2023-12-16: Celtic 0-2 Heart of Midlothian, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2023 – 2024

Trivia

KO: 15:00; Saturday; Celtic TV, league match 18
Pre-match: O’Riley says Celtic will respond to the 2-1 defeat at Rugby Park.
Back to the domestic, as European matches all over for Celtic.
Hearts first victory at Celtic Park since 2009.
Celtic have now effectively squandered the full 7pts advantage, but as Sevco have games in hand and play in League Cup final on Sunday, they have to get the max pts from those games in hand.
Frustrations amongst the crowd, and a few kicked out for their behaviour. directing ire at the board with shouts of “Lawell GTF” etc.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke and assistant John Carver are in the crowd at Celtic Park today.
Neither Lagerbielke or Nawrocki, Celtic’s two centrehalf purchases in the summer, are even on the bench! Kwon back in the squad.
We made ten signings in the summer transfer window worth a combined total in excess of £20M. One featured today. Around £17M worth of transfers watching on as we lose 0-2 at home to Hearts.
Celtic say talks are ongoing with the Green Brigade as the fans’ group continues to be banned from all home and away matches.
Reports: Thiago Araujo Portugese left-back Thiago Araujo is a ‘strong possibility’ for Celtic in January. The 22 year old Benfica academy graduate stands at 6ft & plays for Estoril in his homeland.
Reports: Celtic “are prepared to listen to offers” for defender Gustav Lagerbielke to go in search of regular football, having paid £3m for the 23-year-old in the summer. (Daily Mail, print edition)
Charity: As part of #ChristmasAppeal2023, @FoundationCFC’s #ParadisePitStop project opens its doors on Christmas Day between 12 noon and 2pm providing a free three-course Christmas dinner for those who need it most. Respect to all.
Celtic and the police have objected to a new mobile pub getting an alcohol licence near the football stadium over concerns about public safety on match days. Councillor Alex Wilson said: “We are talking about thousands and thousands of people going into this area. I don’t think this is properly thought through.” He expressed worry about kids being left outside while dads went in for a pint. Councillor Wilson added: “I don’t think football and alcohol are a good mix – particularly with this fan base.”
Politics: A former British soldier, known as Soldier F, will stand trial for two murders and five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday.
EPL: Rebecca Welch will make history as the first woman to referee an EPL match later this month, while on Boxing Day Sam Allison will become the first black man to officiate a top-flight game in 15 years.
Ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has namechecked Greg Taylor as the type of “influential” player he had at Celtic as an example for his Tottenham full-backs to emulate.
Former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung has praised Celtic’s South Korean players Oh Hyeon-gyu, Yang Hyun-jun and Kwon Hyeok-kyu for blazing a trail for Asian players in Europe.
Clubs will be asked to vote on an SPFL resolution proposing a ban on artificial surfaces in the top flight before the start of next season.

Summary

“We need to go out with the mindset that it’s about what we do on the day. We take the game to them and push them back; to be aggressive as we can.”
PreMatch: John Kennedy

“I’m surprised at home that we produce that level of performance. It disappoints me greatly. We’ve not shown the necessary determination and the passive nature of it with and without the ball was a concern. It’s a really sore one for the fans.”
Brendan Rodgers

“It’s an apology to the support. I don’t think I’ve ever had to do that in all my time here. The performance today was nowhere near the level of what is expected of a Celtic player and a Celtic team.”
Brendan Rodgers

“I want to apologise to the support. Our desire & passion was really poor. [Callum McGregor] was having to play two or three positions to get the team going… This result is on me.”
Brendan Rodgers

“It’s now time to show why you are a Celtic player and who is capable of being a Celtic player. We speak about this all the time, it’s never plain sailing.”
McGregor

Ex-Celt Chris Sutton @chris_sutton73 · “You can blame the board, you can blame the lack of atmosphere because of the Green Brigade not being at matches, you can blame the recruitment but ultimately Brendan Rodgers should be doing much better with the players he has at his disposal… it’s been bang average all season.”

