2018-03-11: TheRangers 2-3 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2017 – 2018 | 2017-18 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic effectively seal the league title; media were comically claiming a Sevco title challenge was back on the cards before this game.
• Celtic win after being down to ten men! Celtic were behind twice, and then were down to ten men when score was 2-2 but then came back to score winner.
• Celtic 9 pts in front with game in hand & +39GD
• Lots of bizarre decisions against Celtic, but red card was arguable yet still on balance correct.
• Lustig out suspended; Boyata returns & starts; Armstrong returns but is subbed on late.
• Bain debut as De Vries & Gordon are out injured. Concedes after just 2.5 mins but wasn’t his fault. He had a good game.
• Scott Sinclair came under attack at Glasgow Airport following match The Englishman was waiting to board his flight in the BA Lounge when he was verbally attacked, according to the Daily Record, by three individuals. Police were called and the trio were not allowed to board their flight and escorted from the airport.
• A sectarian flyer for a march organised by Sevco ultras has triggered a cop probe just days before the match. Controversial supporters’ group the Union Bears sparked fury by advertising the march to Ibrox for the “match against the fenians”. The poster for the event – posted on Facebook and Twitter – appears to show a Celtic fan on the ground being kicked. Superintendent Alan Murray revealed police were probing the twisted promo – and urged people to boycott the march.
• Scott Brown announces international football retirement. Good for Celtic, disaster for Scotland national side.
• Ex-Celt John Kurila has passed away, RIP (1941-2018)
• Derek McInnes said to want to make another attempt to sign Ryan Christie on a permanent deal if Brendan Rodgers decides the midfielder doesn’t have a long-term future with Celtic. The Aberdeen manager failed with a similar bid for Christie last summer when his Parkhead counterpart took Jonny Hayes to Celtic in a £1.2 million deal.
• Scottish football fans have taken Charlie Nicholas to task after the pundit appeared less than enthusiastic about Scott McTominay pledging his international allegiance to Scotland rather than England. Nicholas criticised the 21-year-old and questioned whether he had picked his paternal heritage just so he could put “international footballer” at the top of his CV.
• Post-Note: Unintentionally, Edouard’s goal in the 3-2 Scottish Cup victory ended up creating a long running feud between Celtic and TheRangers. As Celtic had won despite going down to ten men, with Edouard scoring a peach, TheRangers retaliated as their fans went into meltdown with vastly reducting the away fans allocation. This led to inevitably tit-for-tat, and ultimately no away fans over the nest 6 years or so.

Review

“What’s the Goalie Doing Tom?? WHAT’S THE GOALIE DAEING??!!!!!”
Classic commentary on SevcoTV as Dembele scored his second.

Brendan Roders: “It’s definitely my most satisfying win [over Rangers],” said Rodgers.

Scott Brown: “We weren’t talking about that, it was them… We did our talking on the park”.

Scott Brown: “We’ve come here four times and won four games, so we believe we can win here all the time now. They did a lot of talking beforehand – we stayed quiet. We usually do our talking on the park.”

The posters on the programme sellers’ stalls outside Ibrox were prophetic. “The time is now,” they urged.

Inside The SPFL‏@AgentScotland 7h7 hours ago

The Rangers today reminded me of the Celtic side of the mid to late 90s, came into the game in great form, scoring lots of goals and started the game looking confident but after throwing everything at the Champions slowly begin to lose confidence & inevitably lose it in the end.

(London Thomas of KDS)
Given all the noise and bluster we’ve been hearing from the Huns online and in the media, I honestly don’t think the game could have gone any better.

They go 1-0 up in 2 mins to confirm their newly reborn superiority complex, they go 2-1 up with full battle fever foam slathering their lips, we go down to ten men with 35 minutes left and like Homer Simpson jumping the gorge on his skateboard the scum on Sevco media start declaring themselves ‘Kings of the World’ only to come crashing and bumping to earth as we give them a lesson in quality counter attacking football. And to top it off -the player they spent weeks lying about – reinventing him as a £10 million man to cover up their dire financial plight- misses a sitter of Van Vossen proportions.

I actually think that was preferable to another 5-1 humiliation.

Back in your box, Huns.

