2015-04-08: Celtic 2-0 Partick Thistle, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2014 – 2015 | 2014-15 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic on top with 72pts, 7 ahead of Aberdeen and Celtic have one game in hand.
• Stefan Johansen made captain for match. Deila speaks after the match very highly of him, which the support agrees with.
• Summertime seems to have begun with some cracking recent weather.
• Ex-Celt Malky MacKay sacked as Wigan manager.
• Former Celtic skipper Gary Caldwell has been named the new manager of Championship strugglers Wigan. The Latics moved quickly to name a replacememt for another ex-Celt, Malky Mackay, who was fired on Monday night after a 2-0 loss at home to Derby left 23rd-placed Wigan eight points from safety with just five games remaining.
• UK gripped with election fever, as a fractured electorate voting for multiple parties against the old bipartisan system. Creating the most unpredictable election in memory.
• First elections since Scottish Referendum and irritation in England over SNP possible swing support in case of hung parliament.
• Scottish party leaders debates. Each to their own, but UKIP are a national embarrasment led by a bigot.

Review

(fatboab of KDS)
Comfortable if over elaborate at times. Should have had it sewn up after fifteen minutes with the number of clear cut chances we created. What a good striker would do in this side is anyone's guess.

Thistle stuck at it and managed to make a fist of it until the penalty, after which it was only a question of how many.

Some of our intricate movement and passing is a joy to watch, but we should be more comfortable in most of these games. I know we keep saying it, but someone will take an absolute doing sometime.

Credit also to our keeper, who somehow managed to make two great saves on a night when Thistle didn't seem to have any shots at goal.

On to Inverness.

(bombjack of KDS)
I like the intricate stuff. It's something that the very best teams can do, and if you get it right, you can't defend against it – it's almost impossible.

That being said – you also need to know when to pull the trigger – and I think a lot of the time we sometimes we play the intricate stuff without anticipating that we'll be getting a chance to pull the trigger.

Commons for all of his weaknesses, has that awareness to know that when he next gets the ball, he'll be trying to feint, and then hit – the rest of the team don't have that coded into their play. I'm not saying that everyone should be like this – but it's one of the reasons why he scores so many from the edge of the box – whereas our other players are less inclined to do this. If Bitton added that part to his game – ie awareness to know that he should be having a go with some of his possession, rather than passing it on, as he usually does – he'd just be a truly phenomenal player – because he has the technique to get shots on target, low and hard.
But – he doesn't attempt shots enough. Brilliant player though.

Standouts for me last night – Armstrong and GMS – and Izzy had an interesting 2nd half, at times almost having a free reign to go wherever he wanted.

Gordon – 2 things to do all game – and came up with the goods. Between him and Forster we've been incredibly spoiled.

Thistle played well – but I sensed the penalty coming about 5mins before – their defending got a bit more desperate – and once the penalty was despatched there was only one winner.

Was disappointed we didn't get more goals though – it was a complete 2-nil humping.

We really need some class in the striking department.

We've got plenty of workrate – but little top class quality in the strikers…

Teams

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)
• Audio Report: Paradise Report

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –

Stats

Celtic Partick Thistle
Possession
43% 57%
90mins

Shots
18 5

On target
7 3

Corners
6 4

Fouls
6 8

Articles

Celtic 2 – 0 Partick: Celts overcome ten man Jags
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/celtic-2-0-partick-celts-overcome-ten-man-jags-1-3741317

ANDREW SMITH
23:55Wednesday 08 April 2015

IN SOME ways, Celtic’s latest confident step towards the title could be considered emblematic of their league campaign. With the gap between Ronny Deila’s team and Aberdeen still at seven points, the numbers suggest a challenge that isn’t really there anymore.

Scorers: Celtic – Commons (44 pen), Johansen (64)

Likewise, the 2-0 scoreline last night could give the impression that Thistle ran their hosts close. In reality, Alan Archibald’s side were run ragged – even before a crucial red card and penalty just before the interval left them a man and goal down at the worst possible moment. The wonder of it was that only Stefan Johansen – the captain for the evening – added to the advantage gained by Kris Commons’ spot-kick after James Craigen had been sent off.

Throughout, the movement, marauding and slick interplay from the home team meant there was never any question of them registering the victory that represents another obstacle negotiated on their march towards a fourth straight championship. Such was the control of Deila’s side, that a defence that had conceded only three goals in their previous 16 domestic games was rarely placed under any pressure. Craig Gordon still produced two fine saves, mind.

The conviction that the title has been decided in all but arithmetical considerations certainly would appear to be shared by sizeable clumps of the Celtic support. The sizeable clumps that, on a fine spring evening during the holiday season, elected to ensure there were sizeable clumps of the seating exposed at Celtic Park.

In the websphere many of the club’s faithful are forever protesting how much they are enjoying the new Celtic as moulded by Deila operating in the new reality of a Rangers-free top flight.

