Celtic Make A Sandaza Of It: Celtic 2 Dundee Utd 2

Since I'm writing this in not the best of moods I may as well start wie a foul mouthed rant at a Tory. David McLetchie, whose expenses are worthy of Lester Piggot, had a go at us in an interview and if I really could be bothered trawling over the bones of it then I would but..E-Tims sums it up well.

I just want to say that this no-mark wie his comments has just proved himself to be as blinkered and as misinformed as yer average Bear Hun. He probably smells like them, is as ugly as them and like his party there is no place for bastards like him in Scotland.

So, Sunday, Tannadice, the banner said: "Professional Football Against Hunger". I want professional footballers to show the HUNGER to go 5 points clear, gie us a 2 game advantage in the race for the flag and to kick yer main rivals in the gonads when they are lying on the deck like a drunk jackey after 6 cans of Special Brew.

Not, gie a 2nd half performance that bordered on the farcical for 20mins and, once again, made me glad that we got away wie the draw. How many times have I said that since we lost to Hibs to end oor 13 game unbeaten run? Oor record since then has been W5 D6 L2, enough to make you sing: "Oh, the Raunjurs are shite"

I'm also wishing for the manager to get one over Craig Levein and I hope that he gets oot his back pocket in time for the visit of Hamilton after the international break. Again, DuNT managed to claw themselves back into the game after going a goal behind. Once again Levein, highlighted a weak area in oor team- the whole back 4 in this case- and made a tactical switch that left oor manager looking as bemused as Hun at Weightwatchers.

Maybe I'm being too hard. It's hard to be disappointed wie the draw after that 2nd period and I can take heart from the fight we showed to get back into the game. That's all the positive spin I can muster and, in truth, it's all the positive spin I have been able to muster for months. We have heart, just lack overall ability to rise above mediocre for long spells of the season.

Maybe, Lee Naylors wonder strike will be a watershed moment in the race for the title. The moment that the status quo was retained and that a draw was decent result in the long term? At the moment it feels like a chance missed, just like the many missed chances we have missed this season as Jan and Sammy continue their quest not to score before the season ends.

It all started off so well. In control, playing wie a purpose and poise. We scored after Scott McDonald, proved he is a one man title charge, by bundling over the line from a Big Jan flick on. He then produced a fantastic save from future Celtic goalie Zaluska (widnae be the last time he would save fae Skippy) and a guy called Prince saved his Purple Rain by clearing off the line after a Big Jan stramash fae a corner.

Half time came and we were as positive as Alan McGregors herpes test in oor ootlook for the 2nd half. How wrong could we have been.

Levein switched, Warren Feeney- the Celtic fans abuse target of the day, quite rightly- to a more advanced role and they got their rewards as the case against zonal marking got another bit of video evidence.

Corner came in and Big Jan was caught flat footed as Sandaza scored. Elvis in the Shitanta studio said this was because Jan was being asked to cover Big Mick McManus zone at the near post. Load of boomsung I say as oor big centre forward is always at the near post for corners.

Their 2nd came from the whole Celtic team falling asleep. A quick free kick was taken that caught oot the whole team as the team dropped deep to cover they left Sandaza unmarked at the penalty spot who scalffed a shinner into the bottom corner. 2-1 doon and the team was pressing the self destruct button as indiscipline and lack of cohesion swamped us for 5 or 10mins. 

We got oorselves back in the game. Aiden McGeady was the main conductor in oor attempts to drag us back into the game. The manager decided that Nakamura was having one of those days and replaced him wie Willo Flood and that Big Jan's performance would be made to look better if he brought on Georgios Samaras in place of him.

Skippy stung the palms of Zaluska, then Calderbuer poked one by the post after the ba' dropped to him in the box. Just when it looked like hiding in an Austrians basement would be a decent option for a couple of days Lee Naylor popped up wie a wonder goal.

Gary Kenneth cleared the ba' to the edge of the box, Nayls told Sammy to leave it and Nayls fired an unstoppable shot past Zaluska who only got close to the ba' as it bounced oot the net. Cue bedlam in the Celtic end and in ma living room. There was 12 mins left could we find the winner. Naw, that would have been asking too much of this team and in truth it never looked likely.

2 points dropped or a point gained? I asked the question in the preview that we would see how much importance the manager gave to the cup final win wie his team selection. That question was rendered useless due to injuries to Loovens and Mick. The manager didnae have the option to pick the same 11 and the jury is still oot whether or not he would have anyway.

His starting 11 did well enough. We had chances and did enough not to get beat. The grim thought of the day is that I don't think we can expect anymair than this standard of performance. Decent for spells, decent enough but not guid enough. The players don't seem to be able to gie us anymair. Yes, there will be games when it improves but the vast majority will mirror todays game. A game in which you struggle to note any above slightly decent Celtic player on the day. 

We just need to hope that it's guid enough.

The Cup Final boost has gone. At the moment the feeling of loss is great. Hindsight may look back on this result as decent. It disnae seem that way just now.

Forza