2019-05-12: TheRangers 2-0 Celtic, SP

Trivia

Review

(The poacher of KDS forum)
We handed the hun 2 out of 2 on their own dump. Next season, when we are either bedding players in or whatever and we still need a result there? Absolutely nothing to say we can get a result. Nevermind gifting them the momentum.

We – it, from absolutley boiling them in their own piss 2 seasons ago at ibrox to now just being miserable non attendees – not once but twice. Both times the main man has questions to answer, both times the main man playing the schoolboy Johnstone out of position (prove me wrong, Michael). First time I thought there was definite hint Rodgers was at it – 'look what I have to work with'. This time Lennon tried to be cute but nothing came off.

Their midfield works their socks off against us, their whole rotten xi pressed us – it was a case of picking passes quick and moving off your man. Do that and we buy time to pick out players that could hurt them. Nothing worked today. I have this idea that Lennoxtown has this insulating effect that can work for us and against us, I dont know if anyone else thinks the same?

I also have this working assumption that the amount of possession we are allowed domestically can hurt our style of play; players dwelling, slow movement, no pace on passing etc. Its a like for like from the earlier game at ibrox – pressed and theres no answer. we were back to rolling it around the backline again.

Im repeating myself from earlier but I dont think theres any more toothpaste left in the tube. Our club needs a kick up the arse.

Teams

Rangers

• 13Foderingham
• 2Tavernier
• 6Goldson
• 19Katic
• 15FlanaganBooked at 51mins
• 8Jack
• 18Kamara
• 10Davis Substituted forMcCrorieat 90'minutes

· 37ArfieldBooked at 64mins Substituted forCandeiasat 83'minutes
· 14Kent
· 9Defoe Substituted forMorelosat 79'minutes
Substitutes

• 3Worrall
• 16Halliday
• 17McCrorie
• 20Morelos
• 21Candeias
• 31Barisic
• 32Firth

Goals

• Tavernier (2' minutes),
• Arfield (63' minutes)

Celtic

• 29Bain
• 23Lustig Substituted forToljanat 45'minutes
• 5Simunovic
• 35AjerBooked at 76mins
• 73Johnston
• Substituted forSinclairat 66'minutes
• 8Brown
• 18Rogic Substituted forNtchamat 71'minutes
• 42McGregor
• 15HayesBooked at 74mins
• 22Edouard
• 25Burke

Substitutes

• 2Toljan
• 6Bitton
• 11Sinclair
• 21Ntcham
• 24de Vries
• 32Benkovic
• 56Ralston

Referee:
Kevin Clancy
Attendance:
49,844

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Stats

Home TeamRangersAway TeamCeltic
Possession
Home43%
Away57%
Shots
Home11
Away3
Shots on Target
Home5
Away1
Corners
Home6
Away3
Fouls
Home12
Away12

Articles

Rangers 2-0 Celtic: Gers ease to second Old Firm win of the season over listless rivals
James Tavernier wheels away after netting the opener. Picture: SNS Group
James Tavernier wheels away after netting the opener. Picture: SNS Group
Stephen Halliday
Published: 14:12 Sunday 12 May 2019
The Scotsman newspaperhttps://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/rangers-2-0-celtic-gers-ease-to-second-old-firm-win-of-the-season-over-listless-rivals-1-4925597

Bragging rights may be of secondary importance to title deeds in the Premiership’s grand scheme of things but nothing could diminish the delight of Rangers and their supporters as they comprehensively won the final Old Firm showdown of the season.

Goals from James Tavernier and Scott Arfield consigned Neil Lennon to his first defeat as Celtic’s interim manager and uncertainty remains over whether he will be handed the job on a permanent basis.
Scott Arfield celebrates scoring Rangers' second as Scott Brown looks on. Picture: SNS Group
Scott Arfield celebrates scoring Rangers' second as Scott Brown looks on. Picture: SNS Group

Lennon shouldn’t be judged on one slipshod performance alone and he remains on course to see out the task handed to him in February by completing Celtic’s quest for a third successive domestic treble.

For Rangers manager Steven Gerrard, this was a day which provided him with plenty of encouragement for the future but perhaps also a real sense of frustration that his players lacked the consistency this season to overhaul a Celtic side just six points ahead of them with one round of league fixtures remaining.

