| Match Pictures | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures | Forum |
Trivia
- Beat the Huns and then we draw at home to D Utd after being two up!
- Very entertaining game.
- McGeady's two game ban by Celtic was over yet was not even on the bench.
Review
Oh boy, bar the victory over Rangers a bit of poor form is hitting us, or is it? Truth is that the first 30mins were sublime and we really hit top gear and should have been 2-3 goals up. However, we only went one-up into half time increased to two just after the break. Anyhow, after that some Howlers by Boruc and poor play by Naylor, and Dundee Utd were fired up enough to get way back into the game to draw 2-2.
Poor stuff, but a good game, and in fairness D Utd deserve credit.
Teams
Celtic
Boruc, Wilson (Caddis 46), Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (Mizuno 83), Scott Brown, Hartley, Robson, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 74), McDonald.
Subs Not Used:- Fox, Loovens, O'Dea, Crosas.
Booked:- McManus.
Goals:- Samaras 12, 58.
Dundee Utd:
Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Scott Robertson, Flood, Swanson (Feeney 61), Gomis, Conway, Daly.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Grainger, Sandaza, David Robertson, Kovacevic, Buaben
Booked: Feeney
Goals: Dixon 60, Feeney 77
Att: 59,558
Ref: S Conroy
Articles
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"In the first half, we were happy with the number of chances we created. If there's anything we regret today, it's probably not taking those chances.
"We didn't start the second half very well, but we got a second goal, but we didn't play common sense (after that).
"And, from being 2-0 down, Dundee United got a goal from nothing really, it was lovely free-kick.
"From then, they got re-energised and played very well. I thought we had enough in our team to hold on."
Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"We were dreadful in the first half. We were lucky to only be 1-0 down at half-time.
"In the second half we changed things. We lost the second goal at a point when we were doing quite well and then we got a goal and got back into it.
"It was a stunning goal (by Paul Dixon) and it changed the game – that and Warren Feeney's introduction.
"This group of players are never beaten, that's something that is very admirable. They deserved a point today for their second-half performance."
Pictures
KStreet
Stats
CELTIC v DUNDEE UTD
Possession
| 53% | 47% |
Shots on target
| 5 | 3 |
Shots off target
| 4 | 2 |
Corners
| 3 | 8 |
Fouls
| 8 | 14 |
Gordon Strachan: There was just no room for Aiden McGeady in Celtic side
Jan 4 2009 By Mark Guidi
GORDON STRACHAN watched Celtic drop vital points in a 2-2 draw with Dundee United yesterday then defended his decision to leave Aiden McGeady out of the squad.
The winger could have returned to action after serving a two-week club suspension following his bust-up with Strachan.
But he was left out completely as the Hoops blew a chance to go 10 points clear at the top.
The Celtic boss – who stormed off during a pre-match radio interview after being asked about McGeady – thought victory was in the bag after his side went two up through a Georgios Samaras double.
But United fought back with strikes from Paul Dixon and Warren Feeney to snatch a point.
McGeady watched the game from a VIP box at Parkhead and was disappointed not to have been involved. He is still considering a formal appeal against his fine of two weeks' wages and will make that decision later this week.
When asked after the game about McGeady's absence, Strachan said: "I stayed faithful to the players who helped us win our two previous games. That was the reason for Aiden not being involved – and the Under-21 rule.
"That rule is one I've argued against since I came here."
Every squad must have three players under the age of 21 so Strachan opted for youngsters Marc Crosas, Paul Caddis and Darren O'Dea ahead of McGeady.
Only Caddis made an appearance and Strachan was angry with his defence for failing to protect Celtic's lead.
He said: "I said pre-match this was going to be a difficult game and I was right.
"We created chances in the first half and I suppose we now regret not taking them.
"However, we managed to get two goals in front and you just think we'll see it through.
"But we didn't play commonsense football. We could have passed the ball better and also had three chances to clear the ball before their first goal.
"However, it was a lovely strike from Paul Dixon from the free-kick.
"That goal re-energised Dundee United. We've had two draws in our last two home games but I'm not too concerned.
"I'd be more concerned if we were eight points behind rather than eight points in front. We have also won our last two away matches and that is encouraging.
"This was a game I'd have preferred to win and there are positives and negatives to take from it – as is always the case."
Gomis pilots United fightback; Graham Spiers watches Levein's side recover to earn a well-deserved point at Celtic Park
05 January 2009
Provided by: The Times
Celtic 2
Samaras 12, 58
Dundee United 2
Dixon 60, Feeney 77
Referee S Conroy.