(The Man Himself of KDS)
Us
==

Brown & Ntcham were the biggest differences between the teams – but we were much more comfortable than the score suggests

Forrest isn’t (yet) a wing-back, so whoever is behind him on the right has too much work to do

Ajer is better central than right-sided in a back 3; but goes to ground far too quickly and often

Hendry is a better right sided centre back in a back 3 than Ajer

Boyata is at least a few weeks away from match pace

Simunovic was very unlucky not to prevent the 1st goal, despite giving Windass a 10m start – but his red card was stupid

Bain is remarkably composed and confident commanding his box – deserves a few more games to see if he can replace Gordon

Them
===

Murty has Rangers playing better football than any of his predecessors, but man for man, we’re better all over the park

Jack could be a decent left wing back for Rangers (balancing Tavernier on their right) – but was lucky to stay on the pitch today

Collum is back to his worst

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Articles

Five things we learned from Rangers 2 – 3 Celtic

ANDY HARROW
Published: 18:00 Sunday 11 March 2018
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https://www.scotsman.com/news/five-things-we-learned-from-rangers-2-3-celtic-1-4703854
Andy Harrow gives his take on Celtic’s win over Rangers as they extend their lead at the top of the table.

Celtic won’t be de-throned this season

When Josh Windass stole the ball off Dedryck Boyata three minutes into this frenetic Old Firm encounter and slammed the ball passed Scott Bain to give Rangers an early lead it looked like we’d have a genuine title race to look forward to. Although Tom Rogic quickly re-established parity, Celtic’s grip on the trophy loosened again when Daniel Candeias put Rangers back ahead.

Much was made in the build-up to the fixture of Rangers’ title credentials. Up until Christmas, a challenge by the Ibrox men looked fanciful due to their inconsistency as losses to the likes of Hamilton, Dundee and Kilmarnock halted any opportunity for momentum. However, a run of seven wins in nine Premiership matches, allied with Celtic’s inconsistent form, had brought Rangers to winning touching distance of the league leaders. Had they won on Sunday, it would have moved them to within three points of the top.

With Candeias’ goal came a feeling that the tide was indeed turning in Rangers’ favour. Celtic looked brittle at the back, uncertain in midfield and seemingly there for the taking. One of the more underestimated aspects of Brendan Rodgers’ side is their mental fortitude though. They settled, levelled late in the half and, despite Jozo Simunovic’s red card, managed to edge ahead for the first time thanks to substitute Odsonne Edouard.

An impressive rearguard action – and an inexplicable Alfredo Morelos miss – saw the Parkhead side to victory and, more than likely, another title. Instead of Rangers being three points behind it’s nine, and Celtic have a game in hand to boot. The green and white ribbons may as well be tied to the trophy now.

Both sides need to re-build their defences in the summer

This was a goal-laden Old Firm fixture and, while the strikers obviously played their part, a large portion of responsibility laid with the clowish defending from both sides’ centre halves. Dedryck Boyata started the ball rolling just 270 seconds into the game, as Windass picked his pocket to fire Rangers ahead, and the away side were repeatedly exposed down both flanks as they struggled to deal with the Murty’s wide men. The second goal came from such an attack, as Declan John was allowed time and space to cross into the Celtic box for Candeias. Despite having enough players in the box to deal with it, no one in a green-and-white jersey did and the Portuguese made them pay. Jozo Simunovioc has had a poor season and he blotted his copybook further with a needless swinging elbow into Morelos during the second period.

Rangers back line were just as culpable as Celtic twice leveled before taking the lead. After Windass’ opener, Tom Rogic was allowed too much time to pick his spot for the first and Fabio Cardoso – an early substitute for David Bates – failed to deal with a long ball as Demeble stole in just before the break. The defence was breached again during a rare Celtic second half foray, as Edouard was allowed to cut inside and fire past Foderingham.

While Celtic defended manfully in the second half – and Rodgers can take positives from Jack Hendry’s appearance and Kristoffer Ajer’s improvement – the continue to make too many individual and collective mistakes for a side with their lofty aspirations. For Rangers, equally, their promising attacking play is too often undermined by sub-standard defending. It’s something both sides will need to correct in the summer.

Morelos’ miss means questions will persist about his ability

How good is Alfredo Morelos? It’s a question that’s been posed with some regularity, but for which there doesn’t appear to be a satisfactory answer. On one hand, the Columbian has scored 13 league goals this season and has found the net in big games against the likes of Aberdeen and Hibernian. On the other, he’s a striker who should have scored more given the chances he’s presented with and who hasn’t yet scored against Celtic. Supporters and critics would have plenty of ammunition for their respective arguments after the latest Old Firm game.

