Scott Brown’s starting his 2-game suspension and Naka’s doubtful with a groin strain. If the central midfield is Hartley and Caldwell then Strachan can go and fook.*
Aberdeen defeated Celtic 4-2 up there in January but they’re missing quite a few through injury and suspension. We clearly need to beat them but hopefully the team selection will be based on Celtic’s attacking strengths rather than on curbing Aberdeen.
Shaun Maloney’s been training away since we last played so he’s in the reckoning. Samaras is still out, as far as I know.
[quote=“Bandage”]Scott Brown’s starting his 2-game suspension and Naka’s doubtful with a groin strain. If the central midfield is Hartely and Caldwell then Strachan can go and fook.*
Aberdeen defeated Celtic 4-2 up there in January but they’re missing quite a few through injury and suspension. We clearly need to beat but hopefully the team selection will be based on Celtic’s attacking strengths rather than on curbing Aberdeen.
Shaun Maloney’s been training away since we last played so he’s in the reckoning. Samaras is still out, as far as I know.
copyright Flano.[/quote]
a lot of their goals were from corners or free kicks that day - hopefully mcmaniac wont be playing or we might see a repeat
Fucking awful goal to concede. Again from a set piece. Haven’t looked good going forward really. Jan’s having a shite game. Hartley is brutal too - one good shot but wasted some realy good possession.
Two smashing goals from McDonald to cap an excellent performance from him. Worked hard all day and while he messed up one chance he did very well with the other two. Vital to have him in form for the run-in.
Ratings
Boruc 5 - nearly threw it away with a needless rush out of his box when Caldwell was getting to the ball first. Everything else he did was good, took on some responsibility on crosses which helped and made a decent first half save. Still you can’t afford to make the sort of stupid error he did and that alone could have cost us the league. Love the guy though.
Hinkel 6 - fine defensively, fine in possession
Caldwell 6 - as above
McManus 5.5 - as above but shit in possession
Naylor 6 - wasted a few passes but gets mark for getting forward a lot and getting a couple of shots in
McGeady 8 - not many runs came off for him but he put in a super shift, typififed by one run back after a corner when we already had men back but he still bust his gut to get back as quick as he could and ended up making a tackle. Some of his passing was really top drawer. Not a vintage performance for the tricks but in a tight game like this the little touches were crucial.
Crosas 6.5 - good in possession, unlucky with some through balls that just bent the wrong way. Never really gave it away but you’d like to see him get on it more.
Hartley 6 - got forward and into good positions. Some really brutal passing though but I suppose if he’s playing next week (which he surely is) then this game will have done him well.
Naka 5.5 - not involved nearly enough. Corners were ok, free kicks weren’t great but first goal came from a good delivery.
Jan 6 - won all the kick outs but nothing really came off. Doesn’t look sharp but at least he’s working
McDonald 9 - hard work, two great finishes. Super stuff.
SUBS
nice to see Maloney get a couple of minutes, we’ll need him. Loovens looked good attacking corners but let Wright run off him for a glorious chance in a worrying reminder of how shit a defender he has been in most of his games. The difference between that and his Hampden form is huge just not sure which is the real Loovens. I’m guessing McManus is fucked so expect him to play next week and expect the huns to play pace up front as a result.
McDonald has come in for a good bit of criticism on this forum over the season but he consistently comes up with the goods in crucial matches when needed. To win 3-1 after being a goal down will hopefully give the team some serious momentum going into next week. The defending in the first was absolute muck again though. Aberdeen’s goal was a disgrace from a defensive point of view. But I did like the irony of Cetic’s first goal coming from a brave header from Caldwell.
Pressure is really on them now to get a win tomorrow. But whatever happens Celtic really need to go all out for the win next week and kill this thing off.
McDonald was exceptional today, he really was brilliant. The first half performance was shocking - we were slow and indecisive in everything we did. Ponderous on the ball, edgy in our defending and we were just very aimless.
The Caldwell/own goal was a real stroke of luck but we needed it badly at the time. We were much better in the second half and deservedly won in the end. I thought McManus was terrible today and, while I accept that Loovens was sloppy to play yer man onside, I thought he was much more commanding and decisive in terms of winning his tackles and headers and clearing his lines. Put it this way, I wouldn’t be disappointed if he got the start at Ibrox next week.
Scott Brown won player of the year-well deserved. Some difference in his performances this year and last. Had his reasons last year of course but fair play to him and hopefully he’ll add the league medal to the award.
James McCarthy won the Young player of the year too.
Second goal was a real sharp finish and exactly what Celtic need from a striker in form. The first goal was more instinctive but probably a better finish. Really important goals.