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Trivia
- Return friendly after successful away friendly v Norwich a month back for a testimonial.
Review
(Quiet Assasin of KDS forum)
Not concerned about the result given the team out, but I must say that I have some concerns about what Lennon was doing tonight. To change the system (again) without the first XI out made no sense to me. The Murphy as point man system done nothing to prepare us for the CL qualifier. The only player from the 'front three' we had that is likely to play against Helsinki is Samaras. I'd have thought if you're going to mess with the system you'd put players in that may actually play. We haven't actually played a preseason game with our first team together.
Probably the most worryng thing, though, was that we looked worse when we put some of our better players on, and we looked like we tired. And we're supposed to be ahead of them in fitness.
Teams
CELTIC (4-4-2):
Zaluska (Forster 44); Lustig, Rogne, K. Wilson (Wanyama 35), Izaguirre; McGeouch (Forrest 60), McCourt, F. Twardzik, Samaras (Matthews 67); Commons (Bangura 67); Murphy (Hooper 60) (LB)
NORWICH CITY:
First-half: Ruddy, Whittaker (Martin 23), Ayala, Ward, Tierney, Bennett, Crofts, Johnson, Pilkington, Morison, Vaughan
Second-half: Ruddy, Barnett, Bennett, Lappin, Howson, Surman, Hoolahan, Martin, Holt, Jackson
Goals: Holt 89
Referee:
Attendance:
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
- Audio Report: Paradise Report
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Articles
Celtic 0-1 Norwich: Celtic limp towards Europe
The Scotsman
By Andrew Smith
Published on Wednesday 25 July 2012 00:15
REGARDLESS of what the new season might bring – apart from the SPL trophy that is – Celtic will be glad to see the back of this pre-season.
They look in no great shape to compete in the group stages of the Champions League, though non-competitive form can be hideously deceptive, of course. It better be, with a fully-in-their-stride HJK Helsinki in Glasgow for a third round qualifier in Europe’s premier tournament in a week’s time.
Neil Lennon’s men didn’t deserve to lose to their English Premier League opponents but Gary Holt condemned them to that when scoring a minute from time, following up to drill in from close range after Fraser Forster had blocked a Jonathan Howso shot from 20 yards. Yet, Celtic didn’t do an awful lot to win the encounter. Their play was tediously meandering for the most part, as it apparently has been throughout their pre-season.
Which might explain why the have netted in only one of the five games they have played – a 2-1 win over Aalen on their German tour. Celtic now only have the small matter of Saturday’s visit of Inter Milan to give themselves a boost before they face the Finns. On all recent evidence, good luck to them on that. On the back of their 4-0 trouncing in Amsterdam, there was no telling what the first home friendly of the pre-season would bring. Or whether it would be a harbinger of worse to come when Helsinki come calling in surely too few days for Neil Lennon’s liking, irrespective of what he might publicly say.
Not that the Celtic faithful appeared unduly concerned about whatever occurred last night, judging from the numbers who attended, or rather didn’t. The game was the freebie on the club’s season book but even then Celtic Park was a third full and, Green Brigade apart, soulless. However, before anyone should seize on the apathy as an indicator that interest has waned as a new Rangers prepare to start life in the Third Division, it is worth pointing out that the crowd was broadly in line with that which turned out for pre-season friendly at home to Wolves this time last year.
Those supporters who did show, might have wished they hadn’t. The vibrancy of Filip Twardzik in midfield apart, this was plodding fare from both hosts as their visitors. Maybe that will be considered acceptable, in light of the humiliation for Lennon’s men at the weekend.
To avoid any possible repeats, there was no continuation of the back three defensive shape. Yet, there was a vulnerability about Kelvin Wilson even in an orthodox back four, Dylan McGeouch having to clear a goalward
effort following an error from the Englishman.
Perhaps Wilson’s early injury-inspired withdrawal – he lasted 35 minutes before being replaced by Victor Wanyama – excused his efforts.
In a first half that brought a number of casualties, Wilson lasted longer than the man in the opposition ranks whose every touch inevitably brought a cacophony of boos. It must have been odd for Steven Whittaker to find himself at Celtic Park for his first game since being granted temporary Fifa international clearance since he elected not to transfer his contract across to the newco Rangers.
He put in a few teasing balls before he came off worst after a tussle with Emilio Izaguirre 20 minutes in. He limped for a couple more, before receiving treatment.
