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Trivia
- A pick me up for the team before the big game which back fired a bit.
- Mostly a second string side, but first teamers were subbed on.
Review
A poor day which saw Celtic over run by Sunderland. A second string side started but first teamers were put on in the second half. A good goal by Crosas masks a game where Sunderland way over dominated in the first half and only saw Celtic respond in the second half, but not very good overall.
Disappointing day, and a very poor attendance by the support showed some worrying early signs of the continued apathy from last season.
Teams
Celtic (4-3-2-1): Zaluska; Caddis, Loovens (Caldwell 59), O'Dea, Fox (Conroy 80); Flood (McGeady 59), Crosas, Brown (McDonald 59); McCourt (Donati 59), Mizuno (Maloney 59); Killen (Samaras 46).
Scorer: Crosas 67
Sunderland (4-5-1): Fulop; Bardsley (Healy 76), Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney; Malbranque (Nosworthy 76), Leadbitter (Tainio 76), Henderson (Cana 59), Richardson (Edwards 76), Reid (Murphy 80); Jones (Campbell 59).
Scorers: Richardson 14, Jones 53
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Articles
Celtic 1-2 Sunderland: Old firm teams send out mixed messages
Scotland on Sunday
WELL, at least Scott Brown managed a 59-minute run-out. And that was about that for points of interest concerning Celtic ahead of their trip to Moscow. Brown has been presented as the dynamo to do Dinamo. But the midfielder, making his first appearance following an ankle operation in the summer, struggled for the sharpness and stamina on which his game relies.
Tony Mowbray was reticent about whether he would gamble on the midfielder he helped mould at Easter Road. Perhaps because, as Celtic seek to progress to the play-off stages of the Champions League by overturning a first-leg deficit for the first time in Europe, and look to win on the road in Europe for the first time in six years, they must play an XI who can go all-out. They do not have a hope of upsetting the most daunting odds otherwise.
Yesterday, with Sunderland convincingly beating them on their own patch only days after a solitary goal at the same scene gave the Russians victory, no other players in Mowbray's reserve selection would have pushed their way in to the manager's thoughts.
SPFA Player of the Year Brown only looked like himself when he was having a set-to with former Rangers defender Phil Bardsley early in the second period, one of a handful of dust-ups which also saw Gary Caldwell squaring up to Kieron Richardson. And Celtic only looked like salvaging something when Mowbray made a raft of substitutions just before the hour mark that brought a number of first picks into the fray.
Steve Bruce's side were by then cantering to victory that they were helped along with by a couple of lax moments from Darren O'Dea, captain for the day. In the 2-0 win over Tottenham in last weekend's Wembley Cup final, the Irish youngster coped with all manner of difficulties. Yesterday, he messed up simple things. Attempting a clearance from a Kenwyne Jones headed flick-on after 14 minutes, he swiped at fresh air. That misjudgment allowed Richardson to step in behind him, stride forward and bury a thumping effort beyond Lukasz Zaluska.
O'Dea's role in Sunderland's second goal, 53 minutes in, wasn't as clear cut, but neither did it appear beyond reproach. Jones was allowed to get between the centre-back and Caldwell to meet a cross from the right floated over by Andy Reid and it was a strike that seemed the match winner. But with Scott McDonald, Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady and Massimo Donati presed into action, Mowbray's side produced a response when Marc Crosas fired in a volley 16 minutes from the end of a less-than-thrilling encounter.
Indeed, you only had to look round the empty stands at Celtic Park to realise how little appetite there is for pre- season games contested after hands have been dipped into pockets for the competitive variety. Only a fraction of those who turned out for the Champions League qualifier bothered to return four days later for a "glamour friendly" included on their season tickets.
These folk could not be faulted for their discernment. Mowbray, essentially, was fulfilling a fixture. His players, meanwhile, appeared as if they were topping up their fitness with no great enthusiasm – watched by a sparse crowd struggling to muster any. Indeed, with announcements over the tannoy reminding supporters they could still buy season tickets, it must be wondered to what extent that Gordon Strachan's grim last campaign will impact on season book sales.
The nature of the first half gave cause to reflect on how much perceptions can change in a matter of days. The effectiveness of Celtic's second XI in registering a deserved 2-0 win over Harry Redknapp's team last Sunday had the club's support excitedly expounding on the strength in depth available to their new manager. As these same players struggled to make any impression on a Sunderland team who seemed a level above them, the thought that fermented was how many bit-part performers short of the required standard Mowbray may have clogging up his ranks.
Reports of Celtic's 1-0 loss to Dinamo underplayed some encouraging aspects and overstated the reasons why they are left toiling to make the Champions League play-offs. But there was nothing about their performance yesterday that was out of keeping with the turgid displays that became commonplace on such occasions under Strachan.
Having tuned themselves up with games against Benfica and Atletico Madrid in the Amsterdam tournament, Bruce's side appeared to have a competitive edge. Their manager certainly sent out a competitive starting line-up. New signings Frazier Campbell and Lovik Cana began on the bench but otherwise the Wearsiders were at full strength. Celtic, meanwhile, will need to be super strong to avoid the seemingly inevitable in midweek.