Celtic FC: Job Done
Article by James Payne
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Celtic took three significant steps to their goal of landing a domestic ‘treble’ by defeating Dundee United three times in the space of six days last week.
The first component of that treble itself was landed after a 2-0 win in the League Cup Final on the Sunday, the Wednesday saw a 4-0 win in the Scottish Cup quarter final replay and the Saturday a 3-0 stroll in the league. Earlier on the Saturday Aberdeen had had the chance to draw level on points when they played Dundee but the Dons fluffed their lines in a 1-1 draw and so with ten games to play the Hoops are five points clear with a game in hand on their nearest challengers. Many a slip twixt cup and lip and all that but I doubt many would bet against Celtic retaining the premier league title and indeed it would now be a huge disappointment if a domestic clean sweep is not achieved in Ronny Deila’s debut season even if Celtic’s semi-final opponent, Inverness Caledonian Thistle (ICT), have historically given Celtic lots of problems in Scottish Cup ties and, more recently, in the league.
Celtic played very well in two of the three matches against United and never looked in any serious trouble in any of the games. The League Cup final was something of a damp squib with Celtic starting sketchily and it was probably against the run of play when Kris Commons opened the scoring just after halfway through the first half. United’s central defender Sean Dillon was off the field getting stitches on a shin injury when Celtic scored that goal and when he returned some moments after the goal the game already seemed nearly over. The outcome was in absolutely no doubt when the same player was red carded after a crude lunge on Emilio Izaguirre early in the second half although it was late in the game before Celtic scored again through substitute James Forrest. As I said in my last article Celtic has a poor record in League Cup finals so it was good to win but I doubt the occasion will be high on many people’s list of great finals seen.
The cup replay played at Celtic Park saw the Bhoys play much better and although the score was 4-0 against them I thought United played a lot better than they had in the final three days earlier especially in the ten minute periods before and after half time. The Arabs’ keeper, Radoslaw Czierniak, was extremely fortunate not to be sent off in the first minute after a bad foul on Leigh Griffiths when the Celtic striker was clean through on goal and in the closing minutes both Celtic’s Anthony Stokes and United’s Ryan McGowan deservedly ‘saw red’ though quite why the Taysiders’ boss, Jackie McNamara, launched an appeal against the McGowan decision I do not know. Had the game been broadcast live I doubt he would have. In between those early and late flare ups this was a pretty decent match played at high tempo. Celtic’s first goal by Jason Denayer was poor from the visitor’s perspective as the young Belgian defender was unchallenged as he headed Stokes’ pinpoint free kick and the ‘keeper- superb in the first game- seemed to get his positioning wrong as well. Celtic’s second goal a dozen minutes into the second half effectively ended the game as a contest though the third and fourth goals came late against a team that had begun to wilt. James Forrest played outstandingly well for the first time in a while.
The third match saw Celtics two new signings, Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong, return to face their old team after being ‘cup tied’ for the two previous matches. Both played well in what was a very fluent performance that was probably, in the first half, Celtic’s best of the season. United had looked shell-shocked in that first half and do deserve some credit for not crumpling totally in the second but in truth they were never in the match. The only blemishes for Celtic in this match were two stupid, merited, bookings for Nir Bitton and captain Scott Brown who had otherwise played as well as the rest of the team. Last week was a very good one for Celtic with most boxes ticked.
Aside from the disappointing result from Easter Road on Sunday which has led to an increase in the possibility of ' Rangers' promotion to the top division the only real negatives for Celtic surrounded our two Swedish players Mikael Lustig and John Guidetti.
The former confirmed he will be out for the rest of the season which is not good for anybody and given his past injury record it is understandable if he and the rest of us have serious fears about his long term future. Get well properly as well as quickly Mikael.
As for Guidetti the sooner he leaves the better. The Man City loanee went in an almighty huff after he was not allowed to take Celtic's last minute penalty in the Final (which was missed abjectly by James Forrest) and had to be persuaded to join his team on the field for the celebrations by his compatriot Lustig. When he scored against United on Saturday he did not celebrate and trooped dejectedly from the field when substituted. Having told a Dutch TV crew that he would like to play for Feyenoord I am inclined to say they can have him. Increasingly he seems like Mark Viduka in that he will say what he think a particular audience wants him to say. Shame he is not anywhere near as good as the big Aussie was. 14 goals all season is hardly a fantastic stat.
Celtic has its worries in the medium and longer terms which I detailed a few weeks ago after Aberdeen was trounced but for now it looks as though , ICT notwithstanding, only Celtic themselves can stop Celtic landing that much trailed and desired Treble.
