2017-05-18: Partick Thistle 0-5 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2016 – 2017 | 2016-17 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic on 103pts, 30pts ahead of Aberdeen (second).
• 45 domestic matches unbeaten.
• Last week for the league season, last league game on Sunday.
• Celtic have matched record league points total as achieved in season 2001/02, and can break it on Sunday.
• Mini tiff between Rodgers & Griffiths sorted after little spat in the game, with a cuddle and kiss at end of the game.
• Roberts the hero with two exceptoinal goals. Celtic fans singing "Sign Him Up Sign Him Up". Is it possible? Affordable?
• Rangers court case over Craig Whyte at moment, giving us all great entertainment.
• Celtic to play Slavia Prague in a friendly soon.
• Aberdeen beat TheRangers 2-1 the night before, their first win against a team at Ibrox in around 25years.
• Banners in style of the Lisbon Lions 1967 era, 50th anniversary this week.
• Scottish Cup final v Aberdeen next week.

Review

Rodgers: "This was a team beginning to understand our game model and how we work and how the possession of the ball is key."

(searcher 52 of KDS)
50 years ago as a lad of 14, I watched my dad go mental when we won the big cup. Somehow it didn't quite impact on me to the same extent. So I'm conscious that I'm living through a very special time in our club's history once more. With that in mind (I never go to away games) I decided to go to this game tonight. I even persuaded a couple of friends to join me. We had to buy seats in their north stand but were considerate enough to sit well away from the bulk of their support. We were even very polite when each goal went in – well maybe we did go a bit ecstatic when Paddy scored the fifth.

At the end of the game – when of course most of the Thistle fans had left – we, and about another dozen Celtic fans stopped at the pitch side to applaud the good guys. Some nugget starts getting angry with the stewards track side saying " why do you allow you this? These people shouldn't be allowed here. Where's the segregation?" As I said to him " what's your problem? I've put money into your club." Makes you think, Scottish football actually doesn't deserve Celtic!

Despite that, a fabulous night altogether. I think I'll shed a wee tear on Sunday when we cross the winning line on so many records. My old da would have done the same.

(bricor of KDS)
This has been an incredible season,
the days post match I have woken with a grin across my face
this feeling does not leave for a few days

I have been a bit of a worrier pre match and dont count the chickens
(this due to many past experiences )
Now I am beginning to feel like I did in the 1966-67 season and beyond

Looking forward to the Hearts game and cup final with positivity
Brendan has shown what an excellent man manager as well as tactician he is

We won a watch with getting him.
Last night it was a brilliant display of total football a sheer joy to watch
To see how much the players enjoyed it was icing on the cake

What a time to be a Celtic supporter

(TinyTim of KDS)
if we win by two clear goals and Aberdeen draw or lose:

1. The league won by the biggest points tally in Scottish football history
2. The league won with more goals scored than any other side in Scottish football history
3. The league won with the biggest goal difference in Scottish football history
4. The league won with more victories than any other side in Scottish football history
5. The league won by the biggest margin in European football history

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Stats

Partick Thistle
Celtic

Possession
Home36%
Away64%

Shots
Home3
Away25

Shots on Target
Home2
Away13

Corners
Home1
Away3

Fouls
Home 11
Away6

Articles

Partick 0 – 5 Celtic: Rodgers’ men a step closer to history

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/partick-0-5-celtic-rodgers-men-a-step-closer-to-history-1-4450340
Celtic's Callum McGregor fires home the fourth goal against Partick Thistle. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

STEPHEN HALLIDAY
Forty-five down, two to go. The tantalising prize of season-long domestic invincibility looms large for Celtic
Brendan Rodgers’ side imperiously swept Partick Thistle aside to close in on an unprecedented feat which has appeared their destiny for some time. They have now completed 37 league games and eight cup ties without defeat against Scottish opponents under the Northern Irishman.
In this latest instalment of their remarkable campaign they smashed through the 100-goal barrier in the Premiership – Leigh Griffiths grabbing the landmark strike with their penalty opener – and equalled the club’s own record of 103 league points set by Martin O’Neill’s team in 2002. Few would bet against that being eclipsed on Sunday when they wrap up their Premiership fixtures at home to Hearts, before they turn their attention to the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen and a chance of a domestic treble.
If Thistle had taken any encouragement last night when they saw a Celtic line-up showing five changes from the champions’ blistering 3-1 win at Aberdeen last time out, it was soon dampened by a relentlessly authoritative start by the visitors. The omission of players such as Scott Sinclair, Kieran Tierney, Stuart Armstrong and Mikael Lustig was of little consequence to Rodgers’ side. It soon became apparent that it was a matter of if, not when, they would net that 100th goal.
Before Griffiths claimed the honour from the spot in the 18th minute, Celtic had already come close on a handful of occasions as they penned Thistle into their own half. James Forrest, deputising for Sinclair on the left of Celtic’s attack, looked eager to impress and cut inside to force a smart save from Tomas Cerny in the third minute.
Two minutes later, Forrest delivered a good cross to pick out Cristian Gamboa but the Costa Rican mis-timed his jump and headed over from close range. The one-way traffic continued, Patrick Roberts showing delightful footwork before drilling in a 20-yard shot which brought a superb save from Cerny.
Thistle were simply unable to stem the tide and were let off twice in quick succession as first Callum McGregor slid a shot wastefully wide from around ten yards after brilliant set-up play by Roberts, then Emilio Izaguirre struck Cerny’s right-hand post from close range.
The dam finally burst when Callum Booth slid in injudiciously on his tormentor Roberts to concede a penalty which even the Thistle left-back did not bother to debate. Cerny guessed correctly but was unable to keep out Griffiths’ well-struck kick which beat the keeper to his left. 
Griffiths is battling to earn a place in Celtic’s Scottish Cup final team amid the possible return to fitness of top scorer Moussa Dembele before then. The Scotland international was doing his cause no harm and it was his fine play which set up Celtic’s second goal in the 26th minute.
He drove his way into the Thistle penalty area before picking out Tom Rogic with a low pass. The Australian midfielder managed to squeeze the ball home via the inside of a post, despite the best efforts of Cerny who required treatment after colliding with the scorer.
He recovered to make a fine save to deny McGregor again three minutes later, allowing Thistle to cling on to some hope of a recovery which Liam Lindsay should have fuelled by doing better than heading his team’s first attempt of the evening straight at Craig 
Gordon from close range.
Celtic’s response was to put the issue beyond all reasonable doubt with a stunning third goal four minutes before the interval. It was a sumptuous and unstoppable strike by Roberts who shifted the ball on to his left foot and thundered it into Cerny’s top right-hand corner from around 22 yards.
Thistle made two changes at the start of the second half, Cerny succumbing to his injury as he was replaced by Mark Ridgers while Ryan Edwards took over from Abdul Osman.
Celtic were able to slip into cruise control and while the intensity of their play decreased, their control of proceedings remained unchallenged. There was a rare outing for Kolo Toure as the veteran defender came on for Dedryck Boyata for the last half hour, while Sinclair also stepped off the bench to replace Griffiths up front. A petulant reaction by Griffiths as he left the field wouldn’t have impressed Rodgers, although a conciliatory hug between the pair at full-time suggested he was forgiven.
Celtic had clicked back into top gear in the closing stages, McGregor making it 4-0 with a shot which bounced down off the bar just over the line, then Roberts fittingly having the last word with another long-range stunner.

