And here it is!
And here it is!
Updated
Right, that’s about us - our report will be here shortly. Ta-ra.
In other news:
Looking at the goal again, it was Starfelt who Helander beat to the ball, which is a shame for him because he played well today. Hartson notes that he’s done that a few times already this season, and it’s something he’ll need to sort if he’s to cement himself in the side.
How good Helander’s header was is worth restating. Celtic’s marking was rank, but his desire to introduce brow to ball, with extreme prejudice, was excellent.
Elsewhere:
In the end, Rangers had too much power and confidence for Celtic, able to raise their level to force the win. Celtic are moving in the right direction, but need to learn how to seize a moment and a game to progress from here. Also, possession is all very well, but passages of it need to end with a shot more often than they did today.
Maxwel Cornet a decent statement of intent by Umbro pic.twitter.com/sFCoPrwhmQ
— James Dart (@James_Dart) August 29, 2021
Robby McCrorie keeps a clean sheet on debut. Celtic barely asked him any questions but, and Postecoglu needs to show his players how they turn possession into chances.
Full-time: Rangers 1-0 Celtic
A much-improved second-half effort from Rangers was just enough, and they move third in the table behind Hibs and Hearts. Celtic move down from fifth to sixth.
90+5 min But Goldson wins the first header, and with the ball in the air the final whistle goes!
Updated
90+4 min Here we go. Ralston drives forward, wins a corner, and here comes Hart...
90+3 min Celtic will look back at that Edouard miss, but they’ve not played well enough second half to expect anything other than defeat.
90+2 min Soro plays a poor pass and Davis, who’s been really good in the key last 30, sends Sakala away at inside-right! He powers forward, the wallops a shot that Hart saves down by his near post.
90+1 min Rangers give Balogun man of the match, and he’s also been good.
90 min There’ll be four added minutes.
90 min Rangers keep the ball, then when they lose it and McGregor clips forward, Goldson, who’s been excellent today, wins the header.
89 min Rangers send on Arfield for Kent, who had a really good first half.
88 min Celtic are building pressure – they must wish they’d played with intensity sooner – and work the ball into Juranovic’s path. But from 25 yards out, he lashes just over the top.
87 min I missed it in all the fuss, but between those two Kyogo errors, Montgomery replaced Abada.
87 min Here comes Kyogo again, in behind again ... and this time he should shoot, but presumably spooked by his previous error opts to square ... and the pass is intercepted!
85 min But it is now, Kyogo getting in behind on the right of the box! He’s got Christie in the middle, screeching for the square pass that’ll give him an open goal, but opts to shoot and McCrorie saves well! Christie is steaming!
85 min Since going behind, Celtic have stayed true to their short-passing game, which makes some sense – Postecoglou is trying to inculcate a method – but it’s not working today.
83 min That’s Morelos’ final involvement in the game; he’s replaced by Sakala, returning from injury, presumably because pace on the break might be handy as Celtic chuck men forward.
82 min A ball over the top and suddenly Morelos is in! Juranovic is behind him, scrabbling to get back, and has hands ready to yank back his man ... who slips! Had he not, he might’ve won a penalty with a red card, or finished the game ith a second goal.
82 min Rogic gets on the ball just outside the Rangers box and looks to shift it away from Helander, who stands his ground well and allows himself to be run into.
81 min A long, hopeful ball over the top has Christie off in pursuit down the right – Balogun is out of position – but Goldson nashes across to get there first, humping clear.
80 min Celtic have been so disappointing since half-time.
79 min Celtic are trying to make something happen, Rogic finding Ralston – he was good going forward in the first half – but his cross flies well past everyone inside the box.
77 min Davis wins the ball high up the pitch, anticipating where it’s going to drop and finding Aribo. He looks certain to move the ball onto his left foot and look for the far corner, but instead slides in Morelos, who lashes wide of the near post from a narrow angle.
75 min Celtic’s possession game is all very well, but with no edge in attack it’s not especially helpful. They’re struggling to get on the ball in decent areas and don’t really have the option of slinging it into the box to see what happens.
74 min Rangers send on Lundstram for Roofe, giving them an extra man in the midfield they’ve been dominating.
73 min Celtic have woken up, Rogic moving towards the line when Abada finds him. But Barisic does well to stand him up and Rangers clear.
71 min Celtic have been dreadful since half-time, and though Rangers haven’t created much, their increased intensity and aggression has made the difference.
71 min After the goal, Celtic sent Rogic and Soro on for the ineffective Edouard and Turnbull.