© e-Football 2015 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
Subscribe to the e-Football Podcast on iTunes (Click Here)
Celtic took three significant steps to their goal of landing a domestic ‘treble’ by defeating Dundee United three times in the space of six days last week.
The first component of that treble itself was landed after a 2-0 win in the League Cup Final on the Sunday, the Wednesday saw a 4-0 win in the Scottish Cup quarter final replay and the Saturday a 3-0 stroll in the league. Earlier on the Saturday Aberdeen had had the chance to draw level on points when they played Dundee but the Dons fluffed their lines in a 1-1 draw and so with ten games to play the Hoops are five points clear with a game in hand on their nearest challengers. Many a slip twixt cup and lip and all that but I doubt many would bet against Celtic retaining the premier league title and indeed it would now be a huge disappointment if a domestic clean sweep is not achieved in Ronny Deila’s debut season even if Celtic’s semi-final opponent, Inverness Caledonian Thistle (ICT), have historically given Celtic lots of problems in Scottish Cup ties and, more recently, in the league.
Celtic played very well in two of the three matches against United and never looked in any serious trouble in any of the games. The League Cup final was something of a damp squib with Celtic starting sketchily and it was probably against the run of play when Kris Commons opened the scoring just after halfway through the first half. United’s central defender Sean Dillon was off the field getting stitches on a shin injury when Celtic scored that goal and when he returned some moments after the goal the game already seemed nearly over. The outcome was in absolutely no doubt when the same player was red carded after a crude lunge on Emilio Izaguirre early in the second half although it was late in the game before Celtic scored again through substitute James Forrest. As I said in my last article Celtic has a poor record in League Cup finals so it was good to win but I doubt the occasion will be high on many people’s list of great finals seen.
The cup replay played at Celtic Park saw the Bhoys play much better and although the score was 4-0 against them I thought United played a lot better than they had in the final three days earlier especially in the ten minute periods before and after half time. The Arabs’ keeper, Radoslaw Czierniak, was extremely fortunate not to be sent off in the first minute after a bad foul on Leigh Griffiths when the Celtic striker was clean through on goal and in the closing minutes both Celtic’s Anthony Stokes and United’s Ryan McGowan deservedly ‘saw red’ though quite why the Taysiders’ boss, Jackie McNamara, launched an appeal against the McGowan decision I do not know. Had the game been broadcast live I doubt he would have. In between those early and late flare ups this was a pretty decent match played at high tempo. Celtic’s first goal by Jason Denayer was poor from the visitor’s perspective as the young Belgian defender was unchallenged as he headed Stokes’ pinpoint free kick and the ‘keeper- superb in the first game- seemed to get his positioning wrong as well. Celtic’s second goal a dozen minutes into the second half effectively ended the game as a contest though the third and fourth goals came late against a team that had begun to wilt. James Forrest played outstandingly well for the first time in a while.
The third match saw Celtics two new signings, Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong, return to face their old team after being ‘cup tied’ for the two previous matches. Both played well in what was a very fluent performance that was probably, in the first half, Celtic’s best of the season. United had looked shell-shocked in that first half and do deserve some credit for not crumpling totally in the second but in truth they were never in the match. The only blemishes for Celtic in this match were two stupid, merited, bookings for Nir Bitton and captain Scott Brown who had otherwise played as well as the rest of the team. Last week was a very good one for Celtic with most boxes ticked.
Aside from the disappointing result from Easter Road on Sunday which has led to an increase in the possibility of ' Rangers' promotion to the top division the only real negatives for Celtic surrounded our two Swedish players Mikael Lustig and John Guidetti.
The former confirmed he will be out for the rest of the season which is not good for anybody and given his past injury record it is understandable if he and the rest of us have serious fears about his long term future. Get well properly as well as quickly Mikael.
As for Guidetti the sooner he leaves the better. The Man City loanee went in an almighty huff after he was not allowed to take Celtic's last minute penalty in the Final (which was missed abjectly by James Forrest) and had to be persuaded to join his team on the field for the celebrations by his compatriot Lustig. When he scored against United on Saturday he did not celebrate and trooped dejectedly from the field when substituted. Having told a Dutch TV crew that he would like to play for Feyenoord I am inclined to say they can have him. Increasingly he seems like Mark Viduka in that he will say what he think a particular audience wants him to say. Shame he is not anywhere near as good as the big Aussie was. 14 goals all season is hardly a fantastic stat.
Celtic has its worries in the medium and longer terms which I detailed a few weeks ago after Aberdeen was trounced but for now it looks as though , ICT notwithstanding, only Celtic themselves can stop Celtic landing that much trailed and desired Treble.
© e-Football 2015 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
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