Celtic 0 - 0 Rangers: Drawing Closer to the Enemy

Celtic 0:0 Rangers
Celtic Park
Sunday 15th. February, 2009
Attendance: 58,766
Referee: C Murray

Team Lineups
Rangers
McGregor, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, McCulloch, Davis, Ferguson, Mendes, Fleck (Miller 59), Lafferty (Naismith 74) Subs: Alexander, Edu, Boyd, Whittaker, Niguez.
Celtic
Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Flood (McGeady 62), Scott Brown (Crosas 84), Hartley, Nakamura, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 62)Subs: Mark Brown, Loovens, Hutchinson, O'Dea

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Rangers go to Celtic Park needing a win to go to the top of the table. The big question for the fans is what team/formation will Walter send out? Will he have a real go for it or will he play safe and play McCulloch as a defensive midfielder with one player up front?

The answer is as expected—Walter will play safe—as the team is read out and McCulloch is playing as a defensive midfielder and Lafferty is up front on his own.

This led to a no scoring draw vs Aberdeen and the feeling is it may be the same scenario again today at Celtic Park. Fleck however is starting his first old firm game at 17 years of age. Celtic have a couple of surprises too as Robson is in the stand and Flood makes his debut. McGeadie is not starting but is on the bench.

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First Half

2:40 Fleck whips over a dangerous cross that is eventually cleared.
4:18 A Lafferty head flick is too strong for Davis.
7:51 A late challenge is made by Brown on Davis. Brown is very lucky to escape with a yellow card.
9:44 Lafferty and Ferguson get in a mix-up and Celtic win the ball.
10:10 A half chance for Lafferty, but no joy.
11:16 Ferguson concedes a free kick.
12:59 Flood fouls Papac.
13:52 Davis seems weak for now on the Rangers right flank.
15:28 Flood beats Fleck near the goal line and whips in a great cross only for MacDonald to miss a sitter with a header from three yards or so. A great let-off for Rangers.
16:32 A poor Weir pass leads to more Celtic possession.
20:50 Broodfoot makes a poor pass and McCulloch commits a foul.
22:61 Davis concedes a free kick after a poor pass by Broadfoot puts Bougherra in trouble.
23:42 Lafferty is beaten from behind.
24:18 Ferguson gets the break of the ball in great position, but wastes a good opportunity with a dreadful pass.
25:43 Fleck cuts inside to try and get something going, but Davis loses control.
26:27 Brown goes in high on McCulloch an concedes a free kick.
26:57 Bougherra receives a Ferguson pass and goes on a run at the Celtic defence, but fires over.
28:56 Fleck concedes a free kick near the corner flag, but the resultant corner is cleared by Weir.
32:50 Fleck to Broadfoot who wins a corner, but a short corner by Mendes to Fleck comes to nothing.
34:58 Weir and Vennegoor of Hesslink collide and both are booked.
36:40 Poor play by McCulloch sets up a Celtic attack.
42:28 At last Rangers exert some pressure, but that all ends with a dreadful cross from Broadfoot straight to Boruc.
44:43 Celtic press again, but Weir and McGregor clean up.
44:58 Davis tries to spring Ferguson who looks a yard slow.

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Half Time Score: Celtic 0-0 Rangers

A very poor first half by both teams, especially Rangers, who have played some of the worst football this season. No bite, width or fluidity at all. We have created nothing in the way of chances and had McDonald not missed a sitter we would surely have been behind. If we do go behind we are in big trouble as we do not look like scoring any goals. The question now is will Walter make changes to this formation? Similar to the Aberdeen game we look sound in defence, but could play for years without scoring. We seemed to be too scared of losing in that first half. We need to want it a lot more. Our attitude was very poor.

