2009-02-22: Motherwell 1-1 Celtic, SPL

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

Trivia

  • Draw puts Rangers top on goal difference.
  • We've squandered a 7pt advantage!!!!!
  • We scored our first goal in around 4 games in the SPL, and ditto for conceding.
  • 4-3-3 formation was a flop
  • Motherwell's pitch was more like a farm (no grass on it), ruined due to the freak weather (snow storms etc in the past month).

Review

Dreadful match, possibly the most unentertaining drab we've played in this season and we've had a few poor performances to watch. The pitch was woeful (next to no grass on it) but no excuse and our side made hard work of the advantage we have in our squad. Mwell only had one chance and scored from it. We had a few but squandered it all and blew it all… Terrible and we're now behind the huns in the SPL.

Teams

Motherwell:
Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Klimpl, O'Brien, Hughes, Fitzpatrick (Murphy 68), Sutton, Clarkson. Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Malcolm, Darren Smith, Lasley, McGarry, Aydilek.
Booked: Klimpl, Hughes.
Goal: Quinn 81

Celtic: (4-3-3)
Boruc, Hinkel, Loovens, McManus, Naylor, Scott Brown, Caldwell, Nakamura, Samaras, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (McGeady 63).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Hartley, Flood, Crosas, Hutchinson, O'Dea.
Booked: Scott Brown
Goal: McDonald 60

Att: 8,593
Ref: I Brines .

Articles

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:
"It was a 50-50 game where both teams made the best of the conditions.

"Our heads didn't do down after Celtic scored and we dug in, found new reserves and showed a lot of determination to get the equaliser. "Today must be compensation from the disappointment of going out the cup. The fans were different class. "We're doing well at the moment and we'll be after Aberdeen and Hearts and Dundee United, but we are aware of the chasing pack behind us."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I couldn't see Motherwell scoring today. They tried hard but didn't have a shot on target apart from the goal.

"We were playing well at the time they scored. At this moment we're not scoring enough goals. "If we'd have taken half our chances today it could've been 5-0. "We had about four or five opportunities in the first half. We need to start scoring goals and that will make it easier for us to retain the league. "If we don't score goals then it's going to be a problem as we saw today."

Pictures

KStreet

MOTM v Motherwell - Shunsuke Nakamura

Stats

MOTHERWELL v CELTIC

Possession

40% 60%

Shots on target

1 8

Shots off target

0 5

Corners

1 1

Fouls

11 12

Late Quinn strike frustrates Celtic

22 February 2009

Provided by: Guardian Unlimited

Celtic stayed in second after squandering chances at Fir Park
If goal difference is to play a defining role in the destination of this season's championship, Gordon Strachan has cause for concern. Rangers, who moved to the top of the table for the first time in three months following their victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday, remained there by a margin of 10 goals after Celtic failed to win here.
Strachan, whose team has lacked a cutting edge in recent weeks, again had cause to point to profligacy as two crucial points were lost. Celtic's manager hardly stands accused of not giving his strikers due opportunity to end their drought. He played all three of his main men from the outset here and Scott McDonald scored his second goal in three games, but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras must contribute more.
"It was nothing like a fair result," Strachan said. "At the moment, we can't score goals. Scott is doing well but the rest of the team needs to join in."
On a pitch which would hardly be deemed suitable for rugby, let alone football, entertainment was at a higher level than could be expected. The visitors' midfield was sufficiently reinforced for a bruising encounter by the ­introduction of Gary Caldwell from defence, but McDonald (twice) and Vennegoor of Hesselink failed to turn early dominance into a goal.
When the breakthrough did arrive, ­merited as it was, the surface played a part. McDonald appeared to miss-hit his shot after a mistake from Stephen Craigan but a bobble took the ball beyond Motherwell's goalkeeper, Graeme Smith.
Motherwell seemed as likely to ­equalise as their pitch was to be selected for a lawn bowls competition – Artur Boruc in the Celtic goal had not had a save to make – but they took their opportunity when it arose. Glenn Loovens failed to clear a Jim O'Brien cross and the home full-back Paul Quinn slammed the ball home from 12 yards.
There was time for Strachan's men to push for a winner, but Samaras was again profligate and Scott Brown narrowly failed to round off a superb individual run with a suitable finish.
Motherwell may have moved into the top six but their manager, Mark McGhee, is unwilling to forget their poor performance in being knocked out of the Scottish Cup by St Mirren on Thursday night.
"I said to Gordon before the game that even if we beat his team 10–0 it would not make up for Thursday," McGhee said. "It will take a long time to get that out of the system."
Man of the match Gary Caldwell (Celtic)
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2009
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2009. All rights reserved
Guardian Unlimited