CB of KDS:

Everything bad about our season domestically in one game.

Hart offering an opposition player 2/3rds of the goal to shoot at.

Taylor is NOT a marauding full back

Scales is a back up player

Turnbull neither quick enough or strong enough

MJ hasn’t kick on for 6 seasons

For Rodgers system to work you need pace strength and power.

We simply don’t have that. The manager cannot carry on putting square pegs into round holes

E-Tims @ETimsNet · 18h Replying to @ETimsNet Big boos at half time whistle. It was that bad that even Santa was booed as he walked round the ground at half time. One of the few smiles of the day. 3 changes at HT. Need to score early. Kyogo missed sitter in first few mins and that was in effect that on the field… No long hame. Where to start! Haven’t seen replays…2 set pieces…2 goals lost. Was Shankland standing on his own with a pint in one hand & Capstan cig in the other as he scored unchallenged? 2nd didn’t look like a foul. Cracking strike. Only Palma shot from us 1st 45. Dire… Frustration at not one 1st team quality player being bought this summer with £72m cash in bank & CL fortune guaranteed. Frustration that we are incredibly enough now weaker due to injuries (it happens) & not replacing Starfelt, Mooy & Jota with a squad DEP on projects…Frustration at all of us knowing at the end of last season we needed quality in many positions. Players with skill & ideally with a physical presence as we are light touch. We all knew it & yet our Board do as they always do, fanny around with zero ambition… As well as making our 1st team & squad weaker from last season as they took risk aversion to new levels, the board compound matters by banning the magnificent Green Brigade. Ground is like a morgue now as other Ultras also not attending in support of GB. The #Celtic board have zero self-awareness & simply don’t give a fuck for the fans ambitions. As cash in bank nears £100m they’ll pat themselves on the back while the team regresses from last season. They should not be there. No accountability. Mark their own homework.

@BP: We are just doing the same thing every week but with some some different players. Awful stuff. Needs 2 or 3 changes at half time but not sure what difference it will make without changing the formation or “tactics”

Andrew @Hullbhoy · 1h Every team has sussed out Rodgers tactics. Some of these players should be nowhere near Celtic. A player hanging around for 6 years and contributing next to zero in that time but is on the starting team sheet today is beyond crazy.

Highland__Paddy @Highland__paddy · 1h A weak club Players who accept what’s happening on the park A manager who has accepted what he has been given A support who have allowed it to happen A board who are happy to sit back and watch it

Teams

Celtic

Formation 4-3-3

1Hart
2Johnston Substituted for Ralston at 45′minutes
20Carter-Vickers
5Scales
3Taylor Substituted for Forrest at 71′minutes
33O’Riley
42McGregor
14Turnbull Substituted for Oh at 45′minutes
90Johnston Substituted for Maeda at 45′minutes Booked at 52mins
8Furuhashi
7Palma Substituted for Bernabéi at 62′minutes

Substitutes

19Oh
22Kwon
25Bernabéi
28Gonçalves Bernardo
29Bain
38Maeda
49Forrest
56Ralston
57Welsh

Hearts

Formation 3-5-2

28Clark
3Kingsley Substituted forSibbickat 45′minutes
2Kent
15Rowles
13Atkinson
Substituted forHalkettat 90+1′minutes
22Denholm Substituted forVargasat 65′minutes
6Baningime
7Grant Substituted forTaitat 85′minutes
19Cochrane
9Shankland
17Forrest Substituted forMcKayat 66′minutes

Substitutes

1Gordon
4Halkett
5Haring
11Oda
18McKay
21Sibbick
25Tait
30Tagawa
77Vargas

Goals:

Shankland (15′ minutes),
Kingsley (30′ minutes)

Assists:

Grant (15′ minutes)

Ref:Kevin Clancy
Att:

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

Match Links

Prior
Match
Post
MoTM

Stats

Celtic
Hearts

Possession: Home77%; Away23%

Shots: Home22; Away5

Shots on Target: Home5; Away2

Corners: Home18; Away3

Fouls: Home12; Away3

Articles

Kingsley’s strike seals perfect day in paradise for Hearts over Celtic

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/dec/16/celtic-hearts-scottish-premiership-match-report
PA Media
Sat 16 Dec 2023 17.29 GMT
Last modified on Sun 17 Dec 2023 02.30 GMT

118

Celtic fans turned their wrath on the board as Hearts consigned the home side to back-to-back league defeats for the first time in more than a decade.

