Jack The Lad sums the game up for us…
Celtic recovered from European disappointment as they struggled to a 3-1 home victory over St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.
Goals from Leigh Griffiths, Tom Rogic and Charlie Mulgrew returned the Bhoys to winning ways after an early scare from the Perth side.
Deila sprung wide changes to the Celtic side that suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the Champions League in midweek. Emilio Izaguirre returned to the side in place of Charlie Mulgrew, while the midfield trio of Armstrong, Johansen and Forrest were replaced by Mackay-Steven, Rogic and Commons as the Bhoys looked to bounce back.
However, Deila’s men couldn’t have got off to a worse start. Despite dominating possession in the early stages, the Bhoys looked anxious to carry the ball forward. Perhaps this was best highlighted in the 7th minute, where Nir Bitton miraculously looked like a lost child as he pondered on the ball inside the 18 yard box with two St Johnstone players niggling at his heels; the Israeli was lucky to escape without conceding a goal.
It wasn’t four minutes later before the Paisley side had the ball in the back of the net. After a defensive error from Izaguirre-totally out of character for the greatest Honduran left back the world has ever seen- allowed Michael O’Halloran time to fizzle a dangerous cross into the path of Boyata who turned into his own net for the second game in a row. It appears the old adage ‘If in doubt’ is lost on the Belgian, who has clearly decided to fuck the ball anywhere if he doesn’t know what to do with it.
Indeed, the poor start seemed to be offset by the hostility of a certain section of the crowd at the start of the game. As the players walked out, the divisive Green Brigade unveiled a banner which read ‘Gutless in Malmo, Clueless in the Boardroom.’ Make of it what you will, but the unfurling of the banner was widely condemned as boos emanated from all corners of the stadium, creating a tension which transcended on to the park.
Alas, the show must go on.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the Hoops to find their way back into the game. A neat piece of interplay between GMS and Commons before the 20 minute mark ended up with the ball at the feet of Griffiths. The red hot striker turned his man on the edge of the box and drilled a shot goal ward, which deflected off a St Johnstone defender before hitting the underside of the bar and nestling in the back of the net. The strike gave Griffiths his 25th goal in his last 32 games; a goal to game ratio greater than most in Europe at the minute. Not that I wouldn’t sign another a striker.
Having re found the taste for goal that deserted them in Malmo, Celtic pushed forward in search of another. Saidy Janko, who looked dangerous going forward, delivered a teasing ball from the right which the St Johnstone defence were unable clear. The ball found its way to the feet of GMS, whose miscued strike gifted Griffiths a free header which he could only turn into the side net.
From there on the Bhoys struggled to create a clear cut opportunity, with long range drives from Commons and Brown failing to cause alarm in the opposition backline. Perhaps an individual piece of brilliance to break the deadlock.
With flair and dribbling ability of Efe Ambrose left rotting on the bench, however, that appeared highly unlikely. Step up Tom Rogic. On the brink of half time, the Australian latched on to an Izaguirre through ball, produced a deft touch to get passed his marker, dummied another defender before slotting the ball passed the helpless Mannus at the near post. An early contender for goal of the season.
2-1 to the Hoops at half time but in truth the score line was flattering. Deila’s men appeared uninterested in deviating from the slow tempo in which the game was crawling through. A swift Norwegian boot up the arse was in order to liven the game up.
The second half certainly started more positively than the first. Kris Commons was the first to test Mannus, as he skipped beyond two St Johnstone defenders and had his lofted strike smartly saved by the Saints keeper.
A minute later Celtic captain Scott Brown was down injured after sliding for a tackle. Luckily for Deila the Scotland international was back on his feet and within a few minutes had re entered the field of play. The Norwegian however deemed it was not worth the risk, and replaced Brown with Mulgrew.
The Hoops gradually quickened the tempo as the Saints began to tire. Griffiths and Commons combined well on the edge of the St Johnstone area to force a corner on 65 minutes, from which Commons again was teed up for a long range thunderbolt which was tipped wide by Mannus in the Saints goal for a corner.
A lapse in concentration from the Perth side allowed the Bhoys to race into a two goal advantage. Commons played a short one two from the corner and whipped a menacing ball into 6 yard box. Virgil Van Dijk rose highest at the back post and managed to tee up Mulgrew, who made no mistake in nodding home from point blank range. 3-1.
As is becoming the norm, Celtic took the foot off the gas after sailing into to a two goal lead. A flurry of corners for the Perth side resulted in a golden opportunity for John Sutton, who blasted a volley into the stratosphere from 4 yards out after a defence mix up. When are the coaching staff going to realise zonal marking is a load of pish?
Before long Kris Commons was making way for The Rampant Fenian to make his home debut for the Bhoys. Scott Allan blessed himself before running onto the Paradise surface, proceeding to brandish a 30 foot tri colour as the ‘Broad Black Brimmer’ blasted from the Paradise tannoys. A rather muted entrance from the lifelong Celtic fan.
The prodigal son looked dangerous when he came on, but was unable to trouble Mannus after having two shots in quick succession.
Craig Gordon was called into action in the dying embers of the game as he produced an unbelievable double stop. A fizzed cross from the right was met by Brian Graham, who flicked the ball goal ward from point blank range. Gordon produced an instinctive right handed save, before the ball ended up at the feet of O’Halloran two yards from goal. The Saints player, who looked to have an easy tap in, stabbed the ball towards the net before Gordon flung his body towards the ball to tip wide of the post.
Overall, a decent result against an average Saints team. The tempo hadn’t picked up much from Tuesday night, but the sheer gap in quality was once again enough to see us through. Indeed, had it not been for a few world class Craig Gordon saves, the Perth side might have been looking at a share of the spoils. On a positive note, the Hoops are back to winning ways and we sit top of the table after Hearts collapsed at New Douglas Park. Up next it’s one of those bastardin international breaks, yawn, before a double header away to Aberdeen and Ajax.
Well I was at the game saw the banner didn’t hear any boos thought banner was hard hitting and true just what the players needed and that reptile Lawell and the rest of the board
Had me laughing a few times there Jack the Lad.
“The Paisley side; St Johnstone”?? ‘You been on the jungle Juice this early??
I was also at the game and can concur with the lad, it was booed followed by a cheer as it was lowered. Quite right too, be pissed off with the result, the players or the board but support the team on the park or take up Sevco watching.
Thanks for the laugh!