69 min The corner is a decent one, landing in the middle of the box. But the runners towards the near post miss it, and Helander is free to nod away.
68 min Back come Celtic, Kyogo dashing in behind to collect Christie’s pass, and for a second it looks like he’s in! But McCrorie does really well to dash out and block behind for a corner.
GOAL! Rangers 1-0 Celtic (Helander 67)
Barisic swerves in towards the back post and Helander, unmarked, comes from deep to get on a run and punish a free header across Hart and into the side-netting via the keeper’s fingers. That’s really well-taken, but I’ve not a clue why no one was looking after the scorer.
Updated
66 min Barisic whips in and someone, Helander I think, is up early, flicking goalwards. Hart is there ready to palm behind, but I’m not sure why Roofe didn’t jump with him to make it harder.
66 min It’s exceedingly scrappy now and Morelos wins a free-kick, 35 yards out and just right of centre.
64 min Edouard bumps McCrorie as he looks to clear and is booked.
64 min ...and he looks for a shot inside the near post, from way out. Dreadful.
64 min Celtic win a free-kick down the left, Turnbull to swerve it in...
63 min McCoist reckons it might be time for Celtic to get Rogic on, and that makes sense to me, because he makes things happen and his strength will help Kyogo get on the ball.
62 min McGregor wins Celtic a corner and Turnbull braves the cups and such to stick it in ... missing everyone out. That was not good.
62 min Rangers have had 55% possession since half-time.
61 min A poor pass from Kyogo sees Morelos run at the Celtic defence, but Starfelt, who’s having a really good game, makes the challenge, then when Rangers come again Roofe drives wide.
60 min It’s livening up again, Celtic growing into the half and Rangers maintaining their intensity.
58 min “Fair point in your reply,” returns Thomas Stratford. “Do genuinely hope it works out for Joe Hart with one of his moves having now watched him rotate through Torino, Burnley and Tottenham. Was surprised when he joined us (Spurs fan), given Lloris and it would be nice to see Joe regularly starting games again, after he was similarly seldom used at Burnley.”
It’s odd what happened to him because when Man City started winning things, he was one of their most reliable big-game contributors. Celtic is an incredible move for him at a point when he must’ve wondered if he was finished, and I’m sure the environment is giving him the best chance of rediscovering himself.
56 min Barisic’s delivery is superb, the ball flying flat across the face of goal, where Starfelt makes a terrific defensive header, arriving just in front of Goldson. It hands Rangers a further corner, but that comes to nothing.
53 min Aribo does really well to press Juranovic as he looks to clear, unable to get the ball out of his feet, and Rangers win a corner.
55 min Kent, Rangers’ best attacker by far so far today, hares down the right after a loose ball, crossing well enough ... but he can’t find either Morelos or Roofe, both of whom make runs into the box.
53 min Aribo picks up the ball outside his own box after Kyogo gives it away, but can’t make anything of it. It’s a pretty messy affair now, Celtic searching for their passing game and Rangers playing direct, so turning possession over quickly.
53 min Rangers’ kits look like body-paint.
52 min Celtic haven’t got going this half and McGregor tries to lead by example, racing down the right only to be unloaded by Kent.
50 min ...where it’s headed clear, but Rangers have started the second half well, looking to get about Celtic.
50 min Starfelt puts arms around Roofe and yanks him over as they wait for the ball to drop; that’s very silly behaviour and Davis will put the free-kick into the box...
48 min “Don’t watch much Scottish football,” confesses Andrew Walker. “Edouard is having a shocker. Is he always this careless in possession? Would do OK in a League 1 team on this showing.”
No he’s not – he’s a good player who might develop into a very good player.
47 min “In the absence of any goals so far,’ returns Simon McMahon, “maybe Celtic should pursue a swap deal with Dundee United. Edouard, Kyogo and Abada for Clark, Pawlett and Chalmers? There’s still time before the transfer window slams shut...”
What a triple-swoop that’d be!
47 min ...but he hits against the wall. That was poor.
46 min And immediately, Roofe wins a header then Morelos gets across McGregor to win a free-kick when he’s buffeted, 25 yards out and right of centre. Barisic will fancy this...
Updated
46 min We go again.
The Rangers players return early, then Celtic join them.
A reminder: because of an ongoing dispute with Rangers over access for independent photographers we are not publishing any live pictures from inside Ibrox.
Updated
“Interesting Postecoglou has just signed Hart for a team where he seems determined to play out from the back,” emails Thomas Stratford, “when Guardiola immediately discarded Joe for the same reason? Not going to simply assume Pep has the greater wisdom but I’m interested to see how that goes over the course of this season.”
