Celtic came out of their final pre-season campaign against Al-Ahli without any injury worries for Brendan Rodgers.
The Celtic manager already has Jota out injured until 2026, and do not forget that horror tackle on Reo Hatate against Aberdeen towards the back end of last season.
But during Celtic’s penalty shootout win over Al-Ahli, there were a few feisty moments that should have been dealt with a lot better by the on-field referee.
Yes, it’s okay to have a bit of aggression in the game; at the end of the day, everyone is preparing for the new season ahead for their respective leagues, and you want to prepare in the best way possible.
But sometimes, it can go over the top, and the man officiating the process should have dealt with it a lot better than he did.
- READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers delivers honest verdict on Shin Yamada’s first game as a Celtic player vs Al-Ahli
‘Dangerous’ tackle on James Forrest during Celtic’s win over Al-Ahli
James Forrest had a superb game, but in the second half, as he was running inside Al-Ahli’s half, he was tackled from behind by Eid Al-Muwallad.
Simon Donnelly, and the Celtic TV commentator, noted, it was a ‘poor’, ‘dangerous’, and ‘naughty’ challenge that should have been dealt with by issuing a yellow card to the player.
But they felt that the referee allowed several tackles to slide (on Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada), which led to that challenge, and whilst he penalised Al-Muwallad by giving Celtic a free-kick, no yellow card was awarded, and that baffled Donnelly.
Celtic TV commentator: “That’s a poor challenge. That’s got to be a booking, surely.”
Donnelly responded: “That is a poor challenge.”
Celtic TV commentator: “That challenge comes about from a referee who hasn’t been penalising fouls when he should be.”
Donnelly: “And he has lunged right in. It’s cynical. Dangerous. James is doing the right thing to get across the path of him. That’s a bad tackle.”
Celtic TV commentator: “Well, you have to say, number 14 there should be in the book. But the referee seems reluctant to give free kicks. Thankfully, Forrest is back on his feet.
“Whenever those challenges come in, you think back to what Brendan Rodgers said pre-match about not getting any injuries.”
Donnelly: “It’s a poor challenge. Completely cynical. As I said, dangerous as well. It’s good play from Welsh in the build-up, he read the play nicely to take the ball off the player. It was a bit naughty.”
And then the referee ‘irritates’ Donnelly with his actions minutes later
Luke McCowan was visibly annoyed with the Al-Ahli midfielder, as Forrest lay down in pain, and he made his feelings clear towards the player by pointing at him and pushing him away.
But, minutes later, Celtic were awarded a goal kick after Auston Trusty dealt with a phase of play, but another Al-Ahli player protested that call by shouting in the linesman’s face.
You guessed it right?! That led to him being booked, and Donnelly stated that is what ‘irritates me’ about officials.
Celtic TV commentator: “Trusty gets a touch, it comes off the Saudi player. It should be a goal kick. Now, there is a yellow card. It always amazes me that, fair enough, he has protested there because he thinks he should have had a corner.
“But surely, the late challenge on Forrest merits a yellow card more than that?”
Donnelly: “Of course it is. This is the thing that irritates me with officials. They are happy to go and, a little bit of dissent there. The dangerous tackle should have been penalised as well.”
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