Finding a source of motivation is seldom an issue for either side in this rivalry, regardless of how much is resting on the outcome. But it was Gerrard’s men who certainly looked far more incentivised on this occasion as they sought to make a positive statement against the newly crowned eight-in-a-row champions.

Rangers snapped into challenges with vigour and urgency from the start, an approach typified by Ryan Kent when he closed down Mikael Lustig in the build up to the opening goal. As Kent robbed Lustig of possession, Michael Johnston was left with little option but to halt the on-loan Liverpool winger with a clear foul just outside the penalty area.

The free-kick, in a wide position on the left, didn’t seem to present an obvious opportunity for a direct attempt at goal. But the Celtic defence were totally deceived by Tavernier’s whipped delivery as the ball soared beyond the flat-footed Scott Bain and nestled in the left hand corner of the Celtic goalkeeper’s net.

Celtic were struggling to come to terms with a formation which had a curiously experimental look with Johnston and Jonny Hayes effectively operating as wing-backs while Oliver Burke joined Odsonne Edouard up front.

Lennon switched to a more orthodox back four midway through a first half in which Rangers would feel their general dominance should have brought further reward.

Defoe, again leading the line in preference to top scorer Alfredo Morelos, linked up smartly with Kent as Rangers created their next opening but the veteran striker’s shot was comfortably saved by Bain.

Celtic’s first glimpse of goal saw them fail to test Wes Foderingham, replacing the suspended Allan McGregor between the posts for Rangers, as Burke blazed an effort wildly off target.

Rangers were quickly back on the front foot but Defoe’s more than theatrical attempt to win a penalty kick, as he tumbled despite no contact from Kristoffer Ajer, might easily have earned him a caution.

As the hosts continued to control the tempo and direction of the contest, a clever corner routine involving Kent, Steven Davis and Arfield almost caught Celtic out but the final pass lacked accuracy.
Grim viewing for Neil Lennon at Ibrox as his Celtic side go down 2-0 to Rangers. Picture: PA
‘Report 11 missing players last seen getting off a bus in Govan’ – Celtic fans react to Old Firm loss to Rangers

The incident and, inset, a close-up of Flanagan's clash with Brown. Picture: Sky Sports
Should Rangers defender Jon Flanagan have been sent off for this challenge on Celtic captain Scott Brown?

Bain made a brave save at the feet of Arfield to deny Rangers in first half stoppage time with Connor Goldson heading narrowly over from the resultant corner.

Celtic, with Jeremy Toljan replacing the injured Lustig at the start of the second half, were left incensed and bemused six minutes after the resumption when Jon Flanagan escaped with only a booking when he caught Scott Brown with a raised elbow as the pair jostled for position at a corner kick. The full-back could count himself exceptionally fortunate not to join the lengthy list of dismissals Rangers have collected this season.

The momentum remained firmly with Rangers with Celtic unable to make any significant impression in a midfield battle bossed by Ryan Jack and Davis. The home side fully merited the second goal which finally came their way in the 63rd minute as a consequence of an outstanding move.

Glen Kamara left Celtic captain Brown twisting in the wind with a silky turn and when the Finnish international’s piercing through ball was dummied by Defoe, it found the run into the area of Arfield who slipped a composed finish beyond Bain.

Celtic introduced Scott Sinclair for the peripheral Johnston, while Rogic made way for Olivier Ntcham but there was no appreciable improvement for the visitors who already seemed to have accepted their fate.

Defoe almost added a third for Rangers with 12 minutes remaining when he saw his initial shot parried by Bain before clipping the rebound onto the top of the crossbar.

The scoreline was kind to Celtic, given the paucity of their performance, but they should have halved the deficit in the 84th minute. Odsonne Edouard broke free down the left and his low cross found Burke unmarked around 12 yards out. The on-loan West Bromwich Albion forward completely lacked conviction with his shot which was blocked by Foderingham low to his left. Damningly for Celtic, it was their first and only attempt on target all afternoon.

RANGERS: Foderingham, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Flanagan; Jack, Davis (McCrorie 90), Kamara; Arfield (Candeias 83), Defoe (Morelos 80), Kent. Subs not used: Firth, Worrall, Halliday, Barisic.

CELTIC: Bain, Lustig (Toljan 46), Ajer, Simunovic, Hayes; Brown, McGregor; Burke, Rogic (Ntcham 71), Johnston (Sinclair 65); Edouard. Subs not used: De Vries, Bitton, Benkovic, Ralston

BBC
Rangers secured back-to-back home wins over Celtic for the first time in seven years with a dominant and determined display against the Scottish champions.

