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Sunday 24th April 2005, 12:30 at Ibrox.
THE OLD FIRM DERBY
Rangers versus Celtic
PREVIEW
An old firm derby is a must-win game whether the points count for nothing or are extremely important in the Championship race. This last Old Firm derby of the season is the most important for a long time. With only two points between the sides and 4 games to follow the outcome of this game will be a large factor on where the title goes. Rangers must win this match whereas Celtic could get away with a draw but will be looking for all 3 points too.
Celtic
The SPL holders had the championship wrapped up at this point last season but are facing a much stronger fight on their hands this time around. They haven't showed the same form of late as they did at the start of the season and like Rangers appear to be finding games more difficult than they should be.
Their last 5 SPL results:
Celtic's away form is very good, the best in the league in fact. They have only dropped points on 3 occassions this season in their 16 away matches. They lost at Ibrox and drew away to Hibs and Dundee. They have scored nearly 40 goals away from home which is twice as many as everyone else except Rangers and Hibs. They have also though conceded a goal a game too. Only once have they failed to score away from Celtic Park.
RANGERS
Rangers have been unconvincing of late and not putting away teams like they should be doing. Like Celtic they suffered a shock home defeat followed by a narrow victory. The pressure is on them as a defeat would mean falling 5 points behind Celtic whereas a win would only mean Celtic falling 1 point behind.
The Rangers fans will be hoping the team raise their game in the way they did to take 3 points at Celtic Park. Before and after that match Rangers had looked a little sluggish on the whole but lifted their game for the derby.
Their last 5 SPL results:
HEAD TO HEAD
It's a different story this season in comparison to last season. Celtic won all four matches in the 2003/04 season but this time Rangers have one two with Celtic winning only the one. If Rangers were to lose this match they would still have taken their share of the points which shows just how far they have come this season.
Both sides are not looking at their best but that matters little anyway in the context of the derby. We know both sides have the ability to win this match and no one can call the outcome with any confidence. Alot will come down to circumstance and a little luck on the day. It should be a cracker.
________________________________
SPL, Wed 29th Aug 2004
Celtic 1(0)-(0)0 Rangers
TEAMS:
CELTIC TEAM: Marshall, Agathe, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Juninho (Valgaeren 87), Lennon, Petrov, Thompson, Camara (Wallace 64), Hartson (Sylla 84).
RANGERS TEAM: Rangers: Klos, Hutton, Boumsong, Moore, Vignal, Ricksen, Mladenovic, (Thompson 87), Alex Rae, Arveladze (Lovenkrands 53), Prso, Novo.
REFEREE: H Dallas
ATTENDANCE: 58,935
EVENTS (Text):
69
Balde
75
Moore
79
A.Rae
85
Thompson Celtic 1-0 Rangers
EVENTS (Visual):
Mladenovic tackles Petrov in his Old Firm debut. Mladenovic and most of the backline from that day earlier in the season will not be there on Sunday- Klos, Hutton, Boumsong and Moore.
Just as the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw Alan Thompson whacked home with a great strike. With 5 minutes to go he had won Celtic the game.
Thompson enjoyed geting all 3 points for Celtic but his next game would not be as enjoyable.
________________________________
SPL, Sat 20th Nov 2004
Rangers 2(2)-(0)0 Celtic
TEAMS:
RANGERS TEAM: Klos, Khizanishvili (Malcolm 71), Andrews, Boumsong, Vignal (Ball 59), Namouchi, Ricksen, Alex Rae, Lovenkrands (Arveladze 45), Prso, Novo.
CELTIC TEAM: Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren, Petrov (McGeady 79), Sutton, Lennon, Thompson, Hartson, Camara (Pearson 45).
REFEREE: K Clark
ATTENDANCE: 50,043
EVENTS (Text):
15
Novo Rangers 1-0 Celtic
35
Sutton
36
Prso Rangers 2-0 Celtic
38
Thompson
39
Lennon
39
Lovenkrands
40
A.Rae
56
Sutton
70
Khizanishvili
85
McNamara
EVENTS (Visual):
After being brought down in the box Nacho Novo takes the spot kick himself and scores to put Rangers 1-0 up.
A great Fernando Ricksen free kick finds the head of Prso. His header puts Rangers 2-0 up with just over half an hour played.
An alledged headbutt on Peter Lovenkrands sees Thompson sent packing as Celtic begin to lose the plot.
Sutton's stupidity gets him an early bath too after two deliberate handballs earn him a second yellow.
O'Neill's brain goes into meltdown after losing the match. defeat to Rangers does not compute so he refuses to believe it. He goes on a victory march around Ibrox putting Neil Lennon in a headlong and dragging him along after thinking he had scored the winner.
________________________________
i]SPL, Sun 20th Feb 2005[/i]
Celtic 0(0)-(0)2 Rangers
TEAMS:
CELTIC TEAM: Douglas, McNamara (McGeady 77), Balde, Varga, Laursen, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson, Bellamy, Hartson.
RANGERS TEAM: Waterreus, Hutton, Kyrgiakos, Andrews, Ball (Alex Rae 73), Buffel, Ferguson, Ricksen, Vignal, Prso, Novo.
REFEREE: M McCurry
ATTENDANCE: 59,041
EVENTS (Text):
49
Balde
51
Andrews
65
Hutton
71
Vignal Celtic 0-1 Rangers
82
Novo Celtic 0-2 Rangers
EVENTS (Visual):
Craig Bellamy was supposed to be the star of the show in his old firm debut but failed to impress. Big Marvin Andrews had one of his best games in Rangers colours.
Ronald Waterreus was playing in his first old firm derby after Klos got injured and had a fantastic debut. He made a couple of crucial saves to keep Celtic out.
Gregory Vignal's powder puff shot ended up in the net after Celtic keeper Rab Douglas flapped. Douglas was the third keeper to play in the SPL derby in a row.
Nacho Novo secured the points with a late strike.
Once again the game ended controversially when Ricksen was struck by a lighter thrown by a Celtic supporter.
________________________________
THE TEAM
Team news will follow during the week. It's looking likely that Bob Malcolm will partner Kyrgiakos in central defence. That won't be a good move and could cost us the game.
THE OLD FIRM DERBY



