2017-08-08: Celtic 5-0 Kilmarnock, League Cup

Trivia

• League Cup, Betfred Cup, Second Round
• Tierney is made captain (youngest ever Celtic captain), and caps it with an incredible 40 yard goal. He is growing match by match.
• Astana European Cup game next week, so 8 players rested.
• Average age of Celtic's back four tonight; 19 years, 5 months. But hardly tested.
• 3 teenagers & a 20-year-old captain Tierney in back 4, lead Killie 3-0 at interval.Griffiths (2) & young Ralston the marksmen.
• Celtic now 50 domestic games undefeated. Including wider UK & our 2 Champions League games v Man City, it's 52.
• The Green Brigade were conspicuous by their absence at Celtic Park on Tuesday night despite their ban being lifted. The club took action against the “ultras” following the use of flares and illicit banners at the last two home games. Though the majority of the group were allowed back into Celtic Park for the 5-0 hammering of Kilmarnock, many chose to stay away. Around 900 had been suspended but around 150 claimed to be still barred, but GB are in discussions with the club.
• Dunfermline chairman Ross McArthur has vehemently denied the rumours of historic match-fixing involving his side and Rangers. Claims to the contrary were made on a Celtic fans’ website, who said the SFA were investigating the East End Park side. However, McArthur insists the probe only concerns their 2013 administration and doesn’t involve any other Scottish club.
• Sevco fans have started a petition calling for the titles won during the Second World War to be officially recognised by Scottish football’s governing bodies.
• Transfers
• Paddy Roberts: Is he or not coming back? On loan or permanent?

Review

(fatboab of KDS)
a great Tuesday night at the footy.

I was a bit dubious when I heard the team, as winning the Treble is nice, but as I said at the weekend, BR has earned our trust tenfold.
The kids were terrific. The back four must be the youngest we've ever fielded, and I was impressed with the three youngsters ( sorry KT), especially Ajer, who looks strong and composed, if maybe half a yard slow for the very top.
Hayes did better the longer the game went on, Kuassi looked excellent until he got injured, and Benyu gave his all.
Tierney's wonder strike was obviously the high;light of the evening, but some of the football we played was brilliant, albeit against relegation fodder.
The squad is in a good place right now, and to finish the game with 6 Academy players on the park is hugely encouraging.

(Morav of KDS)
Was an excellent performance all round. Didn't give Killie a sniff all night, and ran them ragged all over the park. It could easily have been more than 5. Killie obviously aren't a particularly good team, but we took what they put in front of us and destroyed it in style.

Tierney was outstanding. That goal :wub:. Koussi looked the part before his injury. Ajer was composed, and looked good bringing the ball out from the back. Ralston looks a nice solid player. Griff was Griff. Rogic was Rogic. Those little drop shoulder turns are sublime. His decision making outside the box wasn't always the best, though. Benyu looked a bit…eh…raw. Hayes worked hard, got into some good positions, showed a bit of pace and skill, but was let down by his final ball overall.

A decent outing, even with the one man green brigade at the back of 104.

