Ernie,
Or an opponent,for no logical reason might stick his hand up in the air and knock the ball away.If this had happened to us ,you can bet every avenue would be investigated today by the horde across the City.What school did he go to,etc.
NS called out football and said she didnt expect games to go ahead involving those clubs, however no such comment from NS today, so Celtic must pursue football for consistency, its irrelevant they are suspended fined or anything else by their club.
Regarding the Boli incident and our resultant two game delay. I seem to remember that it was heavily hinted that the whole of Scottish football was on trial and under threat of all football being stopped. Nicola Sturgeon was vague in her message that she didn’t think that Celtic or Aberdeen should expect to see their teams playing that week.
Perhaps there was further discussion between Scottish Government and SPFL to decide (their idea of) appropriate OR SPFL/SFL took action as they feared all football would be shut down if they were not seen to take serious action.
Last time we were told that a line in the sand had been drawn and that football was on a yellow card.
Huns are hoping for a fine and no 2-game suspension of games as, if that happens, they don’t play again until December. They are bricking it that they could lose momentum thanks to these two.
A few of my fellow Celtic supporters, including our author today “100 years from now fans will look back on this period in their record books and wonder at the incessant adulation the Celtic players and manager must surely have received……” are poking a proverbial stick into this so called blasphemers face
For clarity I have never had a problem with the players
Well this ready to eat humble pie blasphemer is not yet convinced
The last 2 games have been a breath of fresh air, for 2 reasons
1) We went after the opposition from the off and on both occasions went 2 nil up
2) on each occasion we have maintained our shape and defended better (Lille was tough)
But 2 cup games does not contribute to winning 10 in a row (the only show in town)
Although my appetite for a win yesterday was great (4 trebles is a real achievement)
I have always been prepared to lose a trophy at some point
As long as we win the league
My view remains the same today
If NL has turned the proverbial corner then you will hear me sing his name louder than you
I have no desire to be proved right my only desire is 10
Regardless of Lille, Hampden and this Thursday, my only attention is Motherwell
As of today our league form has not been great
I am hopeful our form over the last 2 games carries on to next Sunday
The way we battered Aberdeen yesterday we should be doing to Motherwell
Hail Hail
67ECW
So Scott Arfield had his house decorated with red white and blue balloons last night at 7.40pm…..
same house?
Same party??
more players involved??
Maybees aye Maybees naw….
D :)
On bookface “House of Balloons”
Scott Arfield 32nd birthday… Mmmmmm
D :)
Be interesting to see the repercussions of the sevco flouters.
Undoubtedly, it should be in line with that faced by Aberdeen and ourselves.
I’d be reluctant to publicly call for sanctions as it is likely other clubs will, again, face similar.
A high horse is a fair beast to fall from.
Anyone who thinks that Nicola Sturgeon didn’t “instruct” the football authorities to postpone the Celtic games is living in cloud cuckoo land.
There will be no such instruction over the Huns breach. That is guaranteed.
The party was in Devonshire Terrace in West End according to the Record. 10 Fixed Penalties issued
Around 2am and the Rangers seniors were informed in time to have a chat, put out a statement this morning and stop the players coming to training.
players must have woken up Stevie and fessed up due to onlookers seeing them when the polis turfed them out or the cops tipped the club off.
If so, i reckon they will get the same fine and player bans we got but not the game cancellations which the Gov asked for due to potential virus spread
Time for the Celtic support to unite, and fully ‘support’ Neil Lennon and the Bhoys.
Listen to the lyrics of this song, and think.
Neil Lennon’s theme tune 💪✊🍀💚🇮🇪
https://g.co/kgs/Yu9KjN
If Celtic games were cancelled due to potential for “virus spread” despite no positive testing, why were the next two Kilmarnock games also not postponed?
Purely a political decision. Malicious at that.
TURKEYBHOY
As well as being a year older. Lamptey has a couple of stone advantage over Frimpong as well
As well as the match cancellations, BB was handed a 3 match suspension + Celtic were fined £8000. Aberdeen were also fined £8000 but the players’ suspensions were “suspended”. I cannot find any record yet of sanctions against any other clubs – although I think Killie + St Mirren may have been charged ?
This stinks to the high heavens.
The Rangers/Sevco have cheated like their predecessors done for years.
Are 2 fringe players being sacrificed here?
The injustice of this latest cheating scandal at the victorian lavvy block should go along way to uniting not only us but the whole of Scottish fitbaw against these cheating RATS.
Im with my auld pal DD lets get behind the cause of NFL and the Bhoys.
D :)
David66
Hope you are well my oul mucker. Great to see Drew on last night too. Corpus Christi and Saint Thomas Aquinas are well represented on here. Summa Aquinas 💚
Jimmy Bones,
I think the fines handed out have been for breaching government guidelines.
Killie, St Mirren and Accies didn’t break the rules. There isn’t a fine for contracting the virus.
Big Jimmy,
My apologies, I must have just assumed he was a dog.
All the same, I hope you get his health sorted.
Bournesouprecipe
Received speedy reply from Celtic and I’m now sorted. Thank you for your help.
Hail! Hail!
Agree on the Sevco player suspensions; this might be the full story and there is nothing to see apart from the blatant ignoring of how Celtic, Aberdeen were punished. However, are these two the sacrificial lambs who will take the hit? Were more players involved and.. you know the rest
Nothing is printed in Scotland about Sevco without their say so
If 10 fixed penalties issued,are we to believe 8 were non players and only Jones and Edmundson are selected to take one for the greater good. Dont buy it,Celtic and Aberdeen should request clarity.
67ECW
Fair point – well made.
People are going to be alarmed by our league position (9 pts. behind) for a long time yet.
We might, yet, still fail to win this league.
All I would ask is that posters recognise that the argument saying we were in disarray and with no chance of turning form around, other than sacking Neil Lennon, have already patently been proven wrong.
I agree we might still lose the league (though I don’t believe we will) but I do not agree with the argument that, only without Neil can we achieve this.
I’m not sure the Rangers players mingled with the team after the incident – trying to compare to Bolingoli situation. Also, the Aberdeen players – were they in contact with other players/staff after the club incident?
Regarding the game, I watched it again last night. Great 1st half and deserved to win the match. 2nd half – we shouldn’t have to defend so deep and desperately like that against any Scottish team. The defensive side of midfield is a big big problem for us – Only Ryan Christie gets pass mark for the way he tracks and bites at opponents. Brown (slower), Ntcham (Lazy/Not interested), Mcgregor (leggy and never rested) , Moi (defensive ability) seem unable to stop or slow down attacks.
More alarmingly when we were backs to the wall , Lennon brought in 2 strikers and El Hamed – why no Soro, Turnbull?
Someone suggested we try Welsh in midfield, could be a great shout.
We are fragile with that type of player and fragile in the decision making.
Clean sheet yes – combination of good defending, poor Aberdeen shooting and a bit of luck!