This view does not seem to correlate to the numbers prepared to go and watch a side that are not only champions-elect but could be six weeks away from snaring a treble.

Last night, they could have brought up a different sort of treble in rapid order with a trio of decidedly convertible chances coming and going within the first ten minutes. Indeed, within two minutes Celtic had allowed the Thistle goal to lead a charmed life twice.

Storming forward from the first whistle, sharp passing allowed Stuart Armstrong to chip a ball into the front post where Virgil van Dijk was lurking. The big defender swished a foot out to flick the ball towards goal and, with keeper Scott Fox beaten, the nonchalant effort clipped the crossbar.

That was in 59 seconds. Within another 59 seconds a casual approach to getting his shot away when only eight yards out from Johansen allowed Conrad Balatoni to sprint across the box and block.

The Thistle defender clearly got a taste for putting his body in the way of goalbound efforts because after throwing himself at John Guidetti to head away the header he had set in motion, the centre-back then proved the rock on which a low accurate effort from Gary Mackay-Steven foundered.

This early pummelling from Deila’s men served to indicate that the drive within the Celtic side owes more to the promptings of the club’s ever-urgent captain Scott Brown. The Scotland midfielder was absent through suspension last night, and it was something of a surprise that the Celtic manager gave the armband to Johansen.

Thistle manager Archibald also proved less than predictable in going with two strikers for an assignment that had taken on a greater significance following Ross County moving to within a point of the fourth-bottom Maryhill side thanks to their win over St Johnstone on Tuesday night.

Three wins and a draw from their previous five games had been achieved through backline solidity evident in the fact that Thistle had gone more than 300 minutes without conceding a goal. Scoring them hasn’t always been straightforward.

Archibald’s boldness in fielding two forwards produced only one notable moment in their opponents’ penalty box across the opening period, Gordon requiring to hang in the air to slap his palm on an effort that seemed to be drifting towards his net that was the result of a real acrobatic hitch-kick from Kallum Higginbotham.

Luck, sweat and toil accounted for Partick Thistle remaining on terms for so long last night and the former deserted them when seconds before half-time Craigen mistimed a tackle to haul down Armstrong after the midfielder had engineered a one-two with Guidetti.

Craigen’s infringement made for that rarity – a penalty and accompanying red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity handed out by referee

Willie Collum that there could be no quibble over.

As certain as the dismissal was the subsequent spot-kick conversion by Commons, who drilled the ball in at Fox’s left-hand corner.

The anguished looks and turf thumping by Thistle players as an agonised Craigen made his way towards the tunnel were clear indications that the Maryhill side knew there hopes of taking anything from this Glasgow derby had evaporated. Yet the last rites took another 24 minutes to be administered with Johansen performing the ritual in eye-catching fashion.

There was a real stylishness to how the Norwegian back-heeled a ball to Guidetti from the left-hand edge of the box before darting forward and accepting a return that he despatched into the far corner with a low, accurate angled drive.

Celtic: Gordon; Matthews (Fisher 66), Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre; Bitton, Armstrong; Commons (Forrest 66), Johansen, Mackay-Steven; Guidetti (Griffiths 75). Subs not used: Zaluska, Ambrose, Stokes, McGregor.

Partick Thistle: Fox; O’Donnell, Balatoni, Frans, Booth; Craigen, Bannigan (Fraser 77), Osman, Lawless (McDaid 58); Stevenson (Taylor 55), Higginbotham. Subs not used: Gallacher, Richards-Everton, Wilson, Keenan.

Stefan plays a captain's role in Paradise victory

http://www.celticfc.net/news/7998

By: Paul Cuddihy on 09 Apr, 2015 09:10
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IT was a memorable night for Stefan Johansen. He scored his 12th goal of the season, and his second in consecutive games, to help the team record a 2-0 victory over Partick Thistle, replicating the scoreline against St Mirren last week.

The result maintained Celtic’s seven-point lead at the top of the Premiership, with the Hoops also having a game in hand over nearest rivals, Aberdeen.

The Norwegian’s performance against Thistle from first minute until last saw him rightly named Man of the Match, and on a night when he wore the captain’s armband for Celtic for the first time, it was a fitting end to a perfect night.

Of course, for a player who always works tirelessly for the team, the most important thing was the victory and three points, but he did admit that it was a proud moment for him.

“I enjoyed it and we did our job against Partick Thistle,” he said after the game. “We got the three points and maybe we should have scored more goals but I’m happy with the win.

“To be the Celtic captain is a big honour. It’s my first time and I’m proud to have been captain. It was also a big responsibility to take it with Scott Brown being suspended.

“I was vice-captain when I was at Stromsgodset, but this is my first time at Celtic.