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Second Half

No changes to either team. I hope Walter has fired them up at half time.
45:50 Celtic attack down the left and a long throw causes trouble. Hartley though is off target with his shot.
46:43 Rangers win two free kicks in quick succession, but a poor one by Mendes goes out for a goal kick.
48:07 Celtic win a free kick, but it is eventually cleared.
49:19 McDonald fouls Papac.
50:00 Great work by Bougherra on the right. He cuts in and fires a shot which deflects off McManus and nearly beats Boruc, who brings off a great instinctive save.
50:32 Ferguson misses a half chance when he fires wide.
51:11 McDonald fouls Bougherra.
52:24 Ferguson tries to find Fleck but the pass is very high and bounces out for a goal kick.
53:45 From a free kick, a great back heel by Mendes sets up a McCulloch shot which is blocked.
54:20 A Davis pass towards Broadfoot is cleared.
55:50 Davis sets up Lafferty for a shot but it is too near Boruc who saves comfortably.
58:19 Davis finds Lafferty who plays in Ferguson who misses a good chance.
58:53 Fleck is taken off and substituted by Miller.
59:34 Good work by Brown leads to a Celtic corner, which is cleared.
60:29 A poor cross by Brown leads to a goal kick.
61:25 Celtic make a double substitution by taking off Flood and Hesselink and bringing on McGeadie and Samaras.
64:27 A corner to Celtic, but rangers break forward and Miller very nearly finds Davis who had made a great run through the centre.
65:40 Hartley receives a yellow card.
66:00 Rangers are awarded a free kick, but there is no danger.
67:50 Bougherra surges forward again, but the end result is a throw to Celtic.
68:00 A Davis back heel sets up a chance for Miller, but it is rushed and way off target.
69:29 More Rangers pressure with no end result. A lot better second half for Rangers all the same.
70:39 Lafferty looks injured.
72:58 McCulloch fouls Nakamura.
73:26 Naismith replaces a limping Lafferty.
75:31 Naismith and Brown get into a tangle and both receive a yellow card.
77:59 Miller finds Broadfoot who finds Mendes who wins a corner.
78:25 Bougherra to Mendes who again wins a corner, from which a Weir header brings out a great save from Boruc.
82:49 Samaras looks to have ran the ball out of play, but the referee awards a corner kick. Ferguson clearly disagrees, and is given a yellow card by the referee.
83:23 Celtic take off Brown who had been injured in a clash with McGregor and send on Crosas.
84:10 From the Celtic corner Rangers are awarded a free kick.
86:36 McCulloch fouls Hartley and he is given a yellow card.
87:40 Naismith has been judged to have fouled Nakamura who so easily falls down. It is about 22 yards out in a dangerous position. Mendes now receives a yellow card for not being 10 yards back. Nakamura shoots over the wall; McGregor saves, but spills the ball which is cleared by the defence.

A minute is added on for injury time, but nothing of note happens.

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Final Score: Celtic 0-0 Rangers

Both teams seem happy with a draw.

From the second half performance, it makes you wonder what would have happened if Rangers had just gone for the win rather than play a full first half of rather defensive and very poor football. I really wonder if this team has the guts to go on a winning run. It seems to lack self belief. We need goals and without Boyd we do not seem capable of scoring.

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RangersMedia Player Ratings:

McGregor: A good display, but not too much to do.
Rangers Media score: 7.0

Broadfoot: A steady display, but some poor moments.
Rangers Media score 6.5

Bougherra: A great game. Very solid at the back and pushed forward to good effect.
Rangers Media score: 8.0

Weir: A good display
Rangers Media score: 7.5

Papac: A good steady display.
Rangers Media score: 7.0

McCulloch: A good display in that he did what was asked of him.
Rangers Media score: 7.0

Davis: Poor first half, but an excellent second half.
Rangers Media score: 7.0

Mendes: Not such a good match, by his standards.
Rangers Media score: 6.0

Ferguson: A poor game—completely missing in the first half.
Rangers Media score: 5.5

Fleck: His inexperience showed a little, but did not do too badly.
Rangers Media score: 6.0

Lafferty: Tried hard with no real support, especially in the first half.
Rangers Media score: 6.5

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Substitutes

Miller: On after 59 minutes. Still looks off form and rushed when chances come his way.
Rangers Media score: 4.0

Naismith: On after 73 minutes. Tried hard but not a lot came off for him. Booked.
Rangers Media score: 4.0

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Manager:

This depends upon your point of view. Walter obviously set out not to lose and like the Aberdeen game he succeeded. If you are happy with that then Walter should get a 10.0 for total success with team, tactics and result.

If on the other hand you expect to see Rangers play some decent attacking football and put a poor Celtic team on defence and score some goals in order to go to the TOP of the table, then he deserves a 4.0 for a miserable first half and very very few shots on target. Let’s compromise and give him a 7.0.

Man of the Match:
Bougherra was easily our best player today.

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