First things first, we were never in this match.
From a lack of shape, to a lack of discipline and a lack of hunger lead to an easy win for a Rangers team so bereft of quality and craft that it makes the result even harder to take.
There is no doubt about it that Barry Ferguson is a quality player but with the exception of Cuellar would you say any other player stood out as being quality?
So what was the difference between the two teams? Guile and a will to win was what won the game today. The Celtic players looked resigned to defeat for the majority of this match, it showed in their body language that they were not confident about the shape of the team and the players within it from the get go and it showed. So much so that Rangers managed to keep such a highline that Scott McDonald will be seeing offside flags in his sleep.
The first goal was a strange one, with McManus' lack of positional awareness shining through as he allows the ball to pass him by, probably from fear of putting it in his own net. Had he had the presence of mind and positional sense to realise that he was in the best position to head clear then this may have had a different outcome. Caldwell correctly decides (for once) that any touch from him would be an o.g. and he passes the buck to young O'Dea who makes a centre halfs decision in a right backs shoes and Nacho says Gracias!
The second goal was as freaky as the first, a poorly dealt with innocuous ball is toe poked home by Captain Trackie and the game is over as a contest. Had Big Mick still been on the park then there is no way that ball would have bounced in the box let alone fell to Bazza. Well done Cousin (the player who has the ability to jump for a football without actually looking at it).
So what positives can be taken from this match? We were dominated for large portions of this game with a defence as solid as a jelly shield and we never allowed too many chances (Rangers quality or lack thereof highlighted again), we were down to the bare bones squad wise and we are still top of the league thanks to an incorrectly chopped off goal in the 88th minute that would have seen Rangers got top. Get it up you McCulloch.
The nine or so booking received by Celtic will be the big talking point after this match and we can probably expect so form of sanction from the SFA for this, although it was hardly a dirty game. Some of the bookings were indeed bookings but how many of them were for first offences? Mcgeady's yellow especially springs to mind at this point.
So enjoy your victory our little blue chums, you did well to score two goals from open play against a side with an entire defence out injured, but don't get too carried away with this result as you will not get an easier derby win again this soon, and lets face it you will still drop points against the likes of Hearts and Hibs!
Ps Why don't you sing football songs when you are ahead? Who is it that you are not surrendering too? Whats that? You only have football songs about obscure victories over Wolves?
Oh and yes, Alan Hutton does remind me of Cafu, but he is 37!
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt