2014-01-18: Celtic 3-0 Motherwell, SP

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

Trivia

• Celtic 57pts, next is Aberdeen 44pts, but we've two games in hand.
• Celtic convincingly thump Motherwell in spite of a disgraceful and highly questionable performance from Bobby Madden
• Our biggest league victory at home this season, so far.
• Former Celtic, Everton and Leeds midfielder great Bobby Collins has died following a battle with illness at the age of 82. Minutes applause conducted in his memory. RIP
• A new £3.4m Community Centre has been given the green light, it'll be located just across from Celtic Park.
• Neil Lennon compared Kris Commons to club icon Lubo Moravcik and predictably confirmed that the club will keep him for another season.
• The Rangers/Sevco players reject a 15% paycut, club losing £1m/mth. Club to go into administration? Too early to tell.
• January Transfer Window Open
  • Celtic have signed Stefan Johansen from Strömsgodset IF for a fee of around £1.9m
  • Paul George has joined Scottish Championship side Hamilton Accies on loan until the end of the season.
  • Tom Rogic seals Melbourne Victory loan switch to help him get games to make the Australian World Cup Squad (not good enough for first team at Celtic but good enough for the World Cup, curious one but we wish him the best).
  • Rumour in Norwich that we’ve had a £4.8m bid for snodgrass turned down.

Review

(frankie2k5 of KDS forum)
Great team performance, especially the first half.

Pukki was coming on for Stokes.

Everyone including their granny knew it, including Stokes.

He wanted to cement Lasley before he came off. The opportinity did not arise, so he made the tackle we all saw.

It was a straight red.

Forgetting that, the most remarkable aspect of the game was Forrest…what the hell does he think he was doing showing intent and getting to the bye line time and time again. Someone should have a word with him.

….the other side of that is, of course, that he has been an absolute imposter for many. many months.

Hail Hail.

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Stats

Celtic – Motherwell
Possession
46% 54%
90mins

Shots
19 10

On target
6 5

Corners
7 5

Fouls
9 10

Articles

Celtic 3 Motherwell 0: Blot on a perfect 10

Sunday 19 January 2014
Herald.com

CELTIC finished this match with 10 men but that number would be significant for another reason come the final whistle, as the Parkhead side recorded their 10th successive win.

They were 3-0 up and coasting, courtesy of a Kris Commons double and a Stephen McManus own goal, when Anthony Stokes took it upon himself to enliven the proceedings with a reckless kick on Keith Lasley's ankle that earned him a red card.

The Irishman was applauded off the field – his victim is something of a pantomime villain in these parts, and there may have been a whiff of retribution for a tackle here in October which put Adam Matthews out for several months – but the dismissal was the only blot on an otherwise good day at the office for the Parkhead side. This was their eighth SPFL clean sheet in a row,their best domestic defensive record since 1986.

"My initial reaction was just for the well-being of my captain because I thought it was a bad, bad tackle," said Motherwell manager Stuart McCall. "We don't carry a great deal of players and I thought it looked like a tackle that would put Lasley out for weeks, if not months. Fortunately, it's not done that. I think there is bad blood to Las from everyone that comes to this ground! If you remember last time out here there was a collision with Matthews that was accidental but that put him out. So the Celtic fans probably think back to that."

Visitors to the East End of Glasgow yesterday knew something had to give. While Celtic returned from Turkey keen to continue with their winning ways, Motherwell knew victory for them would equal a seven-match top-flight winning run, a feat they last achieved 81 years ago. The Lanarkshire side drafted in Zaine Francis-Angol for the injured Simon Ramsden, while Neil Lennon kept Amido Balde, Teemu Pukki and Nir Biton, all of whom impressed in Antalya, in reserve. There was no sign of contract rebel Georgios Samaras, ostensibly due to a knock.

Having spent much of the early season relying on late goals, Celtic have recently developed a habit of getting early ones. Yesterday, the minute's applause in memory of Bobby Collins had only just subsided by the time the hosts were one to the good.

Unsurprisingly, Commons both created and scored it. His quick pass to Stokes breached the offside trap, and when Gunnar Nielsen could only palm out the Irishman's attempted low finish, Commons had followed the play and could gleefully roll the ball into the net.

Charlie Mulgrew had been somewhat rudely shunted out of his central midfield berth to accommodate Joe Ledley, perhaps a sign that the Welshman will finally sign his new deal, but the Scotland international was nevertheless keen to get forward. He should have converted one Emilio Izaguirre cross, then tested Nielsen with a header.

Motherwell tried manfully – Lasley got into some feisty scraps with Scott Brown, and James McFadden displayed some fantastic touches – but Celtic were playing with a zest they couldn't live with.

James Forrest scampered through to send a low effort wide, and Virgil van Dijk slashed past after an outrageous double drag back, before the second goal arrived.

Again the Motherwell backline was too easily breached for McCall's liking. Mulgrew played Stokes through, before Nielsen brought him crashing to the ground. Commons stepped up to lash in his 19th goal of the campaign.

Fraser Forster, to this point a virtual bystander, made an unorthodox save from Iain Vigurs, before McFadden blew his side's best chance, finishing tamely against the giant Englishman from close range.

Perhaps spooked by the let-off, Celtic got back on the front foot. Stokes clipped the junction of post and bar, and it soon transpired that the only successful Motherwell finish of the day would be beyond their own goalkeeper. McManus was given a special ovation from his former supporters after his miscued clearance from Forrest's wicked delivery flew past Nielsen.

Then came Stokes' late challenge. "I thought Anthony made a genuine attempt to get the ball," said Lennon. "He was late and it's one of those that can be a red card when other times it's not.

Normally I punish players for red card but I won't be punishing him for this one."

BBC

By Jonathan Sutherland BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic continued their unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership with a comfortable win at home to Motherwell, despite being reduced to 10 men.

Kris Commons pounced on a Anthony Stokes shot to open the scoring inside the first five minutes.

A foul by Motherwell keeper Gunnar Nielsen on Stokes allowed Commons to convert from the spot.

Stephen McManus turned the ball into his own net before Stokes was dismissed for a lunge on Keith Lasley.

The win is Celtic's tenth in a row with Commons' two first half goals making him the star of the show and puts Celtic 13 points clear at the top of the league table.

Motherwell hang on to third place on 43 points, just one behind Aberdeen, who lost at Inverness.
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After picking up the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month award for December Celtic looked again to Commons to create in the final third.

With Motherwell's Simon Ramsden injured, Stevie Hammell took up the right-back slot for with Zaine Francis-Angol at left-back.

Celtic made the perfect start when Stokes narrowly beat the offside trap and his shot was parried by Gunnar Nielsen into the path of Commons who couldn't miss.

In the 18th minute, Stokes beat the offside trap again, but his shot from the edge of the area flashed inches wide of the post.

After their poor start, Motherwell soon improved with McFadden becoming more of a presence, the former Everton man sending in a cross from that only just eluded the foot of John Sutton.

At the other, end a searing run from James Forrest resulted in a shot whistling narrowly wide, then Lionel Ainsworth fired low and hard after a pacy run, but his shot was just off target.

In the 35th minute Nielsen was forced to save from a Charlie Mulgrew header, then Virgil van Dijk fired over after making space in the box.

Celtic doubled their lead in the 39th minute from the penalty spot, after Stokes knocked a through ball past Nielsen who tripped the striker.

A yellow card was shown to the Faroese keeper and from the spot Commons made no mistake, firing high down the middle for yet another goal to bring his tally for the season to 19.

In the second half Celtic began with more possession, but the first clear chance fell to Motherwell when Iain Vigurs' curling shot was well saved by Fraser Forster.

Immediately after Motherwell should have scored when a deflected effort from Sutton fell to the feet of McFadden who had space and time in the box but his weak shot was stopped by the legs of Forster.

Stokes glanced the crossbar with a curling shot from 20 yards as Celtic attempted to make the points safe, then a free-kick from Lionel Ainsworth was comfortably held by Forster.

At the other end Commons almost completed his hat-trick after a fine counter-attacking run, but his curled shot went just wide.

But it was soon all over, when a cross ball flashed across the box and was turned into his own net by former Celtic defender McManus in the 69th minute.

Stokes was shown a straight red card by referee Bobby Madden after a wild lunging – and completely unnecessary – tackle on Keith Lasley.

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 3, Motherwell 0.
90:00 +3:57 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 3, Motherwell 0.
90:00 +3:30

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Joe Ledley.
90:00 +2:17

Attempt blocked. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
90:00 +1:22

James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90:00 +1:22

Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).
90:00 +0:09

Attempt missed. James McFadden (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
87:46

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
86:39 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Amido Baldé replaces Efe Ambrose.
86:11

Attempt missed. Scott Brown (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
84:24

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
80:50

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80:50

Foul by Henri Anier (Motherwell).
80:11 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Teemu Pukki replaces Kris Commons.
79:01 Dismissal

Dismissal Anthony Stokes (Celtic) is shown the red card.
79:00

Keith Lasley (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
78:54

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
78:15

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
76:52

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
75:41 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Motherwell. Henri Anier replaces John Sutton.
74:56

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
73:38

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
73:38

Foul by Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell).
72:35 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Motherwell. Fraser Kerr replaces Lionel Ainsworth.
69:56

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
69:30

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
68:00 Goal scored

Goal! Own Goal by Stephen McManus, Motherwell. Celtic 3, Motherwell 0.
66:46

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
65:41

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
65:14

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
63:09

Foul by Joe Ledley (Celtic).
63:09

Stuart Carswell (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the left wing.
62:41

Attempt saved. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
62:01 Booking

Booking Efe Ambrose (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
62:00

Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
61:45

Foul by Efe Ambrose (Celtic).
60:11

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Shaun Hutchinson.
57:35

Anthony Stokes (Celtic) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box.
55:28

Foul by Joe Ledley (Celtic).
55:28

James McFadden (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
54:05

Attempt saved. James McFadden (Motherwell) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
52:40

Attempt saved. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
48:54

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
48:25

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
47:41

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 2, Motherwell 0.
45:00 +1:13 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 2, Motherwell 0.
45:00 +0:58

Attempt missed. Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
45:00 +0:26

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
45:00 +0:26

Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
44:49

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
44:49

Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
41:53

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal.
40:25

Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
38:24 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, Motherwell 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
38:07 Booking

Booking Gunnar Nielsen (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
38:00

Penalty Celtic. Anthony Stokes draws a foul in the penalty area.
38:00

Penalty conceded by Gunnar Nielsen (Motherwell) after a foul in the penalty area.
36:28

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.
34:45

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Zaine Francis-Angol.
34:19

Attempt saved. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
31:59

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Steven Hammell.
30:47

Foul by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic).
30:47

Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
29:01

Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Fraser Forster.
28:43

Attempt saved. Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
27:33

Attempt missed. James Forrest (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
22:54

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
22:54

Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).
21:25

Attempt missed. Efe Ambrose (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is too high following a set piece situation.
20:26

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
20:26

Foul by Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell).
19:14

Attempt saved. James McFadden (Motherwell) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
18:08

Efe Ambrose (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
18:08

Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).
17:38

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
17:19

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
17:19

Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).
14:48 Booking

Booking Darnell Fisher (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
14:29

Foul by Darnell Fisher (Celtic).
14:29

Iain Vigurs (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
11:52

Foul by Darnell Fisher (Celtic).
11:52

James McFadden (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the left wing.
10:17

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) header from very close range is too high following a corner.
9:54

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by James McFadden.
8:47 Booking

Booking Stephen McManus (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
8:40

James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
8:40

Foul by Stephen McManus (Motherwell).
7:53

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
4:10 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Motherwell 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Anthony Stokes.
2:34

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Iain Vigurs.
1:00

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
0:58

Foul by James McFadden (Motherwell).
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

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