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Half-time entertainment: a read on one of the most ridiculous football stories there is.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-0 Celtic
A devastatingly despicable half of football. Rangers were by far the better team despite creating almost nothing; the least said about Celtic the better.
45+4 min Celtic spread to Balikwisha, again he crosses when he might go at his man, and Rangers clear.
45+2 min “So far as I can tell, the two cheeks are jointly playing some of the lower-quality Premiership football this season,” writes James Humphries. :Hibs have looked great and had a good go at Europe, the Jambos have been entertaining and of course the mighty Well have done everything except actually win a game with our lovely possession football. It’s actually a really good season so far!
Long may the travails of the Big Clubs continue (and yes I know there’s a wider conversation about Scottish football to be had here), but commiserations you have to watch what sounds like the worst game of the weekend.”
I’m enjoying it. So bad it’s good dreadful, which is, of course, an enduring charm of the beautiful game.
45 min We’ll have four additional minutes and Diomande begins them by escaping Nygren down the left. He crosses, and Celtic clear.
43 min This time, Barron takes it, and again, Celtic clear. They still, though, can’t get the ball forward.
42 min There’s a break in play as Maeda receives attention for an inadvertent frask in pisk; when it resumes, Tavernier swings over a free-kick from the right, which goes behind for a corner.
40 min Rangers have been the better side, such that there is one, dominating territory. It looks like each side has 67 players on the pitch, each of them wearing diving boots.
39 min Tavernier trips over his own feet, Balikwisha collects, and crosses to naebody. So far, he’s fitting in perfectly.
35 min The cross from Tavernier was the only moment of quality we’ve seen so far today. It’s a long time since I watched so poor a game, which is not to say the fare is unenjoyable. But it’d be interesting to see some football at some point.
NO GOAL! Rangers 0-0 Celtic
I baulk at saying this, but I don’t think anyone, not even Rangers fans, can argue that Souttar wasn’t offside. The evidence is clear.
33 min I think he was, you know – he went just a little early, leaning ahead of the line, and though it was a good header I don’t think this is going to count.
33 min But was Souttar offside?
GOAL! Rangers 1-0 Celtic (Souttar 32)
This time, the delivery is spot-on, curling in, and Souttar races in to head past Schmeichel, who races out to get nowhere near the ball.
32 min Ralston concedes a free-kick for a cramp football-style foul – that’s a harsh call – on Aasgaard, and Tavernier has a third chance to flight a telling ball into the box…
30 min “Evie and Ryan were in Luxembourg and Vienna,” returns Simon McMahon, “they’re proper diehards. Derby day is like no other, and thankfully we don’t have the baggage that the Glasgow teams do, will be having a pint with my Dundee-supporting friends after the game, win, lose or draw. But as a United fan, as I think Cloughie once said, I don’t care how you do it, just win.”
One thing, by the way, the Dundee sides share: blinding mid-80s kits.
29 min But this is slightly better, Aasgaard sliding in behind for Tavernier, whose cut-back is kicked behind by Scales. The resultant corner comes to nowt.
27 min Even for an Old Firm game, this is chaotic and basic. Neither side has yet to demonstrate anything beyond chasing, but Tvernier has another chance to put a ball into the box from a free-kick … and picks out Carter-Vickers.
25 min One of the things I enjoy about Ibrox is that everyone is stood up, all around the ground. Old Trafford was like that in the 70s, and 80s, with terraces on all four sides, and Elland Road still does a pretty good job on good days. The football, such as it is, remains of an agricultural nature.
23 min A bit of Celtic possession, as aimless as all that’s preceded it. But Nygren then wriggles a bit of room, Ralston crosses … and picks out Butland.
21 min He looks for the far side of the box and a knock across, but the flag goes up and Celtic clear.
20 min Moore moves through midfield but, with no one ahead of him, he has to turn back to Diomande. So Rangers build again, Tavernier into Aasgaard, central and 40 yards out; he wins a free-kick and the Rangers captain will stick a ball into the box.
19 min Gassama moves down the right, but Tierney stands him up and sees him away.
17 min Engels flips out to Balikwisha, whose cross is headed clear. That was a chance to attack Meghoma, but he took the conservative option.
