DEFENDER BACKS CELTS TO BEAT GERMAN SIDE
CELTIC 5 HEARTS 0 ...but has the upturn in form come too late for Bhoys to save Europa League push?
NATURAL order has not quite been restored.
But the evidence of recent weeks would suggest that Celtic will not be slow in leaving the rest in their slipstream when it comes to the league table.
The emphatic win over Hearts, arguably as well as Celtic have played this season, leaves the Parkhead side just one point off of the league leaders but with a game in hand still to play. It seems inevitable now that there will be a motoring on as Brendan Rodgers’ side post notice of their reticence to give up their domestic stranglehold.
Saturday’s game points to a return to the form that was missing in a sluggish start to the campaign. A glance at the league table now shows Celtic as having scored more than anyone else and conceded fewer than anyone else but more than that, their swagger has been evident in the wins over Hearts, over Hibs and over Dundee.
The question now, of course, is whether it can be replicated in a European context.
The Bhoys’ form in the Europa League this term has been largely indifferent. The hangover that weighed heavy on the club in the aftermath of their Champions League exit and an acrimonious transfer window appears to have abated but it may be too late to rescue a place in the knockout stages of Europe’s second-tier tournament.
Consecutive losses to Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig have left Celtic six points and seven goals worse off than the Austrian leaders while the German side, always anticipated as being their rivals for the second spot, have three points and five goals advantage over the Parkhead side.
All of which adds a mustwin hue to Thursday night’s game at Celtic Park.
Parkhead captain Scott Brown remains sidelined with injury but curiously his absence has not been felt so keenly as it might have been.
In terms of influence, there is not anyone who can rival Brown for his leadership qualities but the form of the excellent Callum McGregor has ensured that his loss has not left a significant void.
The form of the Scotland internationalist has not been lost on his manager.
“Callum controls the tempo of the game,” said Rodgers. “He takes the ball, is so clever in his movements. He has a dream of a touch that allows him to go forward. He gets the turn and is never playing backwards. He has a great range of pass and he has the personality to play those passes. He’s been exceptional in that role but I say that in every role he plays.”
There is an observation to be drawn in the way that Celtic have played in recent domestic games that there is a greater tempo in the central pastures with McGregor, Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie all impressing.
The pace with which Celtic have played has been as notable as the frequency of the goals; in their last three outings they have netted 13 times without reply.
Scott Sinclair has been re-introduced to the starting line-up after an indifferent start to the season but his recent displays have offered scope to suggest that he is capable of returning to the form of his inaugural campaign at the club.
“We’ve taken hits in
Europe and there’s rarely a midweek where we don’t have a game but we keep coming back and showing that hunger,” said Rodgers after the game.
“We were playing against a good Hearts team. Craig’s done great for Hearts. He’s set them up to be difficult to beat and they’ve started the season really well.
“We’ve played really well against them this past week and we were excellent again. We were aggressive in our defending, pressing the game, shortening the pitch and creating opportunities. We took five and we could have had a few more. It was an outstanding team performance.”
Key to getting something from Thursday night’s outing will be the performance of Odsonne Edouard. The French striker curled in an exquisite opener off the underside of the bar from outside the box to kickstart the goals at the weekend.
He went on to claim another, goals that were supplemented by a fine header from defender Filip Benkovic who netted his first for the club while James Forrest also added his name to the scoresheet with a fine striker before Christie completed the rout with a confidently dispatched spot-kick.
“Odsonne has been consistent since he’s been here,” said Rodgers.
“It’s not just his goals-to-games ratio, it’s what else he gives the team.
“You look at his first goal – it was brilliance for a young kid. The second one is what you would expect from a striker, to be in the box to finish. The goal he creates for James Forrest shows his intelligence and he makes a key pass.
“He gives us so much and on top of that he presses the game. There’s not a big demand from me to only score goals. He needs to press the game and from that we’ll always create chances.”
If there was a blemish to the afternoon it came with a crude kick from Peter Haring on Lewis Morgan. The Scotland under-21 internationalist was left in obvious discomfort after the infringement, much to the vexation of Rodgers.