Walter wellies Celtic's wallies

I'm going to really regret my lack of sleep, but I got up early enough today so I could watch a DVD recording of the Old Firm game, before Villa - Man Utd.

Firstly, may I say it is a real pleasure to see the return of the good old-fashioned pushing and shoving, and with it a gazillion yellow cards. Too often in recent years, Old Firm matches have been increasingly gentile, on some occasions going entire halves without a booking. However, today we had a return to the proper sniping that is often part of the Rangers-Celtic entertainment. McGregor deliberately standing on McDonald's foot (twice), then McDonald taking a kick at McGregor, Naylor and Hutton having a good set-to, and at all times Scott Brown and Barry Ferguson being complete jerks, trying to wind up opponents at every opportunity. Brilliant.

On the other hand, it was the poorest Celtic have been in an Old Firm match since the days of John Barnes (every Caley fan's favourite Celtic manager). Hurt by having no natural right-back, only one recognised striker on the pitch, and for inexplicable reasons, playing Jiri Jarosik, who, as far as I can tell, has not accomplished anything at Celtic Park other than polish the bench with his ass most weeks, the visitors were on the back foot all the way through, and to cap it all gave away three really soft goals - it's a pity that my rants about Gary Caldwell are becoming so cliched. And as for Nakamura, calling him ineffective would be unreasonably positive. He looked so disinterested that I wondered whether his short pockets contained a pencil and a Su Doku magazine, to be quickly taken out when the cameras weren't looking.

Rangers were better everywhere on the pitch, simple as that. I note Celtic are still top of the league though.

L.