Brendan Rodgers: I was protecting Leigh Griffiths

Leigh Griffiths exchanges words with manager Brendan Rodgers after being substituted. Pic: SNS/Alan Harvey
ANGUS WRIGHT
Brendan Rodgers and Leigh Griffiths ended Thursday evening by kissing and making up following an argument when the striker was substituted during the second half of Celtic’s 5-0 thumping of Partick Thistle.
The forward took exception to being replaced in the 63rd minute for Scott Sinclair but the Celtic boss explained to Sky Sports it was for the player’s protection with the Scottish Cup final up ahead and Moussa Dembele a doubt.

Leigh Griffiths embraces Brendan Rodgers at full time. Pic: SNS/Alan Harvey
Griffiths was forthright in his expressing his disappointment at being hooked, eventually being told to sit down and be quiet by Rodgers who shot him a steely stare.
But it was all smiles and kisses after the game as the players and management took acclaim of the Celtic fans in Firhill’s packed Jackie Husband Stand.
“I think for a wee minute he lost his show of selflessness for the team. But he is a good kid, a good boy. All strikers want to play 90 minutes but for me it is about the team; I’m looking to protect him, protect (Dedryck) Boyata, protect some of the other players who haven’t played tonight in order to make sure this team is successful.
“But he is a good boy, a good lad so we move on.”
Griffiths had opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 18 minutes and set up Tom Rogic eight minutes later in what was a dominant Celtic performance which took the team on to 103 points, 104 goals and one game away from completing an unbeaten league season.

BBC

By Chris McLaughlin

BBC Sport at Firhill

From the section Football

Highlights: Partick Thistle 0-5 Celtic

Champions Celtic are one game away from an unbeaten Premiership season after a dominant victory over Partick Thistle.

Leigh Griffiths scored a penalty after Patrick Roberts had been fouled by Callum Booth.

Griffiths turned provider for Tom Rogic's close-range finish and Roberts netted a stunning third before the break.

Callum McGregor scored with a shot off the underside of the bar and Roberts then curled in his second.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers continued to rotate his squad but no strength was lost as the likes of captain Scott Brown and defender Erik Sviatchenko came in to give others a rest.

The swagger

From the moment referee Andrew Dallas blew his whistle it was Celtic at their scintillating best.

The swagger witnessed for most of this season was in evidence from a side that had at least four players who would not be considered first-choice picks.
Leigh Griffiths and Tomas Cerny
Keeper Tomas Cerny (right) conceded three goals in the first half and went off injured at the break

The wide men in particular gave the Partick full-backs a torrid evening with Roberts looking completely unplayable at times. The man on loan from Manchester City floated and jinked past defenders all night.

McGregor and Brown provided the drive from the middle of the park – keeping the tempo high and their team-mates hungry. It was quite simply a side with complete belief in their abilities and evidence for anyone who needed it about just how far Celtic are ahead of the rest.
The goals

The opener came from the spot – Griffiths with his 17th of the season after Roberts was brought down by Booth.

The second was a rare scrappy effort from Rogic that bounced off both posts before nestling in the net.

Roberts' brilliance was rewarded when he curled in the third before the break. It followed fine build-up play on the edge of the box.

McGregor grabbed his fourth in five games as the clock ticked down in the second half. His effort smashed the crossbar and went over the line. The ball bounced out but the assistant referee called it in.

Roberts cloned his first and made it five with just minutes left. It was a fitting end to his and Celtic's night.

Like so many before them this season, the home side were simply outclassed. They had a couple of chances in the second half but in truth Celtic were toying with them for long spells. In terms of the season, their work was already done and it looked that way.
The records

It's 46 games unbeaten in all competitions, 104 league goals and a current total of 103 points.

The records just keep tumbling under Rodgers. The big one will be confirmed on Sunday if they can avoid defeat at home to Hearts at Celtic Park and become 'the invincibles'.

A draw or a win will give them their biggest points tally in a 38-league game season, with the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen and the chance to complete a domestic treble following on 27 May.