Motherwell 1-1 Celtic

By Colin Moffat

BBC

Celtic failed to regain top spot in the Scottish Premier League after Paul Quinn struck a late equaliser for Motherwell at Fir Park.

Scott McDonald fired the visitors in front on the hour, having twice gone close against his former club in the first half.

Celtic, who now trail Rangers on goal difference, appeared to be on their way to three points.

However, Quinn levelled with a low shot from 16 yards on 81 minutes.

A point was enough to edge Motherwell into the top six, while a stuttering Celtic side have now won just one of their last six league matches.

The appalling playing surface ensured there would be no free-flowing football but Gordon Strachan's side will be frustrated, having dominated the match for long spells.

McDonald created a good early chance with a smart dummy but the Australian blazed his shot over the crossbar after collecting a neat lay-off from Georgios Samaras.

With both sides thumping long passes forward, visiting defender Andreas Hinkel recovered well from a moment of hesitation at the edge of his own penalty box to prevent David Clarkson latching onto a clearance from goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

On 20 minutes, Gary Caldwell, deployed in a central midfield role, released Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and the Dutch international drilled a low, angled shot into the hands of Smith.

Soon after, the Motherwell defence was opened up again, with Shunsuke Nakamura finding McDonald with a clever flick. However, the striker scuffed his strike across goal and defender Steven Hammell was on hand to make a sliding clearance.

Smith then made an excellent one-handed stop from McDonald's stinging shot and Maros Klimpl nipped in to tidy up in front of goal as Nakamura threw himself at the loose ball.

Despite the badly rutted pitch, Celtic strung an impressive passing move together near the end of the first half, which culminated with the unmarked Vennegoor of Hesselink powering a header over the crossbar from 12 yards.

Following a scruffy 15 minutes at the start of the second half, Samaras tested Smith with a low shot and seconds later McDonald broke the deadlock.

The burly striker twisted and turned on the edge of the penalty area before releasing a bobbling shot, which squirmed beyond the outstretched Smith.

Without seriously threatening to add to their tally, Celtic were in control of the match, with goalkeeper Artur Boruc untroubled until the hosts equalised out of the blue.

With ten minutes remaining, Jim O'Brien swung in a dangerous cross and, with Celtic failing to clear their lines, the ball fell to Quinn, who found the bottom corner with a first-time strike from 16 yards.

Celtic responded with a Samaras header flying narrowly over the top, while Scott Brown saw his shot charged down after some fine trickery from the Scotland midfielder.

"Our heads didn't do down after Celtic scored and we dug in, found new reserves and showed a lot of determination to get the equaliser.

"Today must be compensation from the disappointment of going out the cup. The fans were different class.

"We're doing well at the moment and we'll be after Aberdeen and Hearts and Dundee United, but we are aware of the chasing pack behind us."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I couldn't see Motherwell scoring today. They tried hard but didn't have a shot on target apart from the goal.

"We were playing well at the time they scored. At this moment we're not scoring enough goals.

"If we'd have taken half our chances today it could've been 5-0.

"We had about four or five opportunities in the first half. We need to start scoring goals and that will make it easier for us to retain the league.

"If we don't score goals then it's going to be a problem as we saw today."

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Klimpl, O'Brien, Hughes, Fitzpatrick (Murphy 68), Sutton, Clarkson. Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Malcolm, Darren Smith, Lasley, McGarry, Aydilek.

Booked: Klimpl, Hughes.

Goal: Quinn 81.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Loovens, McManus, Naylor, Scott Brown, Caldwell, Nakamura, Samaras, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (McGeady 63). Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Hartley, Flood, Crosas, Hutchinson, O'Dea.

Booked: Scott Brown.

Goal: McDonald 60.

Att: 8,593

Ref: I Brines