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Stats

Celtic
Kilmarnock

Possession
Home70%
Away30%

Shots
Home26
Away2

Shots on Target
Home12
Away0

Corners
Home9
Away0

Fouls
Home9
Away7

Articles

Celtic 5 – 0 Kilmarnock: Youthful Celts sweep aside Killie

Celtic's Leigh Griffiths fires the third goal past Kilmarnock goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald. Picture: SNS/Alan Harvey
ANDREW SMITH
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/celtic-5-0-kilmarnock-youthful-celts-sweep-aside-killie-1-4526105
Published: 21:57 Tuesday 08 August 2017
The ease with which Celtic swatted aside Kilmarnock to seal their place in the last eight of the Betfred Cup served as yet one more of example of the anointed status of manager Brendan Rodgers. It also proved another occasion to marvel at the irresistible rise of Kieran Tierney.
The 45th win of the Irish manager’s 49-game unbeaten domestic run was hardly unexpected. Nor was it a surprise that Leigh Griffiths was the man to do the early damage, or that the team he appeared in should be much changed from the side which dismantled Hearts in the Premiership opener on Saturday.
However, what couldn’t be predicted about last night was that Celtic would prove so imperious while fielding no fewer than five teenagers – three of whom formed their back four.
Or that Tierney, at 20, would prove not just the old head, but would also be the captain and claim an astonishing goal.
In being given the armband, the possibility of his becoming Celtic’s youngest captain in a competitive game was raised.
It was an honour he didn’t half embroider with an almighty hit from fully 35 yards to make it 4-0 with 25 minutes remaining. An effort that took off like a jet plane to practically leave a trail as it nestled in the top right hand corner of Jamie MacDonald’s net. It was a pearler on a night full of highlights for Rodgers’ men.
It is sure to have been extra-special to Tierney, who didn’t even occupy his regular left-back berth. Instead, the Scotland international partnered Kristoffer Ajer in the centre of defence. With 19-year-old Calvin Miller on the right of the backline and 18-year-old Anthony Ralston on the opposite flank the average age of home defence was 19.5 years. Surely some sort of club record?
In the early stages it looked like another would be set as Kilmarnock failed to make it over the halfway line for the opening quarter of an hour. It wasn’t that Celtic were doing anything exceptional, though 19-year-old winger Kundai Benyu – a summer signing from Ipswich Town – scampered down the left in lively fashion and a fifth teenager, Eboue Kouassi, looked eager in central midfield.
What was unmistakeable, though, was the supine nature of Lee McCulloch’s men. They didn’t look like a fellow Premiership side of Celtic’s but lower division cannon fodder. Yet, in their ranks they have a clutch of experienced performers in defenders Gordon Greer and Kirk Broadfoot and attacking players Chris Burke and Lee Erwin.
Greer and Broadfoot were defenders at the other end of the spectrum from those of Celtic and they had a night in complete contrast. The Rugby Park side were up against it from the 13th minute when Jonny Hayes burrowed into the visitors’ box and appeared to be impeded by Jordan Jones. Referee Alan Muir was willing to give the KIlmarnock man the benefit of the doubt but standside assistant Frank Connor flagged and a spot kick was belatedly given. An award that Griffiths slotted away without thinking.
The Scotland striker did likewise when Tierney chipped a ball forward that Griffiths controlled on his chest before setting off and stubbing a shot wide of MacDonald from the edge of the area. It was sublime finishing and made it 3-0 on the half hour, Ralston having doubled Celtic’s advantage a little earlier when he powered his sturdy frame into the air to meet an outswinging Griffiths corner and bullet a header high into the net.
Celtic’s young team did not have it all their own way, though. Kouassi was lost to an awkward fall as the interval neared and Miller did not have as many opportunities to make a splash, while Benyu was replaced to loud applause by Callum McGregor with 20 minutes remaining.
That ovation sounded like one man clapping compared to the acclaim given to Tierney for his strike that could not have been hit any sweeter.
He knew it as he took off to celebrate, turning to the main stand and thumping hand to the Celtic crest on his shirt as has become his trademark expression of his bond with his boyhood club.
Tierney may now have become the £25 million player at Celtic and one coveted even more than the injured Moussa Dembele. Last season, Stuart Armstrong was the third Celtic player talked about as a future incomer to the English top flight. His contract situation seems to have left him unsettled but last night he too enjoyed a scoring moment, neatly turning in a Ralston cross to complete a five-goal rout for an unstoppable home side.

Brendan Rodgers: Kieran Tierney is made to be Celtic captain
Celtic's captain for the night Kieran Tierney celebrates with Calvin Miller at full time. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS
ANDREW SMITH
Published: 23:13 Tuesday 08 August 2017
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Brendan Rodgers insisted last night that Kieran Tierney was “made” to be Celtic captain after the 20-year-old produced a goalscoring display as he became the club’s youngest skipper for a competitive game in living memory.