First-half goals from Lawrence Shankland and Stephen Kingsley earned Hearts their first league win here since 2007. Shankland’s free header and Kingsley’s 25-yard free-kick ended Hearts’ 14-match losing run at Celtic and secure their first win here in 25 games, Michael Stewart’s penalty earned them a League Cup win in 2009.

Celtic’s defeat, on the back of last Sunday’s loss at Kilmarnock, leaves them five points ahead of Rangers in the Premiership but their Glasgow rivals have two games in hand. It was March 2013 when they last lost consecutive league games, against Motherwell and Ross County.

With the Green Brigade ultras group still banned, the atmosphere among the home fans was again flat but it turned angry for a spell late in the second half as Celtic toiled. One fan in the main stand sparked wider dissent when he shouted towards the Celtic directors, leading to chants of “sack the board” from around the stadium and more personal songs aimed at the chairman, Peter Lawwell.

The club’s summer recruitment again came into question with only one of their eight summer signings among the 16 players to feature.

Hearts won comfortably to give their head coach, Steven Naismith, a positive end to a week when his results and style of play came under criticism at the club’s annual general meeting. Hearts move up to third with this win.
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Celtic threatened first when Greg Taylor’s powerful first-time strike from 25 yards was pushed over but Hearts were ahead in the 15th minute. Jorge Grant’s deep corner found Shankland unmarked and the Scotland striker bulleted a header into the roof of the net for his 13th goal for Hearts this season.

Celtic pressed without testing Zander Clark and Hearts doubled their lead in the 30th minute after Cameron Carter-Vickers was penalised for a challenge on Nathaniel Atkinson. Kingsley again showed his dead-ball prowess as he curled the ball over the wall and into the corner of the net.

Celtic showed some urgency in response. David Turnbull’s left-foot strike forced a good save from Clark and Kyogo Furuhashi set up Luis Palma for what looked a certain goal until Kingsley threw himself at the shot to block.

Hearts continued to ask questions, mostly from corners, and Brendan Rodgers made three changes at the start of the second half. Anthony Ralston replaced Alistair Johnston, Oh Hyeon-gyu came on for Turnbull and Daizen Maeda made his comeback from a knee injury to replace Mikey Johnston but the home side failed to seriously threaten the Hearts goal.
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Rodgers said: “It’s an apology to the support. I don’t think I’ve ever had to do that in all my time here. The performance was nowhere near the level of what is expected of a Celtic player and a Celtic team.
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Naismith praised his charges: “It’s a big win because of the record. We needed a structure to work from, we needed to be disciplined, we needed to be composed on the ball and say, ‘no, we’re good enough to play against your press.

“We’ve shown every bit of that. We got the result we deserved.’

‘Sack The Board’…‘Lawwell Get to Falkirk’

‘Sack The Board’…‘Lawwell Get to Falkirk’

By Editor 16 December, 2023 4 Comments
[‘Sack The Board’…‘Lawwell Get to Falkirk’]
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It’s easy enough to throw the toys out of the pram after Hearts got a rare win at Celtic Park, the first since 2009 when Tony Mowbray was in the Celtic dugout.

The Celtic support made their feelings clear with the old ‘sack the board’ resurfacing and that seemed appropriate enough because that chant from the early 1990s was reminiscent of the football that we were playing back then when we had nothing at all in the bank.

These days we’ve got £70m plus and have just secured another £34m from finishing bottom of the Champions League group for the second season in a row.

The Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell, whose son heads up recruitment on behalf of the club, was also told to ‘get to Falkirk’ by the support and Brendan Rodgers can think himself lucky that he was excused, for now anyway.

Chris Sutton writing in his newspaper column this morning stated that Rodgers needed to be perfect from today until the winter break and that’s already up in smoke.

The first half performance today was abysmal as the two Johnstons went neck and neck for the worst performance of the season accolade, with Mikey just edging it as he draws a line under his own Celtic career. He risks taking the manager down with him as Rodgers continues to pick him.

David Turnbull hasn’t signed a new deal apparently due to concern over game-time. Best for all parties to call it a day now David, with a January move. Turnbull at least had an effort on target as a shell-shocked Celtic looked to recover a two goal deficit.

Kyogo hardly touched the ball in that first half where Luis Palma was in poor form but looked much better than Mikey Johnson.

And Greg Taylor continued to regress from the performer we enjoyed watching under the former manager.

Young Mitchel Frame could have been given a start today, instead he never even made the squad.

Kyogo had a great chance early in the second half but failed to make the vital connection with the goal at his mercy. That was as good as it got as the halftime subs Ralston, Maeda and Oh tried their best to raise heads and form but to no avail. It was painful to watch.

Bernabei replaced Palma before Taylor was put out of his misery being replaced by James Forrest who did more than the other three wingers put together.

The small away support lapped it up, they ask if this was a library, chanted about Celtic Boys Club, sang Cheerio and even did the Huddle.

Stewards were moved to the back centre of the front stand – just below the directors box as Kevin Clancy added on just four minutes.

But by then most Celtic supporters had gone and the boos for the halftime whistle were repeated by those still there to do it.

Celtic have gifted the advantage to theRangers in the title race throwing away six points in a week and losing a league match at home for the first time since the Covid season.

Earlier in the day the Celtic support chanted “stand up for the Green Brigade” but not everyone did, maybe a split down the middle on that one.

We have lost our identity as a team, playing inferior players and others out of form and/or confidence.

The first half at St Johnstone, the second half at Rugby Park and the 94 miserable minutes today add up to a huge cause for concern.

The club has the funds to sort this out in January but there has to be a willingness to do so. Before that Brendan Rodgers has to find a way to win every game up to and including St Mirren on 2nd January 2024.

And both the Green Brigade and the club ie both parties- need to bang heads together this week and thrash out an agreement that puts that issue to bed.

Today we put at risk our place in the richest Champions League tournament of all time. This has to be a wake-up call for everyone from the under-fire Chairman to the out-in-the-cold Green Brigade representatives.

Law and disorder at Celtic Park: How fans turned on board as Shankland sparks Hearts’ day of redemption

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/law-and-disorder-at-celtic-park-how-fans-turned-on-board-as-shankland-sparks-hearts-day-of-redemption-4448659
There was civil war inside Parkhead as Jambos torched 16 years of history
By Graeme Macpherson
Published 16th Dec 2023, 22:24 GMT
Updated 16th Dec 2023, 22:36 GMT

It started with one supporter standing up to vent his fury in the direction of Michael Nicholson, the Celtic chief executive. It quickly spread. Applause from all across the main stand for that passionate outpouring of emotion was followed by chants all across the stadium of “Lawwell, get out” and “sack the board”.

Soon the fans were at each other’s throats. One brave individual not reading the room tried to defend the directors but was quickly shut down by those around him and eventually ejected by the stewards, presumably for his own safety as much as anything else. His pal was turfed out not long afterwards.

There weren’t many left by the time Brendan Rodgers and his players, somewhat sheepishly, did their traditional post-match circuit of the stadium beyond the small clutch of Hearts fans who could scarcely believe what they had witnessed. Turning their backs to perform an ironic “huddle” in the away end was the final ignominy on a remarkable day at Celtic Park.
Celtic fans exchange words with members in the directors box including CEO Michael Nicholson.
Celtic fans exchange words with members in the directors box including CEO Michael Nicholson.

