Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Cup -- FT 1-1
Well, as predicted Aberdeen were up for this and they fought for every ball.
It was no real surprise, when they took the lead (79min) when our defense was taken apart.
It had been on the cards - some of our defending was dodgy, our passing was abysmal, our midfield tredding water, and Aiden and Naka were having unusually subdued games.
We did have our chances earlier in the half (Skippy, Sno, Naka, etc etc even Paul H off the post).
But in that hectic last 20mins, Artur came to our rescue a few times when Aberdeen looked the likelier team to go thru.
It looked in vain though when they scored: I had visions of us with the cupboard bare come May.
But - true to tradition and with Artur coming up for a corner in 91mins - Sammy laid a lovely ball in for Jan to poke home. Cue hayhem among the Tic support, worldwide!!!
Celtic, PLEASE will you just beat this team 6-o in the replay and save my aul' ticker.
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21 comments:
1-1 was of course FT result: don't know how to edit after posting.
No matter, let's hope we can make good use of that "get out of jail" card!!!
We put pressure on ourselves with the missed chances. The only hope from them scoring was that there was over 10 minutes to go. Keeping going served us well. That free kick that Artur came up for, was it a free kick? :-)
As I said pre match, I will take a draw!
Forza
“Cue mayhem in the Tic support, worldwide”, cue mayhem in ma living room when, me having the exact same thoughts of the cupboard being bare wie only ourselves to blame, big Jan EVENTUALLY got his big toe on wan.
Ma mantra was in the last 10 mins, “We will get wan chance, we will get wan chance”- as oor play and the missed chances deserved the chance for us really to GET WAN MAIR CHANCE to blow it- but Arfur- looking slightly podgy- saved us, when we look died on oor feet.
We looked like a beaten team, we were carrying too many passengers- wie Donati one and he was only on for 15 mins, for the impressive Frosty- and oor main players were missing awe day. But…..we were still creating, worryingly missing though and I thought we had some decent performances from Sno, Hinkel and O’Dea- proved once again he is no full back- who gets a mention for a few decent baws in the box.
I thought we bossed the middle section of the game but in the true tradition of the game we love we were going to get sod all from it and end up going oot the cup wie a wimper.
Said in the first half to faither, this pitch was not for playing fitba’ on, we had to go slightly longer wie oor passes as oor short pass direct running game was not going to work. We did that for a spell, and I for one thought we played decently and couldnae ask for much mair on that pitch. Still give the ba’ away to cheaply though(would love to see frostys stats, I don’t think he misplaced a pass) something that at any level of fitba is a prempter for danger.
We hit the widwork 4 times, missed numerous free heiders, their keeper got MOTM so we did deserve the reply if not mair.
How many of us were screaming “wide, wide” when that ba’ fel to Mo at the edge of the box and what a superb slide pass by big Georgios for Big Jan. Wee GS celebration was great as was Tangomans face- goal is on 101 great goals for those wieoot Murdock Tv: see links- but ma nerves I was shaking like an alkie needing some diamond white wie a special brew chaser…..
But that’s why we are CHAMPIONS.
sixtaeseven said...
1-1 was of course FT result: don't know how to edit after posting.
Changed it mate, just in case you thought you did or you were just imaging you had typed HT.
ianinjesi said...
We put pressure on ourselves with the missed chances Keeping going served us well. That free kick that Artur came up for, was it a free kick? :-)
True, missing chances meant if we had gone oot we only had oorselves to blame like most things that have happened this season.
The free kick? I canny remember what it was giving for, so yes, it was a free kick.:-)
That free kick query was a tongue in cheek reference to the St Mirren game.
ianinjesi said...
That free kick query was a tongue in cheek reference to the St Mirren game.
Sorry, I don't think ma sarcasm came over in the Hail....::-)
Just listened to GS interview wie Chico Yung on the BBC site.
He praised the fans, surely that is not a direct answer to the MB's and that barstewards McCathy's article yesterday?
Said it's quite hard to not to be spured on wie your crowd fills a stadium, surely not a wee dig at the sweetie rustlers?
Asked why don't Aberdeen not play like that every week? When Chico pushed him on whether he was saying the sheep raise their game he said no, he just asked why they didnae play like that every week...
