2013-12-06: Motherwell 0-5 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic remain clear top of the league with 36pts. Inv Caley closest.
• Friday night game! First time in many years.
• Celtic’s last action on a Friday came in the season when we ‘stopped the 10’. It was the first fixture of 1998 and a packed stadium saw Craig Burley and Paul Lambert score the goals which gave the Celts a 2-0 victory over Rangers.
• Atajic scores debut goal, a brilliant chip over the keeper.
• Liam Henderson debut.
• Sadly unnecessary trouble from the Celtic end at match, with flares let off and some thrown onto the field. A number of seats broken too. Unacceptable and a minority are really ruining things for the rest of us.
• A lot of consternation from the trouble from the night, increases tensions within the support against the Green Brigade (not that they are necessarily to blame for the trouble). Just a lot has been building up of late between those for and against them within the support.
• Neil Lennon harshly criticises the use of flares by supporters at matches.
• Celtic v Aberdeen drawn in the next round of the Scottish Cup.
• New managerial roles for former players. John ‘Yogi’ Hughes announced as new manager of Caley Thistle, and Henrik Larsson wins new job as manager of Allsvenskan side Falkenberg.
• Political campaigner and former South African President Nelson Mandela, possibly the most significant global figurehead of the past century, passed away the day before. RIP. Minutes applause or silence held in his honour at matches across the globe.

Review

(Just wokeup of KDS forum)
As the Barca fans used to chant – that's how you play football.

Celtic bias aside, if you're a genuine football fan then you can't not enjoy a performance like that (huns excluded of course)Was a fantastic display of fast attacking football. Couldn't help but think of a quote from Jinky describing in his opinion the Celtic way of playing, he said: 'like the Dutch but speeded up'

That's exactly what it looked like to me. The players are clearly playing with a lot of confidence , everybody wants on the ball and plenty of movement off it to get on it. We played with real urgency and tempo and simply overran M'well for most of the game…from literally the first whistle. Regardless of what you think of the individual players' abilities, I think a key feature of the success tonight is the number of players we have who are comfortable in more than one area of the pitch. Mulgrew is crucial in this regard as he can easily and naturally backfill when Efe or VVD are striding forward. Some of Mulgrew's long range passing was a real game changer at times too.

Best performance I've seen in a long time IMO

(RQT of KDS forum)
Great to watch. Interchange and movement fantastic.

I think Pukki had a good game, good footballer but maybe not the goal machine we expected.

The referee was an arsehole denying his penalty and booking him. Welcome to Scotland Teemu.

Where has all the pace come from suddenly? That's what we've been lacking all season.

I think part of the answer is the release of Joe Ledley to play a more positive role.

Superb entertainment.

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Stats

Motherwell Celtic
Possession
66% 34%
90mins

Shots
3 21

On target
0 14

Corners
2 7

Fouls
13 8

Articles

Motherwell 0 – 5 Celtic: Commons at the double

Updated on the 06 December
The Scotsman
S Halliday
Published 06/12/2013 21:51

175 comments
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THE Celtic steamroller crushed another helpless victim on Friday night as Neil Lennon’s side followed up their seven-goal annihilation of Hearts with a five-star performance at Fir Park.

Scorers: Commons 44, 76, Ambrose 54, Stokes 78, Atajic 90

If Motherwell were seeking catharsis after their humbling Scottish Cup defeat against Albion Rovers last week, they will have to find it elsewhere. Stuart McCall’s men were comprehensively swept aside by the Scottish champions who are now eight points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Kris Commons, the hat-trick headline act for Celtic last Sunday, settled for a double here in what was a highly impressive all-round team performance. Celtic remain unbeaten in league football since they lost on their previous visit to Fir Park back in April and, on this evidence, it may be some time before they taste defeat again on domestic business.

All that was lacking from another slick and purposeful start from Celtic last night, who completely dominated possession in the opening 25 minutes, was an early goal.

During that spell, there appeared a real likelihood of Motherwell being dissected in the same rapid manner Hearts were five days earlier. Lennon’s men could have been in front after just 18 seconds as they swept forward with the intention of maintaining the irresistible form they had found at Tynecastle.

Teemu Pukki, replacing the ill Nir Biton in the only change to Celtic’s starting line-up, created the opening for Mikael Lustig whose firm shot was well saved by Gunnar Nielsen. Both Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre were given licence to roam by Lennon, who began the evening with a 3-5-2 formation, and the wing-backs relished the space they were able to find.

Izaguirre romped down the left to set up the next opening for the visitors, the Honduran international’s cross finding Anthony Stokes at the near post but the striker was unable to connect cleanly enough with his header.