Morelos proved a constant source of trouble to a shaky Celtic defence, pouncing whenever they looked hesitant and driving forward with the ball. A cheeky nutmeg and pull-back showed he’s a player in confidence. Yet, he also missed a couple of gilt-edged chances. On the first, he appeared to be through on goal, only to see his net-bound shot blocked by telescopically-legged Kristoffer Ajer, while only he will know how he managed to hit the post for a couple of yards out, with the goal gaping. His miss cost Rangers but he still remains the club’s best striker.

Celtic’s strength-in-depth proves the difference

It was the second time in nine days that Odsonne Edouard had made a difference from the bench. Last weekend, he energised a previously labourious Celtic to victory in the Scottish Cup against Morton and at Ibrox he made a telling difference again; scoring the winner only two minutes after replacing James Forrest. The striker is perhaps not as naturally talented as his strike partner, Moussa Dembele, but he’s no mug. At home to Zenit in the Europa League he came on and held the ball up excellently, easing the Russian pressure, while he’s shown in games against the likes of Motherwell, Hearts and now Rangers, that he has an eye for goal.

His appearance in the Old Firm game summed up the difference in the two squads. While Rangers brought on their own talented striker in Jason Cummings, their were few others Murty could turn to in a pinch. Rodgers, meanwhile, had no such issues. Indeed, the Celtic boss could afford leave Scott Sinclair, Patrick Roberts and Charly Musonda on the bench. While Rangers need to huff-and-puff with largely the same core of difference-makers, Rodgers has a surplus of players who can change a game, as Edouard proved.

Murty still has much to prove as Rangers manager

At 2-2, with Jozo Simunovic sent packing and with more than 30 minutes on the clock at Ibrox, Rangers were presented with the best opportunity to beat Celtic since April, 2016. Almost two years have passed since their Scottish Cup semi final triumph and the blue side of Glasgow have only managed two draws since. They – and Graeme Murty – could not have asked for a better chance.

It was one they passed up and so the painful wait goes on. This one would have hurt more than most of the others too; they were up against a Celtic side no longer invincible, certainly not impregnable and with a young, occasionally calamitous, back line. While Celtic improved defensively, they were helped by a Rangers side that suddenly seemed uncertain and who were shorn of the necessary nous to carve out clear cut chances. Yes, Morelos hit the post when he should have scored, but there were not enough questions asked of Kristoffer Ajer, Jack Hendry of Scott Bain.

Murty could point to the lack of attacking depth on his bench and Morelos’ miss as contributory factors – and he’d be right – but he must shoulder some of the blame. Murty has stabilised Rangers in recent weeks and they’ve found a creative verve and swagger previously missing, but against Celtic he was unable to come up with a way to score when it mattered most. Whether he likes it or not, Murty will largely be judged in his role by his performances against their nearest rivals and, while there have been some positives, this is a significant black mark against his name.

Rangers 2 – 3 Celtic: Edouard inspires ten-man Celtic to victory

Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard makes it 3-2. Picture: SNS/Rob Casey
Alan Pattullo

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/rangers-2-3-celtic-edouard-inspires-ten-man-celtic-to-victory-1-4703755
Published: 13:54 Sunday 11 March 2018
The posters on the programme sellers’ stalls outside Ibrox were prophetic. “The time is now,” they urged. And so it should have proved.

Rangers twice took the lead before seeing their opponents reduced to ten men with over half an hour of the second-half still to play.

Alfredo Morelos, who signed an extension to his contract at the end of last week, missed a chance near the end they will be recalling in Glasgow bars for years to come.

Continuing the theme of question marks on banners over the weekend, the Celtic fans unveiled one at the end.

“Title race? Know your place.” The celebrations of the Celtic players, led by an inspirational Scott Brown, told you everything you needed to know about the significance they were attaching to this win.

The Rangers players, meanwhile, seem to anticipate the sentiment displayed on the banner with their meek response when handed every opportunity to secure three points. Somehow they contrived to come away from a game where they contributed so much, particularly in the first-half, with nothing but regret.