He said Caldwell had a guid game, now taking the piss......or was that sarcasm?
Hopefully that late goal will spur the team on to greater things although we don`t want to mpeak too early.
Just as well it wasn`t Neil Lennon doing what Walter was up to today!
mpeak should be `peak`, eek!
Forza
I'm looking forward to the highlights at 10pm to see Wallies fight wie Mixu.
4 game ban? Nah, a wee slap on the hands and a wee dinnae dae that again.
If it had been oor GS he would have been shot at dawn and his body driven in a horse drawn cart roond the streets of Larkhall for the locals to stone and spit on.
David Begg said "Walter is usually so dignified"
Fecking Arse.
Did you know that Celtic have come from behind in the last 10 minutes in 14 games under GS stewardship...
If today had been league fixtures, we would be in deep poo-poo. Can you imagine 2 pts further adrift?
I lost count of the number of times we tried to clear our lines, only for the ball to be picked up by an opposing player.
One instance of this nearly had my screen oot the windae, when Mick - with seemingly ages to do something with the ball- actually passed it to an unmarked Aberdeen player in a dangerous position.
How is it we can make perfect passes to opposition players, and can't do they same to our own?
Ach, that's a bit harsh...
I'm willing to accept there would be some sort of reaction to the Barca game (tiredness or whatever).
But there are lingering doubts about this team, the constant chopping and changing of the centre mid, the over-reliance on Aiden and the dead ball skills of Naka (which he left in the locker room this morning).
Some of Gordon's first picks are no more than squad players for me - and sadly, I include our current captain in that.
A captain should be an inspiration to the team. Today, when the heads were going down as Aberdeen started to dominate in the last 20 minutes or so, there was nobody in our ranks who looked capable of assuming that captain's role - least of all, young Stephen, I'm afraid.
And there are sterner tests than Pittodrie in the coming months...
Plus I can't believe Elvis was on the bench today - I thought he was oot the door and away wi Burley and Co. We already had 3 central defenders on the park, and could have reshuffled if need be.
I rate O'Dea as a central defender but couldn't understand why Naylor or Wilson or Caddis weren't anywhere to be seen. O'Dea is never a full back, although to his credit, he did whip in a few good crosses today.
What's the story with Wilson anyway - does he only get to play against Barca?
Still waiting for the huns to "implode" - there were some signs today BUT they still won...
Something's got to give soon, surely?
Bazza still not booked? Ach well, somethings never change.
Oh, nearly forgot - Novo's a stankmonster.
Nite all!
Walter Smith was showing the Rangers way yesterday. Like him? Not really but the press, radio and TV do.
They will not go down without a FIGHT!
Saw the highlights on TV and Cueller pulled the Hibs forward back, yellow card from the same ref who booked McGeady for heehaw at Aberdeen? Dinny be so daft!
Sixtae,
the reason that we play cup matches is to preserve the unbeaten league run and hopefully wins on Wednesday and Saturday will help to prove that. :-)
Was it O`Dea behind JVoH ready to put the ball in the net when Celtic scored?
Yes, I definitely rate O'Dea but I think it's an injustice to try to fit him in as a full back.
I don't understand our difficulty to get the full back situation sorted - what happened to Wilson and Caddis? I'm just assuming Naylor was rested/injured...
As for the currant buns, I've got a skeakin suspicion that once they lose one game, their four candles - yes, I actually saw it referred to it like that in the "press" - will snuff out one by one.
four candles ?
fork handles, more like!
:o)
Have to say that we came away with a replay that although over the peice we probably deserved, we rode our luck yet again.
Yeah we hit the woodwork 4 times but a miss is a miss and hitting the woodwork is not on target.
The Sheep also hit the woodwork twice in the second half (I missed most of teh first, wall papering a ceiling - once you start you cannot stop!), Hinkel cleared one off the line and THG had at least three wonder saves in the second half. Did we actually work Souter?
My issue is the midfield. Asked the same questions as to why O'Dea was playing out of position and where the hell were Conroy or Willow when Nails was declared unavailable? It is totally unbalanced.