Motherwell were struggling to get a meaningful touch of the ball as Celtic’s pace, movement and sharp passing kept them firmly on the back foot. A well struck 20 yard free-kick from Stokes provided another test for Nielsen, the Faroese ‘keeper managing to gather the ball at the second attempt before Lustig could pounce.

To add to McCall’s problems in the torrid early period, he was forced into a change after just 10 minutes. Fraser Kerr, hurt in a challenge with Izaguirre, limped off and was replaced by Adam Cummins.

Shaun Hutchinson was rather harshly booked when penalised for a foul on Pukki but it was just another indicator of the constant pressure Motherwell were under. They were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the 20th minute when Scott Brown’s cross from the right was clearly blocked by the trailing left arm of Steven Hammell. To the indignation of Lennon, who clasped his head in the hands on the edge of his technical area, referee Steven McLean waved aside the loud appeals.

Celtic’s wide men combined to good effect once more in the 25th minute, Izaguirre whipping over another fine cross from the left which Lustig headed narrowly over.

Motherwell gradually found a brief toehold in the game, but without managing to pose any threat to Fraser Forster’s goal. Celtic were soon back in the ascendancy and Pukki should have done better than shoot tamely straight at Nielsen after being set up smartly by the impressive Joe Ledley.

It looked as if Motherwell might reach the interval with the scoreline still blank, which would have been something of an achievement in itself for the embattled home side, but they were undone by Commons’ 43rd minute opener.

Pukki, whose build-up play was far more effective than his finishing, delivered the ball from the right and Stokes sent it back across the six yard box from the left. Commons improvised superbly to backheel the ball beyond Nielsen for his 12th goal of the season. Motherwell appealed for offside against Celtic’s top scorer, but he had clearly been played on by Cummins.

Celtic were in no mood to let the initiative slip away and there was no let-up in the drive and vibrancy of their play in the second half.

Ledley headed an Izaguirre cross narrowly over immediately after the restart as the champions hunted for more goals. John Sutton, generally starved of possession up front for Motherwell, came close to an unlikely leveller when he nodded an Iain Vigurs free-kick just over but it was simply a minor interruption to the flow towards the home team’s penalty area.

Celtic made it 2-0 in the 54th minute and it was a special moment for Efe Ambrose. The Nigerian defender, who had welcomed the birth of a daughter earlier in the day, rose above Hutchinson to head home a Charlie Mulgrew corner from close range. Ambrose embarked on an elaborate and acrobatic celebration to mark the occasion.

It was all about damage limitation for Motherwell now but Celtic were not minded to take their feet off the gas. Stokes saw a shot saved by Nielsen, then Pukki contrived to miss a simple close range chance. The Finnish international was then desperately unlucky to be booked for diving when he went down in the box under a challenge from Cummins who clearly tripped him.

But Celtic would not be denied further reward for their efforts. They finally made it 3-0 with 15 minutes remaining, Nielsen guilty of weak goalkeeping as he parried a shot from Izaguirre into the path of Commons who made no mistake from a couple of yards out.

Two minutes later, the fourth arrived and it was welcome relief for Stokes as he ended a run of eight games without a goal. Pukki did well down the right to set it up, leaving Stokes with a simple close range tap-in at the far post.

Lennon took the opportunity to introduce youngsters Bahrudin Atajic and Liam Henderson in the closing stages. It was Bosnian under-21 international Atajic who put the icing on Celtic’s cake, completing the rout in the 89th minute with a delightful lob over Nielsen.

Motherwell: Nielsen, Ramsden, Hutchinson, McManus, Hammell; Kerr (Cummins 10), Lasley, Vigurs, Carswell; Moore (Anier 60), Sutton. Subs not used: Stewart, McFadden, Lawson, Murray, Ainsworth.

Celtic: Forster, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Mulgrew; Lustig, Brown (Henderson 84), Commons (Atajic 79), Ledley; Pukki (Boerrigter 79) Stokes. Subs not used: Zaluska, Balde, Johnstone, Fisher.

Motherwell v Celtic: Smoke bombs let off at Fir Park

The Scotsman

by STEPHEN HALLIDAY

Updated on the 07 December
2013
11:11

Published 07/12/2013 00:18

41 comments
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CELTIC saw another exceptional display on the pitch last night soured by fresh controversy involving their supporters as damage was caused to a section of Fir Park.

Seats in the south stand, where the bulk of a 6000 travelling support were situated, were ripped out during Celtic’s crushing 5-0 win over Motherwell which stretched their lead at the top of the Premiership to five points.

