MATCH REPORT:ABERDEEN 1 CELTIC 5

PRE-MATCH COMMENT. Traveled up by coach from St Andrews and was amazed to see so many Celtic fans without a ticket. What an effect the new signings and last week’s performance has had. It was also the first time this season that I wasn’t too interested as to which team was selected as any of the main permutations would have been exciting.

No Riordan or Donati on the bench!

BORUC ….…….5 Started off the game hitting two bad clearances and then missed with an attempt to fist the ball away. Had no chance with the goal.

HINKEL... ….. 5 Welcome to away games in Scotland! Lost his man on two occasions within the first 15 mins and struggled to make the forward runs which I think are part of his natural game.

CALDWELL….. 7 Apart from the earlier confusion he had with Hinkel, he settled into a very sound game.

McMANUS…. ….6 Found Millar a difficult opponent in the air but he gave a battling performance.

NAYLOR….….….6 Hit his usual amount of poor passes but every now and then he would produce an incisive pass/cross.

McGEADY …. …..9 MOM. Made the first goal, scored the second goal and capped it all of with the most sublime bit of footwork to set up the fourth goal. Just great to watch.

HARTLEY..…….. 8 Played in a forward, holding role and made sure that the Aberdeen midfield never got a minute to settle. He and Brown gave as strong and dominating midfield performance as I have seen this season.

BROWN …….. . 7 His industry and commitment was extraordinary. He tackled like a man possessed and covered every blade of grass for the cause. Still feel that we have not seen the finished article yet.

NAKA…….. …… 7 Was in the right place to score the important opening goal and his coolness and skill on the ball is wonderful to watch.

McDONALD ….. 7 Could easily have got his hat-trick but even 2 goals is catapulting this guy into the Henrik/Joe McBride category.

JVOH ………… .. 7 We should have signed Samaras earlier as the difference it has made (along with getting a run without being injured) to the big man is amazing. His effort and team effort have doubled in the last few weeks.

SUBS ………….1. SAMARAS …… 7 Came on as McDonald’s replacement to a great reception and did not disappoint. The Greek has a composure on the ball, allied to a very good footballing brain.
2. ROBSON……….7 I know that Craig scored with his first touch when he came on as a sub way back in 1977? But I doubt if he scored within the minute of coming on. What a free kick! He will prove to be a very good buy.

3. KILLEN……..3 Sorry, but the guy is a dumpling!

REF…………. (Thomson) 5 At half time I was thinking “what a good game he’s having. He’s allowing a few good meaty tackles and the game is sparkling”. He obviously rec’d a ‘phone call at half-time pointing out that this Championship could well be decided by goal difference and proceeded to turn down the most blatant of penalties after JVOH had been hauled down and to cap it all he booked Aiden for his first foul.!

THE GAME ……8 A step up in performance from the Killie game meant that as a Celtic fan you just loved it. It wasn’t as though Celtic had all their own way as Aberdeen should have scored twice in the first 20 mins. One other brilliant aspect was the fact that we stood for the whole game…………..just like the good old days.

GOALS ………. 1st Caldwell won an important interception, fed McDonald who managed to retain control before feeding McGeady. Aiden skipped down the wing, sent over a cross that deceived the Aberdeen defence and there was Naka to slide the ball home.
2nd Aiden is now on the right wing and makes one of his trademark cut insides, leaving McNamara in his wake, and then fires the ball home into the bottom left hand corner.
3rd McDonald bursts into the box, is awarded the penalty and scores.
4th. What a great movement for a great goal. Naylor picks up the ball just outside the box and releases Aiden to go storming down the wing and just as he is being closed out in the opponents box he does a wonderful cut back shimmy and then using his ‘lob wedge’, puts over the most delightful lob which hits McDonald on the head for his second goal.
5th Robson comes on to a good reception and before he gets to touch the ball a free kick is awarded which he takes and fires a rocket into the left hand, bottom corner. What an introduction for a new Bhoy.

Aberdeen’s goal was another mix-up in Celtic’s box.


COMMENTS ….. 1. The ball has started to roll and it may well prove unstoppable.
2. Anyone, who like me, was at Ibrox and felt embarrassed by our teams capitulation will have witnessed a team performance to-day which, if repeated, will ensure that Celtic will not be bossed around again by Rangers.
3. If any of the ‘mineshafters’ are looking for an escape route to the ‘happy clappers’ house, they should get along to an away match and join in the non-stop support of the team. Just great.