The statistics were damning. A first home domestic defeat since January 2021, the first time Celtic had lost two league games in a row for more than a decade, a five-point lead at the top of the table that will be erased if Rangers can win their two games in hand. What a mess Celtic find themselves in.

The loss last weekend to Kilmarnock was a warning sign but the midweek Champions League victory over Feyenoord was meant to be the spark that would get them back on track. Instead this was another setback so grievous that it threatened to spark a civil war.

The Green Brigade remain banned and instead of singing there was only jeering, cat-calls and angry remonstrations. There was a sarcastic cheer when Mikey Johnston didn’t return after an ineffective first half and howls of derision when Joe Hart twice came out to punch a high ball rather than catch it.

But mostly it was the directors who bore the brunt of the ire for a recruitment strategy that has left Rodgers with a squad ill-equipped to deal with even the most basic of challenges. Turning to his bench to try to retrieve a two-goal deficit, having stuck on Daizen Maeda and Hyeong-gyu Oh at half-time, there was nobody who could help beyond 32-year-old James Forrest. When the lesser-spotted full-back Alexandro Bernabei appeared to replace Luis Palma in attack it felt less of a substitution and more of a cry for help.
Stephen Kingsley scores to make it 2-0 to Hearts.
Stephen Kingsley scores to make it 2-0 to Hearts.

What ought to send alarm bells ringing was just how passive Celtic were in the second half as Hearts coasted through to their first league win on this ground since 2007. There was no fight, no spirit, no defiance. Bottom side Livingston are the visitors next weekend and Celtic – surely – cannot play with the same paucity of invention and verve as they demonstrated here.

In contrast, this was a day of redemption for Hearts. Under pressure following their defeat by Aberdeen last weekend and then a stormy annual general meeting in midweek, this was the perfect tonic for manager Steven Naismith as he steered Celtic to a first success in Glasgow’s East End since a League Cup win in 2009.

Once more he had cause to give thanks to Shanks. After all, where would Hearts be without Lawrence Shankland and his goals? Scrubbing around in the lower reaches of the division probably.

The over-reliance on one player to find the net is rarely a successful long-term strategy but for as long as their captain keeps his tally ticking over Hearts will continue to remain competitive.
It was a big win for Hearts manager Steven Naismith.
It was a big win for Hearts manager Steven Naismith.

Shankland had headed his team in front at Ibrox two months earlier and repeated the trick here after just 15 minutes. Celtic had survived an incursion into their box just moments earlier – the returning Cameron Carter-Vickers heading Stephen Kingsley’s cross away – but didn’t heed the lesson.

From the resultant Jorge Grant corner, Shankland was afforded all the time and space in the world to nod his team in front to claim a lucky-for-some 13th club goal of a productive season.

Hearts’ second was even better. Carter-Vickers fouled Nathaniel Atkinson and Kingsley’s free kick from around 30 yards out was perfect as it flew past goalkeeper Hart. There was less seen of Hearts in an attacking sense after the break but neither did they look in any difficulty at the back, with no sign of a Celtic comeback. This was a day to forget from their perspective, a joyous one for those in maroon.

Celtic-Hearts reaction: Brendan Rodgers apologises to fans, trio absolved from blame, Naismith has his say on huge win

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-hearts-reaction-brendan-rodgers-apologises-to-fans-trio-absolved-from-blame-naismith-has-his-say-on-huge-win-4448581
The Celtic boss admitted that the performance just wasn’t good enough against Jambos
By Ella Jamoniz
Published 16th Dec 2023, 18:37 GMT
Updated 16th Dec 2023, 18:37 GMT

Brendan Rodgers felt compelled to apologise to the Celtic fans for the first time after a performance as he admitted his side lacked desire in a 2-0 home defeat by Hearts. A free header from Lawrence Shankland and Stephen Kingsley’s 25-yard free-kick put Hearts two ahead inside 30 minutes and there was little sign of a Celtic comeback as they fell to consecutive league defeats for the first time in a decade.

