Three and easy
● Players deserve more credit, says Rodgers as Celtic sweep aside Dons challenge
Brendan Rodgers has called for greater appreciation of his players’ abilities as they close in on equalling Celtic’s own all- time UK undefeated record in domestic matches.
Last night’s 3- 0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie opened up a three- point lead over the Dons at the top of the Premier ship and stretched Celtic’ sc ur rent unbeaten run against Scottish opponents to 61 games.
They can now match the benchmark 62- match sequence set by Willie Maley’s Celtic side from 1915 to 1917 when they take on Kilmarnock at Parkhead on Saturday. Rodgers, pictured, who insists he wasn’t aware of that piece of history, hopes his team’s achievements will be attributed to their quality rather than the perceived weakness of opposition.
“I hear a lot of that, the ease at which Celtic do it here ,” said Rodgers. “But you have to give credit to our players. They have the courage to go into position to accept the ball. That can drag a team about. When you play to that speed and quality it’s very hard sometimes to get there.
“If you have control and you can dominate you have chances to score.
“Tonight was about Celtic and our quality as opposed to what Aberdeen didn’t do.
“There was a big focus on this game. The level of football, the idea and composure to play a top- of- the- table clash again state am that’s very good, to play to that level and tactically with that quality and understanding. “We should have scored more but how we defended and pressed was a wonderful demonstration of football.” Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes had no complaints about the outcome. He said :“We got a lesson tonight.
“It was a tough watch. Celtic were very good from the first minute to the last. They went with that extra midfielder and in hindsight maybe I could have done something similar.
“We tried to be brave with two strikers. I can rack my brains over system and personnel but, when Celtic are in that mood, they will win the game. The gulf is huge in terms of what they can do and bring to the club. They take my best player last year [ Jonny Hayes]. My best player arguably this year is a Celtic player [ Ryan Christie] and I cannot play him tonight. I think we can learn from tonight. There will be a bit of soul searching.”
On an evening when Aberdeen had hoped to prove there just might be a Premiership title race worthy of the name this season, Celtic delivered a performance which left no-one in any doubt they remain very much in a league of their own in Scottish football.
On paper, this was a top- ofthe- table showdown between notional rivals who had made identical unbeaten starts to the campaign. In reality, it was simply the night when Celtic stepped on the accelerator and opened up a gap which is only likely to become a yawning chasm yet again over the coming weeks and months.
Kie ran Tierney’ s opener inside the first quarter of an hour was followed by Moussa Dembele’s double either side of half- time. Had Celtic been more ruthless in front of goal, the margin of victory could have been even more sobering for Aberdeen.
As is his mantra, Brendan Rodgers continues to write his own history as Celtic manager. Their unbeaten domestic run now stands at 61 matches, just one short of equalling the alltime record set by the legendary Willie Maley’s side from 1915 to 1917.
The appetite of Rodgers’ players to set new standards of domination in Scottish football appears insatiable. It may still be October, but the chants of “We’ve won the league again, fly the flag” from the jubilant Celtic fans were as much rooted in reality as a sense of mischief.
After an opening 10 - minute spell which offered the home support in a sell-out crowd what proved to be false encouragement, Aberdeen found themselves under the spell of the confident and assured champions.
Craig Gordon had to make a couple of saves, both of the routine variety, from Graeme Shinnie in those initial stages as the Dons captain attempted to force his team onto the front foot.
But from the moment Tierney gave Celtic their 13 thminute breakthrough, the visitors exerted almost total control of proceedings. The goal saw Kari Arnason caught flat- footed as Dembele burst past him down the right.
The French striker fired the ball low across the face of the penalty area, where Callum Mcgregor arrived just too late to get a touch to it. Instead, it was seized on the left edge of the area by Tierney, who smashed a terrific shot high beyond Joe Lewis, the ball thumping off the underside of the crossbar on its way into the net.
Aberdeen appeared spooked by the setback and Celtic were suddenly enjoying all the time and space they could wish for as they wove neat patterns of sustained possession across the excellent Pittodrie playing surface.
Tom Rogic, who has been a consistent thorn in Aberdeen’s side over the past 12 months or so, was an exceptional expo - nent of the fine movement on display from Rodgers’ men. The big Aussie jinked his way in from the right to force Lewis into a fine save as Celtic upped the tempo.
Arnason was booked for a clumsy foul on Rogic on the edge of the penalty area and Stuart Armstrong clipped the free-kick narrowly wide of Lewis’ right- hand post. It was as fluent and effective as Celtic have looked this season and Rogic threatened again when, after a sweeping move involving James Forrest, Armstrong and Tierney, his shot from a tight angle was held by Lewis.
But Lewis was left helpless when Celtic doubled their lead six minutes before the interval. The outstanding Tierney was the provider on this occasion, the left-back making Ab erdeen right- back Shay Logan look foolish ashes kipped beyond him and whipped over a low cross which Dembele bundled home from close range at the back post.
Celtic were in no mood
t o l o o s e n t h e i r g r i p a s t h e y resumed after the break fully focused on the pursuit of more goals. Barely 30 seconds into t he s econd half, Armstrong almost made it 3- 0 when he g l i d e d i n f r o m t h e l e f t a n d f o r c e d L e w i s i n t o a d e c e n t save.
Ab erdeen were s t r uggling t o b r e a k up Cel t i c’s r hy t hm and es t abli s h any at t acking m o m e n t u m o f t h e i r o w n . They threatened briefly when A r n a s o n’s g l a n c i n g h e a d e r from their first corner of the night flashed across the Celtic s i x- yar d b ox, but t hey were s o o n b e i n g f o r c e d b a c k again.
Rogic should have done better than screw a shot wide after being set up by Mikael Lustig, then Mcgregor and Dembele contrived to get in each other’s way when a close range tap- in beckoned, allowing Arnason to make a goal- line clearance.
Mcinnes replaced the anony mo u s Ad a m R o o n e y w i t h S cott Wright but b ef ore t he y o u n g s t r i k e r c o u l d m a k e a ny i mpact, Ab e r d e e n c o n - c e d e d t h e t h i r d g o a l i n t h e 63rd minute. Scott Mckenna was booked for a cynical foul on Dembele wide on the left. Armstrong floated in the freekick which was nodded back a c r o s s t h e s i x - y a r d b o x b y Dedr yck Boyata for Dembele to apply the simplest of finishing touches.
The s c al e of t he c hal l e nge f acing Aberdeen and any of Celtic’s domestic opponents was emphasised in the clos - ing stages when Rodgers was able to introduce substitutes of t he cali bre of Jonny Haye s , S c ot t Si ncl a i r a nd Lei gh Griffiths into the fray.
The final whistle came as a relief for Aberdeen, who can now refo cus their effor ts on simply seeking to become the best of the rest again.