Glasgow Celtic

[smokie36]

imola,

I believe every word I read. Happy hogmanay.

happy hogmanay?? christ its a septic thread this is......aye we know all about the tinted specs......at least one of us will be in Edinburgh over new year.

the steam is rising i can tell yis baith.....

Happy New Year fae the smokies aye.....

[salty]

Celtic 1 Motherwell 0

Meanwhile back on the pitch Celtic managed to hang on to a 1-0 win that puts them top of the table having played 2 more games than Rangers. It seems to have been yet another of those laboured performances where they should have been out of sight at half time. It meant another night of living on our nerves both in Parkhead and at home just praying for the final whistle.

Scott Brown got himself off before the end for making a couple of his mindless challenges which are his stock in trade and is out of the Old Firm game on Sunday. This could well be good news because he is eminently capable of the same at Ibrox. To put it mildly Celtic are facing a formidable task next Sunday and it is not a game to be down to 10 men.

[CelticBhoy]

Top of the League.

Nice way to finish the year.

[salty]

Top of the League.

Nice way to finish the year.

Hi CB,

Welcome back. I have been talking to myself mainly for the last 2 months. Everything is well I trust. Happy New Year to you. Dspite your oft repeated maxim re Old Firm games I have to confess I am apprehensive about Sunday.

[CelticBhoy]

And a Happy New Year to you too, Salty Old Son.

Are you hobbling around Patters as we speak?

Looking forward to the Auld Firm tomorrow.

Can't see it here, which is a bit of a relief

really! Eager to see the result though. I'm

of the belief that anything can happen during

these matches . . . . .

[salty]

CB,

I will be watching it here at home. I am due a knee replacement operation in next 2 months so walking has been out of the question for quite some time. This has been coming for the last few years. My other leg is fine after summer mishap in Pattaya. Despite your oft repeated maxim I am fearful about the outcome. Defence is liable to collapse at any time and we are not punishing teams in periods of ascendancy.

It seems that SPL games are not now being shown in Thailand.

[highchol]

game on today sweaties

who will win? biased replys only please

ps where in patters will the game be shown?

[smokie36]

game on today sweaties

who will win? biased replys only please

ps where in patters will the game be shown?

I'm hoping Celtic win....but only for financial reasons!

Not on TV in Thailand I believe...your best bet is somewhere with a good internet link up.

[highchol]

game on today sweaties

who will win? biased replys only please

ps where in patters will the game be shown?

I'm hoping Celtic win....but only for financial reasons!

Not on TV in Thailand I believe...your best bet is somewhere with a good internet link up.

oh dear thats a pity, will have to wander around to find it then

Edited January 2, 2011 by highchol

[smokie36]

oh dear thats a pity, will have to wander around to find it then

Stick a post up on the Pattaya forum and save your legs. Must be a weedgie or two out there somewhere!

EDIT: My guess would be Soi 6 or Soi Buakhow.

Edited January 2, 2011 by smokie36

[highchol]

oh dear thats a pity, will have to wander around to find it then

Stick a post up on the Pattaya forum and save your legs. Must be a weedgie or two out there somewhere!

EDIT: My guess would be Soi 6 or Soi Buakhow.

i would guess the same, i will start at end of each

[Jockstar]

Come on the Gers.

[salty]

Rangers 0 Celtic 2

A great day for the faithful at Ibrox today. 2 goals by Samaras in the 62nd and 69th minutes gave us a deserved victory and hauled us back into contention for the title.

Rangers were all over Celtic at the start and Izaguirre headed a McCulloch header from a corner to safety off the upright.It was not an inspiring start but Celtic gradually began to get into the game. I liked young Forrest but Samaras was as irritating as ever. Defence looked solid enough but given their history I was not relaxed. Football wise an indifferent 1st half, 0-0 at the interval.