“Our desire and the mentality right from the off was nowhere near the level of a Celtic team,” Rodgers said. “Very passive, and lacked fluidity. The game started a little bit slow, but our ability to keep the ball in the final third and create wasn’t quite there. Then, we got outdone very naively from a corner. The second goal was a fantastic free-kick, but, when you look at the build-up and what led to the free-kick, it was so passive it was frightening.

“It is a real, real sore one. For the first time I have been here, over my two periods, I would have to apologise to the supporters – because that level is nowhere near the standard of performances required at Celtic. Nowhere near it. That lack of consistency and mentality and desire, it is way, way off what this club demands. You’re sat there in mid-December with 60,000 in and that’s how you perform. It is not acceptable.”
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on during the 2-0 defeat by Hearts.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on during the 2-0 defeat by Hearts.

Only two weeks ago Rodgers claimed he had never been angrier as a manager following a similar first-half performance against St Johnstone. They fought back to win in Perth but have now lost to Kilmarnock and Hearts and potentially lost their advantage in the title race – Rangers are five points behind but have two games in hand. The Celtic manager absolved the “brilliant” Callum McGregor from blame along with Liam Scales and Matt O’Riley and added: “I can’t say I am surprised. I have seen performance level (dip) and (am) having to activate. When you are having to do that all the time then that is a worry.

“You can’t keep having to go into expletives, you need to find the solution and the ambition as a player to come into these games after a midweek game, after a good performance in the Champions League, you need to come into the game and produce the level. It always starts for me against the ball and when it’s so passive and you are not aggressive enough, that for me is always your desire and how much you want to win the game. Sadly for us that then goes on to the side when you have the ball and it just wasn’t good enough.”

Hearts ended a 14-game losing run at Celtic Park and secured their first win at the stadium since 2009. Manager Steven Naismith felt his side’s composure was the key factor. “The biggest aspect is when you win the ball,” he said. “You need to cause them problems, and I think we did that. Our composure on the ball leads to us getting the corner, it leads to us getting the free-kick that get us the goals. That’s not just luck for Shanks at the back post, it’s having a calmness in these big moments.

“Or whether it’s our defenders deciding they can see pass and they make the pass. I don’t think there’s a better team in Scotland that press than Celtic, they are really aggressive, they are really tough. And we played through it at times, we were good enough to do it, and that’s massively important when you are playing against the Old Firm.”

BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67667757
By Andy CampbellBBC Sport Scotland

Last updated on

7 minutes ago7 minutes ago.From the section Scottish Premiership
Stephen Kingsley scores a free-kick for Hearts against Celtic
Free-kick specialist Stephen Kingsley doubled Hearts’ lead

Hearts stunned the Scottish Premiership champions to secure a first away win over Celtic since 2009 and consign them successive league defeats.

Unmarked Lawrence Shankland headed Hearts in front from a corner and Stephen Kingsley’s stunning free-kick doubled the lead before half-time.

Luis Palma had Celtic’s best opportunity but was foiled by Kingsley’s last-ditch block.

Leaders Celtic remain five points above Rangers, who have two games in hand, while Hearts, in third, move to within 11 points of the Ibrox team.

Reaction & as it happened
Keep up to date with Celtic
The latest at Hearts

Brendan Rodgers’ side had taken heavy criticism following last Sunday’s loss at Kilmarnock but reversed that narrative with a stirring midweek Champions League group stage win over Feyenoord – the club’s first at home in 10 years.

An early drive from Greg Taylor forced a save from Zander Clark but it was Hearts, beaten in their previous two games, who looked the more comfortable and silenced the home crowd with Shankland’s early goal.

Cameron Carter-Vickers had been alert to prevent Kingsley’s cross finding Alan Forrest but then Celtic switched off, with Shankland waiting at the back post to convert Jorge Grant’s delivery from the left.

And, after Carter-Vickers had fouled Nathaniel Atkinson, set-piece specialist Kingsley lifted a superb shot over the wall and past Joe Hart. Celtic had been upset with the award of the free-kick.