Attendance 59,558
There have been quite a few occasions recently when the Scottish game has thrown up matches that indicate that it is still alive and kicking, and here was another such episode. If anyone needed a further reminder of the restorative medicine Craig Levein has applied to Dundee United, it was there for all to see on Saturday before 60,000 witnesses in the east end of Glasgow.
Two goals down courtesy of Georgios Samaras's mysterious and infuriating gifts, United fought back to claim a point, and might even have claimed all three. No wonder the 1,500 Taysiders packed into the visitors' corner at Celtic Park were in jubilant voice after quite a torrent of a second half.
Dundee United haven't had this good a team since Tommy McLean's side of 12 years ago, and they are cherishing every moment of it. One loss in their last 18 fixtures is testament to the progress made under Levein, beyond doubt Scotland's hottest manager at work. And this United comeback had to be salvaged from considerable debris, given the wretched way, as Levein later confessed, that United had set about the opening 45 minutes.
"Our plan was to press the ball and then protect it when in possession but we got it all wrong," the United manager said later. "It wasn't a hard decision to change it at half-time, and as the game went on I just thought, what the heck, let's give it our best shot." And give it their best shot United did, traumatising Celtic with their fevered approach and scoring twice from being 2-0 down after 57 minutes.
We saw once more on Saturday that, of Levein's many talents, one of them is undeniably that old-fashioned football knack of "having an eye for a player". Morgaro Gomis, a Frenchman whom Levein spotted playing virtual amateur football for Cowdenbeath two years ago, was nothing less than outstanding for United as he prowled through these 90 minutes executing his many ideas with the ball. Like most players, Gomis's game can fluctuate week to week but, when he plays like he did on Saturday, he is one of the best midfield players in Scotland.
In Lukasz Zaluska, Willo Flood, Scott Robertson, Danny Swanson and others, United were made up of other Levein captures, to say nothing of substitute Warren Feeney, who came off the bench to score late in the second half. There is inevitable talk that United will lose some of their best players over the summer — and on this performance Rangers and Celtic will surely look at Gomis — yet Levein remains sanguine about it all.
"I am philosophical and totally relaxed about all that," he said. "It is the modern game, isn't it, players moving on. And if it happens, you just have to find others." Of that task, Levein has made not a bad job of it so far..
Celtic remain a curious lot. Having been heroic in midfield the week before at Ibrox, there was a slackness and disorientation about them on Saturday that allowed United back into the match. And in Scott McDonald and Samaras, for all the diplomatic noises these two players have to make about each other, they have a pair of strikers who are distinctly cold in each other's company.
McDonald, for one, repeatedly rebuked Samaras for his wrong decision-making, and even went into a strop with the Greek striker when he scored Celtic's second goal. The only conclusion to reach from that bizarre moment was that McDonald, despite Samaras's success, had felt he had been denied the chance to score the goal himself. Not often do you see one striker positively sulk when his partner sticks the ball away, but that is what we witnessed at Celtic Park.
There has been talk of Lee Wilkie leaving United in the summer — a rumour denied by Levein — though what befell the big defender after only 13 minutes here may have damaged his career chances. Wilkie, with plenty time, looked awkward and lumbering while trying to clear the ball from the edge of his own area, allowing Scott Brown to steal possession and pass to Samaras, who stabbed the ball past Zaluska from 14 yards.
Celtic had other first-half chances but, despite scoring through Samaras's header from Shunsuke Nakamura's free kick after 57 minutes to go two ahead, their play became scrappy as United began to attack freely.
If you were a United fan, those second 45 minutes were thrilling to behold. First, just three minutes after losing a second goal, Paul Dixon swept home a direct free kick, curling the ball past Artur Boruc, who was strangely positioned way towards his right post. Then, from Garry Kenneth's long punt, Jon Daly headed on to Feeney who, in a race with Gary Caldwell for the ball, managed to stab the ball past Boruc for the equaliser after 77 minutes.
Ten seconds before that equaliser, the linesman made a blatant error in awarding United a throw-in that should have gone to Celtic, but Gordon Strachan refused to look for excuses later. "At two up, we should have been comfortable and played commonsense football," the Celtic manager said. "But we never did that and we paid the price."
