Celtic drew 1-1 in the Scottish cup quarter final clash with Dundee Utd yesterday. Thats in case you didn’t notice the score while you were screaming at the telly.
Leigh Griffiths’s second half header cancelled out Nadir Ciftci’s penalty to secure a replay on March 18.
The game won’t be remembered for the goals, or the football though.
“It was like there wasn’t a referee on the pitch at the end.
“It was chaos in the closing stages when there were six or seven things which went unpunished in our area – shoving and elbowing included.
“Two of their players should have been given a red card and there was a double offside for their third goal. It was like they would not allow us to win. There was a chain of mistakes.”
Thats not yesterdays game. Thats Manuel Pellegrini, then of Malaga, talking about Craig Thomson and Graham Chambers. The two were part of the team who took charge of the Malaga -Borussia Dortmund champions league game, where the Germans scored twice late on to progress to the semi finals in April 2013.
Graham Chambers. Where have we heard that name before ?
From Rangers Media, after the old club beat Aberdeen 2-1;
The first controversy arose in 17 minutes. Lafferty went in hard on Charlie Mulgrew on the touchline and the Aberdeen player did not like it.
He stupidly put his face into Lafferty’s face and the Rangers player went down. There did not seem a lot of contact but the intention was there and Mulgrew was sent off.
Assistant referee Graham Chambers helped Stuart Dougal make the decision and it was his say-so which led to the dismissal of Madjid Bougherra six minutes before half-time.
Bougherra slid in with his right boot raised trying to get on the end of a Steve Davis cross and he caught Dons keeper Jamie Langfield on the head.
It was a legitimate attempt to play the ball and it was completely accidental. Incredibly, Chambers called over Dougal and he flashed a red card. It seemed incredible that in a match of such importance, Chambers would make such a call.
The Guardian reported on the aftermath, when both Rangers and Aberdeen appealed the cards;
Madjid Bougherra is set to play in Rangers’ championship decider against Dundee United on Sunday after the red card he picked up during last week’s 2–1 win over Aberdeen was downgraded to a yellow by a Scottish Football Association review panel.
Bougherra will therefore be available to travel to Tannadice, where victory forRangers would secure their first title in four years at Celtic’s expense.
Aberdeen’s appeal against the dismissal of Charlie Mulgrew in the same game was also addressed by the review panel, who met this morning. The former Celtic player also had his red card reduced to a yellow and he will now be free to play against Hibernian at Pittodrie.
Chambers also added his tuppence worth to yesterdays game, which resulted in the dismissals of Virgil van Dijk and Paul Paton. The former perhaps a little harshly, and the latter extremely harshly, as he was nowhere near the incident.
Despite the chap who did commit the offence, Calum Butcher, being hauled away from the scene by linesman chambers, and wearing bright yellow boots which you would think could have aided identification;
Jackie MaNamara claimed that had the referee dealt with the original Scott Brown tackle, then the incident would not have happened.
Er, he did.
He waved play on as United were launching an attack on the left.
What happened next was entirely on the whim of Chambers.
A long discussion took place between Thomson, who had not seen the aftermath, and Chambers, who apparently did, and Thomnson was seen to say “Two Off ? “
The length of the discussion may well have been down to Thomson asking something like
” Are you bloody sure this time ? “
Now, Thomson didn’t do anything wrong here. He didn’t see the battling afterwards, and had waved play on after Browns tackle. He did miss Ciftci’s retaliation, where Brown got a kick to the head;
but so did Chambers, who was employing selective vision by this point.
Thomson cannot be excused though, for the decision to award a penalty when Aiden connolly fell over/dived in the box at the end of the first half.
It wasn’t a penalty, and to be honest, his sending off of Paul Dixon when the ball struck his arm to give Celtic a penalty was probably over the top as well.
So the game ended nine against ten, which would normally have ruined it as a spectacle, but in fact it was as exciting a game as any you’ll see this season.
A proper old fashioned cup tie. And dare I say it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Which leaves us looking forward to the League Cup final, and then the replay, and then the league game, as it appears the powers that be have decided that Celtic against Dundee Utd is the game everyone wants to watch, so we are going to play them another three times this month.
Except the replay might not be on telly.
18 March is a champions League night, and UEFA, who are protecting their product in a way the Scottish authorities can only dream of, won’t allow any games to be broadcast during their showpiece event.
Which could mean a six o’clock kick off…..
Probably better to leave it off telly, then.