The 2nd half saw Celtic beginning to impose themselves more. McCourt just wide from a tight angle after Samaras had found him. Rangers were not proving much of a threat at this stage. In the 62nd minute a great ball form Ledley set Samaras away. He has pace and Boughera was struggling. Still did not appear to be very dangerous but Ferguson made a rash charge from goal and could not make it, Samaras took it past him with an excellent touch and curled the ball into the empty net from a wide angle. The worrying thing was Celtic fell asleep straight away and mercifully Kenny Miller shot wide under pressure after taking an extra touch. In the 69th minute Samaras took off on another run along the touchline cut inside the box. Plenty of Rangers defenders but Boughera stuck out his leg and took him down. I felt if this was missed we would not have won but Samaras took an excellent penalty and Ferguson going the right way could not get to it.

A lot of pressure as you would expect from Rangers towards the end but Celtic defence was solid especially at centre back. The concession of a few stupid free kicks was annoying but apart from a shot by Papac just wide after a corner and Boughera volleying over the bar we survived comfortably enough. Always aware that if Rangers pulled one back it would be sweatsville to the end.

So a victory to be savoured but the same application required consistently. Potentially we are 2 points behind but so much better than being 5 or 8 points. Bookies had us as 3-1 outsiders but as someone said anything can happen in an Old Firm game.

Edited January 2, 2011 by salty

[smokie36]

Thanks for the excellent match report salty.

[highchol]

yeah, not a great one to watch for a neutral but would agree that celtic fully deserved the win.

[salty]

Thanks for the excellent match report salty.

Horrible job smokie but someone has to do it.

[smokie36]

Thanks for the excellent match report salty.

Horrible job smokie but someone has to do it.

[CelticBhoy]

The grass is greener in Mukdahan today.

[dpb]

not sure if anyone has posted this before but there are few videos on youtube that have children from thai charity organization singing celtic songs. http://www.goodchildfoundation.com/

Heres them singing Fields of Athenry

On that link you'll see the other songs they have covered

[CelticBhoy]

What a heart warming site. Those kids look great in 'Dirty Old Town.'

Someone is doing a grand job. Well done!

[salty]

Berwick Rangers 0 Celtic 2

Celtic safely negoiated todays Cup Tie over the Border and avoided comparisons with another occasion in 1967 not featuring them.

Berwick did not make it easy and it was with a sense of relief that greeted 2nd goal by Scott Brown on as a 2nd half sub for Freddie Ljungberg. Celtic were leading 1-0 from a 19th minute goal from Majstorovic from close range after a mistake by one of the Berwick defenders. Ljunberg showed a few decent touches but far too early to make any definitive opinion on him. Brown replaced him after 64 minutes.

This week away to Hamilton Wednesday, and Hibs lunch time Saturday. Hopefully we can consistently show the same resilence as last Sunday from now on.

[CelticBhoy]

That's two games played this year and we've

beaten Rangers twice. 2011 looks good already!

[highchol]

What a heart warming site. Those kids look great in 'Dirty Old Town.'

Someone is doing a grand job. Well done!

aye great stuff despite the horrid shirts they have to wear.

[salty]

5th round Cup Draw.

Rangers V Celtic.

Fair to say it is the worst case scenario to be away to our greatest rivals.

[salty]

Hamilton Accies 1 Celtic 1

Celtic lost the chance to open up a 7 point gap when they drew with Hamilton. Indeed they equalised from a penalty in the 90th minute when it looked as Hamilton would win. Another poor display from Celtic. Hamilton pressed them every where and Celtic lacked inspiration. Celtic started in 3rd gear and never seemed to get out of it. They applied a lot of pressure in the latter stages but it was larely uninspired.

Probably the main talking points will be the abject display from the officials. Hamilton went ahead from a free kick with one of their players clearly offside. He moved in front of Forrest who parried with his leg and the rebound was headed across goal and in. The linesman was right in line but no flag. Dreadful decision.The next talking point was the dismissal of Forrest early in the 2nd half. He appeared to have been fouled a minute earlier but not given a free kick. Frustrated he was late with a challenge on a Hamilton player. I have seen hundreds of fouls like this over the years and the outcome would be a deserved yellow but he was shown a red card. I expect this one to be appealed by Celtic.That was after 49 minutes.

