THE NOTAPRODDYGAL – 7.5/10 – Would he fall on the sword of blunt intransigence that is his myopic assessment of his own signings’ performances? Yes or no? Biggest question raised from tonight – is this a meritocracy? Damaging to morale? Yes AND no. The team selection was a blunt cards-on-the-table rebuke of such a notion. Whatever delusions you held about form meriting jersey, let’s hope it was no shock round Lennoxtown. Idah canned, yes, but Trusty…
Very much so, the manager nailed his colours to the mast – whatever the hell that means in football terms (a tricolour on Jamesy’s pride and joy?) – and the favourites were named. Justified? Ultimately, yes. The performance was good, faith in his starters was justified, and the result kind to Killie. So he won. Tonight. It’s the fallout that concerns. Let’s hope it doesn’t settle uneasily with the squad until Wednesday’s come and gone successfully.
Kasper Schmeichel protests after Bobby Wales scores during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
MIBBERY – 5/10 – An exciting prospect – a one-off opportunity to pap the Celts out of a treble. And there were moments of top-tier heckaboutery as volleyball regulations were implemented right on half-time to allow a deft palm as an assist; harsh language sufficed instead of regulation yellow cards, and convoluted needless VAR checks ate up much time and Celtic momentum. Ultimately though… when will they learn? 4th Round incoming….
Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
OVERALL – 7.5/10 – Saturday tea-time kick-off in a cup-tie versus some pseudo-Zombie rabids; now that’s a sobriety challenge. Also for the team, it appeared, after forty minutes; Dundee rinse and repeat as we fail to capitalise on glorious chances and instead of coasting by four, we’re sucking bitter oranges (Phil Clementine variety), level by half-time. Even through that second half, all those opportunities, opening and closing like Lana Wolf’s thighs, begging that fourth round draw to invite us in…”Hurry up and bury them, fhs…” we bemoaned. It was just like the Queen’s funeral all over again – Waiting on edge until it’s done so we can celebrate. But this time, no need for Van Helsing and a stake; Just a Daizen and a poke and that’s all folks… Thank Ghod.
Reo Hatate shoots at goal during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Always a tricky and treacherous proposition, Killie in the cup. No complaints here for the way the side set about navigating the route through – we pummelled them with great intensity and tempo for the majority of the match. The only failing tonight was our finishing – on any given day there’s a five or six skelping in that arsenal.
So to the return of the midweek glamour of the CL and the game of most magnitude since Tony Watt claimed his generational legacy as Barcaskelper supreme. We get it right in front of goal, the qualification, the kudos, and rejoicing is ours.
It’s that simple. And that difficult…
🍀 @CelticFC‘s Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda react to their #ScottishCup win over Kilmarnock
“Some unbelievable football at times” 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/PVIBM10JKf
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 18, 2025
Go Away Now
Sandman
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The wee mushroom seems to have his mind on somewhere else; never seen him miss so many as he’s done the last few games. Hopefully they get back to normal after hitting that wall.
Nonsense, great for 30 minutes and as mentioned could have been out of sight, but after that we fell to pieces under the high press. The inability to play through the press and lack of bottle were evidenced when McGregor chooses to sky the ball into the air, rather than bring it down unchallenged, then doing the exact same thing 30 seconds later, under the same circumstances. Granted we could still have taken one of quite a few chances, but they could’ve also taken one of their few, again. I obviously watched a different game from most, with quite a few lauding a great performance, yeah for the first 30 minutes, after that it was just like the Dundee game, for the same reasons, inability to cope with a high press.
YB Bern must be licking their lips!!.