Sportscene, the BBC Scottish football flagship, was surprisingly open minded about the game, with Michael Stewart and Pat Nevin discussin the red cards, and incredibly, Nevin even managed at one point to disagree with himself.
The general consensus though, was that the officials had a bad game, and the compliance officer will be asked to rectify things.
Paul Paton will have his red card rescinded, and may now not have to face trial for the assassination of John Lennon.
Calum Chambers will be awarded his red, unless United appeal that, and if they do, theres also a chance it may be downgraded to yellow, same with van Dijk, though he did put his foot on the lads ankle.
Brown may even be booked or sent off, but the referee did see that incident, and it may be considered dealt with, and possibly Aiden Connolly will be suspended for diving , because it was a dive.
Gary Hooper will be awarded a yellow, and theres a ban on watching Scottish games on the expected for Neil Lennon, although he will be allowed to follow the games on twitter.
Looking forward to the League Cup final ?
I am.
Where I expect nothing less than a sound thrashing for the Taysiders.
MacNamara took a leaf out of Aberdeens training manual yesterday, notice how quick uniteds forwards were to close down our defenders in possession. We’re not comfortable with that, and it rattles our players, meaning they take time to adjust during the game.
Its also worth noting how physical United were, not afraid to put the boot in.
Or could it be that other managers are being influenced by the Deila style of play ?
One thing to bear in mind, that was close yesterday, perhaps too close, and there was enough evidence for the more aware-or paranoid, its the same thing-among us to think that there will be more honest mistakes, more strange decisions, and perhaps even more evening out of the sides by reducing Celtic to ten men.
This treble ain’t gonna be easy .
Artur boruc was the young man in the photo yesterday, today, we know who two of these guys are, who’s the third one ?
President Eamonn De Velera the one who presented Celtic with the Irish flag or according to Radio Clyde the IRA flag!
Why is nobody talking about the worst and most dangerous tackle in the match; that of Mc Gowan on Stokes early on.
The referee was yards away from it and should have sent McGowan off but didn’t even book him.
That set the tone for the game and encouraged the United players to get stuck in.
What happened later was entirely down to Thompson, although I agree that the linesman was a fud as well.
It was a bad tackle from McGowan Tony, a yellow card and a free kick to Celtic should have been enough.
I would have sent Stokes off.His times up.
There’s only one John Guidetti,can’t put the ball in the net-y, but we don’t care, cos he’s a super swede and the Huns are Deid, walking in a Guidetti wonderland .
Eamonn de Valera saying to Jock and Ceaser, ” That cup looks big enough to contain Rangers ( IL) ashes”!
Terrible pitch, corrupt officials and a big game ruined early on.
Brown and Van Dijk should have got a yellow, Butcher should have got a yellow, McGowan a yellow and Dixon a red.
Connolly should be given a yellow for diving and a 2 match ban for simulation.
Czerzniak the utd goalkeeper should be given a yellow for having a great game.
Ciftci should be given a red for violent conduct ( again).
So John Guidetti is singing about the Huns being deed, so?
You should have finished the song by shouting ‘ Tiocfaidharla’!
Monti good morning you old hag
Call me paranoid but there are 4 people in that photo!!!!
I could be wrong but is the 4 th guy Rico Annoni ?
With Lenny gone, I’d almost forgotten my Fenian paranoia: “Just because you think everybody’s out to get you doesn’t mean they’re not…” I’d almost forgotten about the Masons in Black. Van Dijk is a key player so at least they know where to go first. United was snarling and breenging from the very beginning, because we stole their only two footballers and exposed the rest as cloggers. Anyroad, we live to fight another day. It would be good to have Virgil for the Cup Final though.For once, we’ll have a good rest and the pitch should be better than against the Huns. I think we can and should hammer them like we did once before.
I see how thin our squad can be if you take away all the players who may not measure up to the fitness regime. We need a good left back to sub for Izzy. Generally,we are missing Mulgrew who can always put a shift in.
I’m assuming Virgil will be ok for Sunday?
Will Matthews and Commons be fit?
We need to vary our style with a plan B and so a 4-4-2 might be better?
Gordon
Matthews/Van Dijk/Denayer/Izzy
Commons/Brown/Bitton/Johansen
Griffiths/Stokes
If 4-2-3-1 then:
Matthews/Van Dijk/Denayer/Izzy
Brown/Bitton
Commons/Johansen/Stokes
Griffiths
We need to move more quickly (a good pitch would help) We need to expect them to also press us at the back. We need to pass better. We need to take our chances. We need to convert more set pieces into goals (Denayer/Van Dijk/Bitton)We need Stokes to focus.