PREVIEW
An old firm derby is a must-win game whether the points count for nothing or are extremely important in the Championship race. This last Old Firm derby of the season is the most important for a long time. With only two points between the sides and 4 games to follow the outcome of this game will be a large factor on where the title goes. Rangers must win this match whereas Celtic could get away with a draw but will be looking for all 3 points too.
Code:
[b]SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE TOP SIX
_______________________
P W D L F A GD Pts
[color=darkgreen]Celtic 33 27 2 4 77 28 49 83[/color]
[color=blue]Rangers 33 25 6 2 67 17 50 81[/color]
[color=green]Hibs 33 17 5 11 56 49 7 56[/color]
[color=red]Aberdeen 33 15 7 12 38 33 5 52[/color]
[color=darkred]Hearts 33 13 9 12 39 33 6 48[/color]
[color=darkorange]Motherwell 33 12 7 14 41 41 0 43[/b][/color]
The SPL holders had the championship wrapped up at this point last season but are facing a much stronger fight on their hands this time around. They haven't showed the same form of late as they did at the start of the season and like Rangers appear to be finding games more difficult than they should be.
Their last 5 SPL results:
- 3-2 Aberdeen (Home)
- 4-0 Livingston (Away)
- 0-2 Hearts (Home)
- 3-2 Dundee United (Away)
- 2-0 Inverness (Away)
Celtic's away form is very good, the best in the league in fact. They have only dropped points on 3 occassions this season in their 16 away matches. They lost at Ibrox and drew away to Hibs and Dundee. They have scored nearly 40 goals away from home which is twice as many as everyone else except Rangers and Hibs. They have also though conceded a goal a game too. Only once have they failed to score away from Celtic Park.
RANGERS
Rangers have been unconvincing of late and not putting away teams like they should be doing. Like Celtic they suffered a shock home defeat followed by a narrow victory. The pressure is on them as a defeat would mean falling 5 points behind Celtic whereas a win would only mean Celtic falling 1 point behind.
The Rangers fans will be hoping the team raise their game in the way they did to take 3 points at Celtic Park. Before and after that match Rangers had looked a little sluggish on the whole but lifted their game for the derby.
Their last 5 SPL results:
- 1-0 Dunfermline (Away)
- 0-1 Dundee United (Home)
- 3-2 Motherwell (Away)
- 2-0 Dundee (Away)
- 1-1 Inverness (Home)
HEAD TO HEAD
It's a different story this season in comparison to last season. Celtic won all four matches in the 2003/04 season but this time Rangers have one two with Celtic winning only the one. If Rangers were to lose this match they would still have taken their share of the points which shows just how far they have come this season.
Both sides are not looking at their best but that matters little anyway in the context of the derby. We know both sides have the ability to win this match and no one can call the outcome with any confidence. Alot will come down to circumstance and a little luck on the day. It should be a cracker.
________________________________
SPL, Wed 29th Aug 2004