Graeme Murty’s side seemed to wilt amid the expectation heaped on them after Jozo Simunovic’s red card for landing an elbow on Morelos 11 minutes after half-time.

This fixture might seem denuded in the eyes of the wider public. But there wasn’t a game played this weekend containing this amount of drama, intrigue and edge.

Throw in a red card, Celtic skipper Brown dusting down his “The Broonie” celebration and five goals, all of which were excellent, and you have the ingredients for a compelling afternoon.

Modern classic they were suggesting afterwards. The struggle the players had to keep their feet on the heavy turf merely added to the chaos.

Scott Bain, only told on the morning of the game he was definitely playing, was meant to be the nervous debutant. But centre-half Dedryck Boyata, on his 64 th league appearance for Celtic, exhibited all the signs of someone thrown into the deep end as Rangers sought to unsettle the visitors from the off.

So much else happened that even the Bain narrative seemed a little reduced in the end. The goalkeeper did, however, make two fine saves, the second to deny Josh Windass just before Morelos’ latest horror moment in the closing minutes.

The Colombian striker saw his effort from the rebound – and from around six yards out – hit the past and then roll along the line into the grateful Bain’s arms.

He also missed a glaring opportunity from a couple of yards against Ayr United in the Scottish Cup last month. But the consequences were not as grave then.

The intrigue started more than an hour before kick-off with the news Bain was starting for Celtic. It barely let up for the next three hours or so. Dorus De Vries was reported to have turned an ankle in training. So Bain, on- loan from Dundee after being recalled from an on-loan spell at Hibs, was handed his debut in more challenging circumstances than Brendan Rodgers might have wished.

The name of Ian Andrews, who conceded five at Ibrox after being pitched in against Rangers for the first time 30 years ago, could not fail to be evoked. As he saw two goals fly past him before he had even clocked up 30 minutes as a Celtic player, Bain might have feared an Andrews-style experience.

Celtic repelled Rangers’ efforts to get close enough to Bain to test his nerve – for the opening two minutes and twenty seconds at least. But then Boyata dallied on the ball and Windass was quick to rob him of possession. There was still plenty to do for the in-form striker. Windass advanced on Bain before sending a powerful finish into the roof of the net.

The fact Celtic were level after 11 minutes offered some clue as to the kind of afternoon we could expect. Kristoffer Ayer and James Forrest were involved before Tom Rogic received the ball in a position where he’s likely to be of danger. He dragged the ball on to his left foot and curled a delicious shot from 20 yards into the far corner past Wes Foderingham.

The goal was wounding enough for Rangers without David Bates being injured while trying to block the shot. He was stretchered off and replaced by Fabio Cardoso.

Rangers were only briefly put off their stride. A break down the left after Jamie Murphy fed Declan John saw the latter whip over a cross that reached Daniel Candeias at the far post after being missed by the Celtic defence. Candeias shot powerfully into the net via a deflection with Bain helpless.

But Celtic came back again on the stroke of half-time after a sustained spell of pressure. Brown was fouled by Candeias while in the process of making a pass forward to Dembele.

Referee Willie Collum’s decision to let play continue seemed to outfox the Rangers players, with both Cordoso and Foderingham slow to react. Dembele expertly held off the former before expertly hoisting the ball over the latter.

Doubts the game could sustain such relentless pace in the second-half were very quickly erased. Cardoso was booked for a foul on Dembele after 52 minutes and then what seemed likely to prove the decisive moment arrived four minutes later.

Simunovic threw out an injudicious elbow while tussling for possession with Morelos on the near touchline. Collum wasted little time in showing the defender a red card following instruction from near-side assistant, Douglas Ross.

Brown quickly called his remaining teammates around him before heading to the touchline to hear Rodgers’ advice.

This is where the manager, often derided by observers in England for opting to take the easy option in Scotland, earns his corn. He replaced Rogic with Jack Hendry, who filled in at right-back. Ajer moved in one to centre-half. Rangers seemed to run out of ideas.

Then Rodgers, noting how Rangers’ full backs were pushing on in search of a winner, sensed a switch to two strikers could see Celtic profit.

