BENK OF SCOTLAND
Filip: Home-grown heroes are national treasures
CRAIG LEVEIN likes to talk about natural order.
Unfortunately for his Hearts team yesterday, Celtic showed exactly why they’ve been top of the tree in Scotland for the past seven years.
When Brendan Rodgers’ side lost at Tynecastle in August, questions were asked of the Hoops’ hunger to stay there.
But they certainly didn’t look short of appetite here, as they ravaged the Jambos.
The champions have racked up 13 goals in just six days and – ominously for the rest – they’re beginning to motor.
Now, for the first time since that defeat in Gorgie, they can leapfrog Hearts at the summit by winning their game in hand against Motherwell.
Celtic were devastating, as an Odsonne Edouard double, goals from Fil ip Benkovic and James Forrest and a Ryan Christie penalty sealed the win.
For Hearts, it was a reality check. Boss Levein was right to take the blame for their tactics as they invited Celtic on to them.
But given the way the home side performed, it wouldn’t have mattered what system they adopted.
Afterwards, Croat defender Benkovic was full of praise for his team-mates – particularly their Scottish contingent of Forrest, Christie, Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney.
As he looked ahead to Thursday’s Europa League clash with RB Leipzig, he said: “I’m really happy and proud with this win. We did an amazing job because this was an important game for us.
“I’m really happy to score but I’ve been impressed by the Scottish players, they have real talent and bright futures.
“The team spirit here is excellent and this win will help us with the European game coming up.
“It’s a step up in level so we have to concentrate more on Thursday. But if we do that, we can get a positive result.”
When Rodgers gets Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata together in central defence, Celtic look far more solid.
With McGregor sitting in front of them in a 4-1- 4-1 shape, they dictated from the off.
Celtic supporters would have been worried when the extent of skipper Scott Brown’s injury was revealed and against stronger opposition or in a game where they’re being pinned back, they’ll miss their captain.
But yesterday, with Hearts content to concede possession – McGregor was able to run this game from start to finish for Rodgers’ men.
Jambos gaffer Levein stated prior to kick-off that his team were in Glasgow to win.
He included the likes of Sean Clare and Jake Mulraney in a bid to get at Celtic’s back-line on the counter-attack.
But they simply couldn’t get out under intense pressure and wide men, Clare and Arnaud Djoum, did little defensively to try and curtail Celtic’s attacks.
It was over as a contest by halftime with the Hoops 3- 0 to the good - and it could have been more.
Edouard opened the scoring on 18 minutes with a peach from the edge of the box.
The Frenchman unleashed a shot that flew past Bobby Zlamal into the top corner via the crossbar.
It was a stunning finish and Celtic were peppering Zlamal’s goal. Christie went close twice then Tierney’s pop was tipped round the post.
A second goal was on the cards and Benkovic soon grabbed his first for the club.
The big on-loan Leicester centre-back evaded Jimmy Dunne in the box as he rose high to bullet home a McGregor corner.
The Gorgie away support had come along the M8 hoping to put down a marker and declare themselves genuine challengers at the top of the Premiership.
But after 40 minutes they were staring at a rout as Levein’s players struggled to lay a glove on the champs.
Most of Celtic’s attacking threat was coming down the left.
While full-back Michael Smith tried to contain Scott Sinclair, Tierney’s overlapping runs weren’t being tracked by Clare.
The Scotland defender was whipping balls into the box for fun and eventually it was going to pay off and, just before the break, Edouard made it three from one of them. Tierney’s delivery was terrific and the striker nipped in front of Dunne to prod the ball past Zlamal and effectively seal victory for the Hoops.
Hearts couldn’t be as passive after the break and immediately they had more about them.
They changed tactics, pressing Celtic higher up the pitch and getting in the home side’s faces.
But it was too late and as they forced Rodgers’ team into mistakes – you couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t adopt that approach from the start.
But even when they did apply pressure, they were vulnerable to a sucker punch.
Celtic almost scored one of the goals of the season when a cheeky piece of skill from Craig Gordon in his own box started a break-away.
McGregor drove into the Jambos’ box only to be denied by a brilliant fingertip save from Zlamal.
But he could do nothing to stop Forrest making it 4-0 moments later as Edouard slipped the winger in to swivel and drill a low strike into the bottom corner.
Stevie MacLean missed a cracking chance late on for Hearts before sub Ben Garuccio struck the post.
But at the other end, Tom Rogic was wasteful in front of goal before Celtic got their fifth from the spot.
For rest was tripped in the box by Craig Wighton and Christie buried it.