Sublime and ridiculous in derby display
Celtic sum up a near perfect season against old rivals while Rangers look at a loss with future unclear for these players, writes Neil Cameron
THIS was the extremes of the good, bad and ugly.
The good was, of course, Celtic. They recorded one of their greatest wins in the Old Firm match as they coasted to a 5-1 result which so easily could have been a repeat of the 7-1 League Cup final of 60 years ago.
The bad has to be Rangers. This was arguably their worst performance in a Glasgow derby, that match of 1957 aside, and at their own home. They were embarrassing, incapable of completing the simplest task on a football field, such as taking a corner, and the only player who can be confident of being at the club next season is Kenny Miller.
And the ugly? Well, someone ran on to the park from the Rangers stand as the Celtic players celebrated before being dragged away after exchanging pleasantries with Scott Brown. TV cameras then clearly caught one moron making monkey gestures at Scott Sinclair.
Celtic were superb. They should have scored more; indeed, they were actually a bit sloppy at times in front of goal. How is that for a damning verdict on the Rangers performance?
Pedro Caixinha got his tactics wrong, although Walter Smith would struggle to get a tune out of these players. They lacked awareness, passion and, except scorer Miller, were unfit to wear the jersey.
Banners were hung from the Sandy Jardine stand in tribute to Jock Wallace, Bill Struth and Dave Cooper. What the Rangers fans of today would give for such legendary figures to be at their club because this was a shameful performance, although with the caveat that Celtic were near unstoppable.
Their supporters will talk about this day for a long time. That’s two 5-1 defeats over Rangers, two Old Firm semi-final wins, mere weeks away from a potential treble and an unbeaten domestic season, while there were also a few spirited jaunts in the Champions League.
What a first season for Brendan Rodgers.
The Rangers fans were unhappy with referee John Beaton, but in truth he got most of the big decisions right, and even those who loudly heckled the official weren’t fooled.
Poor Myles Beerman. The teenager was terrified every time Patrick Roberts ran at him, which was often, the central defence of Clint Hill and Danny Wilson were utterly wretched, while the midfield didn’t seem to know where to stand.
Apart from the consolation goal, it is tempting to say Rangers did not do a single thing right in the match.
This isn’t Caixinha’s team, but he is the manager and must take a lot of responsibility. His appointment always felt risky, right now it feels doomed.
But what could he do when in the first half James Tavernier sent a corner clear over the box and into touch 20 yards from the edge of the penalty area?
Scott Sinclair missed two open goals, Leigh Griffiths hit the crossbar and two or three times the final pass, which would have led to a goal, wasn’t played.
And yet this was the first time Celtic have scored five goals at Ibrox. That’s how big the gap is.
When the fourth went in, many Rangers fans left, which means they missed Mikael Lustig, a right-back, beating three men to curl a low shot into the corner of the net for Celtic’s fifth, helped by the Rangers play-
Pedro Caixinha got his tactics wrong, although Walter Smith would struggle to get a tune out of these players
ers who by that stage weren’t even trying, the worst accusation which can be put to a professional footballer.
Those in blue weren’t interested. Once it became clear that Celtic had crossed the city with their A-game, it was a case of how many the win would be by.
Scott Brown ran about as if he owned the place, Roberts was great, McGregor a constant nuisance, Jozo Simunovic’s first-half tackle on Miller, hard but fair, typified the tone, while Leigh Griffiths scored and was a threat all day.
As for the rest, nobody was under an eight out of 10. There were one or two Rangers players who were worth a mark of one and that was for turning up on time.
Rodgers will sign three players at the most this summer, while Caixinha needs to rip up that squad, if he can, and start all over again. You wouldn’t pay a quid for that team.