2009-10-04: Rangers 2-1 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2009 – 2010 | 2009-2010 Pictures

Trivia

  • First game v Rangers and they take the upper hand but we are still top of the league by 1pt.
  • Celtic had 4 penalty claims with only one given! Three were stonewallers.
  • As biased a game of referreeing as you'll ever get.
  • Debut for Zheng. Fox & Hinkel out injured. McManus starts

Review

With Hinkel and Fox out fears we would be exploited down the left and right but both Wilson and Naylor did fine. Our centre halves are like clowns. They were never that good anyway but it’s getting embarrassing how easy it is to score against us. We might as well start each game 1-0 down.

Best we could hope for was a draw because we would inevitably concede an early goal and Rangers are solid defensively so wouldn’t give us more than one. The ref was scared to book Rangers players because of their whining over the last couple of weeks. In the end Rangers – 19 fouls, 2 booking, Celtic – 16 fouls, 4 bookings (the most bookings we’ve had in a single game all season).

Weir should have walked – he deserved at least 3 bookings and didn’t get one. Lafferty elbowed McManus within seconds of coming on the park. Foul given, no booking. Lafferty, again, studs on N’Guemo (I think?) after the ball is away. Foul given, no booking. The foul in this instance was very similar to Loovens on Edu last season. No mention in the press and I can guarantee no review panel. Mendes got booked but it was for his second bookable offence. The only hun to get booked rightly and immediately was Novo. Why was Papac not booked for the penalty?

The ref let them away with murder because he knew the kind of criticism he would get in the press if he didn’t. Can you imagine he had given Celtic 3 penalties and sent of 2 huns, booking another 2 or 3 in the process? What would the papers be talking about this morning?

Positives – Zhi looked really good. There isn’t a higher pressure game to make your debut in and he was arguably our best player. Maloney had a very good first half but faded (would have been a much better first half if he had won 2 penalties). McGeady’s problem was that we conceded so early that the huns didn’t need to worry about attacking so didn’t need to spread out as much across the pitch for the breakaway. As a result he was surrounded every time he got the ball. Did very well in those circumstances but his delivery was hampered because of it. McCourt looked good when he came on – he turned his marker inside out on more than one occasion.

Negatives – Defence is an absolute shambles. It could be down to all the chopping and changing. He needs to pick 2 centre halves and play them for a few games together, because it’s just not working. I don’t care which 2, just pick a defence and stick to it for a while.

N’Guemo did ok before fading in the 2nd half and Brown probably played better than usual but that’s not saying much.

If we can sort out the defensive silliness we should beat the huns no problem at home. We should also win the league because they just aren’t any good going forward. That wasn’t their strongest team though so ultimately we have to be disappointed we didn’t get anything.

Teams

Rangers

  • 01McGregor
  • 03Weir
  • 05Papac
  • 16Whittaker
  • 26Smith
  • 04Mendes; yellow card
  • 07Davis
  • 09Boyd (Lafferty 42)
  • 14Naismith
  • 18Miller
  • 48Little (Novo 14); yellow card

Substitutes

  • 25Alexander,
  • 66Wilson,
  • 11Rothen,
  • 10Novo,
  • 27Lafferty,
  • 29Fleck,
  • 45Loy

Goals:

  • Miller 8
  • Miller 16

Celtic

  • 01Boruc
  • 03Naylor (Caddis 76)
  • 04McManus
  • 12Wilson; yellow card
  • 22Loovens; yellow card
  • 06N'Guemo; (Samaras 62)
  • 08Brown; yellow card
  • 27Zhi; (McCourt 70)
  • 46McGeady
  • 07McDonald
  • 13Maloney; yellow card

Substitutes

  • 24Zaluska,
  • 05Caldwell,
  • 52Caddis,
  • 17Crosas,
  • 20McCourt,
  • 09Samaras,
  • 49Forrest

Goals
  • McGeady (pen) 25
Ref:Thomson
Att:50,276

Articles

Pictures

MOTM

4th Oct 09, Rangers 2-1 Celtic, Zhi Zheng

Stats

Possession

  • Rangers 45%
  • Celtic 55%

Shots on target

  • Rangers 4
  • Celtic 4

Shots off target

  • Rangers 3
  • Celtic 3

Corners

  • Rangers 6
  • Celtic 5

Fouls

  • Rangers 19
  • Celtic 16

Articles

Miller settles dire affair; Graham Spiers spends a tedious afternoon watching Rangers close the gap at the top

05 October 2009

Provided by: The Times

Rangers 2

Miller 8, 16
Celtic 1 McGeady 25 (pen)
Referee C Thomson. Attendance 50,276

Believe it or not, some Old Firm games do actually possess finesse and moments of art — but this wasn't one of them. Rangers and Celtic scrapped away in a frantic, grisly spectacle before it was finally decreed that Kenny Miller's two early goals were just enough to give Rangers victory.

