Dave Murphy

[Lint @Zeshankenzo]

So after all that…
It turns out Celtic got a legit penalty, didn’t assault players and the game didn’t end early.

Not only that, they should have MORE penalties and we find out it was actually Hearts players attacking Celtic fans.

Welcome to Scotland.

#56

[🍔 Gastro Celtic 🍀 @Gastro_Celtic]

Scottish Media:

[🍀 Shaun @ShaunyCeltic]

Wow…just wow.
Make a glass eye cry
All that history,,all these memories and moments.
Tomorrow we can add 1 more.
God Bless @CelticFC 🍀

[John McGinley @jhnmcgnly]

🤓 Reflections on last night's Celtic penalty.

I'm not trying to convince anyone, really, more laying out an alternative viewpoint amongst what I consider to be pretty absurd hysteria. There are also some mistruths about the VAR process being portrayed as neutral objectivity that I think deserve to be challenged.

Does the ball hit his arm? For me, the footage shows this.

Is his arm in an unnatural position and making his body bigger? It's above shoulder height and in front of his head. The ball strikes his arm before his head. Personally, I don't feel his arm being there is justified by his body movement. Intent is irrelevant.

Is it a clear and obvious error? There's a popular misconception there has to have been a 'clear and obvious error' for VAR to recommend a VAR review. Per the IFAB guidance, this is not true. A referee can also be called to the monitor if they communicate to the VAR that they haven't seen or made a decision on an incident VAR has flagged as a potential penalty. This is called a 'serious missed incident'.

I think, until the audio is released, it's reasonable to assume John Beaton did not rule on whether it was a handball or not before the review, so 'clear and obvious error' would not apply. He didn't have to make a decision on allowing play to continue because the ball almost immediately went out of play and he was told to delay.

It's fair to surmise that Dallas' only role was flagging to Beaton there was a potential handball, not suggesting he had made a grave error. IFAB guidance also makes clear that for subjective decisions, including handball considerations, a pitchside review is appropriate. Beaton approached the monitor and made a decision on the evidence available to him.

Taking all of this into consideration, even if you feel it wasn't a penalty, I am struggling to comprehend the outrage as if this were either the most corrupt decision in the history of Scottish football or the 'worst VAR decision' in history.

I feel there's been a lack of balance or relevant knowledge on broadcasts. I think mainstream pundits suggesting there is a pattern of assistance for Celtic in this title race is hysterical nonsense that is ordinarily mocked by most in less tense times.

For the record, and I know this goes against many Celtic fans, I don't believe any club feels the benefit of biased refereeing.

I think referees in this country are generally poor and lack consistency and I think the version of VAR that we have in Scottish football is fundamentally flawed because of cheap infrastructure.

Going back to the penalty itself, the biggest point of contention would be on the concept of his body being 'unnaturally bigger'. In this case I feel the decision could really go either way depending on the viewpoint of the referee. I don't think it's massively egregious to say it is a penalty.

It can be 'harsh', 'unlucky' and 'soft' and still be a reasonable conclusion for the referee to award a penalty. Or at least be reasonable enough not to suggest it is a 'worldwide' embarrassment and/or cheating.

I'm not entirely ignorant of my own bias. I fully understand it's easier to go 'well, what's the big deal here?' when the decision goes in favour of the team you support and professionally cover. It's going to generate noise, I get that. Yet, there's something uneasy about the fervour with which this is being labelled as objectively a 'disgusting' crime against Hearts and their title bid.

Celtic have earned 19 points with goals scored after the 80th minute this season. They're finding a way. It might be enough.

Rage on!

[Liam Gallagher @liamgallagher]

@gerardzbrainrot How you feeling about us possibly playing Celtic park

[Lisbon Lion @tirnaog_09]

Chris Sutton on his winning goal in the last minute of the last derby of the season in 2004. The modest Mr Sutton tells the story so well.... 'What a goal, what a man.'

[David 🍀 @thedavidcurrie]

The media will try to tar Celtic fans with the same brush as rangers fans after today. One set of fans spilled onto the pitch celebrating a penalty shoot out win. The other ran on to attack the fans, staff and players of the other team. It is not the same. We are not the same.

[Max @Max____67]

Imagine if the board just properly backed Rodgers last January and in the summer, all of this mess would’ve been avoided.

[Chris Sutton @chris_sutton73]

After that Maeda miss you just wonder if it’s not meant to be for Wilfried Nancy… bottom line is it’s more the substandard players than the manager… it all goes back to a poor summer… Celtic look like a 3rd place team at present… well done to Jim Goodwin and Dundee United…

[Willie Collow @CollowWillie]

Robert Downie Celtic Turnstile operator won the VC in World War 1 ☘️☘️☘️

[Kaveh Solhekol @SkyKaveh]

Benfica, Celtic, Feyenoord, Ajax, Forest, Villa, Hamburg, Steaua Bucharest, Porto, PSV, Red Star Belgrade, Marseille & Dortmund have won 19 European Cups.

Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Man City and Spurs have won 0.

[Adam Sandler @AdamSandler]

Have fun today young man. Mr. Gilmore is watching you and very proud.

[Chris Sutton @chris_sutton73]

Neil Lennon had to go. I know this season has been a disaster but i hope after the anger settles down about this season that people respect that Neil has been a great servant to Celtic both as a player and manager.

[Celtic Football Club @CelticFC]

Everyone at #CelticFC sends their deepest condolences to the family & friends of Gerry Marsden.

Gerry’s famous lyrics will live on at Celtic Park forever. You’ll Never Walk Alone 💚🍀

[The FSA @WeAreTheFSA]

Seriously, if you’re a club owner or football financier who thinks a global health crisis is the perfect opportunity to rip up and reshape football to suit billionaires... you have no idea how much fans detest your concept. It will not go how you think.

https://t.co/PVVEjsqrAx

[HLTCO @HLTCO]

I’ve been thinking a lot about Sir Bobby Robson today. With all this talk of £14.95 PPV games and Project Big Picture, it’s worth revisiting his take on what makes football clubs so special.

He’d be sick to see the way the game has gone in the years since he passed.

[Chris Sutton @chris_sutton73]

Sad to see Martin O Neill and Roy Keane leave Ireland... the truth is they had very little to work with...

[Jimmy Bullard @jimmybullard]

Sir Alex Ferguson found a way to beat every opposition - you can beat this one - thoughts with the ultimate Gaffer. #SirAlex