2009-01-18: Aberdeen 4-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures

Trivia

Boruc out "injured" with a groin strain.
Mark Brown in goals
First time we've condeded four goals to a team (exc Huns) for years.
Second time this season we've lost 4-2 in the SPL!

Review

Here we go again, that's it we've lost most of our advantage, and are now only two points in front of Der Hun, and what a way to lose that advantage going down 4-2 to Aberdeen. Credit to Aberdeen who had few chances at goal yet still scored four against us. Simply illustrates where our real problems are. Two goals scored is usually a good way to win games, yet we still squandered it all. We came from behind twice to even things up only to be outdone still by Aberdeen.

Very poor defensive work, and Boruc (out injured with a groin strain incurred in warming up before the game) will feel he should be okay to return with no problems. McManus was very poor and has been too easily a scapegoat. The whole defensive element of the team has to be looked at again. A continuing problem.

Good work by McGeady to get us the goals, and some industrious work by Scott Brown. All coming to nought though.

Need to do better!!!

Teams

Aberdeen: Langfield, Foster, Severin, Diamond, Mulgrew, Duff, McDonald, Kerr, Aluko (Maguire 74), Miller, Mackie
Subs Not Used: Bossu, Wright, Vidal, De Visscher, Mair, Considine
Booked: Kerr, Mackie
Goals: McDonald 24, Duff 31, Diamond 75, 78

Celtic
Mark Brown
Hinkel, McManus, Caldwell, Robson,
Nakamura, Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady,
Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 67), McDonald,
Subs Not Used:- Misun, Loovens, Mizuno, Crosas, O'Dea, Caddis.
Booked: McGeady, Scott Brown.
Goals: Scott Brown 25, McDonald 73

Att: 18,100
Ref: D McDonald

Articles

Match Report

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
"It was a fabulous advertisement for Scottish football and it is a massive boost for us to beat the champions.

"We took a lot of flak round about September/October when we were bottom of the league. "But we've got the youngest team in the SPL with a lot of new boys and, all credit to them, they have done wonderfully well to turn it around. "I thought we deserved to win the game, we are now in third and there's no reason why we can't keep the momentum going."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"The consolation is that my team played well, made chances, showed great determination and great character, while the two goals we scored were absolutely fantastic.

"If they play like that for the rest of the season, I will be happy. If they defend like that at set-plays, I will be a worried man.
"The thing that let us down is that they scored four goals from four free-kicks and we have to see if there is a common denominator there and eradicate it.
"I feel sorry for Mark Brown, because he has not had a save to make and has not been able to show his ability."

Pictures

Match Pictures

KStreet

MOTM

Result – Scott Brown – (Link to MOTM Winners 2008/09)

MOTM v Aberdeen, Scott Brown

Stats

ABERDEEN v CELTIC

Possession

45%

55%

Shots on target

Shots off target

Corners

Fouls

Strachan slams Hoops defenders

19 January 2009

Provided by: The Irish Examiner

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan admitted his side will have to defend better after conceding four goals in a surprise defeat to Aberdeen.

The Dons capitalised on the defensive frailties of their opponents to clinch a 4-2 win at Pittodrie – their first victory over the Hoops since 2001.

Strachan told his defenders to up their game if they have any intention of retaining their Clydesdale Bank Premier League championship.

He said: "If you don’t defend well then you have to expect to lose. The way we defended in open play was more than adequate but you can’t win any game if you let in four goals from free-kicks.

"We will have to go and analyse our defending at free-kicks because there has got to be a common denominator if you concede four times from set-pieces.

"It was a bit windy today and we will have to look at whether we are doing the right thing in those types of conditions. In some conditions the way we have set up may have worked but it has not worked, that’s for sure.

"I know you still have to deliver the ball well and get a head on it but we are hoping that teams have to work harder to score against us.

"In free play Mark Brown has not had a save to make, which is astonishing. It was a strange and exciting game and I’m sure everybody enjoyed it, apart from the Celtic supporters.

"But we can console ourselves with the fact that it was one of our better performances over the last couple of weeks."

The Celtic boss admitted he was baffled when referee Dougie McDonald awarded Aberdeen’s third goal – a Zander Diamond header from a Charlie Mulgrew delivery – because he believed the official had already blown for a foul.

Strachan added: "Automatically everybody thought it was a free-kick. That was the indication through his body language.

"Jimmy [Calderwood, Aberdeen’s manager] also thought that. Everybody heard that the whistle was blown early before the ball went into the back of the net. I don’t know whether it was confirmed on TV.

