Scott Brown. Solution Or Problem? Player Ratings.
That’s what Celtic have been like in the last 7 days. The sub conscious limbo that confuses you into thinking that this team has another Ginger in charge. It’s so capable of beauty – Inverness – but will revert to the beast of just winning with the nagging feeling that the manager hasn’t quite got a grip of his best 11.
Still, no matter how hard you screw your eyes up, Alan Thompson will never look like Gary Pendry.
It was a wonderful performance said our manager of Scott Brown after the game. True, he gave an eye-catching performance. The type of performance that saw us get involved in an expensive game of paper, scissors and stone. Problem is, like his Hibs days, he was eye-catching because those round about him were unnoticeable and it has been noted in dispatches that we lost the plot in the middle when Joe Ledley moved to left back.
The accommodation of Scott Brown or the appreciation of Scott Brown will define this season.
Hibs came into this game as troubled as a Goth who has just realised that werewolf’s and vampires don’t hang around 2nd hand record shops looking to take their virginity. The reason they never got a hefty defeat was due to the MIB, Callum Murray, officiating while wearing water wings and Celtic.
Midfield and forward line were poor in a creative and attacking sense. This was mainly due to Shaun Maloney and Anthony Stokes. Maloney reached a new low in terms of low performances he has been famed for and Stokes decided to show the attitude of a big-time-Charlie trying to prove to his ex-employers why he has moved onto bigger and better things.
He played with a scowl and was made to look pretty foolish as his tricks, flicks and attempted passes failed to find their postbox time and time again. Frustrating for a player who should be above that pettiness. Plus, did we actually long for Sammy to enter the fray? Yes, it was that type of day.
The rest?
Fraser, must be bored, 5. Cha Du Ri, problem position, 4. Danny, would allow him to make me a sandwich, 6. Loovens, not fit for glue, 5. Mulgrew, the curse strikes, 3.
Maloney, zero, o. Brown, everybody’s talking at me, 5. Ledley, suffered because of the curse, 5. Juarez, keep the pants on under the trousers, 4. Ki, second outing in a week, 3.
Stokes, relax, 1. Hooper, looked like a man who has just returned from 6 weeks out, 3. Sammy, missed the chance, 3.
MOTM, Big Danny. Mainly out for fear he will hunt me down.
The ratings reflect a performance that disappointed after the high of Wednesday night, the reasons for that disappointment hopefully will be sorted out before Billy Reid brings his version of Bert and Ernie to Celtic Park.
The goals and post match reaction.
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