17 min I’ve seen more quality in a box of Roses.
16 min Celtic slow it down, looking to bait the press and build with three at the back, but Rangers allow them to halfway before engaging, forcing them back to the keeper.
14 min Moore burrows down the left but can’t find space; he’ll never have experienced anything like this, which is exactly why Spurs sent him here. I’m not sure he’ll get much done driving into traffic: Rangers need to build elsewhere, then switch it to him when he’s in space.
12 min Gassama looks to attack the heart of the Celtic defence; McGregor unloads him quicksmart. It feels like the teams are being controlled by kids on a Sunny D buzz, having had no sleep for a week.
11 min Again, the ball goes into the heart of the box, and this time Scales heads behind. When the corner comes in, he flicks away, and the ball ends up with Butland.
10 min …and a nervous Hatate heads behind. Rangers are building a little bit of pressure, but Maeda heads Barron’s corner clear, then when he goes again, Scales concedes a throw. So Tavernier crosses to the left and will go again.
9 min There is, as yet, no pattern to this game; it’s more of a scribble. But Rangers win a throw deep inside the Celtic half and Tavernier will hurl long…
7 min Diomande sweeps a decent ball wide and Aasgaard sticks Miovski in behind, down the right. He looks to have got in behind Scales, goal-side and just inside the box; he goes does at the first hint of contact, demanding a penalty, but there’s nothing doing.
5 min Ralston shoves Diomande, who walks off with the ball after conceding a throw, then Rangers try knocking it about at the back; they’re quickly pressed into going long.
4 min It’s frenetic early doors, Rangers looking to get about McGregor and there are wild cheers as Aasgaard gets into Tierney deep inside the Celtic half, but they immediately regain possession then clear via throw.
2 min “Looking forward to this”, writes Simon McMahon, but of course the real game of the day in Scotland takes place immediately after this one, as Dundee United and Jim Goodwin’s Tangerine Army walk up the road to face Dundee at Dens. I’m sending this now as I’m currently at hospitality in Tannadice with Evie and Ryan before making the short walk with 3,500 fellow Arabs. United have been ravaged by injury during the early part of the season and remain without Ryan Strain, Kristian Trapanovski, Ross Graham, Isaac Pappoe, Zac Sapsford and Max Watters, but new signing Nikolaj Moller is available. Having lost the last two derbies, unluckily in the Scottish Cup at Dens back in January, and not unluckily in the league at Tannadice in March, United will be desperate to win. But so will Dundee, who have not won consecutive league derbies in over 20 years. So it’s all to play for. May the best team United win. By a shedload.”
My mate went to Luxembourg the other week, and the papers took an interest…
1 min And away we go!
Ibrox is jumping, Simply the Best pumping over the PA. i’m hoping Chris Eubank will now vault the rope.
Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come!
Martin says today will tell him plenty about where the team are a s a group. He wants them to be brave on the ball.
He’s also really happy to have Miovski in, likewise the freshness and excitement of Moore. On Raskin, he says no decision he makes is about him or a particular player but whatever’s best for the team in that moment.
He wants his players to better than every department than they were in midweek, and he’s excited to see how it goes.
I know Celtic have kept five clean sheets already this season, but I’m not totally convinced by their centre-backs. Miovski has the pace and agility to trouble Scales and Carter-Vickers, while Moore has the pace, skill and short backlift to zip in off the flank and worry them too.
I’m not all that familiar with Balikwisha’s oeuvre, but he looks a lot of fun. If Celtic can get him one v one with Meghoma, or with Tierney overlapping, they’re in business.
The Main Stand at Ibrox stadium: of the most beautiful structures in football.
On the one hand, Miovski scored 32 in 77 for Aberdeen; on the other, he then mustered two in 18 for Girona. Rangers desperately need him to succeed.
I said earlier that Rodgers is under pressure and he is, but so too are the Celtic board, who need to deliver him players – they lack numbers and, following Kyogo’s departure, quality too. The Europa League group stages are sapping, especially when you don’t really want to be in them, and the need to progress in the competition adds pressure to that.