A coach once told a mate of mine that the whole keeper passing thing is overstated, and it’s only really Ederson who makes a difference in that aspect. My guess is Potecoglou wants Hart to keep goal well, and give the ball to the defenders, whose job it’ll be to build the play.
Updated
Half-time reading: Rangers’ 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup win is a brilliant and ridiculous story.
Half-time: Rangers 0-0 Celtic
Celtic look the better side and should be in front – Edouard’s miss was a badun – but both sides lack a bit of edge and composure in the final third.
45+1 min Juranovic sticks a hopeful clearance and Edouard, who’s suddenly one-on-one with Helander when Goldson,’s poor touch gives him the ball. But Helander does well to block him off at cost of a corner, which comes to nowt.
45 min There’ll be one added minute.
45 min So far the general play has been decentish, but both sides have lacked a bit of quality in the final third ... and there we go, Kyogo laying back to Christie who swipes an outswinger over the bar and plenty.
44 min Laugh!
The first goal scored in Spain's new third tier was memorable for all the wrong reasons pic.twitter.com/Y1LlBi1uzy
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) August 29, 2021
43 min Davis fancies a swing, but can’t finds the pace or dip and Hart fields easily enough.
42 min Kent has been Rangers’ move lively attacker and he picks the ball up not far outside the Celtic box, looking to slide in behind into space for Morelos. The pass is blocked, but he regains possession and buys a free-kick, 25 yards out, left of centre...
40 min Balogun does well to rob Juranovic and McGregor trips Aribo and he brings the ball away. That was cynical, and more worthy of a caution that Turnbull’s challenge.
Updated
38 min Turnbull controls on the half-turn and looks to attack Goldson, who reads the situation well and clears, then wears the follow-through to which Turnbull was already committed. It earns the midfielder a yellow card, which is a tad harsh but you can see why it was given.
37 min I wonder if Kyogo might be better inside, at some point, because he looks Celtic’s best route to goal but isn’t involved in the play often enough.
35 min McGregor incites Morelos to foul him by the right touchline and Celtic can stick one into the mixer while, at the other end, stewards remove debris from inside Joe Hart’s box. In comes the cross, and Kamara heads away easily enough.
34 min Turnbull looks for Christie, but overhits his pass. Celtic, though, quickly regain possession and when Abada crosses, Balogun is forced into a desperate hook clear.
33 min A quiet spell.
31 min Rangera have won 2o hoe games in a row, but they’ll need to improve to add to that today ... and they’re trying to, Morelos doing really well to retrieve a ball that looks headed away from goal, laying back for Kent, who bends low towards the far corner ... and bumps the base of the post! That was a really good effort, and Morelos is looking lively.
30 min Rangers win a free-kick on the left, 30 yards from goal, and Barisic swings out ... but Turnbull is up first to clear.
28 min Celtic attack again and this time Kyogo drives at the heart of the Rangers box, looking to jink away from Goldson ... who does really well to sit-down into a challenge and takes the ball with his hamstring.
27 min Gosh, we see that miss again and it really was a belter, Edouard unable to sort his feet out and barely tickling a ball that was right at his feet.
25 min AND HERE COME CELTIC! One pass from McGregor finds Kyogoo, who’s pulled off his man to the left. He slides a square pass into the path of Edouard, and surely this is 1-0! But no! Instead of using the path of the ball to sweep into the far corner, he aims instead for the postage stamp inside the near, prodding an inexcusably tame effort off his heel and wide!
25 min And here come Rangers, Barisic curling in a cross that’s headed for Roofe. He might swing a volley but opts instead to chest down and it runs away from him.
24 min Celtic are struggling to get Edouard involved at the moment, doing nicely in moving the ball through midfield but falling down when they need to find the telling pass.
23 min Abada sees Ralston making a decent run around and outside him so slides him in, but Barsisic panels into a slide, stopping the cross and winning a goalkick too. Good defending.
22 min It’s quietened down a bit, which I daresay suits Celtic, their game more dependent on angles and composure than the Rangers, who need energy and edge.
20 min Celtic are finding joy down the right and Ralston wriggles forward again, crossing ... and the ball winds up with Kyogo on the other side of the box. He shimmies inside to force a curling angle, but can only send his shot whooshing past the far top corner.
18 min ore passing from Celtic, Roofe pressing and forcing Welsh to go back to Hart. The crowd are extremely taken with this development, then Kent collects a loose ball in centrefield and drives towards the box. But though he has time and options, he opts to shoot early from 20 yards and sends the effort high and wide.
