match thread (image) [FT] Celtic 1 - 1 Rangers (Morelos 38)

[ian1964 10,409]

 

[Gonzo79 13,583]

Decent result, poor performance.

 

We seemed to give them loads of space today - so much so, I think it must have been intentional to some extent.  

 

Great that Morelos finally netted against them.

 

Scott Brown's post-match interview was more enjoyable than the match.  You know their inferiority complex is fully back when the referees get the blame.

[ian1964 10,409]

 

[Whosthedado 1,487]

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Long may they continue to believe that they are as good as we are and that we have been "lucky" this season. 

 

It's that attitude that's contributed in us overtaking them without them "noticing".

 

10 meant everything to them and at start of the season they believed it was assured. They have taken their eye off the ball and the longer this continues, the better it'll be for us.

Bang on. Plus I can see us strengthening for next season. They could be considerably weaker and who knows who they will replace Lennon with  

[Bluedell 5,329]

21 hours ago, Frankie said:

 

A shame he spoiled it later when he couldn't bring himself to say the name of one of our black players. It shows the above as an empty gesture. 

[DMAA 3,603]

I'm happy with that result. I think people underestimate the impact of a high intensity game against high level opposition 2 and a half days before this game (8pm kick off on Thursday, 12m kick off on Sun). Before the game I was a bit concerned they'd win, they had a full fortnight to prepare and were at home and this game was their big cup final, whilst our focus has been on the two legs vs Slavia during that fortnight. Losing Patterson in addition to not having Jack or an in-form Arfield left me a bit concerned. If you look back through history it is very common for the champions to lose one of the last old firm games.

 

In light of that I think the players have done very well. And even in a low key draw there were a few additions to the list of things hilariously working against them this season. The irony of Balogun starting being our weakness and he ends up setting up our goal. Alfredo getting his first Old Firm goal, and getting it on their ground too. Edouard passing up the chance to pretty much score an open goal to take a dive (which we all know he only does because he is the penalty taker and the penalty spot is where he has been most comfortable shooting from this season).

 

For once, the break comes at a good time for us (except Patterson maybe). Jack and Tavernier should be very close to returning by the time we get back, it would be great to have them back for the post-split games, especially the Celtic game.

[DMAA 3,603]

2 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

A shame he spoiled it later when he couldn't bring himself to say the name of one of our black players. It shows the above as an empty gesture. 

To be honest I don't think the colour of Morelos' skin has anything to do with that, they hate each other, I don't see a reason to be cynical about the gesture either.

 

Can't say the same about Celtic's initial tweet of support which they bizarrely accompanied with the hashtag oneclubsince1888. 

[der Berliner 3,234]

From the football side of things ...

 

We went back into our Plan A mode with virtually the same players again. Arfield and Aribo seem to take long minutes before they get going, Kamara at times also joggs about and the game seems to by-pass him. He is there in a few vital moments too, but you probably know what I mean. As opposed to the ever-present Jack, when he is fit. Up front, a bit fresh blood in form of Wright as well as some change in creativity in form of Stewart might be useful, not least as quite a few teams have figured out how to play Aribo, Kent, and Arfield. In that respect, with competition regarding the title out of the way, we might attempt a more aggressive approach up front, e.g. 2 real strikers, if only to see how it works against the trench-diggers. We have the players, so why not use them?!

 

As for Patterson, it will be a shame that he drops back into the wilderness as soon as Tavernier is back fit again. I know people will say how valuable Tav is for "our game", yet Patterson have shown that there is right-wingback play aside from Tav. Likewise, it would be cool if we have a good right-sided attack "duo" like we had with Tav and Candeias for certain games, a duo we can utilize better than makeshift right-attackers that we see now. In that respect it is sad that we shoe-horned Aribo, Hagi and even Arfield in there, instead of our prime right-winger/attacker Stewart - at least every now and then. You do wonder what the future will hold for Patterson and, truth be told, Tavernier, who has been here for some years and will get suitors from down south.

Edited March 22, 2021 by der Berliner

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I don't see Stewart being the answer to any perceived issues we have. 

 

 

[JohnMc 2,463]

There was a very good article in The Athletic about Tav at the weekend dB. Aside from interesting background stuff the article was at pains to underline how settled he is in Glasgow now and that whatever happens in his career he plans to make Glasgow his home when he retires. I actually wonder if there's more chance of us selling Paterson than Tav. Tav isn't going to get a crack at Champion's League football in England, I think if we offer him the right contract he's here for the rest of his career.  

 

As for the game we left our right hand side exposed. Aribo isn't a midfielder and playing him there means we lose the good parts of his game, it also means we're playing with 2 midfielders and Celtic over ran us in there because of that. Our best spell came when we brought on Wright, suddenly him and Patterson opened the right side and offered attacking options and defensive cover. Had we started with them, or with Zungu sitting allowing  Kamara to cover the right it might have been a different match. Either way that was a full strength Celtic, all of their main players are fit and their manager was desperate to make a claim for the job full time. We came off the back of our hardest match of the season and with some big holes in the squad through injury. They still couldn't beat us.