SPFL match delegate Alan Dick and Celtic’s head of security Ronnie Hawthorn inspected the affected area after the match. A Motherwell spokesman indicated that the matter would be dealt privately between the clubs. Smoke bombs and flares were also let off by fans in the same stand before and during the match. Celtic are currently subject to disciplinary proceedings from both the SPFL and Uefa for banners displayed by the Green Brigade section of their support at recent home matches.

But there are no problems for Celtic on the field at the moment. Six days after their stunning 7-0 Scottish Cup destruction of Hearts, they delivered another free-scoring display to dismantle Motherwell and leave manager Neil Lennon purring with satisfaction.

“It shows the level the players can rise to,” said Lennon. “They all played very well, they are at the top of their game at the minute. The pace, intensity and concentration they are playing with is where we want them to be.

“We always felt they had it in them. It’s a shame that it has taken going out of the Champions League this season before we have seen them really at their best. The European games do take their toll and we did have a really heavy period of games for a long time. We can obviously concentrate on domestic duties once we get Barcelona out of the way. But this will set them up to go to the Nou Camp on Wednesday night and give it a go. It’s been a bit early for this team to try and qualify from a Champions League group that strong. But you can see what they are capable of and we will look to make another attempt at it next year.”

Kris Commons followed up his hat-trick against Hearts with a double last night, taking his season’s tally to 13.

“Sometimes we take Kris for granted but he’s a special player,” added Lennon. “He’s getting better all the time and is in a rich vein of form.”

Lennon also had praise for Efe Ambrose, the Nigerian defender playing just a few hours after his wife gave birth to a daughter and getting on the scoresheet.

“I would say it’s been a Carlsberg day for Efe,” smiled Lennon. “He’s had a baby daughter, he’s watched the World Cup draw which his country were in and topped it off by scoring in a fantastic win. I don’t think days come much better than that, really.

“There was no doubt he would play. He has tunnel vision when it comes to his football. He is a fantastic professional, one of the best I’ve had the luck to work with.”

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall admitted his team could not cope with Celtic, although he lamented the loss of Ambrose’s goal from a corner which made it 2-0. “It was a bread and butter corner kick and we had a lot of big lads there,” he said.

“When we’ve beaten Celtic here before, you got a feel for whether it could happen in the first ten minutes or so. But tonight they started really well and you could tell they were hungry.”

BBC

By Clive Lindsay BBC Scotland Sport

Incisive Celtic swept aside Motherwell with an impressive performance full of power and pace at Fir Park, with in-form Kris Commons scoring twice.

Only some gritty defending prevented the Glasgow side taking the lead before Commons' nonchalant back-heel opened the scoring after 44 minutes.

Efe Ambrose rose unchallenged to head the second at a 54th-minute corner.

Commons pounced again, Anthony Stokes fired Celtic's fourth and Bahrudin Atajic chipped in a late fifth.

It not only stretched the reigning champions' Scottish Premiership lead to eight points but took their tally to 12 goals in two games as they appear determined to prove their worth after the disappointment of their Champions League exit.

Yet third-top Motherwell had gone into the game looking for a third straight win over Celtic at Fir Park, the scene of the visitors' last domestic defeat in April.
Bahrudin Atajic celebrates

Atajic came on as a late substitute to score his first goal for Celtic

Home manager Stuart McCall had reacted to the shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of League Two part-timers Albion Rovers by making five changes.

Misfiring former Everton forward James McFadden was dumped to the bench along with Paul Lawson and Henri Anier, while Zaine Francis-Angol and Bob McHugh missed out through injury.

Back came captain Keith Lasley and John Sutton along with Simon Ramsden, Iain Vigurs and Craig Moore.

Motherwell needed all the experience they could muster as Celtic hit them with wave after wave of attack in a determination to emulate the goal-happy form that destroyed Hearts in the Cup.

Charlie Mulgrew joined Ambrose and Virgil van Dijk in a three-man defence, allowing full-backs Emilio Izaguirre and Mikael Lustig to rampage down the flanks.

The latter could have put the visitors ahead after only 20 seconds, but goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen pushed away the Swede's 16-yard drive after being set up by Teemu Pukki, who had started instead of virus-hit Nir Biton.

McCall had to re-arrange his side after only nine minutes when Fraser Kerr limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury to be replaced with Adam Cummins.

However, luck was on their side when a Scott Brown cross deflected off Stevie Hammell's hand and referee Steven McLean pointed to the corner rather than the penalty spot.

Celtic's attacking was relentless and Lustig climbed above his marker to send a header a couple of feet over.

Just when Motherwell started to take a foothold in the game, Celtic took the lead seconds before the break.

Pukki's low cross failed to find a taker in front of goal, but it was collected by Stokes and, although the striker's shot was heading wide of the far post, Commons cleverly deflected the ball past Neilson.