16 min Excellent from Kent, pulling wide to accept a switch from Morelos that puts him one on one against Ralston. He jinks well but he sways down the outside he doesn’t get the ball out of his feet, and the resultant cross can’t pick anyone out.
14 min The pace of the game is great, but we’re still awaiting our first chance, Celtic again knocking it about. Eventually, Morelos decides he’s had enough, charging in to press, and his teammates follow, winning the ball down the Rangers left. But Celtic quickly regain possession, Juranovic nashing down the left. But Balogun slides in well and wins the goalkick.
13 min Celtic are playing like the home side, knocking it about, probing, while Rangers coil in order to spring into counters.
12 min Hart punches Barisic’s inswinger away, just, and Celtic get themselves up the pitch.
11 min But here come Rangers, a fine challenge from Goldson allowing Kent to charge through centrefield. With Roofe dragging men away to his left he goes for Morelos down the right, and Welsh puts his cross behind for a corner.
10 min Hart comes well out of his box to drill a diag; it doesn’t find Abada, but does illustrate Celtic’s aggressive and confident intent.
9 min Celtic look the more dynamic team at the moment, moving and interchanging while Rangers are a tad rigid.
9 min Kyogo’s moptop is sensational.
7 min Excellent from Celtic, Furuhashi dashing down the left to receive a pass and swerving in a low cross that only just eludes Edouard. Celtic are doing a good job of penning Rangers in when they go forward and Kyogo crosses well again, forcing another clearance.
6 min Celtic seem committed to playing out from the back while Rangers will do so on a case-by-case basis – McCrorie intimates that he might, then humps downfield instead.
3 min Barisic beats Abada to a long ball but McGregor is in quickly, and Celtic sustain the attack, Turnbull sending Raltson down the right ... but with a heavy pass, and his mate can’t slide into a decent cross, the ball whooshing beyond the back post.
2 min And then Roofe robs Turnbull 30 yards from goal, knocking wide to Barisic. His cross isn’t great, but it flicks off a defender and falls for Morelos, who hooks a very decent shot from around his arse that flies just over the bar. It’s warming up.
2 min Celtic knock it about, taking the heat out of the game, but Roofe rushes in as soon as they look to move the ball out of defence.
1 min “I had my usual 20 minutes’ sleep last night,” begins Ally McCoist in co-commentary. “It’s what this game does to you.”
1 min Away we go!
The players take a knee. Black lives matter.
“Beating Rangers this season isn’t all that,” reckons Simon McMahon. “Dundee United showed the rest how to do it three weeks ago, and that was with Peter Pawlett, Logan Chalmers and Nicky Clark as our front three. They’re decent enough, but Edouard, Kyogo and Abada they are not. Celtic have goals in them for sure, but at both ends. 5-4 please.”
Tangentially, that DUFC home shirt is something – in the worst possible way.
Updated
AND HERE COME THE TEAMS!
The ground is jumping, the absence of away fans adding an interesting if unwelcome variable. The Rangers team will be feeling the love, but if things go badly, there’s an eerie silence waiting to haunt them.
“What a moving interview with Ange Postecoglou,” emails John Graham. “As a Celtic supporter I’ve really taken to him and no matter the result today I’m convinced that he will prove to be a winner for Celtic. The defence isn’t the most secure but they held out against AZ on Wednesday and going forward Celtic are a delight to watch.”
Yup, agree with all of that. It might be that today, Rangers have the confidence of champions and too much knowhow, but you can already see that Celtic are going in the right direction.
Postecoglou tells Sky he’s looking forward to the game and the experience of it. His method with new players, he says, is “throw them in” and thinks it’s been working well. The left isn’t Juranovic’s preferred side, but he was desperate to play so he’s sure he’ll be fine. He wants his players to “impose their will” on Rangers, and old Randy Couture line which tells us his team will look to dominate and are up for a proper row.
Credit where it’s due, I’ve been lucky enough to football in a fair few countries, and the loudest, most aggressive and intimidating atmosphere I – and people older and more gnarled than me – have ever had the pleasure of being part of, was at Ibrox for the Man United game in October 2003. The world might’ve changed too much for things to get so fraught again, but I’m certain the crowd will be making a decent effort this afternoon.
It’s 60o days since fans were last in for an Old Firm game. This is going to be outrageous.