You needed hands placed over the eyes to protect you from some of the garishness of this game. It was played at break-neck speed, often high in the air, with lunging tackles and a surfeit of passes that reached no target whatsoever.
Like every Old Firm game, played out amid four baying stands, the encounter was beamed live on television around the world. Heaven knows what they would make of it in any outpost where the phrase "total football" still carries currency.
The result was a relief for Rangers, who faced going seven points behind Celtic in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League had they disintegrated before their great rivals. As it is, the Old Firm are now virtually neck-andneck.
Much more football played like this, though, and these two clubs might be held to account by Uefa for their appalling public behaviour.
The game was a minor triumph for Miller, a player who was the subject of abuse from a section of the Rangers support two years ago, who objected to the former Celtic player arriving at Ibrox, but who has twice now put his old club to the sword like this. Last season Miller scored two goals to help to see off Celtic at Celtic Park, and yesterday his feat did the trick again. Slightly comically, those same Rangers fans were lionising him here.
By the same token, the game was a further disaster for Celtic's central defence, an area of his team that Tony Mowbray has repeatedly insisted will come good. Twice inside the opening 15 minutes Miller streaked behind Stephen McManus and Glenn Loovens to score for Rangers, leaving Celtic trailing painfully early in a game, just as they had against Rapid Vienna last Thursday in Glasgow.
Mowbray has started to fatigue in the business of talking up his players — those he inherited at Celtic — and he sounded a dire warning after this defeat to his central defenders. "My defenders have got to stake a claim and show me week in, week out that they have the quality to take this club forward," Mowbray said. "If they can't do that, then we will change them."
One bright ray for Celtic was the debut of Zheng Zhi, the 29-year-old China midfield player, whose play was intermittently appealing in a role just off the front. For such a player, this fixture is no place to come in and attempt subtle skills, but Zheng did well before being replaced by Paddy McCourt after 69 minutes. He also won Celtic their penalty after being tripped by Sasa Papac.
Celtic became embroiled in diving allegations, with both Shaun Maloney and Mark Wilson being booked by the referee, Craig Thomson, for the crime. Mowbray later laughed at the idea that Wilson was a cheat, though the full-back was booked by Thomson after going down in the area after a Papac challenge.
In Maloney's case, he had already been blatantly chopped down by David Weir inside the area, only for the referee to ignore it, whereupon Weir once more clipped the Celtic winger, with Maloney going to ground. On the second occasion Maloney did look as if he sought to take advantage of Weir's contact, though the Celtic winger might still have been raging from not being given the penalty minutes earlier.
The game was chaotic in terms of the personnel used. Rangers, without the unfit Kevin Thomson, Lee McCulloch or Madjid Bougherra, drafted in Andrew Little, a young and relatively unknown player, at right-back. Little, however, quickly succumbed to a nightmarish Old Firm debut, getting roasted by Maloney down the left and then getting injured before being replaced by Nacho Novo after just 14 minutes. Rangers, frantically recasting their system, shunted various players around before Kris Boyd, too, was injured in a clash of heads with Landry N'Guemo. Kyle Lafferty, himself of dubious matchfitness, replaced Boyd moments before the break.
Celtic were shattered by Rangers' opening salvo, all the more so as they might have had the lead themselves, and been awarded at least one penalty, before Miller put them two goals behind so early. Allan McGregor had to dive low to save from Maloney, while Thomson chose to ignore two further Celtic penalty claims.
Yet Celtic's defence was hesitant and unsure when Boyd released Miller running into the old insideright channel after eight minutes. As Loovens and Wilson tried to close in on the striker, and Artur Boruc advanced from goal, Miller steadied himself before slotting the ball low, and almost at a trickle, behind Boruc.
It would only get worse for Celtic before the quarter-hour was up. From McGregor's long punt, Boyd made a hash of trying to nod the ball on, missing it completely, yet leaving Miller to pick up possession on the edge of the Celtic area. The striker simply barged past Loovens to advance on Boruc and shoot into the net, despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the shot.
Thomson finally pointed to the spot when Papac tripped Zheng after 25 minutes. Aiden McGeady only just beat McGregor, who got a strong right hand to the ball.
The match thereafter became a slog. Maloney shot wide from Wilson's cutback after 72 minutes, and Boruc made a marvellous save from Novo six minutes from time. Rangers ratings Celtic ratings 4-4-2 A McGregor 7 A Little 3 D Weir 6 S Papac 6 S Whittaker 6 S Naismith 5 S Davis 7 P Mendes 0 6 S Naismith 6 K Miller 8 K Boyd 4 Substitutes N Novo 6 0 (for Little, 14min), K Lafferty 5 (for Boyd, 43). 4-4-1-1 A Boruc 7 M Wilson 0 6 G Loovens 0 7 S McManus 6 L Naylor 6 A McGeady 6 L N'Guemo 7 S Brown 0 6 S Maloney 0 6 Zheng Zhi 6 S McDonald 5 Substitutes G Samaras 5 (for N'Guemo, 61min), P McCourt 4 (for Zheng, 69), P Caddis (for Naylor, 76). Not used N Alexander, J Rothen, J Fleck, R Loy, D Wilson. Not used L Zaluska, G Caldwell, M Crosas, J Forrest, P Caddis.
(c) 2009 Times Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved
The Times