Motherwell captain Lasley was incensed, claiming a foul on a team-mate in the lead-up to the goal, and his anger would have intensified had a Joe Ledley header across the face of goal crept inside the far post in the opening exchange of the second half.

The home side briefly threatened with a Sutton header that looped on to the top of the Celtic net, but that simply stung the ruthless visitors to strike at the other end as Ambrose rose to meet a Mulgrew corner in their next attack.

Brown blasted straight at Neilson from close range, the goalkeeper ungainly scrambled clear a Strokes drive and Pukki was booked for diving when he should have been given a penalty for a late Cummins challenge.

Ledley had a shot pushed wide at near post, but the pressure eventually led to a third goal when Nielson could only parry a Izaguirre shot and Commons eased the ball over the line.

A fine Mulgrew pass put Pukki clear out wide and his cross was swept home by Stokes.

There was still time for substitute Atajic to loft over the stranded Nielson to score the Swedish striker's first goal for Celtic as last season's runners-up, who have now conceded nine goals in their last two home games, were humbled for a second time in a week.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Motherwell 0, Celtic 5.
90:00 +2:02 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Motherwell 0, Celtic 5.
90:00 +0:54 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Motherwell 0, Celtic 5. Bahrudin Atajic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.
88:30

Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88:30

Foul by Stuart Carswell (Motherwell).
87:29

Attempt saved. Derk Boerrigter (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
83:13 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Liam Henderson replaces Scott Brown.
83:04

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right misses to the right.
82:32

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
80:12

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Simon Ramsden.
79:42

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Adam Cummins.
78:47 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Bahrudin Atajic replaces Kris Commons.
78:23 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Derk Boerrigter replaces Teemu Pukki.
77:17 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Motherwell 0, Celtic 4. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.
75:12 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Motherwell 0, Celtic 3. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emilio Izaguirre.
74:58

Attempt saved. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
73:13

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
72:56

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Shaun Hutchinson.
70:41

Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).
70:41

Efe Ambrose (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
70:21

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
70:21

Keith Lasley (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the right wing.
68:04

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Gunnar Nielsen.
67:50

Attempt saved. Joe Ledley (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
66:39 Booking

Booking Teemu Pukki (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
65:24

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
65:24

Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the left wing.
64:47

Attempt missed. Teemu Pukki (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
64:04

Foul by Kris Commons (Celtic).
64:04

Keith Lasley (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
61:31

Attempt missed. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
60:28

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
60:28

Foul by Stuart Carswell (Motherwell).
59:18 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Motherwell. Henri Anier replaces Craig Moore.
56:21

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
56:21

Foul by Steven Hammell (Motherwell).
56:05

Attempt saved. Scott Brown (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
55:03

Foul by Efe Ambrose (Celtic).
55:03

Craig Moore (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
53:58 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Motherwell 0, Celtic 2. Efe Ambrose (Celtic) header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Charlie Mulgrew with a cross.
53:33

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
53:00

Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).
53:00

Efe Ambrose (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
51:18

Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).
51:18

Teemu Pukki (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
47:36

Attempt missed. John Sutton (Motherwell) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
47:04

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
47:04

Craig Moore (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
46:00

Attempt missed. Joe Ledley (Celtic) header from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
45:00

Second Half begins Motherwell 0, Celtic 1.
45:00 +2:09 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Motherwell 0, Celtic 1.
43:37 Booking

Booking Keith Lasley (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
43:09 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Motherwell 0, Celtic 1. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Anthony Stokes.
41:00

Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
40:54

Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).
38:37

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
37:55

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
35:48

John Sutton (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
35:48

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
34:23

Attempt saved. Teemu Pukki (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
28:36

Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).
28:36

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
27:20

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
24:29

Attempt missed. Mikael Lustig (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
22:51

Attempt saved. Teemu Pukki (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
22:28

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Shaun Hutchinson.
22:12

Attempt blocked. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
20:11

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Steven Hammell.
19:19

Foul by Craig Moore (Motherwell).
19:19

Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
18:30

Adam Cummins (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
18:30

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
17:24

Attempt blocked. Teemu Pukki (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
15:29 Booking

Booking Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
15:23

Foul by Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell).
15:23

Teemu Pukki (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
9:42 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Motherwell. Adam Cummins replaces Fraser Kerr because of an injury.
8:44

Joe Ledley (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
8:44

Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).
7:31

Foul by Iain Vigurs (Motherwell).
7:31

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
5:53

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Emilio Izaguirre.
4:50

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
4:12

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
4:12

Foul by Iain Vigurs (Motherwell).
1:30

Foul by Teemu Pukki (Celtic).
1:30

Simon Ramsden (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

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