After 62 minutes a Hamilton sub on the field about a minute made a shocking challenge on Wilson. This was way way worse than Forrest's foul and he was deservedly sent off. 10 a side and Celtic pressing desperately without much inspiration. The next talking point was when McGinn on as a sub was booked for diving in the box. Very close but replays showed he had got the ball just ahead of the defender. It looked as if Hamilton would hang on but in the 90th minute Izaguirre dashed into the box after a one two and was blocked by an Accies defender. Penalty and a red card. Stokes who had poor service and been very quiet buried it in the back of the net. Still nearly 6 minutes of injury time and Celtic piled on the pressure. In the last seconds Celtic got a corner which Stokes headed into the net. It was correctly disallowed as linesman on this occasion got it right. The corner had been over the line before it curled back into play.

So a point at the end and a need for Celtic to get their asses in gear at Easter Road from the start on Saturday lunchtime.

[CelticBhoy]

And to rub salt into the wound, Salty old son, here's

a wee gem from the Mail:

Celtic went back to war with the SFA last night after manager Neil Lennon was hit with a six-match touchline ban.

The furious Parkhead club launched an immediate appeal as Lennon saw an automatic two-match suspension trebled after he had appeared at Hampden to plead his case.

The Northern Irishman was contesting the punishment he received after being sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson for allegedly swearing at the fourth official during a defeat at Tynecastle in November.

[spongeman]

And to rub salt into the wound, Salty old son, here's

a wee gem from the Mail:

Celtic went back to war with the SFA last night after manager Neil Lennon was hit with a six-match touchline ban.

The furious Parkhead club launched an immediate appeal as Lennon saw an automatic two-match suspension trebled after he had appeared at Hampden to plead his case.

The Northern Irishman was contesting the punishment he received after being sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson for allegedly swearing at the fourth official during a defeat at Tynecastle in November.

[/quote

Celtic needed a last minute penalty to draw against a team who were bottom of the table and were down to 9 men.

Lennon has been given a 6 match ban.

Time for a change ? Did Celtic go for the cheap option ?

[CelticBhoy]

Celtic have always been good at picking the 'cheap option' but it often works. The 13 Rangers players who lost so comprehensively on Sunday the 2nd of January cost £16.7m, £12m more than the Celtic team. Despite deploying six free or loan, players, Rangers still had the six most expensive signings on the pitch!

The Accies score is shocking though. But reading the match report it does seem we were well and truly robbed.

[salty]

CB,

The ref is the same guy that gave a ridiculous penalty to Rangers ar Parkhead. He was not even looking when the Rangers guy fell over Majstoric. It did not affect the result. We scored just on half time but came out for a sleep in the 2nd half. We were behind 2-1 and well out of it.

[salty]

Hibernian 0 Celtic 3

A comfortable 3 points in the end has put Celtic 8 points ahead. You would expect Rangers however to reduce that back to 5 later.

After 40 minutes it looked anything but comfortable as Hibs were coping without any problems. Up to then it had been a dreadful game. Misplaced and overhit passes and a succession of throw ins. But after Majstorovic had missed badly after a free kick Celtic suddenly began to play. Hooper suprisingly starting was put through but was foiled by Brown an ex Celtic goalie. But within a minute Hooper with a delightful touch left a defender for dead and squeezed the ball into the corner of the net to put us 1 up at half time.

Celtic went 2 up 5 minutes into the 2nd half from a penalty by Stokes. After a clumsy tackle he shot this one down the middle. Celtic now looking comfortable although Hibs had the ball in the net 5 minutes later but offside. After 65 minutes a Celtic corner fell to Stokes who unmarked controlled it and lobbed smartly over his shoulder into the corner. Celtic cruised after that. Mark Brown made a terrific save from McCourt late on.

Celtic looked pretty good from just before half time but until then they were mediocre at best.