For all their shenanigans yesterday, we need to teach the Arabs a lesson in real football. Cloggers do not deserve to win cups and at least we are not cloggers.
One trophy at a time.Keep the heid.
C’mon the Hoops.
p.s. I don’t do tactics well. Some of you other bhoys help me out here.What do we have to do next Sunday to win our first trophy this season, based on yesterday?
The only place I’d give Stokes is on the bus that takes him to F**k. He was appalling, not for the first time, and was imo the main reason we have to play the tie again.
Totally agree with you about Stokes, setpieces, 1 of 100 beats the first man, passing is woeful, he should never be allowed to grace the hoops again.
Have to agree Stokes was and is not good enough, why he is allowed to take corners or free kicks .. I know not.
On a plus note Johansen is developing into an exceptional player.
100% waste of space.Totally agree.Has a cheek to moan at other players.
What about Brown getting kicked in the head? Surely the UTD player will get done for that!
Devoy, one answer. A fit Commons.
HH
A Boy of the Old Brigade – Former IRA Commander Eamonn De Valera.
Not considered a terrorist of course once his side had won their war…..
I predicted the draw for the semi’s, Inverness a stonewaller, when we dispose of the Arabs, when do you think the sfa will realise we know thier corrupt plan, I also feel sorry for the other linesman yesterday…… having to work with incompetent colleagues,
Always Celtic 1st…..
Commons back, Matthews back….could make the difference
If in doubt blame Stokes, He was no worse than Forrest, Johansen or Griffiths, Give the bhoy a break We are CELTIC SUPPORTERS .
I agree with the mentality of getting behind the players, however Stokes was shite.
He can deliver tho and we must keep the faith.
The pitch didn’t help anyone yesterday, it was a leveller.
Although it wasn’t on the level,like the officials!
I support every Celtic player,but Stokes shouldn’t have started.Missed chance of the match.Greedy to shoot at times,when pass was better option.Deliveries from set pieces very poor.Has the cheek to moan at other players,when HE is the weak link.
Need I go on…..
He should have went to Leeds in January,then he wouldn’t have been playing yesterday.
Holy sea,
The time for players to go should be at the end of the season not in January m8, we will need all hands to the decks for the remainder of the season.
What the fuck was Izaguirre doing keeping the ball in and giving it straight to a Utd player which led to their ‘ penalty ‘?
He is an experienced international defender!
A top left back is needed in the summer in my opinion, Izzy has been a good servant, but I don’t trust him all the time.
I know what your saying,Monti.But if we need Stokes hands,or more precise his feet
(can’t remember last time he scored with his head) then God help us.Furthermore his LAST goal was on 14’th December.
Sorry,Monti,Stokes is a liability.I would go as far as to say,he cost us a victory.
I thought the chance of the match was the penalty, which Griffiths took, not stokes
Disagree.Stokes is running in on goal,time to pick his spot.Keeper is of his line,and he makes an arse of it.
At penalty,keeper is on his line,gets lucky,by going right way,and makes good save.
Difference is,Griffiths HIT target.Messi often misses penalties.Rarely does he miss a one on one.
Aye, it’s cawed a pattern. Check out his Euro stats. As for Griffiths & Johansen-they’re the reason we’re still in the tie. Remove your free state specs.
Three aspects beat us yesterday, the pitch, the referee/linesman and their keeper.
Firstly, the pitch was not conducive to good football and suited the DU players more than us. In the first half, how many high balls did we knock up to Griffiths.
Secondly the officials could not wait to give decisions against us, particularly in the first half, the penalty decision was a disgrace even although Connelly dived.
Thirdly, their keeper had a blinder and any other day we would have stuck four or five away.
Roll on next weekend
Ralph
I have been out of circulation for over a week but from what I have read and heard my circulation might have been badly affected by the many goings on over the last week or so.
