CELTIC 3 ST MIRREN 1

PRE – MATCH COMMENT: Last year St Mirren were Celtic's first opponents at C.P. and a 1 - 0 victory (goal by Robson) with Caldwell MOM. Going for a 3 - 0 victory to-day.

ZALUSKA................7 Had so little to do but he must be so disappointed with his defence's inability to help him keep a clean sheet.

HINKEL..................6 Was allowed plenty opportunities to show his attacking strengths.

LOOVENS................5 The good parts of his display were eroded by his very poor passing and his inability to take command in his penalty area.

CALDWELL............. 6 Started off the move for the best goal of the day with a great pass but his ability to create a foul when there is no danger makes him a dangerous player to have in such a crucial area.

FOX..................... 5 His first 30mins were a nightmare for him with a series of passing blunders. in the 2nd half he hit 2 great crossfield passes and fired in a great shot on target.

N'GUEMO............... 8 The second goal came about by his refusal to give up and won the ball back. More displays like this and I could change my view about buying him.

CROSAS.................6 Was badly at fault for St Mirren's goal but he has a composure and ability on the ball which should make him an automatic choice.

McGEADY.............. 9 MOM Was head and shoulders above everyone else on the park. Was full of direct running showing great control and set up McDonald for his two goals and a few other players with great passes.

ZENG............. ....6 Started out on the left wing where he was pretty quiet but whenever he moved inside one could see the potential that is there. Just needs a good run in the side to come to grips with the style of play in Scotland.

McDONALD..............6 Scored 2 goals so must get pass marks but he missed a penalty and showed again that his control and passing are 2nd division.

SAMARAS.................6 Scored a nice goal and showed some fine touches.

SUBS..................

McGINN.......... 4 Had no impact.

FORTUNE........ 5 A better display than last week but should have scored when set up by the MOM.

ROBSON...........4 No impact

REF ..................(Conroy) 6 Sent a St Mirren player off and then had to allow him back on again because of mistaken identity!

RATING: Quality: 5.9 (l.y. 6.)

POSSESSION:63%

COMMENTS:1. A sea of empty seats did not dimiss the atmosphere too much as I find that usually it is the most critical who are the first to stay away.

2. The quality of play is not so much the problem rather it's our inability to stop the reoccurring defensive mistakes.

3. The u 19's repeated their big brothers by conceeding 2 late goals to lose their first game of the season to Dun U but they also are top of the table.

4. A few facts re. the SPL - enjoy!

a) Formed 1998/99

b) Most goals in a season

35 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2000/01

All-time top scorer
158 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 1998-2004

Most hat-tricks
12- Henrik Larsson (Celtic)

Hat-tricks in consecutive games
Henrik Larsson (Celtic) 2000/01

Most consecutive shut-outs
7 - Robert Douglas (Celtic) 2000/01

4000th SPL goal
Mark Burchill - Celtic v HEARTS, 02/04/05

Leading scorers
1998/99 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic)
1999/00 25 - Mark Viduka (Celtic)
2000/01 35 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic)
2001/02 29 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic)
2002/03 28 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic)
2003/04 30 - Henrik Larsson (Celtic)
2004/05 25 - John Hartson (Celtic)
2005/06 32 - Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock/Rangers)
2006/07 20 - Kris Boyd (Rangers)
2007/08 25 - Scott McDonald (Celtic)
2008/09 27 - Kris Boyd (Rangers)

Biggest home wins
7-0 - Celtic v Aberdeen, 16/10/99
7-0 - Celtic v Aberdeen, 2/11/02
7-0 - Hibernian v Livingston, 8/2/06
7-0 - Celtic v St Mirren, 28/02/08

Biggest away wins
1-8 Dunfermline v Celtic, 19/2/06

Consecutive wins
25 - Celtic (2003/04)

Consecutive unbeaten
32 - Celtic (2003/04)

Most points in a season
103 - Celtic, 2001/02

Most goals in a season
105 - Celtic, 2003/04

Fewest goals conceded in a season
18 - Celtic, 2001/02

Most wins in a season
33 - Celtic, 2001/02

Fewest defeats in a season
1 - Celtic, 2001/02

Fewest home defeats in a season
0 - Celtic, 2001/02 & 2002/03

Fewest away defeats in a season
0 - Celtic 2003/04

P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Celtic	414	304	61	49	968	336	973
Rangers	414	282	76	56	876	333	922

DUNDEE U 2 CELTIC 1

PRE – MATCH COMMENT: Not looking forward to this match within a great deal of confidence and disappointed that Zeng cannot play as I feel he badly needs a good run in the team. Pleased that Robson will appear against his old team.

ZALUSKA................7 After another very sound display maybe Artur will become his understudy.

HINKEL..................6 A particularly good attacking display in the first half.

LOOVENS................4 Another nervous display with bad first touches and poor passing. Appears to have lost confidence.Failed to dominate his area.

CALDWELL............. 5 Not that he was particularly poor but he seems to be a foul just waiting to happen.

FOX..................... 5 Another player who has lost confidence. His passing is nowhere good enough for even a mediocre Celtic.

N'GUEMO............... 7 He tackled all over the pitch and made some telling passes.

ROBSON.................5 I would have subbed him at half time as his touch and control were poor. He did have a better second half and got the penalty by direct running.

McGEADY.............. 7 MOM Had a great first half setting up Fortune on a couple of occasions.

CROSAS............. ....6 Was composed on the ball and certainly no failure but he is very ponderous in chasing back an opponent when losing the ball.

McDONALD..............4 Why is our top goal scorer who can't trap the ball, pass the ball, control the ball allowed to spend so much time out of the penalty box? He should be told " do a Boyd".