Rangers 2-1 Celtic

By Keir Murray

Rangers survived a spirited second-half onslaught by Celtic to win the first Old Firm match of the season.

Kenny Miller showed pace and poise to meet a Kris Boyd through ball and slot past Artur Boruc in eight minutes.

Shaun Maloney had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down by Craig Thomson before Miller out-muscled and out-sprinted Glenn Loovens to add a second.

Aiden McGeady scored from the spot after a Sasa Papac trip, but Celtic's subsequent pressure was not rewarded.

Both sets of fans were shocked when the teams were announced, with the home side fielding Northern Ireland international Andrew Little at right-back for his first start.

Rangers centre-back Madjid Bougherra and his usual replacement in that position, Lee McCulloch, had succumbed to flu so Papac moved into the centre of defence with David Weir.

Few among the visiting support would have predicted that Celtic manager Tony Mowbray would hand China captain Zheng Zhi his debut, while Lee Naylor made his first start of the season.

The opening exchanges were played at a frantic pace, with Maloney and Scott McDonald testing the Rangers rearguard, which was soon to change formation when Little went off injured in just 13 minutes and striker Nacho Novo coming on.

In the third minute Mark Wilson's cross from the right was missed by the Rangers defence and fell to Maloney, whose left-foot shot was saved by the legs of Allan McGregor.

Dundee United, Hearts and Rapid Vienna have scored early goals against Celtic this season and Miller added Rangers to that list in the eighth minute.

Boyd clipped the ball through the centre of the Celtic defence and Miller was onto it in a flash and showed great composure to roll it past the despairing Boruc.

Celtic were denied what looked a certain penalty when David Weir cut across the advancing Maloney just a few yards from goal, but referee Thomson took no action.

When Maloney went sprawling in the box a second time, he was booked for diving.

No sooner had Thomson put his yellow card back in his pocket than Rangers doubled their lead.

Celtic's central-defensive frailties were cruelly exposed when Miller latched onto McGregor's long punt and outmuscled Loovens before despatching a shot past Boruc – despite the Pole getting a hand to his effort.

As play raged on, Celtic were awarded a penalty when Papac made a clumsy challenge on Zheng Zhi just inside the box.

McGeady's stuttering run-up allowed him a fraction of additional time to place the spot-kick and, though McGregor got a hand to it, his low kick found the net to bring the visitors right back into the game.

Rangers boss Walter Smith took in the match from the stand, the first of his four-match domestic ban, and he had plenty of cause for concern as Celtic began to exert their authority.

As the interval loomed Boyd took an accidental blow to the cheek in a challenge with Landry N'Guemo and looked groggy as he was led from the pitch to make way for Kyle Lafferty.

Rangers' best piece of football since their second goal came against a backdrop of Celtic pressure.

Steven Naismith skilfully worked his way down the left wing and cut the ball infield to Miller. His shot had plenty of power but insufficient curl to beat Boruc at his far post.

With Rangers sitting deep, conditions were ripe for the runs of McGeady.

And it was the Republic of Ireland international who fed McDonald 12 yards out, but the striker's shot on the turn lacked venom and McGregor saved comfortably.

McGeady had four Rangers defenders scrambling in his wake in 68 minutes, yet could not trouble McGregor with his left-foot shot.

The impetus, though, was with Celtic, and McDonald was giving Weir and Papac a torrid time.

Paddy McCourt was given 20 minutes to fashion an equaliser for Celtic, replacing Zheng Zhi as the visitors sought a greater attacking threat.

From a free-kick, the Irishman picked out Mark Wilson rushing down the right wing and the full-back sent in a perfect low cross which Maloney touched narrowly wide.

The physical nature of the match was evidenced by a series of second-half bookings to Pedro Mendes, Wilson, Novo, Scott Brown and Loovens.

