Great start.
By the way lads, how much of an uber loyalist does Kenny Shiels look?
Missed the goal. Only joining the game now because of fucking work. Describe the goal, please. Surprised with Forrest getting the start but we seem to be pressing them and getting right stuck in based on the few minutes Iâve seen.
This is very good football so far. Creating some decent half chances and we havenât let them settle at all.
Kayal came wide left and had Izzy on the overlap. Slipped it inside to Hooper instead (I think) it was instead of going to Izzy and from just outside the box on our left hand side he found Commons who was standing around the penalty spot and had drifted off the centre half (OâLeary I think) while he was half attracted to the ball. Commons took it in his stride (though he was more or less standing still, but took it on the turn) and drilled it low to the corner. Good finish, poor defending. But made the space well.
Beram Kayal. 
Really sloppy from Forrest there. He had a simple ball inside that would have had us breaking quickly. Well out by Forster to snuff out the danger. Canât afford to make silly errors like that.
Fans superb so far.
One Neil Lennon.
Time to pass the fuck out of this game I think. Itâs gone a bit open with too may direct passes forward.
Ah thatâs glorious.
Hooper has had a poor game in general but two nice assists and another very tidy finish from Commons who gets the credit for winning the ball anyway.
Killie are really playing extraordinarily deep when they have the ball. Itâs obviously a strategy to âmake the pitch biggerâ and create space for Eremenko and the strikers. But Celtic have combatted that well by applying decent pressure all over the pitch and when the centre halves drop to their own box weâre not letting them have an easy ball out of there. Get lazy at that (as other teams must do) and Killie will have a way out but theyâll also have opponents out of position but the two strikers and the midfield have worked very hard. Other thing thatâs noticeable is how tight Mulgrew and Majstorovic are on their men. Any ball in to feet and one of the two lads is right there with the other sweeping. Theyâre playing very well together.
Forrest and Brown both messed up there with chances to make it 3.
Just as the fans were singing his name, right on cue. Lovely stuff Gary.
Hooper makes it 3.
I love it when Killie try to play it out of defence !!
Celtic fans do their best to create a brilliant atmosphere at these away games. Pitifully small home crowd though.
In fairness itâs a town of fewer than 45,000 people. Other SPL clubs have small attendances but relative to where theyâre from theyâre perfectly healthy. I think Scotland may have the highest attendance per capita in Europe.
Delighted for Stokes with his goal.
Good run from Hooper, nice ball to him and a lovely cutback from Hooper. But it was a really emphatic finish from Stokes. Making a case for the weekend.
Prudent to take Kayal off afterwards. That man is superhuman. What a fucking player.
Thatâs fair enough I suppose. Would have thought teams would always come near filling for Celtic and Rangers visits though.
Have Celtic -1 and Barca double tonight so one part wrapped up anyway. Barca looking very far from their best in the Spanish game though
What a statement by the Celtic players on behalf of their manager.
4 goals and not a penalty or sending off in sight. Simply outstanding in every facet of the game. The attitude and workrate was magnificent, not to mention the quality of the football.
My admiration for Neil Lennon knows absolutely no bounds.
Men of the Match:
- Hooper: 1 goal, 3 assists.
- Kayal: A footballing Allah.
- Commons: 2 very tidy finishes.
- Stokes: great link up play, a goal, an assist.
The support was superb too. Loads of tough decisions regards team selection on Sunday now.
That was just immensely enjoyable. Great to see Lennon bringing the team to the fans at the end too - no slipping quietly down the tunnel and not backing down an inch.
'Mon the Celtic.
That was a cracking performance. Put the game to bed early, got our strikers scoring, took off our irreplaceables nice and early, played some nice football overall and defended well until the end when we didnât seem to care much anymore.
Giving some thought to the huns game at the moment but in the meantime player ratings from tonight:
Forster - 8 only had one important involvement which was a smart save at 1-0 but it was crucial. Hardly looked like we wouldnât win anyway but we didnât give up another chance until there was 4 in it. Even then he made another good save.
Wilson - 7 played well overall. A few small communication problems with Forrest early on but sorted them out and never looked troubled. Couple of wayward crosses but he can be forgiven those. Got into good positions again.
Dan - 7
Mulgrew - 7 both were very much at ease. Seemed to work well together as a pairing and never looked troubled in the slightest.
Izzy - 8 not as involved in an attacking sense, instructions probably paid a role here. But I lost count of the number of interceptions he made at the back. Just nipped in and took the ball away countless times and never gave it away.
Forrest - 7 very sloppy error to give them their chance at 1-0 but he kept them on the back foot all game and came inside to cause further problems.
Brown - 7 good performance from him. More disciplined in there than he has been in the past. Used it simply and covered loads of ground.
Kayal - simply too good to rate. Genius
Commons - 8 two goals, could have had five. Takes up wonderful positions and his shooting is excellent.
Stokes 7 - one great chance, one smashing finish
Hooper 8 - ball caught under his feet a few times strangely and might have done better with his late chance. 3 assists though and the third was superb.
Outstanding performance. Fully agree with your ratings there Rocko.
Great to see Hooper back to his best tonight. Same team for Sunday I reckon with Ledley for Forrest (if fit).
Ha. Love it.
Long live Neil Lennon.
Iâd imagine Samaras will replace Stokes on Sunday and Id have no problem with that.