“The manager told me earlier in the day but you still prepare yourself as you normally do. You know what you’re going to go out there and do, but I was honoured when the manager told me I was going to be the captain.”

And while he wore the armband on Wednesday night, Johansen will be happy to give it back to Scott Brown this weekend when the Hoops take on Inverness Caley Thistle.

And he also stressed that the Celtic team is full of players who lead by example.

“That’s also an important thing to remember,” he said. “Normally it’s Broony who is the captain, but we all need to be leaders out there and keep on talking and guys like Virgil, Nir, Jason – everyone keeps talking and everyone needs to be leaders.

“With the atmosphere, especially at Celtic Park, that can be difficult sometimes, but we just need to try and talk in the way we need to press – small details, but the whole team is good at that.”

And as for that all-important pre-match team talk within the Huddle, Johansen was keeping to the time-honoured tradition of not revealing what he said, although he did admit to being a bit nervous about taking on the responsibility.

“We talk about what we’re going to do in the dressing-room,” he explained, “so it’s just a last few words, but I struggled with my English!”

Manager delighted at another three points

By: Joe Sullivan on 09 Apr, 2015 10:56
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THE Hoops maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the SPFL with a comprehensive 2-0 win over Partick Thistle at Celtic Park.

The visitors’ goal seemed to live a charmed life when the match got underway and the Thistle defence was peppered by an array of attacks as wave after wave of green and white homed in on the target with a variety of moves.

However, the deadlock remained intact until the last minute of the half and, with another goal arriving in the second 45, manager Ronny Deila was delighted with another three points in the bag.

He said: “The performance in the first 15 minutes was very good and we should have scored one or two goals there.

“Partick Thistle showed that they are a good team and it was a game with a lot of tempo.

"We got our chances and we scored our goals and that was good but we should have been more effective. We had a lot of chances that we should have put into the net.”

The first goal arrived when Stuart Armstrong was felled directly in front of goal as he latched on to a through ball from John Guidetti, and James Craigen was sent off for the infringement.

Kris Commons duly tucked the ball way from the spot, and Guidetti was involved again in the 63rd minute when he played the final pass in an intricate move that finished with Stefan Johansen netting the second and last goal of the night.

The manager said of Guidetti’s input: “He had a big impact on the game and that was good. I’m happy for him showing that he got the assists, but I think he really wants to score as well – and that will come.”

Man of the Match, though, was Johansen, who was captain for the night in the absence of suspended Scott Brown and, as usual, he put in a tireless performance between both boxes and beyond.

The Norwegian midfielder also scored for the second successive game, taking his tally for the season to 12 – almost as high as the 14 goals it’s taken every team in the SPFL to score against Celtic so far this term.

And it’s Johansen’s work-rate at both ends of the pitch that has been noted in dispatches.

Ronny Deila said: “He’s a very important player. He’s a good player and working hard in communicating with his team-mates, so he did a good job against Partick Thistle and deserved to be the captain.

“He’s had a good season all along but I think he’s stepping up all the time, he’s very fit. At the end of the games he gets more chances, and that’s because he keeps on going when the others get tired and he’s improving his technical ability as well.

“Still he has some things to work on but he doesn’t lose the ball much so things are happening, and defensively we have only conceded 14 goals in the league this year, so the defence and the goalkeeper are very good, but Stefan is one of the pluses as well because he works really hard for the team.”

He added: “Together with Broony and Nir, that makes it very solid so he’s a good player both offensively and defensively.

“That makes it much easier and we have the ball 60 or 70 per cent of the match now and that’s what we want.”

Johansen is a front-runner for the annual batch of Player of the Year awards but the manager wouldn’t be drawn on choosing Johansen or any other player, preferring to leave that honour to the gentlemen of the media.

He said: “There are many good players at Celtic and also in the Scottish league and, as I’ve said before, I think the best players are at Celtic but it’s not up to me to choose, it would be very hard for me to choose and I don’t think it would be right for me to do it either.

“There are different positions but he has had a very, very good season.

“Like Craig Gordon, there are a lot of players who have done well here so I’ve talked about Virgil, I’ve talked about Jason, Nir has done well and Broony has been very, very good so you have to pick. I just see that our players are performing well.”

BBC
By Colin Moffat BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic maintained their lead at the top of the Premiership with a one-sided win at home to 10-man Partick Thistle.

Kris Commons converted a penalty just before the interval after James Craigen had been dismissed for a foul on Stuart Armstrong.

Stefan Johansen added a fine finish, running on to a John Guidetti flick.

The hosts spurned several opportunities to add to their lead but will be satisfied to remain seven points clear of nearest challengers Aberdeen.

With Scott Brown missing through suspension, Armstrong was given the task of filling the captain's deep midfield role.

But most of the home side's best work came through skipper for the night Johansen, who was a blur of industry in yet another impressive display.