Steven Gerrard's side got the ideal start as James Tavernier's free-kick deceived goalkeeper Scott Bain with only two minutes gone at Ibrox.

Celtic were left angry as Jon Flanagan escaped with a yellow card for an elbow in the face of Scott Brown.

Rangers took advantage as Scott Arfield finished off a fine, flowing move.

The derby win takes the hosts to within six points of their city rivals, but with the title already returning to Celtic Park, it more importantly was a signal of intent ahead of next season as Rangers secured a sixth consecutive win.

It also ends Celtic's 12-game unbeaten run since Valencia ended their Europa League hopes – and a run of 16 without loss in the league since their December defeat at Ibrox.

Reaction & as it happened
Rate the players at Ibrox

Celtic rattled, Rangers rampant

While the title was long won by the visitors, there is no such thing as a meaningless Old Firm derby and there was still plenty more on the line as the players emerged into a sun-kissed Ibrox.

Neil Lennon is still trying to win a permanent contract with Celtic after taking over as interim manager following Brendan Rodgers' departure to Leicester City.

Counterpart Gerrard is out to prove both his worth in his first managerial job – and that the December win over their city rivals was no flash in the pan. It didn't take long for the former England captain's side to take an early lead and help his case.

Tavernier had already found the net 16 times this season – 14 from the penalty spot – before the right-back's in-swinging free-kick whipped past Bain as it skimmed clear of a sea of heads and nestled in the far corner of the net.

Celtic were rattled. Shorn of the injured James Forrest and Kieran Tierney, rested ahead of the Scottish Cup final, and adopting a back three, Lennon's side lacked the width to trouble a blue tide feverishly chasing down anything resembling a Celtic shadow.

Gerrard had decided against restoring top scorer Alfredo Morelos to the starting line-up on the Colombian's return from a suspension resulting from his red card in the last Old Firm derby.

In his absence, Jermain Defoe, the veteran on loan from Bournemouth, has formed a fruitful partnership with Arfield and the pair responded by giving the Celtic backline a torrid afternoon.

Defoe's dummy after Glen Kamara cleverly shrugged off Brown to thread a ball towards the Celtic penalty box set up the former Burnley midfielder to slot home the second goal.
Rangers fans spill on to the park as their side score the second
Rangers fans spill on to the park as their side score the second goal of the game

Oliver Burke should have reduced the arrears late on when goalkeeper Wes Foderingham was able to beat away the on-loan West Bromwich Albion winger's close-range drive, which was Celtic's first shot on target after 83 minutes.

However, it seemed like the only thing that was going to prevent a Rangers win was a return to the indiscipline that led to three players being sent off for clashes involving Brown in that March defeat at Celtic Park.

Indeed, referee Kevin Clancy, taking charge of his first Old Firm derby, could have changed the course of the game had he decided on a harsher punishment for Flanagan after the defender's forearm smash in the Celtic captain's face as they awaited a corner with just a goal in the game.

The talk before kick-off was about Rangers' decision not to give Celtic a guard of honour in their first game since retaining an eighth consecutive title.

Lennon's side certainly not did deserve one in the wake of a disjointed performance as Rangers enjoyed a deserved ovation from home support encouraged by what may lie ahead next season.
Rangers 'totally dominant'; 'Black mark' against Lennon

Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound

Rangers totally dominated. I expected a response from Celtic and it didn't materialise. They were well beaten.

Rangers overran the Celtic midfield. They couldn't handle Davis, Arfield, Kamara and Jack.

The only talking point that might have changed the game was at 1-0 and then Flanagan throws his left arm into Brown and maybe a red card might have changed it – because Celtic certainly weren't going to change it.

BBC Scotland chief sports writer Tom English

That's the best I've seen Rangers play in years. They nullified Celtic's threat brilliantly. There was an energy, a wit and confidence about them that Celtic couldn't live with. It was a very complete Rangers performance.

There will be changes this summer, but on that performance, you wouldn't be changing much about that Rangers team. If they can get Ryan Kent on another season-long loan from Liverpool, what a difference that can make.

This is a big black mark against Neil Lennon and his chances of getting the job permanently because his team were beaten in every department.