Celtic were rattled and David Turnbull’s powerful effort brought out the best in Clark, then Kingsley came to the visitors’ rescue. Kyogo Furuhashi’s cross deflected into Luis Palma’s possession and his finish was blocked by the Hearts defender almost on the line.

Rodgers took action at the break with Daizen Maeda and Oh Hyeon-gyu added to attack in place of Mikey Johnston and David Turnbull while Anthony Ralston took over from right-back Alistair Johnston.

Palma almost found Kyogo with a lofted ball from deep, the Japan striker just unable to make contact for a tap-in.

That should have jolted Celtic into action but Clark was largely untroubled for the remainder of the match, due in no small part to Hearts’ disciplined display.

A late header from Kyogo was off target and Maeda could not get a toe to Oh’s low ball across as home fans headed for the exits.
Player of the match – Lawrence Shankland
Lawrence Shankland scores for Hearts against Celtic
The striker’s performance was not just a scoring one, he led the line superbly and further justified Hearts’ stance that it would take an “exceptional” bid to consider his sale in January
Statement win for Hearts – analysis

It was a statement win for Hearts and Naismith after an up and down season so far. He spoke pre-match about “doing most things right” with the ball and without it and that’s exactly what players delivered.

Among the aspects Hearts got right was having a spare man in defence to block low crosses and being first to the 50-50 challenges.

Celtic will lament both goals, naturally, but the finishing of Shankland and Kingsley was not only on point but well timed given Scotland manager Steve Clarke’s presence in the stands, though Kingsley did not return for the second half.

Rodgers has remarked on an inconsistency in Celtic’s performances, sometimes starting poorly and improving; other times dominating a first half then fading in the second.

This display was consistently poor throughout. Where Hearts had made the right choices in key moments, Celtic too often took the wrong option with passes, crosses and emphases.

Kyogo cut a frustrating figure in attack, Matt O’Riley seemed dragged into an unfamiliar wide right role and the returning Maeda possibly lacked the match fitness to make an impact from the bench.

The narrative will return to one of Celtic stuttering and misfiring. How they respond in the next two-and-a-half weeks before the winter break and the re-opening of the transfer window could define their season.

Match ends, Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.
90’+5′

Full Time

Second Half ends, Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.

90’+5′

Post update

Attempt blocked. Liam Scales (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
90’+4′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Craig Halkett.
90’+4′

Post update

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90’+4′

Post update

Foul by Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian).
90’+3′

Post update

Attempt missed. Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matt O’Riley.
90’+3′

Post update

Attempt missed. Alexandro Bernabéi (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Anthony Ralston with a cross.
90’+2′

Post update

Foul by Anthony Ralston (Celtic).
90’+2′

Post update

Kye Rowles (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’+1′

Substitution

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Craig Halkett replaces Nathaniel Atkinson.
89′

Post update

Foul by Daizen Maeda (Celtic).
89′

Post update

Macaulay Tait (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86′

Post update

Foul by Anthony Ralston (Celtic).
86′

Post update

Alex Cochrane (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. Daizen Maeda is caught offside.
85′

Substitution

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Macaulay Tait replaces Jorge Grant.
84′

Post update

Attempt missed. Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matt O’Riley with a cross.
81′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kye Rowles.
81′

Post update

Attempt blocked. Matt O’Riley (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Anthony Ralston.

80′

Post update

Attempt blocked. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Scales.
80′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.