In terms of play, Rangers at last began to seize the initiative as the match moved into the final stages.

Unchallenged, Weir powered two more headers over the bar, then Wilson nudged Novo off the ball as the Spaniard raced to meet a cross right in front of goal.

And the diminutive Ibrox striker had the chance to put the game beyond Celtic with five minutes remaining.

Breaking the offside trap, he was first to the ball through the Celtic defence but his lob was athletically tipped wide by the alert Boruc.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8285356.stm

Published: 2009/10/04 13:22:43 GMT

© BBC 2011

  • Full Time
  • 90:00+3:16 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
  • 89:05 Paul Caddis crosses the ball. Georgios Samaras is penalised for a handball. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 86:06 Scott McDonald is caught offside. Free kick taken by Allan McGregor.
  • 84:26 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Pedro Mendes, Header on goal by David Weir from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
  • 84:11 Nacho Novo takes a shot. Save by Artur Boruc.
  • 82:17 Corner from the right by-line taken by Pedro Mendes, David Weir takes a shot. Save by Artur Boruc.
  • 82:12 Centre by Nacho Novo, clearance made by Paul Caddis.
  • 81:04 Pedro Mendes takes the free kick.
  • 81:04 Booking Glenn Loovens is booked.
  • 80:58 Glenn Loovens challenges Steven Naismith unfairly and gives away a free kick.
  • 80:03 Nacho Novo is penalised for a handball. Direct free kick taken by Artur Boruc.
  • 77:39 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Scott McDonald, clearance made by David Weir. Inswinging corner taken by Shaun Maloney, clearance by Steven Naismith.
  • 77:26 A cross is delivered by Aiden McGeady, blocked by Sasa Papac.
  • 76:00 Substitution Paul Caddis on for Lee Naylor.
  • 75:18 Pedro Mendes takes the free kick.
  • 75:18 Booking Booking for Scott Brown for unsporting behaviour.
  • 74:56 Foul by Scott Brown on Nacho Novo, free kick awarded.
  • 73:37 The ball is sent over by Mark Wilson, Effort on goal by Shaun Maloney from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
  • 73:18 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Aiden McGeady by Kyle Lafferty. Scott Brown takes the free kick.
  • 72:57 Steven Naismith fouled by Patrick McCourt, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Sasa Papac.
  • 71:53 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Lee Naylor.
  • 71:26 Patrick McCourt takes a shot. Sasa Papac gets a block in.
  • 70:17 Lee Naylor fouled by Kenny Miller, the ref awards a free kick. Lee Naylor crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, clearance by David Weir.
  • 69:10 Free kick crossed right-footed by Mark Wilson from right channel, David Weir makes a clearance.
  • 69:10 Substitution Patrick McCourt replaces Zheng Zhi.
  • 69:10 Booking Nacho Novo is given a yellow card.
  • 69:01 Nacho Novo challenges Mark Wilson unfairly and gives away a free kick.
  • 68:25 Shot by Aiden McGeady. Allan McGregor makes a save.
  • 66:53 Steven Davis fouled by Shaun Maloney, the ref awards a free kick. David Weir restarts play with the free kick. Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Davis on Scott Brown. Artur Boruc restarts play with the free kick.
  • 66:36 Free kick taken by Allan McGregor. Free kick awarded for a foul by Kyle Lafferty on Stephen McManus. Direct free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
  • 66:03 Booking The referee books Mark Wilson for unsporting behaviour.
  • 62:21 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kyle Lafferty on Zheng Zhi. Free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
  • 61:06 Direct free kick taken by Lee Naylor. The official flags Scott McDonald offside. Allan McGregor takes the direct free kick.
  • 61:06 Substitution Georgios Samaras joins the action as a substitute, replacing Landry N'Guemo.
  • 61:06 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lee Naylor by Nacho Novo.
  • 58:40 Scott Brown gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Naismith. Sasa Papac takes the direct free kick.
  • 57:07 Kenny Miller challenges Scott McDonald unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shaun Maloney takes the direct free kick. Mark Wilson takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
  • 56:22 The ball is delivered by Lee Naylor, Sasa Papac makes a clearance.
  • 55:54 Scott McDonald takes a shot. Allan McGregor makes a save.
  • 54:53 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kyle Lafferty by Stephen McManus. Steven Smith crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, Artur Boruc makes a save.
  • 54:08 Kenny Miller produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
  • 53:18 Scott McDonald is ruled offside. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 52:24 Scott McDonald fouled by David Weir, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed by Lee Naylor, Allan McGregor makes a save.