FORTUNE...............3 We all know he is not a striker but he could have tried to surprise us!

SUBS..................

McGINN.......... 4 Had no impact.

SAMARAS.........4 Ditto

REF ..................(McDONALD) 7

RATING: Quality: 5.4 (Av. 5.7 - Celtic should be averaging 6+)

POSSESSION:54%

COMMENTS:1. Celtic have 4pts fewer than last year when you compare the games against the same opposition!

2. GS could not sort out the Celtic defence and Mowbray is doing no better.

3. Once again Celtic have the majority of the ball, pass it around well but fail to convert any of the chances and fail to defend.

4. It's becoming glaringly obvious that TM cannot rouse his team with a half time pep talk. Once again, in a game in which Celtic dominate the opening 45 mins, they start the second half with no conviction or passion.

5

FALKIRK 3 CELTIC 3

PRE – MATCH COMMENT: Disappointed that Crosas was not playing but delighted McCourt was on from the start. Also excited by the thought that we might achieve 3 clean sheets in a row.

ZALUSKA................6 Not to blame for any of the goals.

HINKEL..................4 All three moves for the goals came down his flank and as we know defensive work is not his strength also, his crossing was pretty poor.

LOOVENS................4 A nervous display with bad first touches and poor passing. Didn't make a second half appearance.

CALDWELL............. 5 When he scored the goal I thought "MOM" but he then went on to give away the penalty and be part of a porous defence.

FOX......................... 4 One good cross which led to a goal but that apart he was pretty awful

N'GUEMO............... 3 He did not even have one good delivery. How he stayed on the park is a mystery.

ROBSON.................4 After he sends over a great cross for McDonald's goal he then send a 20yd backwards pass which doesn't find its man and that was how their second goal started.

McGEADY.............. 4 I certainly did not have any great confidence that he would score from the penalty, after all he is not known for his great shooting ability but I definitely that he must score with the rebound.

McCOURT.......... ....4 Started off on the wing but was quickly moved inside but wherever he went he was awful.

SAMARAS...............4 After showing some good form in recent games he decided that this was the game he would return to his ineffective, casual style of play.

FORTUNE...............4 It's difficult for me think of any real impact he had on the 90mins.

SUBS..................

McDONALD.......... 6 What more can you ask of a sub? He comes off the bench scores two goals but then decides to show us the other side of his game! There are only a couple of minutes left, Samaras breaks quickly from defence and runs 30 yds before releasing a good ball to McDonald who is all on his own out on the wing, it's a great opportunity to deliver a killer ball into the area but Skippy is tackled very well by both his own feet and loses the ball!

ZENG................4 Should have been on a lot earlier.

McMANUS........5

REF ..................(Winter) 7

RATING: Quality: 4.4 (Av. 5.8) The lowest this season!

POSSESSION:49% The lowest this season in domestic games!

COMMENTS:

1. The good news is that the minutes silence was observed very well.

2. TM mentioned the effect of the midweek game but that's like complaining about the number of turnstiles! At least he did admit that it was the worst domestic performance............he was so right.

3. Celtic had no midfield. There was hardly a constructive move.

4. The game proved that neither Fortune or Samaras are strikers (but we knew that already).

5. Tony, the shoogly nail has come into view!

HAMBURG 0 CELTIC 0

PRE – MATCH COMMENT: McCourt must have been disappointed not to have started but I was pleased to see a more attacking formation. Just hope there is no crowd trouble as Scotland's reputation has taken another hammering thanks to our friends across the water.

ZALUSKA................8 MOM A great introduction into European football. Everything he did he did with confidence, Artur would have been proud of his saves and envious that Z. has now consecutive clean sheets to his name.

HINKEL...................5 Won't have done his international hopes much good with a display lacking in creative, attacking play.

LOOVENS................7 His display wasn't perfect but he gave a committed performance.

CALDWELL............. 7 Of course he had his usual daft handball, misplaced pass incidents but I thought his brave interventions and standing firm were vital for Celtic.

FOX......................4 It's taking a worrying length of time for him to regain his initial form. Hope the pressure of playing for a big club isn't getting to him?

N'GUEMO............ 6 A good display full of energy and good use of the ball but he will have to eliminate those casual passes which invariably lead to pressure being put on Celtic.

CROSAS................6 The guy has class and more appearances will produce more confidence. Would not want to see Brown replace him unless his performances suffer.

McGEADY............. 5 Another big game in which he fails to produce his best form.

ROBSON.......... ....5 Played to his strengths, i.e. the physical aspect but the composure is just not there.

SAMARAS...............6 A lot of effort, a fair amount of skill, a success in winning the aerial challenges but let down by his inability to fire in a good hard shot.

McDONALD...........4 His future at Celtic must be hanging on a real shoogly nail! Two good chances squandered.

SUBS..................

FORTUNE............. 4 Had no real impact.

NAYLOR................4 Fox was poor and Naylor no better.

McGINN................4 Thought he seemed overawed.

REF ..................... 7

RATING: Quality: 5.6 (Av. 5.8)

POSSESSION:50%

COMMENTS:

1. Reading the comments on CQN re. how poor/awful Celtic were makes me scratch my head. Here was a team fighting well, creating more clear cut chances and having 50% possession away from home against one of the top German teams and they were supposed to be "awful"????????????????

2. Our two central defenders were slammed for their performances and yet they did the most important part of their job well, i.e. nullify the strikers! I would take a similar performance on Sunday. Will be back home in time to see them after what seems like an eternity.

3. That's two consecutive clean sheets, a vital part in building a team.

4. Great that Celtic supporters upheld their great reputation as being ambassadors for both Club and Country in what could have been very intimidating surroundings.