76′

Post update

Attempt missed. Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by James Forrest.
75′

Post update

Offside, Heart of Midlothian. Frankie Kent is caught offside.
74′

Post update

Foul by James Forrest (Celtic).
74′

Post update

Barrie McKay (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick on the right wing.
74′

Post update

Attempt missed. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left.
73′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Beni Baningime.
71′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. James Forrest replaces Greg Taylor.
69′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.
68′

Post update

Attempt missed. Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Kenneth Vargas.
67′

Post update

Foul by Alexandro Bernabéi (Celtic).
67′

Post update

Beni Baningime (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
66′

Substitution

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Barrie McKay replaces Alan Forrest.
65′

Substitution

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Kenneth Vargas replaces Aidan Denholm.
65′

Post update

Attempt missed. Liam Scales (Celtic) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Callum McGregor with a cross following a corner.
64′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
63′

Post update

Attempt missed. Frankie Kent (Heart of Midlothian) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Nathaniel Atkinson with a cross.
62′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Alexandro Bernabéi replaces Luis Palma.
61′

Post update

Attempt saved. Luis Palma (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Greg Taylor.

54′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Toby Sibbick.
52′

Booking

Daizen Maeda (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

52′

Post update

Foul by Daizen Maeda (Celtic).
52′

Post update

Alex Cochrane (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
50′

Post update

Attempt blocked. Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aidan Denholm.
49′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Lawrence Shankland.
49′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Nathaniel Atkinson.
45′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Daizen Maeda replaces Mikey Johnston.
45′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Oh Hyeon-Gyu replaces David Turnbull.
45′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Anthony Ralston replaces Alistair Johnston.
Second Half

Second Half begins Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.
45′

Substitution

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Toby Sibbick replaces Stephen Kingsley.
45’+5′

Half Time

First Half ends, Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.
45’+3′

Post update

Attempt saved. Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by David Turnbull.
45’+2′

Post update

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Liam Scales.
45′

Post update

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Greg Taylor.
45′

Post update

Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
45′

Post update

Alan Forrest (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
43′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. Kyogo Furuhashi is caught offside.
42′

Post update

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

42′

Post update

Delay over. They are ready to continue.
41′

Post update

Delay in match because of an injury Stephen Kingsley (Heart of Midlothian).

41′

Post update

Attempt saved. Luis Palma (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the bottom left corner.
40′

Post update

Luis Palma (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
40′

Post update

Foul by Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian).
40′

Post update

Attempt blocked. Luis Palma (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked.
36′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Zander Clark.
36′

Post update

Attempt saved. David Turnbull (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Alistair Johnston.
36′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
34′

Post update

Attempt missed. Greg Taylor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Callum McGregor with a headed pass following a corner.
34′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
32′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. Luis Palma is caught offside.
30′
Goal!

Goal! Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 2. Stephen Kingsley (Heart of Midlothian) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
29′

Post update

Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
29′

Post update

Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
28′

Post update

Attempt blocked. David Turnbull (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Greg Taylor.
28′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
28′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
25′

Post update

Attempt missed. Matt O’Riley (Celtic) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is too high. Assisted by Luis Palma with a cross following a corner.
25′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.

22′

Post update

Attempt missed. Alistair Johnston (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Luis Palma.
21′

Post update

Foul by Alistair Johnston (Celtic).

21′

Post update

Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
20′

Post update

Attempt missed. Luis Palma (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Greg Taylor.
19′

Post update

Foul by Matt O’Riley (Celtic).
19′

Post update

Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
18′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. David Turnbull is caught offside.
16′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.
15′
Goal!

Goal! Celtic 0, Heart of Midlothian 1. Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian) header from the right side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by Jorge Grant with a cross following a corner.
15′

Post update

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Cameron Carter-Vickers.
12′

Post update

Attempt missed. Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Luis Palma with a cross following a corner.
12′

Post update

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Zander Clark.
12′

Post update

Attempt saved. Greg Taylor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Matt O’Riley.
10′

Post update

Foul by Alistair Johnston (Celtic).
10′

Post update

Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
9′

Post update

Delay over. They are ready to continue.
8′

Post update

Delay in match because of an injury Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian).
6′

Post update

Foul by Matt O’Riley (Celtic).
6′

Post update

Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
4′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. Luis Palma is caught offside.

4′

Post update

Offside, Celtic. Luis Palma is caught offside.
3′

Post update

Hand ball by Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian).

Kick Off

First Half begins.
Posted at 14:18

Post update

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.