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Trivia
- Our first victory for 4 games.
Our first goal from a non-set piece in 4 games also!
Review
Derek Riordan came off the bench to secure a victory that takes Celtic to within three points of retaining the Scottish Premier League title. Another forgettable game with poor performances throughout the side. Doesn't seem like a team winning the league.
Teams
Celtic team:-
Boruc, Caldwell, Pressley, O'Dea, Naylor, Nakamura, Lennon, Hartley, McGeady, Zurawski (Riordan, 35), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Beattie, 83).
Subs not used:- Brown, Miller, Gravesen, Perrier Doumbe, Bjarnason.
Scorer:- Riordan 52
Motherwell team:-
Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Craigan, Reynolds, Danny Murphy, McBride, Kerr, McGarry, Vadocz, Darren Smith (Jamie Murphy, 79), Clarkson.
Subs not used:- Meldrum, Kinniburgh, Molloy, Quinn, Fitzpatrick, Connolly.
Att: 58,654
Referee:- E Smith
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
- Match Report
Pictures
KStreet
- Pre-match
- Match Thread
- MotM – McGeady (Link to MOTM Winners)
Stats
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Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League
CELTIC MOTHERWELL
Possession
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Articles
Review of game (PaulJames123 of KStreet forum)
It wasn't terribly good today but we are 3 points closer to the title, one week nearer to the end of the season and hopefully a bit of a rethink over the summer about the way the team plays.
No urgency, no movement, no aggression and no pace.
The goalkeeper had little to do and did it well.
The back four played like they have never met one another. Pressley is a great organiser apparently but today it looked like he couldn't organise a bunk up in a brothel. I don't know how often he got turned by the Motherwell striker today but a half decent team would have destroyed us today. He also has the turning circle of the QE2.
O'Dea started well as did Caldwell before nerves go to the 2 of them and they looked ropey. Caldwell looked like a real bag of nerves but he has been injured for 4 months. How bad must Doumbe be if we'd rather play a centre half recovering from injury out of position instead of him? Naylor was quiet but at least noone assaulted him today.
Lennon and Hartley were playing like they were attached by a piece of string. Lennon was poor and Hartley not much better. Lennon really should go before he further sullies the memory of a fantastic player for Celtic. If he stays for another seaon the memories will be tarnished.
I really wish Hartley would play the easy pass instead of the 'World Cup' pass which consists of him curling it 40 yards over the head of the opposition player at such a pace that the Celtic player either can't bring it down before being tackled or (more frequently) it ends up in the stand. Keep it simple FFS!!!
Naka and McGeady at least give you a bit of creativity but imagine what they could accomplish if they had a bit of quality in the middle of the field to help them. Naka was the quieter of the 2 today but he does offer you something we don't get from anyone else in the team.
Zurawski looked ok before he got snapped. JVoH created 2 gilt edged chances with 2 brilliant knockdowns for Zurawski and Riordan. If only someone was bright enough to repay the compliment we might be in business and scoring goals. Riordan got in the box and scored. He looked lively. Beattie is struggling.
Celtic 1-0 Motherwell
BBC
Derek Riordan came off the bench to secure a victory that takes Celtic to within three points of retaining the Scottish Premier League title.
Fit-again Maciej Zurawski had been preferred to Riordan and missed a couple of chances before hobbling off injured after 33 minutes.
Motherwell had matched their hosts and frustrated the home crowd.
But Riordan fired home following a fine breakaway and Celtic comfortably held on for victory.
Interview: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan
Interview: Motherwell manager Maurice Malpas
Motherwell boss Maurice Malpas had carried out his threat to drop his top scorer, Scott McDonald, feeling it unfair to field the striker against the club he will be joining in the summer.
Also missing were Jim Paterson and Paul Keegan, with Steven McGarry, David Clarkson and Kevin McBride coming into the starting 11.
Zurawski had returned to the Celtic starting line-up in place of Craig Beattie as manager Gordon Strachan looked for more goals from his strikeforce.
But the Pole skewed his left-footed drive from 12 yards wide of the target as the home side created the first chance.
Zurawski fired wide again moments later, this time from a more acute angle on the right side of the penalty area.
Motherwell midfielder Krisztian Vadocz drove wide from the edge of the Celtic box when he ought to have tested Artur Boruc as the visitors came more into the game.
An air of disgruntlement inside Celtic Park seemed to inspire the visitors who appeared to slowly grow in confidence as Vennegoor of Hesselink prodded another chance wide.
Motherwell skipper Stephen Craigan was booked for a 33rd-minute foul on Zurawski that led to the Pole limping off to be replaced with Derek Riordan.
The appearance of the former Hibernian striker lifted the crowd momentarily and seconds later McGeady hit the side netting with an angled drive.
But the visitors threatened again, Clarkson forcing Boruc on to his toes to save his right-footed curler from 20 yards.
Celtic made the breakthrough on the counter-attack after 52 minutes.
Nakamura's cross to the back post was headed across the face of goal by Vennegoor of Hesselink and Riordan fired home.
Japan midfielder Nakamura almost made it two with a fine, curling free-kick tipped wide by goalkeeper Graeme Smith.
Boruc did well to block from Darren Smith after the Motherwell midfielder broke clear.
McGeady was just wide at the other end with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
Celtic: Boruc, Caldwell, Pressley, O'Dea, Naylor, Nakamura, Lennon, Hartley, McGeady, Zurawski (Riordan 35), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Beattie 83).
Subs Not Used: Brown, Miller, Gravesen, Perrier Doumbe, Bjarnason.
Booked: Naylor.
Goal: Riordan 52.
Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Craigan, Reynolds, Danny Murphy, McBride, Kerr, McGarry, Vadocz, Darren Smith (Jamie Murphy 79), Clarkson.
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Kinniburgh, Molloy, Quinn, Fitzpatrick, Connolly.
Booked: Craigan, Kerr.
Att: 58,654
Ref: E Smith