That pause provided the opportunity for the Green Brigade to commemorate his move from Rangers in song with strains of “Steven walked away”.
Misfortune did come in threes, where the combatants were concered last night, with the first half ending with the conclusion of Lucasz Zaluska’s run-out.
He left the field with he wrapped in bandages after a collision with James Vaughan as the pair challenged for a cross.
Inbetween the medical interludes, first aid for a football contest was provided by Twardzik. His willingness to uleash shots from distance twice had Norwich keeper John Ruddy scrambling. As well as with these zipping efforts, he excelled in linking play through the middle and spotting a pass to put a forward in.
With Daryl Murphy the les than mobile forward, the end result tended to be a desperate dash to fail to prevent a yellow jersey cutting out the danger.
The Czech’s fellow young buy McGeouch faired better in sending away Georgios Samaras – in his first pre-season outing post his Euro 2012 exertions – down the left flank. The big Greek motored away from his marker, drew the keeper, then skewed an effort just wide of the far post.
Kris Commons did the same in one of the precious few goalmouth incidents in the second period controlled by Celtic ahead of Norwich, who changed nine players at the interval, finding the winning goal to remove even the clean sheet from Celtic’s meagre positive’s list.
Norwich grab late winner at Celtic Park By: Laura Brannan on 24 Jul, 2012 21:49 July 24, 2012
Pre-season friendly
Celtic Park
Celticfc.net
CELTIC 0
NORWICH CITY 1
(Holt 89)
CELTIC suffered a 1-0 defeat to Norwich City in their first home friendly of the summer after conceding a late goal, but they will come away boosted by their performance in a game they didn’t deserve to lose.
Norwich captain Grant Holt scored the winner when hefired the ball into the net from six yards out in the 89th minute, afteran initial shot had been blocked by Fraser Forster.
The home side had made several changes to the side which lost to Ajax at the weekend, with Georgios Samaras making his first appearance of the summer, wearing the captain´s armband.
Both sides enjoyed an even share of possession at the start of the match with James Vaughan looking the most dangerous in Celtic´s box, while Samaras posed a threat down the Hoops´ left flank.
Kris Commons had a good chance to put his side into the lead on 23 minutes when his 25-yard shottook a deflection and cracked off the bar. And despite the ball initially being cleared from the resulting corner, Mikael Lustig got his head on toa Commons cross, only to see it hit the bar as well.
It was a good spell of pressure from the Scottish champions and they continued to keep up the good work until half-time. Paddy McCourt played a good ball in for Daryl Murphy which was blocked just before he had a chance to pull the trigger, and then some wonderful movement and vision from Commons found Filip Twardzik but his deflected shot was saved.
A perfectly-timed pass from Dylan McGeouch then set Samaras up on 37 minutes, but the Greek striker put it just wide of the back post as he chippedNorwich keeper,John Ruddy.
The first-half ended on a sour note, however, with Lukasz Zaluska having to be replaced after a clash with Vaughan. He received treatment to his left eye but couldn’t continue, and former Norwich keeper, Fraser Forster, was introduced to proceedings.
The change came nine minutes after Kelvin Wilson also left the field of play with a knock. Victor Wanyama replaced him in central defence.
Norwich then changed their team at half-time, with only Ruddy remaining in goal. Their new-look side included Holt and Simeon Jackson up front but it was Celtic who threatened first. Commons had a great chance on 52 minutes when he unleashed a long-range drive. He struck it beautifully but it went just wide of the post.
Russell Martin sent a good cross in for Chris Martin at the opposite end minutes later but he couldn´t keep his header on target and sent it wide. Forster then made a save seconds later when the same player attempted to back-heel the ball into the net.
Celtic then made two changes, bringing James Forrest and Gary Hooper into proceedings at the expense of McGeouch and Murphy. And minutes later McCourt played a wonderful ballthrough for Samaras who tried to lob it over Ruddy.
The home side were dominating possession, but despite that they suffered a devastating blow right at theend when Norwich found a late winner. Jonathan Howson´s initial shot was blocked by Forster but Holt was on hand to latch on to the loose ball and put it over the line from six yards.
The Hoops will now have one final run-out before the UEFA Champions League qualifier next week, when Inter Milan visit Celtic Parkthis Saturday, July 28 (KO: 1.30pm).