4-4-2 A Boruc 4 M Wilson 5 G Caldwell 5 S McManus 0 5 L Naylor 4 S Nakamura 5 S Brown 7 P Hartley 6 B Robson 5 G Samaras 6 S McDonald 5 Substitutes P Caddis 6 (for Wilson, 46min), J Vennegoor of Hesselink 4 (for Samaras, 74), K Mizuno (for Nakamura, 82).
Not used S Fox, D O'Dea, G Loovens, M Crosas.
Celtic ratings 4-1-4-1 L Zaluska 5 S Dillon 6 L Wilkie 5 G Kenneth 7 P Dixon 7 M Gomis 8 W Flood 7 D Swanson 5 S Robertson 6 C Conway 6 J Daly 6 Substitutes W Feeney 7 0 (for Swanson, 60min).
Not used M McGovern, D Grainger, F Sandaza, D Robertson, M Kovacevic, P Buaben.
United ratings
(c) 2009 Times Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved
The Times
Celtic 2-2 Dundee United
By Andy Campbell
BBC
Dundee United fought back from two goals down to claim a Scottish Premier League draw against leaders Celtic.
Georgios Samaras gave Celtic a deserved 12th-minute lead with a low drive past goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.
The Greek forward headed Celtic's second 13 minutes into the second half from Shunsuke Nakamura's cross.
But United pulled one back through Paul Dixon's free-kick on the hour mark and substitute Warren Feeney poked home the equaliser with 13 minutes remaining.
The result means Celtic missed the opportunity to go 10 points clear of nearest rivals Rangers, who play on Sunday.
After a slow start, Celtic began to put their visitors under some pressure with Scott Brown's low drive swerving wide.
Moments later, Nakamura sent Samaras in on goal and the Greek striker's attempted chip drifted wide of Zaluska's right-hand post.
But Samaras was on-target with his next effort as the home side took the lead.
United captain Lee Wilkie tried to let the ball go out on the left-hand side, but Brown stole possession and pulled back for Samaras to side-foot the ball low into the net.
The visitors should have scored a quick equaliser within minutes when Wilkie slipped a pass through to Scott Robertson and the midfielder shot wide from the edge of the box.
Nakamura and Barry Robson both had efforts at Zaluska's goal before the first half drew to a close.
United were more of an attacking threat after the interval, with Danny Swanson and Craig Conway delivering dangerous balls into the Celtic penalty area.
Dundee United striker Warren Feeney scores
Feeney lifts ball past Boruc for United's leveller
Celtic weathered the storm and increased their lead after winning a free-kick on the left-hand side, from which Samaras headed powerfully home.
However, the visitors responded with Dixon's superb free-kick after Morgaro Gomis was fouled on the edge of the box by Celtic captain Stephen McManus.
Dixon was then required to clear Brown's shot on the goal-line after Zaluska failed to claim a Scott McDonald cross.
McManus matched Dixon's heroics at the other end with a clearance from Feeney's shot after the striker had latched on to a loose Robson backpass and rounded Boruc.
But Feeney soon got United's leveller when he met Daly's knock-down with a first-time shot past Boruc.
Celtic had the chance to restore their lead when they were awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal, but set-piece specialist Nakmura's effort was high and wide.
United pressed for a late winner with a Daly cross towards Feeney, but Gary Caldwell did well to clear.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"In the first half, we were happy with the number of chances we created. If there's anything we regret today, it's probably not taking those chances.
"We didn't start the second half very well, but we got a second goal, but we didn't play common sense (after that).
"And, from being 2-0 down, Dundee United got a goal from nothing really, it was lovely free-kick.
"From then, they got re-energised and played very well. I thought we had enough in our team to hold on."
Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"We were dreadful in the first half. We were lucky to only be 1-0 down at half-time.
"In the second half we changed things. We lost the second goal at a point when we were doing quite well and then we got a goal and got back into it.
"It was a stunning goal (by Paul Dixon) and it changed the game – that and Warren Feeney's introduction.
"This group of players are never beaten, that's something that is very admirable. They deserved a point today for their second-half performance."
Celtic: Boruc, Wilson (Caddis 46), Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (Mizuno 83), Scott Brown, Hartley, Robson, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 74), McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Fox, Loovens, O'Dea, Crosas.
Booked: McManus.
Goals: Samaras 12, 58.
Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Scott Robertson, Flood, Swanson (Feeney 61), Gomis, Conway, Daly.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Grainger, Sandaza, David Robertson, Kovacevic, Buaben.
Booked: Feeney.
Goals: Dixon 60, Feeney 77.
Att: 59,558
Ref: S Conroy