Odsonne Edouard was sent on for Forrest after 67 minutes and within two minutes curled a shot past Foderingham from just inside the box after Dembele’s flick released his strike partner down the left. Rodgers got the reward his adventure merit

BBC

By Bryn Palmer

BBC Scotland

7 hours ago From the section Scottish Premiership

Celtic celebrate their third goal
Moussa Dembele (left) scored his fourth goal in three games to lift Celtic

Ten-man Celtic twice came from behind to subdue Rangers and stretch their Premiership lead to nine points after a compelling Old Firm clash at Ibrox.

Josh Windass belted Rangers into a third-minute lead but a superb Tom Rogic strike soon had Celtic level.

Daniel Candeias fired the hosts back in front but Celtic responded with a delicate finish from Moussa Dembele.

Celtic had Jozo Simunovic sent off for an elbow before substitute Odsonne Edouard curled in the winner.

There was still time for an incredible miss from Alfredo Morelos two minutes from time, the Rangers striker poking against the post from two yards out.

That cost the hosts an equaliser and ensured a fourth straight win at Ibrox for Brendan Rodgers’ side, the first time Celtic have achieved that feat since 1909.

With nine games to play, and eight for Rangers, it also rendered any prospect of a genuine title challenge to the champions almost redundant for another season.

Celtic ‘showed champions mentality’
Rangers ‘threw it away’ – Murty
‘Title race over’ – pundits’ view

Josh Windass scores Rangers’ first goal
Josh Windass scored his 17th goal of the season to put Rangers into an early lead

A breathless first half was not three minutes old when the first goal arrived.

If it was a dream start for Rangers, buoyant after 23 goals in their past six games, it was a nightmare for Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata.

The Belgian centre-back, back in the side after a five-week absence, looked decidedly ring-rusty as he dallied attempting a flicked pass with the outside of his foot, just inside his own half.

The in-form Windass was on to it in a flash, rampaging into the Celtic area before lashing the ball right-footed into the roof of the net for his 17th goal of the season, and 11th in nine games.

Scott Bain, the on-loan goalkeeper making his Celtic debut after Dorus de Vries suffered an injury in training on Friday, must have wondered what had hit him.

But Celtic did not buckle, and after Kieran Tierney flashed an effort across the face of goal, they were level within eight minutes.
Tom Rogic scores for Celtic
Tom Rogic scored his first goal since September to bring Celtic level

Australian midfielder Rogic, picking the ball up in a central area 30 yards out, brushed off a limp challenge from Sean Goss before curling a superb shot into the far-left corner.

The effort took a slight deflection off David Bates, and in attempting to stop the shot, the Rangers centre-back landed painfully on his right ankle, and promptly departed on a stretcher.

The momentum switched again in the 26th minute. Again Boyata was at fault for Rangers’ second goal, failing to deal with Declan John’s volleyed cross from the left flank as Morelos got in front of him.

The ball fell invitingly to Candeias, who rifled it low into the opposite corner via a deflection off Tierney.

It was the first time Rangers had managed more than one goal against Celtic since Rodgers took over in the east end of Glasgow.
Rangers celebrate Daniel Candeias’s goal
Daniel Candeias’s goal put Rangers 2-1 ahead, but they could not hold onto their lead

But the champions showed their mettle to respond again before the interval. Dembele, with a header, and Callum McGregor, with a low drive, both forced Rangers keeper Wes Foderingham into good saves before the equaliser arrived in injury-time.

Scott Brown, picking the ball up in the right-back area, played a long ball up to Dembele, who held off Bates’ replacement Fabio Cordoso before lifting the ball over the advancing Foderingham.

If she second half was always likely to struggle to live up to the first for goalmouth action, it was not short of drama.

Cardoso joined Goss in referee Willie Collum’s notebook for a cynical foul, before Simunovic earned a red card for an elbow into the face of Morelos.

That was in the 56th minute, but after sacrificing Rogic to put another defender on in Jack Hendry, Rodgers sent on Edouard up front alongside Dembele.

The move paid dividends within two minutes, after Bain had saved well from Morelos at the other end.

Dembele played the ball into Edouard’s path and the 20-year-old Frenchman cut inside onto his right foot to stroke the ball into the far corner.

Rangers pressed hard for a late equaliser, but after Bain saved well from Windass, Morelos missed a chance that will haunt the Colombian.

Scott Brown 9
Scott Brown slaps down Rangers and insists Celtic do their talking on the pitch
Simply outstanding. Practically held the side together in the early onslaught and then dragged the 10 men over the finishing line.
Another one for his derby showreel.