  • 52:01 David Weir concedes a free kick for a foul on Shaun Maloney. Aiden McGeady takes the free kick.
  • 51:55 The ball is sent over by Kenny Miller, Scott Brown manages to make a clearance.
  • 50:48 Steven Whittaker fouled by Zheng Zhi, the ref awards a free kick. Allan McGregor takes the direct free kick.
  • 48:34 Free kick crossed right-footed by Shaun Maloney, save by Allan McGregor.
  • 48:34 Booking Pedro Mendes is booked.
  • 48:25 Pedro Mendes concedes a free kick for a foul on Aiden McGeady.
  • 47:30 Inswinging corner taken by Steven Smith, save made by Artur Boruc.
  • 46:34 Stephen McManus challenges Kyle Lafferty unfairly and gives away a free kick. Steven Smith delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right by-line, clearance made by Zheng Zhi.
  • 45:18 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Steven Smith, David Weir produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.
  • 45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+2:01 The match has reached half-time.
  • 45:00+0:14 Steven Davis fouled by Landry N'Guemo, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by David Weir.
  • 44:46 Foul by Nacho Novo on Mark Wilson, free kick awarded. Scott Brown takes the free kick.
  • 42:52 Stephen McManus fouled by Kyle Lafferty, the ref awards a free kick. Artur Boruc restarts play with the free kick.
  • 42:21 A cross is delivered by Lee Naylor.
  • 41:38 Substitution (Rangers) makes a substitution, with Kyle Lafferty coming on for Kris Boyd.
  • 34:52 Mark Wilson challenges Nacho Novo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Steven Smith from left wing, clearance by Lee Naylor. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Steven Smith, clearance by Scott Brown.
  • 33:45 Inswinging corner taken by Lee Naylor from the right by-line, Scott McDonald concedes a free kick for a foul on Allan McGregor. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 32:37 Foul by Sasa Papac on Aiden McGeady, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Lee Naylor, clearance made by Steven Naismith. Lee Naylor takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Steven Naismith makes a clearance.
  • 31:34 The ball is sent over by Steven Davis, save by Artur Boruc.
  • 30:05 Scott McDonald concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Smith. Allan McGregor takes the free kick.
  • 28:47 Free kick awarded for a foul by Aiden McGeady on Nacho Novo. Free kick taken by Allan McGregor.
  • 25:29 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steven Smith by Aiden McGeady. Steven Smith takes the free kick.
  • 24:49 Assist by Zheng Zhi.
  • 24:49 GOAL – Aiden McGeady:Rangers 2 – 1 Celtic Placed penalty scored by Aiden McGeady. Rangers 2-1 Celtic.
  • 24:11 Penalty awarded for an unfair challenge on Zheng Zhi by Sasa Papac.
  • 22:44 Scott McDonald has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
  • 19:50 Scott Brown produces a cross.
  • 19:36 The ball is swung over by Lee Naylor, Steven Whittaker gets a block in.
  • 15:10 Assist on the goal came from Allan McGregor.
  • 15:10 GOAL – Kenny Miller:Rangers 2 – 0 Celtic Kenny Miller gets on the score sheet with a goal from just inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Rangers 2-0 Celtic.
  • 14:47 Allan McGregor takes the free kick.
  • 14:47 Booking Shaun Maloney goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
  • 13:10 Allan McGregor takes the free kick.
  • 13:10 Substitution Andrew Little leaves the field to be replaced by Nacho Novo.
  • 13:10 Aiden McGeady challenges Kenny Miller unfairly and gives away a free kick.
  • 10:24 Free kick awarded for a foul by Sasa Papac on Scott McDonald. Free kick crossed by Lee Naylor, Sasa Papac manages to make a clearance.
  • 9:07 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Whittaker on Scott Brown. Scott Brown takes the free kick.
  • 7:12 Assist by Kris Boyd.
  • 7:12 GOAL – Kenny Miller:Rangers 1 – 0 Celtic Kenny Miller grabs a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Rangers 1-0 Celtic.
  • 6:24 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Stephen McManus by Kenny Miller. Artur Boruc restarts play with the free kick.
  • 5:19 The ball is delivered by Aiden McGeady, clearance by Sasa Papac.
  • 4:24 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Steven Smith played to the near post, save by Artur Boruc.
  • 3:48 Lee Naylor challenges Steven Naismith unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Andrew Little.
  • 3:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Davis on Landry N'Guemo. Lee Naylor takes the direct free kick.
  • 2:56 Kris Boyd is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Artur Boruc takes the free kick.
  • 2:35 Shaun Maloney takes a shot. Save by Allan McGregor.
  • 0:00 The match has kicked off.

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