Our triple jelly seems to have developed the wobbles given yesterday’s events and a mind boggling defeat last Wednesday. I think I remember a warning from you about eyes-off-the- ball just prior to the St. Johnstone game. Talking of eyes, it appears Specsavers are due a massive increase in sales from the SFA due to blue mists appearing more frequently in front of officials at Celtic matches. I am informed our own Scottish breed of officials have out shone their European counterparts this weekend with baffling decisions and red eye. Of course, for the latter it is simply bias whereas the former is just blatantly bogoted. I have not watched the Dundee United game yet but I am told our sterling referee Mr. Thompson retired to his Chambers for judgements and decision making, an action that merely amplified the ongoing cacophony of errors. Perhaps our sidelined (if only he had been) official was a connected to this chamber,
“Anechoic Chamber” a room designed to completely absorb reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also insulated from exterior sources of noise. The combination of both aspects means they simulate a quiet open-space of infinite dimension, which is useful when exterior influences would otherwise give false results.”
I understand this is the preferred residence of the MSM, SFA, SPFL and the government, especially when assessing the emanations from down Govan way, where they can “filter” sounds to suit their agendas. The reality is, all of their chambers are most often used for taking the piss.
On to Sunday and a rematch of the remaining warriors of both sides, those not steeped in red that is. It is hoped there is no repeat of yesterday as the government might find it necessary to demand the promotion of its second most important institution to raise the standards of behaviour both on and off the pitch and to make games more exciting. This is a government that provides ministers to see not as others see, to hear not as others hear and to speak naught but praise especially at League Cup replays. And with a king, albeit a convicted usurper, now at the helm of this footballing exemplar, who is to challenge such a recommendation.
You know, the Ibrox fiasco has been a laugh a minute. It has all of us suffering belly-aches either from over indulgence in jelly and ice cream or too much laughing, but the Daily Ripup has taken farce beyond spaced-out belief, to an undiscovered world of reporting beyond human comprehension, to an inconceivable journalistic galaxy. It has travelled to fantastic realms of idiocy “to boldly go where no man has gone before”. Actually, that is not true. It has sheepishly travelled to those places for most of its existence. However, some of the current drivel seeping from its engines may be too much even for never-say-never Scotty to fix. I think some of its moonstruck sports writers (it is fiction we are talking here so no comments) need to be “moon beamed” down rather than up if they ever want their two big feet to get back to earth from inside the black hole of their gaping mouths. I must say, as a man with not much time on my hands, I am getting somewhat tired of waiting for oblivion even with the regular bowls of jelly and ice cream, even with the constant belly laughs and even with my total frustration. Time for warp speed to extermination for both those who chuck away snippets of succulent lamb and the fawning dogs that froth at the mouth in anticipation underneath the rotting table. The the sooner the better for all of Scottish football.
And Ralph, I like a good laugh as much as anyone but, please, give the monkeys a break and stop embarrassing them by publishing their selfies, especially in that state.
H H
Ralph
I have to take a few days off and the moderator decides to dock my comment. I am going to a tribunal 🙂
H H
At least we live to fight another day. The cowpat resembling a pitch did Celtic no favours.
The decision to send of the tw players was not the referees but the supposed linesman, the penalty was a dive but it was the linesman who should have spotted it.
If Cifti does not get a ban of his clearly dangerous lash out at Broonies head then we know the SFA only retroactively find fault with certain clubs. His actions could have caused serious injury, the laptop loyal as usual missed it.
Just heard (don’t know if true) that United have contacted groundsman at Celtic Park and asked if he could plough up the park and not roll it as that is what United are used to playing on and feel a flat surface favours Celtic!!
The guy Paton, when’s his court case for thumping the holy goalie mk2?
As Marilyn Monroe used to say, “That was a real Ding-Dong!!”
Recently this site recently declared that the 80s were back. They sure were, as yesterday again proved. The sheep and the arabs as our main rivals, assaults, dodgy decisions galore (not least to let chopper cifti play), and the now common field-of-the-Somme whenever Celtic are due to play.
All that was missing was Hamish McAlpine doing his best to break someones leg. Perhaps the standards have been raised in the 21st-century, now they kick him in the head!
Never thought I’d be looking forward to 3 more games with the same opposition.
I really hope raith beat ict, thus sickening the positioning of the Inverness side ahead of us; but I am just paranoid.
Good stuff today again. It is time that substandard playing surfaces are addressed at SPFL/SFA level. even the also-rans in the EPL keep their playing surfaces in good order. I’m pretty sure the EPL would act very quickly if they thought the less expensive sides were allowing a degraded surface or purposely degrading their playing surface. Some kind of standard would help and then clubs would be obliged to meet at least the minimum requirements of the standard – grass and flat! I suspect we will see more dodgy surfaces, more watering above the norm. Anyway I think there is something iffy about it. Conspiracy!!