Thistle grafted in the face of wave after wave of attacks but lacked an out-ball to relieve the pressure and this loss leaves them just four points above the relegation play-off spot.
Stefan Johansen scores for Celtic against Partick Thistle

Skipper for the night Johansen netted his 12th of the season

Celtic hit the frame of the goal inside the first minute when Virgil Van Dijk diverted a low, driven delivery from Armstrong up on to the crossbar from six yards.

Moments later, Johansen cut through the visiting defence and it needed a fantastic sliding tackle from Conrad Balatoni to block the midfielder's shot.

Balatoni denied another certain goal when he beat Guidetti to the jump in front of an unguarded net.

And a hat-trick of heroics from the Jags defender was complete when he got in the way of a Gary Mackay-Steven strike inside the penalty box.

Partick Thistle have not scored against Celtic in four meetings this season but came close on 21 minutes when lone striker Kallum Higginbotham connected with a Steven Lawless cross from the left and his volley was smartly pushed away by Craig Gordon.

Commons fired a shot over from long range but Celtic chances were drying up in the face of obdurate resistance from the well-drilled visitors.

However, the Maryhill side's good work was undone on the stroke of half-time when Armstrong ran on to a lovely return pass from Guidetti and was hauled down by a stretching Craigen near the penalty spot.
James Craigen is consoled by Frederic Frans after being sent off

James Craigen is consoled by Frederic Frans after being sent off

The Jags midfielder was sent off and Commons smashed the ball low into the corner from the spot-kick.

Fox made a good sprawling save to keep out a fierce strike from Commons after the break and the depleted visitors were hanging in doggedly as Celtic lost focus for a spell.

But the home advantage was doubled when Guidetti provided a clever assist.

This time the burly Swede was picked out by Johansen and the Norwegian was rewarded with a neat flick back into his path, allowing the midfielder to lash the ball low into the corner.

Fox stuck out a foot to prevent substitute James Forrest's angled shot finding the net and Armstrong had an effort deflected over as more and more gaps appeared in the overworked Thistle defence.

The closing 10 minutes were full of flicks and tricks from the cruising hosts and another replacement, Leigh Griffiths, should have tucked in Mackay-Steven's flashing cross only to somehow stab the ball wide.

Gordon made another fine stop from Gary Fraser as the visitors made a rare foray up the park and that was matched when Fox was able to direct a chipped effort from Johansen over the top.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 2, Partick Thistle 0.
90:00 +2:08 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 2, Partick Thistle 0.
86:14

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Scott Fox.
86:04

Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
84:09

Attempt saved. Gary Fraser (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
81:00

Attempt missed. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
79:47

Attempt saved. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the top centre of the goal.
77:36

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right.
76:32 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. Gary Fraser replaces Stuart Bannigan.
76:04

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
76:04

Lyle Taylor (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
74:12 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Leigh Griffiths replaces John Guidetti.
71:31

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stuart Bannigan.
71:22

Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
70:27

Darnell Fisher (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
70:27

Foul by Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle).
70:11

Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
69:52

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
69:52

Foul by Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle).
69:04

Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
68:21

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
68:21

Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
67:29

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
65:43 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. James Forrest replaces Kris Commons.
65:24 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Darnell Fisher replaces Adam Matthews.
62:22 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, Partick Thistle 0. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by John Guidetti.
61:55

Foul by Lyle Taylor (Partick Thistle).
61:55

Jason Denayer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
60:02

Attempt missed. Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
59:36

Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Nir Bitton.
59:02

Lyle Taylor (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
59:02

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
57:17 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. Declan McDaid replaces Steven Lawless.
56:57

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
56:57

Steven Lawless (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
54:14 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. Lyle Taylor replaces Ryan Stevenson.
53:45

Foul by Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic).
53:45

Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
53:03

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O'Donnell.
52:05

Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Adam Matthews.
51:34

Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Nir Bitton.
47:20

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0.
45:00 +0:26 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0.
44:49 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
43:47

Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
43:47 Dismissal

Dismissal James Craigen (Partick Thistle) is shown the red card.
43:47

Foul by James Craigen (Partick Thistle).
40:49

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
40:49

Foul by Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle).
38:33

Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Emilio Izaguirre.
38:14

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
38:14

Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
36:42

Attempt saved. John Guidetti (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
28:09

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
21:31

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
21:31

Foul by Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle).
20:34

Attempt saved. Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
18:19

Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
18:19

Foul by Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle).
16:57

Attempt saved. Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
11:37

Attempt missed. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
11:27

Attempt blocked. Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
8:57

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Conrad Balatoni.
7:13

Attempt missed. Steven Lawless (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
6:18

Attempt blocked. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
2:35

Foul by Kris Commons (Celtic).
2:35

Frederic Frans (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
1:57

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frederic Frans.
1:35

Attempt blocked. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
1:00

Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the left side of the box.
0:41

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen O'Donnell.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.