TEAMS:
CELTIC TEAM: Marshall, Agathe, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Juninho (Valgaeren 87), Lennon, Petrov, Thompson, Camara (Wallace 64), Hartson (Sylla 84).
RANGERS TEAM: Rangers: Klos, Hutton, Boumsong, Moore, Vignal, Ricksen, Mladenovic, (Thompson 87), Alex Rae, Arveladze (Lovenkrands 53), Prso, Novo.
REFEREE: H Dallas
ATTENDANCE: 58,935
EVENTS (Text):
69

75

79

85

EVENTS (Visual):

Mladenovic tackles Petrov in his Old Firm debut. Mladenovic and most of the backline from that day earlier in the season will not be there on Sunday- Klos, Hutton, Boumsong and Moore.

Just as the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw Alan Thompson whacked home with a great strike. With 5 minutes to go he had won Celtic the game.

Thompson enjoyed geting all 3 points for Celtic but his next game would not be as enjoyable.
________________________________
SPL, Sat 20th Nov 2004


TEAMS:
RANGERS TEAM: Klos, Khizanishvili (Malcolm 71), Andrews, Boumsong, Vignal (Ball 59), Namouchi, Ricksen, Alex Rae, Lovenkrands (Arveladze 45), Prso, Novo.
CELTIC TEAM: Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren, Petrov (McGeady 79), Sutton, Lennon, Thompson, Hartson, Camara (Pearson 45).
REFEREE: K Clark
ATTENDANCE: 50,043
EVENTS (Text):
15

35

36

38

39

39

40

56

70

85

EVENTS (Visual):

After being brought down in the box Nacho Novo takes the spot kick himself and scores to put Rangers 1-0 up.

A great Fernando Ricksen free kick finds the head of Prso. His header puts Rangers 2-0 up with just over half an hour played.

An alledged headbutt on Peter Lovenkrands sees Thompson sent packing as Celtic begin to lose the plot.

Sutton's stupidity gets him an early bath too after two deliberate handballs earn him a second yellow.

O'Neill's brain goes into meltdown after losing the match. defeat to Rangers does not compute so he refuses to believe it. He goes on a victory march around Ibrox putting Neil Lennon in a headlong and dragging him along after thinking he had scored the winner.
________________________________
i]SPL, Sun 20th Feb 2005[/i]


TEAMS:
CELTIC TEAM: Douglas, McNamara (McGeady 77), Balde, Varga, Laursen, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson, Bellamy, Hartson.
RANGERS TEAM: Waterreus, Hutton, Kyrgiakos, Andrews, Ball (Alex Rae 73), Buffel, Ferguson, Ricksen, Vignal, Prso, Novo.
REFEREE: M McCurry
ATTENDANCE: 59,041
EVENTS (Text):
49

51

65

71

82

EVENTS (Visual):

Craig Bellamy was supposed to be the star of the show in his old firm debut but failed to impress. Big Marvin Andrews had one of his best games in Rangers colours.

Ronald Waterreus was playing in his first old firm derby after Klos got injured and had a fantastic debut. He made a couple of crucial saves to keep Celtic out.

Gregory Vignal's powder puff shot ended up in the net after Celtic keeper Rab Douglas flapped. Douglas was the third keeper to play in the SPL derby in a row.

Nacho Novo secured the points with a late strike.

Once again the game ended controversially when Ricksen was struck by a lighter thrown by a Celtic supporter.
________________________________
THE TEAM
Team news will follow during the week. It's looking likely that Bob Malcolm will partner Kyrgiakos in central defence. That won't be a good move and could cost us the game.