In the aftermath of the astonishing game at Ibrox on Saturday, where Willie Collum bewildered the away management team – more on that later, I assure you – the record of the Ibrox club when it comes to the decisions they get was once again put under the spotlight in The Scotsman by Andrew Smith, who a few weeks ago put up some shocking stats.
On the weekend where Ange Postecoglou wins his 50th league game as Celtic boss, Smith pointed out that the Ibrox club’s captain, James Tavernier, scored his 49th penalty kick as a player there.
That’s out of 59 that he’s taken for them. Read that again. He has forty-nine goals from the penalty spot for them since he signed in 2015, which was the year before they returned to the top flight.
Tavernier, on his own, has taken one shy of 60 penalty kicks in that space of time.
To put it in the proper context, his club has its own magic number to get. If they go to Tynecastle and don’t concede a penalty that will be their 50th domestic game without having one given against them. That has to be a record. In league terms they are closing in on their own previous record of 44 games … at Tynecastle they will make it 41.
So nearly 50 domestic matches without a penalty being awarded against them, 40 of those games in the league. And in the meantime, Tavernier is one penalty kick away from reaching his half century of goals from the spot.
As remarkable as Ange’s 50 wins record is, if you could have bet a quid on Ibrox going that long without conceding a spot kick the bookies would have given you very generous odds. Or maybe not since this is actually their second extended run like this, with the last one seeing them not concede in 44 league games.
Here’s the thing; we all know that in the midst of that run are any number of absolutely mind-bending decisions, so it’s not even the number that stands out but what lies behind that number, games like the weekend, Goldson playing volleyball and on and on.
Here’s another stat, and try and wrap your brain around this; this isn’t from the recent Smith article but the one at the star of the month.
The Ibrox club has not conceded a penalty at home in the league since September 2019.
You read that correctly. September 2019.
A statistic so astonishing it blows your mind. And the numbers keep on piling up and up and up.
You could not invent this.
This is what the other clubs tolerate.
They’ll have one given against them when it’s ‘safer’, just tae show there’s nae bias. Either that, or in a situation where its so clear, that its indefensible not tae give it. Tbh, until now ah thought Collum, in spite of his incompetence, has never been ‘scared’ tae give decisions against them. Up until Saturday that is. Completely bottled it tae send jack aff.
Yet another statistical anomaly, completely out of sync with professional football played anywhere else in the world.
Hat off to Andrew Smith who appears to be the only smsm reporter with integrity.
It’s one thing, the clubs keeping their heads down about the match officiating,
but it’s quite another to test the paying punters’ patience.
We all knew the game was dodgy to favour one club.
VAR is just rubbing it in, in clear video, and from multiple angles.
Better off going to watch the WWF for more honest ‘contests’ ! 🙁
Don’t mention WWF on here people take that to heart and struggle to cope with truth knowing people think they are THICK buying into a rigged sport.
The other clubs TOLERATE lol none more so than our very own what a joke.
As for sevco the CHEATING will continue for the remainder of this season and next and then that’s when the FUN really starts.
Because at that point they will be in front of us in the league pulling away at which point the so called famous PROTESTS will start to take shape,but it will to late sevco will be home and dry straight into the Champions League with £40 million tucked away in the pocket giving us all a wave goodbye with 2 fingers stuck up at the same time.
Don’t say you haven’t all been warned,prevention is better than the cure.
Ideas…anybody ? Whit that inane rant was about ?!
He’s best ignored…
He is not wrong as that’s what will happen, unless we step on their throats every chance we get. Only reason we are in front is Ange. He has been our savior and we are indebted to him for his skill, honesty, humanity and will to be ever better but the honest mistakes will continue and they will do everything in their power by fair means and foul to take us down.
September 2019 is also the last time they had a player sent off at ibrox in a league game. Jordan Jones was dismissed in the 93 min in a 2 nill defeat to us
Pretty obvious what he’s saying. Don’t give us the moaning after the event of the cheating. The cheating that not only loses us the league but future merited and substantial income, don’t give us nonsense about ‘in hindsight we should have done …. this, that and the other’. We all have foresight, use it now.
Simply sounds like the guy’s sick of moaning talkers. Talk’s fine, action counts and it needs to be sustained, ongoing and now.
So in 7.5 seasons, Tavernier has taken 59 penalties? Is that so ridiculous? That’s about 8 pens a season. Doesn’t seem that remarkable to me.
I get it, their penaltyless streak reeks of fish. But the pens they get (if Tavernier is their sole pen taker as I think he’s played most games for them) isn’t OTT going off that stat. I am actually more surprised he’s missed 10. I thought he never missed.
both Celtic and rangers have money coming to them in the summer from there European run. the thing is who has spent there’s, and who has still to spend will set the pace for season 23/24
Contaminated product. Root & Branch reform of refs and VAR imperative.
And I tell you something else this will break this cheating corruption pish will only b e tolerateed to a point then the real shite will hit thafan in pubs workplaces the streets there will be lashing out and carnage and the media politico police Scotland will wash there hands of responsibility and when they are attending the wake of some innocent this is inevitable FACT.