Attention SPL and SFA, XL edition
A first half lead was not protected but technically I believe, an own goal aside, it was not all our own fault.
Other than our average play, lets separate the events that turned the tide even as worse against us:-
– 1 – The already yellow carded neanderthal, Lee Mc Culloch, was not sent off for a body check which was a definate bookable offence which in any other match would have seen him gain a second yellow and gain his marching orders.
Willie Collum’s behind dropped away from him and like some referees before him he stayed away from that red card.
My decision – Willie you got it wrong and you made a considerable error in your refereeing judgement of the foul from McCulloch, I would have grasped the yellow flashed it high to confirm his second bookable offence and by having a set of testicles to do so, I would have sent him off.
– 2 – Wee Shaun Maloney got a shot to the brow by Steven Nai’baws’ that made his eye socket swell up like one of Pamela Andersons nips left out in the winter breeze.
My opinion – Had Shaun not got injured so early he had no time at all to test the rangers backline. If he had stayed on the pitch he may have been the Bhoys fulcrum to getting at the rangers defensive set out. No dis-respect to his replacement, Efrain Juarez, but the two guys both have their strengths and weaknesses but Maloneys experience in Old Firm situations swings it everytime to me. Maloneys typical pocket dynamic spark was a much needed light that we didn’t have in a very dark situation.
– 3 – The own goal early into the second half. A defensive mix up that led to a decisive equalising goal.
My opinion – I watched the replay of this goal several times and if Glenn kept his head he could have dealt with the ball better rather than take a lump of a swing at the ball. Nerves got the better of our backline and it should have been dealt with better.
– 4 – Forsters goal kicks. He seemed off with his kicking distibution all afternoon. This led to a goal against us that gave the gers a 2-1 lead.
My opinion – The lad has talent in abundance and will learn from this big stage rivalry. According to pre-match interviews he seemed up for the match but his kicking let him down. Fraser will look at the replays of the kicks he took and will advertently go back to the drawing board and learn from those mistakes. Maybe nerves got to him but we had no one else to turn to, all I can say is Fraser keep battling on and I hope you learn from the mistakes made in the first ‘Big Match’ of your career.
In a rounding off note he was not the only pragmatist in the run up to the goal as the cross could have also been defended better. A shaky defence can do nasty things to a goalkeepers confidence.
– 5 – The penalty? Was it? Willie thought so. The situation again got the best of him when his back was to the “offending” tackle from Majstorovic. He gave them the critical decision for a dive from Kirk Broadfoot, that he deemed to be a foul worthy of a penalty.
My opinion – Willie caved in, he was un-aware of the “clash” between Maj and Kirk, he could not have seen it fully nor did he consult his linesman like referees at Tannadice do, he immediately blew for the penalty like he almost knew he had to. The 31 year old Mr Collum, who is younger than a majority of the contesting players got the decision totally wrong, he fecked it up and should never referee a match of this calibre again. The SFA or SPL or whoever put Willie Collum in charge should be ashamed, surely we have a better referee that that in Scotland? If not, why not in future consider flying a third party referee in who has no scottish heritage at all but masses of continental experience to be the match official.
Willie you arsed it up and you did not even see the incident. If you care to see it for the first time go over to the BBC football website and in the Celtic section the clip of the “Broadfoot foul for the penalty” can be seen there.
The penalty that should not have been – Incident De-construction
For the sake of my own sanity I have decided to take apart my own captured video footage I have of the incident and for the “sheer delight” of the possible readers who may come across this I have produced screen shots of the incident in a stage by stage concept.
Dive stage 1 – Broadfoot decides to knock the ball past Majstorovic and start to leap towards Dannys left leg.
Dive stage 2 – Broadfoot in motion pushes his weight towards the approaching Majstorovic and continues his salmon like leap before any contact has even been made. Left leg bent off the ground right pushing into the approaching Maj.
Dive stage 3 – Broadfoot, who is already diving in motion, finally connects with Majstorovic to add to his dive in effect, notice from the image below that he connects with Maj’s arm first not his leg, even though Broadfoot already seems to be heading in a motion forwards with his head suggesting his balance is forwards ideal for a dive.
Dive stage 4 – Broadfoot raises his right leg off the ground and he gives us a good superman impression in flight, the dive is done.
At this point out of shot referee Willie Collum had his back to the incident.
Here is the proof from two different angles:-
Angle 1 – Collum has his back to the players just as the incident takes place. Collum looks clearly fixated on the ball.
Angle 2 – You can see the angle Collum is away from the incident taking place he could not have fully have witnessed the “collision” between the two players.
The above proves that the decision was shoddy. Collum if he saw anything, only saw Broadfoot land on the turf thats all he had to go on. I studied the video footage I captured and this proves he was totally incorrect.
With the press jumping more at the death threats Willie Collum has received in the wake of the events of the match rather than the focus being on the cheat that is Kirk Broadfoot (Who has previous for diving, ask Hearts fans or search broadfoot dive against hearts on google) where are the voices of the SFA or SPL in all of this?
So I ask you the SFA and SPL cheifs and chairpersons where are your explanations? Or have the clowns gone into hiding?
As ever Celts and even those who are not, opinions are always accepted!!!