Tierney, who led a side featuring five teenagers, hit a 35-yard howitzer as Celtic demolished Kilmarnock 5-0 to book their place in the Betfred Cup quarter-finals. Rodgers was emphatic that the youngster, deputising for the suspended Scott Brown, could fulfil his destiny in the role.
Rodgers said “Scotland have a huge talent” in Tierney. Of the captaincy, he said: “He’s made for it, there’s no doubt about that. We’ve got some real senior guys at the club. I could give anyone the captain’s armband; Craig Gordon or Mikael Lustig. But if you’re talking for the future once Brown’s time is up – which won’t be for a few years yet – then he’s made for it.
“He’s of that ilk. Kieran doesn’t waste his time doing stupid things, he’s concentrated on his football. He lives his life to be a player, he’s not drinking, he trains like an animal every day and wherever you ask him to play he plays it to a high level. Tactically he’s improving all the time and he’s an absolute joy to work with.
“He would fit the mould of a captain, he’s certainly got the credentials. You have to be careful what age you give it to them but there’s no doubt he’s on that journey to one day lead the club for sure.
“He took great pride in winning the Dafabet Cup against Sunderland [in the pre-season friendly]. It means everything to him, to go into the huddle and say his speech. He’s one of those young guys that really inspires through his performance.”

BBC

By Kenny Crawford

BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park

Leigh Griffiths followed his double against Hearts on Saturday with another brace against Kilmarnock

Five teenagers started for Celtic as the League Cup holders swept aside Kilmarnock to reach the quarter-finals.

Leigh Griffiths scored either side of Anthony Ralston's first senior goal for the club to make it 3-0 at half-time.

Captain for the night Kieran Tierney netted a wonderful strike from distance that will long live in his memory and the fans who witnessed it.

Stuart Armstrong tapped in to cap a straightforward night for Celtic and a sore one for Kilmarnock.

It was not a birthday to remember for Kilmarnock's Kirk Broadfoot as he and Gordon Greer looked to forge their new central defensive partnership in testing circumstances.
Anthony Ralston scores
Anthony Ralston rose to power home his side's second of the game.

Only Craig Gordon, Tierney and Griffiths continued with starting berths from the Celtic 11 that began the weekend's 4-1 Premiership victory over Hearts.

Manager Brendan Rodgers offered more first-team experience to Ralston (18), left-wing-back Calvin Miller (19) and recent signing from Ipswich Town Kundai Benyu (19).

Kristoffer Ajer (19) and Eboue Kouassi (19) were the others under the age of 20 handed the responsibility of helping Celtic get off to a smooth start in defending one part of the domestic treble they captured last season.

Tierney was deployed as a centre-back beside Ajer, who spent much of the 2016-17 campaign on loan at Kilmarnock, but the home defence had little to do.

Not so at the other end, and a silly foul from winger Jordan Jones on Jonny Hayes handed the hosts an early penalty that Griffiths fired into the bottom corner.

A memorable moment for Ralston soon followed when he headed in Griffiths' corner kick after being given too much space by the Killie defence.

Goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald could not stop that one but he did well to beat away a stinging effort from Griffiths and he went on to make an even better stop from Armstrong later.

The visitors had started Lee Erwin up front in place of Kris Boyd but the ball rarely made its way that far up the pitch as Killie were pinned back.
Kieran Tierney scores
Kieran Tierney scored his side's fourth with a sublime long-range effort

Tierney highlighted his ever-increasing skill-set in many ways in this match. Playing as captain and centre-back was only the beginning, as he impressed with a nice threaded pass to set up Griffiths for his fourth goal in two games – the striker springing a half-hearted Killie offside trap before calmly slotting in to give his team a 3-0 lead at the break.

Tierney then sent a 40-yard screamer high into the top corner for Celtic's fourth. It was a terrific strike that the man, already capped four times for Scotland, will struggle to better in what promises to be a bright future.

The busy Hayes scampered down the right for his second assist of the night, sending an inviting low cross for Armstrong to side-foot home from close-range.

One negative for Celtic was a nasty looking injury for Kouassi, who was taken off after jarring what looked like his knee or ankle.