So, back to the teams, where is the game? Rangers will, of course, look to control possession and build through midfield … but so will Celtic, who have the better players and more settled team. I wonder if, though, Martin will be a little more circumspect than usual, using Diomande and Barron in front of the back to block up the central areas and funnel attacks wide.
I’d not be surprised if Celtic, meanwhile, target the space in behind Tavernier with Hatate and Nygren, withMcGregor and Engels crashing the box.
Rodgers thinks this is a good game to have following the midweek disappointment, and hopes his team impose their style on it. Though Rangers have lots of technical players in their squad, they’re still looking for rhythm, and Celtic will have to be careful.
The idea is to start well and defend when necessary, but mainly to put pressure on the opposition. He wants Celtic to show their confidence, hunger and fight, while Balikwisha should bring freshness, which the squad needs, and he’s good in one v ones as well as knowing the game well for a youngster.
Otherwise, Adam Idah isn’t involved as he’s close to joining Swansea.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how Mikey Moore gets on today – he’s got a lot of talent and has, I’m sure been sent by Spurs to play, toughen up and come back. Rangers will hope he can provide an outlet on the counter but also moments of magic in settled play, with Tavernier, Aasgaard and Gassama tasked with supplying Miovski. We’ll come back to that in a second, thoug, because Rodgers is speaking to Sky.
I’m going to write the teams down, then we’ll wonder how they might perform.
Celtic, meanwhile, bring in new signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha – Marcelo Saracchi is on the bench – and Arne Engels, with Yang Hyun-Jun and James Forrest dropping to the bench.
What does it all mean? Nico Raskin, one of Rangers’ best players last season, isn’t even in the squad – there’s talk that he and Martin are less than cordial. Otherwise, there are five changes to the side edged 6-0 by Brugge: out go Max Aarons, sent off on Wednesday night, the injured Lyall Cameron, Danilo, Joe Rothwell and Oliver Antman; James Tavernier, Mohamed Diomande and Connor Barron comes in, likewise Mikey Moore, making his first start for the club, and Bojan Miovski, making his debut.
Teams!
Rangers: (4-3-3): Butland; Tavernier, Djiga, Souttar, Meghoma; Barron, Diomande, Aasgaar; Gassama, Movski, Moore Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Rothwell, Dessers, Bajrami, Antman, Fernandez, Curtis, Danilo.
Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Ralston, Scales, Carter-Vickers, Tierney; McGregor, Hatate, Engels; Nygren, Maeda, Balikwisha. Subs: Sinisalo, Yang, McCowan, Shin, Bernardo, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest, Donovan.
Referee: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Preamble
Bournemouth v Arsenal; Betis v Villarreal; Como v Cremonese; Köln v Eintracht Frankfurt; Marseille v Lille: all a selection of seventh v second contests, which is what we have awaiting us this lunchtime.
Of course, the Old Firm game is different – a celebration of vicious hatred like no other, regardless of league position. But after a disastrous start to the season, the question today is whether Rangers fans feel greater antipathy towards Celtic … or their own players and manager.
Things could scarcely have gone worse for Russell Martin since arriving at Ibrox this summer, the dazzling purity of his futuristic game-model once again sophisticated beyond the intelligibility of everyone but him. So far this season, The Bears have achieved humiliation in Europe along with draws against Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren, the sense that his tenure is already coming to an end: defeat today could mean curtains for the curtains.
Nothing, though, could refresh them like a win over Celtic – who also arrive at this game having covered themselves in embarrassment, hoofed out of the Champions League qualifiers by the third-best team in Kazakhstan. That will have stung Brendan Rodgers – perhaps the only manager in football in greater thrall to himself than Martin – and Europe’s premier club competition, simply not the same without him in it.
Most likely, he redeems himself by winning yet another title – in the league, his team have won three from three and have yet to concede a goal. But there is pressure to show he can deliver more than that, a decent run in the Europa League feeling imperative even if, in the meantime, there are cheap laughs to be won kicking rivals when they’re down. And if Celtic were to lose, to this Rangers, serious questions would be asked of his leadership too – or, in other words, this is going to be a lot of fun … for the rest of us.
Kick-off: 12pm BST
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