"We expected a free-kick but it hasn’t been given so we just have to get on with it."

Delighted Aberdeen boss Calderwood paid tribute to Mulgrew’s deadly deliveries from set-pieces after his side’s shock win.

Diamond earned most of the plaudits for his winning brace but it was Mulgrew’s crosses for both goals that most impressed Calderwood.

He said: "Charlie has an unbelievable left foot. It was two wonderful free-kicks from him.

"Charlie puts the balls into the box with so much pace it makes it very difficult to defend. It is a massive weapon for us, especially as we have guys like Diamond, Miller, Severin and McDonald who are all good in the air."

However, Calderwood played down comparisons between Mulgrew and Celtic’s free-kick expert Shunsuke Nakamura.

He added: "Nakamura has been taking free-kicks for years and Charlie has only been here a few months. He has got a couple of years to catch up on Nakamura yet.

"He works on his free-kicks and we know that when he is on form he will put the ball in the right area for our players to go and attack it."

The Irish Examiner

Diamond gives Celtic a rough time.

19 January 2009

Provided by: Irish Times

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Aberdeen 4 Celtic 2:CELTIC’S DEFENSIVE deficiencies were brutally exposed at Aberdeen yesterday but the controversy surrounding the hosts’ crucial third goal will get just as much attention.

The Celtic coaches Garry Pendrey and Neil Lennon accosted the referee, Dougie McDonald, as the teams left the field at full-time, adamant that the official had blown his whistle before a Zander Diamond header hit the net.

Jimmy Calderwood, the Aberdeen manager, agreed with his opposite number, Gordon Strachan, that the whistle had sounded. Celtic believe the referee had chosen to give them a free-kick after a tussle between Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Diamond, before changing his mind.

But he may in fact have been poised to award Aberdeen a penalty only to have second thoughts when the goal was scored.

Television pictures produced little evidence to support either theory.

What was clear here is that Celtic may be worse off without Artur Boruc than with their wayward goalkeeper after all. The error-prone Poland international was injured in the warm-up and therefore a spectator.

All four Aberdeen goals emanated from set plays but it was the third one on which Strachan spoke at greatest length.

Such decisions will matter little to Rangers, who have now cut Celtic’s lead at the summit of the Scottish Premier League to two points.

The referee had denied a seemingly legitimate Aberdeen penalty claim, Scott Brown tripping Gary McDonald, by the time the latter put his team in front. Stuart Duff was the provider, a sublime cross dropping right to his fellow midfielder’s head, although McDonald is due credit for a composed finish.

Celtic’s response was as swift as it had appeared unlikely. Within 30 seconds, brilliant wing play from Aiden McGeady opened up the Aberdeen defence; Scott Brown prodded home the winger’s cross from eight yards.

Duff ghosted in at Celtic’s right-back position before slamming Mark Kerr’s pass beyond Mark Brown to hand Aberdeen a well-merited interval lead. Celtic responded in the second period though, their dominance enforced by Scott McDonald’s conversion of a Barry Robson cross. General bemusement proved the order of the day thereafter, even if the first of two expert free-kicks from Charlie Mulgrew should not be ignored.

Fresh from heading his team back in front, Diamond capitalised on another Mulgrew delivery by bundling home at the back post. Mark Brown, while not afforded a chance to dirty his gloves from open play, had twice and fatally failed to command his area.

Guardian Service

ABERDEEN: Langfield, Foster, Severin, Diamond, Mulgrew, Duff, McDonald, Kerr, Aluko (Maguire 74), Miller, Mackie. Subs not used: Bossu, Wright, Vidal, De Visscher, Mair, Considine. Booked: Kerr, Mackie.

CELTIC: Mark Brown, Hinkel, McManus, Caldwell, Robson, Nakamura, Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 67), McDonald. Subs not used: Misun, Loovens, Mizuno, Crosas, O’Dea, Caddis. Booked: McGeady, Scott Brown.

Referee: D McDonald (Scotland).

Irish Times

Aberdeen 4-2 Celtic

By Clive Lindsay

BBC

Two Zander Diamond goals within three second-half minutes secured Aberdeen a thrilling victory over Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic at Pittodrie.

Gary McDonald looped in a header to give the Dons the lead after 24 minutes, but Scott Brown fired an equaliser within a minute.

Stuart Duff's half-volley put the Dons back in front, only for Scott McDonald to reply with a second-half header.