I can’t lie, I was surprised by how well Gerrard did last season. As a player, he was instinctive and not especially astute, able to force things to happen with talent, mentality and drive, then as a pundit not especially enlightening or eloquent. But so far, he’s done a brilliant job of inspiring his team, instilling in them what he had, and I bet the value of a “well done” from him cannot be overestimated.
“Having watched Ange Postecoglu rebuild and transform Brisbane Roar,” emails Phil Withall, “turning the club from a farce into the finest side in Australia, I will say this about him: he has a style of play he wants to see and there is absolutely nothing that will make him deviate from that plan. It matters little who his side are playing, he will demand that his players stick with the template he has set. The man is an obsessive, he wants to see football played as he knows it and will except nothing else. There is a genius in his ideals and his man management but his approach is open to being embarrassed at times, especially early in his tenure. Whatever the result today, Celtic have a fine man in charge one that with time, patience and support, will transform the club. It’ll be one hell of a ride.”
He certainly talks a good game, and I bet his players love playing for him – something I imagine is so, for slightly different reasons, of Gerrard too.
Gary McAllister tells Sky that his team are confident and strong, noting that their third-choice right-back, playing because Patterson and Tavernier cannot, is a Nigerian international. He wants the team to get the crowd going and expects Ibrox to be bouncing.
Postecoglou is, no doubt, happy to still have Edouard. There must’ve been fears and maybe there still are that, like Dembele before him, he’d do one this summer – he’s the better player. But he remains, and with Furuhashi and Abada either side of him, he might just score the goals that regain the title. If we’re honest, he probably should.
Celtic, meanwhile, bring in new signing Josip Juranovic at right-back for a quiet little debut – he replaces Taylor – while Edouard returns to lead the line, with Rogic sitting at the side. I imagine Postecoglu will ask his team to keep the ball moving and get it into their front three, who he’ll expect to decide the game.
Looking more closely at the teams, Rangers make three changes from the midweek draw that confirmed their presence in the Europa League group stages: at right-back, Patterson drops out with Balogun coming in, and on the wings, Roofe and Kent replace Arfield and Hagi, who played in a five-man midfield at Alashkert. It means the midfield is a bit dry, but I’d expect Steven Gerrard – at home isolating – to have his players get the ball wide and into the box from there.
Updated
Sky have just shown VT of Postecoglu talking about his upbringing and his dad, in very honest, articulate and moving style. You can see why the Celtic fans have taken to him, and I bet his players have too. They’ll come out to play today, and for the zero it’s worth, I fancy them.
Housekeeping: Because of an ongoing dispute with Rangers over access for independent photographers we are not publishing any live pictures from inside Ibrox.
Teams!
Rangers (4-3-3): McCrorie; Balogun, Goldson, Helander, Barisic; Kamara, Davis, Aribo; Roofe, Morelos, Kent. Subs: Wright, Lundstram, Arfield, Hagi, Bacuna, Itten Fashion Jr.
Celtic (4-3-3): Hart; Ralston, Starfelt, Welsh, Juranovic; Christie, McGregor, Turnbull; Abada, Edouard, Furuhashi. Subs: Bitton, Ajeti, Soro, Rogic, Urhoghide, Bain, Montgomery.
Preamble
On 29 August 1984, UK TV schedules starred Frank Bough, Selina Scott, King Rollo and Heathcliff; George Michael’s Careless Whisper was no1, and the Karate Kid was imminent. Just four days earlier, the first Old Firm game of the season had ended goalless, while Aberdeen, the defending champions, had won at Dundee United and would go on to retain their title comfortably, leading Celtic, who finished second, by seven points, and Rangers, who finished fourth by 21 points.
That was the last time the SPL was won by a team other than those who’ll entertain us today, and though this season’s barely underway, there are signs – minor ones, but nevertheless – that the rest are in with a shot. Hibs sit top of the division with 10 points from four games, while Rangers, already out of the Champions League, and Celtic, have six from three. Of course, you’d still back them to be one and two at the end, but both look vulnerable.
Rangers expended an enormous of effort, physical and emotional, preventing the 10 in a row, and have been poor so far this season, hampered by isolations. But they’re difficult to score against and will have taken heart from their midweek clean sheet in Armenia.
Celtic, meanwhile, look to be progressing under Ange Postecoglu and have found one in Kyogo Furuhashi, but began from a very low base and cannot yet be relied upon to perform.
All of that makes this an even more enticing prospect than usual, and makes it even more likely than usual that, even in the absence of Scotty Broon, we’ll be furnished with liberal helpings of EVERYTHING that NO ONE wants to see. This should be a right old square go.
Kick-off: 12pm BST