Under a previous manager and also looking accross most of teh big and successful teams in the UK and in Europe, they operate with one player holding and another breaking forward in the CM role. e.g. Hargreaves or Carrick at Man Yoo; Flamini or Gilberto at Arsenal; Mascherano or Lucas at Liverpool; Mikel or Makelele at Chelsea. Pirlo at AC Milan, Edmondson (I think) at Madrid etc. Why then do we think we do not need to discipline our midfielders to sit in the middle and protect the midfield as Lennon or Lambert (when they had some pace) used to a few years ago?
Yesterday Sno and Hartley (who I think were two of our better players - indeed would happily persist with Frosty until the end of the season) seemed at times unsure who should break forward to support the forwards and wide midfielders and who should sit. This uncertainty, IMO spreads throughout the team, not helped by Mick and Caldwell both looking like little bhoys lost yesterday.
If one (preferably Hartley) breaks thenm that would leave the other (Sno) to sit and there would be some balance to the team. Yesterday, both were breaking forward, leaving the CM bereft of cover, which the Sheep midfielders poured into once their defenders had cleared the ball.
If having a holding midfielder is good enough for the best teams in Europe, why the hell do we think we do not need one?
Was frustrated yesterday as I felt we were playing well but the tactics were again wanting. Simple changes, such as dropping the bloody Zonal defence nonsense would make us a much better team with a bit of fight. At present, yet again, I am left wondering jhow much longer can our luck at times hold out.
Rugby very quiet BTW on Saturday Night after Murrayfield. Annoyed that the Irish, yet again performed poorly although my usual bug bear O'Gara, played very well IMO. Let down by a less than up for it forward pack.
Baldymeister,
I was thinking about the roles in midfield too. The thing is, there isn`t a natural replacement to Brown unless Mark Wilson is played in midfield. So we have Donati, Hartley and Sno vying for one position. Mick seemed to be a better communicator when he was first in the team. Maybe being `il capitano` has inhibited him. Stranger things happen every day.
Baldy, thinking about it, Hartley could do do the holding role effectively.
Paired with one of Frosty, Skoosh or Donut as the guy going forward.
Not exclusive, of course, but that could be the norm - if PH got an opportunity to break, his partner would adjust accordingly.
Ian, that's a couple of times you've mentioned Mark Wilson in the midfield role - did he play there before?
------------------
Artur for captain!
Oh, I forgot, he's a looney...
More seriously, now that Mick's got it, is that him for life?
Sixtae,
Mark Wilson did start as a midfielder with the Terrors before being eased into right back. It could be argued that his best spell at Celtic was at left back.
Replay on Tuesday 18th March.
Forza
reg mark wilson, a boy who plays 7's with us is a dundee utd fan and has always said wilson's best games for them were in centre-midfield.
yesterday felt like a victory in the end but it was the least we deserved.
O’Dea was behind JVOH at the goal, something he is very apt at unlike looking comfortable at full back. Willing to give GS the benefit of the doubt on this one due to the late nature of Lee Naylors call off.
Nayls was on the team sheet handed in at 11.30am so i’m thinking O’Dea was already one of the subbies wie Caddis and Willo-rightly rested- not listed or travelled wie the squad. I don’t think Elvis was one of the original 5 subbies as, i feel, O’Dea would have got that spot on the reduced subbies bench- only 5 for SC games- for his ability to play at FB and CB.
The midfield. I agree, there isnny a natural replacement from Broony. Yesterday, i said to FaitherG that i wondered who would sit at the base of the diamond formation in the middle as i see both Frosty and Hartley as those type of players.
Sure, the tactics must have been to swap around but both showed naivety and poor decision making as both were either to far forward or to deep. It’s easier wie Broony as the other player knows he is sitting and yesterday it would have been easier if Robson had not have been cup tied as he would have been the advanced player.
A Hartley and Broony midfield for me even though i have had Sno for thought!!!!!
A poster on KDS said that if we had signed Mick for a couple of million he widnae come in for the abuse that he does. I tend to agree if we had signed him for money i’m sure we would be saying we got oor moneys worth.
Strange but true: Mark Wilson and Mick both played in CM together for Scotland’s Catholic Schools. At Dundee Utd Willo did play as a holding midfielder- his best position according to Corky DOB McCall- and he has played there in a pre-season friendly for the hoops.
He is still the best LB at the club.....
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