But defender Diamond scored twice from close range to secure a Dons win.

It was Aberdeen's sixth consecutive victory at Pittodrie and moved them into third in the SPL ahead of Dundee United, who were already 3-0 down at home to Motherwell down the A90 at Tannadice.

And it meant that Celtic failed to extend their lead at the top, Rangers having reduced the gap to two points with their win over Falkirk on Saturday.

Celtic had suffered a blow even before kick-off, with a groin injury picked up during the warm-up forcing Poland international goalkeeper Artur Boruc to miss the game.

Mark Brown came into the starting line-up – the sixth change to the Celtic side that beat Dundee in the Scottish Cup – but it meant they did not have a substitute keeper on the bench.

Yet it was the visitors who started the brighter against a nervous-looking Aberdeen.

Georgios Samaras was denied twice, once by a goal-line clearance by Richard Foster and a point-blank stop by goalkeeper Jamie Langfield as the Greek tried to stab home from close range.

But Aberdeen began to work their way into the game and they claimed for a penalty when Scott Brown nipped in to prevent the ball reaching Gary McDonald on the edge of the six-yard box.
Celtic's Scott Brown is delighted with his goal
Brown made it 1-1 a minute after Aberdeen had taken the lead

The home side made the breakthrough after 24 minutes when Duff, who had returned to the Dons starting line-up in place of Andrew Considine, found McDonald with his cross and the midfielder looped a header into the far corner of the net from 12 yards.

Celtic hit back within a minute when Aiden McGeady sped past Foster and, when his low cross was dummied by Scott McDonald, Brown side-footed home from just inside the penalty box.

Another six minutes, another goal. Mark Kerr found Duff in space with a fine ball over the Celtic defence and the midfielder's drive zipped low past Brown from 16 yards.

Celtic pressed forward in search of another equaliser, but it was Aberdeen who went closest to adding to the scoreline before the break.

Lee Miller looped the ball over Brown from an acute angle within the six-yard box, but Gary Caldwell hooked it clear before it could cross the goal-line.

Celtic forced Aberdeen onto the back foot after the break and the reigning champions were unfortunate not to take the lead on the hour mark.

MY SPORT: DEBATE
Mark Brown didn't look like saving anything. It's obvious the defence don't trust him as, any time a ball came into the box, it was chaos

thomsneddon

Andreas Hinkel's cross deceived Langfield, came back off the inside of the far post and Paul Hartley blasted the rebound over from 15 yards.

And Celtic's incessant pressure paid off after 73 minutes when Scott McDonald rose to head home Barry Robson's outswinging cross from 10 yards.

But Aberdeen hit back with two Diamond goals within the next five minutes – both from curling free-kicks to the back post from Charlie Mulgrew.

First, the central defender dived to head home with Celtic making strong claims that referee Dougie McDonald had already been blown for a foul.

Then he stretched a long leg to force the ball home off the despairing hand of goalkeeper Brown.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
"It was a fabulous advertisement for Scottish football and it is a massive boost for us to beat the champions.

"We took a lot of flak round about September/October when we were bottom of the league.

"But we've got the youngest team in the SPL with a lot of new boys and, all credit to them, they have done wonderfully well to turn it around.

"I thought we deserved to win the game, we are now in third and there's no reason why we can't keep the momentum going."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"The consolation is that my team played well, made chances, showed great determination and great character, while the two goals we scored were absolutely fantastic.

"If they play like that for the rest of the season, I will be happy. If they defend like that at set-plays, I will be a worried man.

"The thing that let us down is that they scored four goals from four free-kicks and we have to see if there is a common denominator there and eradicate it.

"I feel sorry for Mark Brown, because he has not had a save to make and has not been able to show his ability."

Aberdeen: Langfield, Foster, Severin, Diamond, Mulgrew, Duff, McDonald, Kerr, Aluko (Maguire 74), Miller, Mackie.
Subs Not Used: Bossu, Wright, Vidal, De Visscher, Mair, Considine.

Booked: Kerr, Mackie.

Goals: McDonald 24, Duff 31, Diamond 75, 78.

Celtic: Mark Brown, Hinkel, McManus, Caldwell, Robson, Nakamura, Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 67), McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Misun, Loovens, Mizuno, Crosas, O'Dea, Caddis.

Booked: McGeady, Scott Brown.

Goals: Scott Brown 25, McDonald 73.

Att: 18,100

Ref: D McDonald