DESIGNED FOR DELIGHT
Clinical Celtic send out a statement of intent by sweeping aside the Dons to keep their perfect record intact
THE perfect Premiership start continued for Brendan Rodgers as a third consecutive victory took Celtic to the top of the table — and wounded last season’s nearest challengers in the process.
This was an ominous result, not only for Aberdeen, but the entire top flight. With Champions League qualification already in the bag, Rodgers can satisfactorily reflect on a domestic start that has yielded 10 goals against the three teams that finished closest to the champions last season.
‘After all the travel and all the emotion of this week, to have to come and play Aberdeen, who have a real good squad of players and an excellent coach, and be as convincing as we were for the majority of the game, makes us really pleased,’ said Rodgers.
‘To be sitting here, in the quarter final of the League Cup, ahead with three wins out of three in the league and to have qualified for the Champions League, we have to be happy.’
Next up is Rangers, the team currently in second spot and tipped by many to offer the stiffest challenge this term. But there is a ruthless intent about Celtic right now, one that extended to the manager’s decision to drop goalkeeper Craig Gordon in favour of new signing Dorus de Vries, the first major selection call of his tenure.
Having won both home league clashes against Celtic last term, Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes wanted to make further inroads into the champions’ superiority complex by achieving a result in Glasgow. To that aim, he came up with something different, fielding a back three that included new signing Anthony O’Connor flanked by Ash Taylor and Mark Reynolds.
The ploy could not be considered a complete failure. For long spells Aberdeen were in this game and the scoreline only got away from them as they chased an equaliser at the death.
Indeed, with barely a minute on the clock the visitors could have had the lead. Andy Considine’s punt down the left flank set Wes Burns up for a run at Erik Sviatchenko.
The on-loan Bristol City winger had time to consider the cut-back but instead opted for a powerful angled drive that flew high and wide of de Vries’ far post.
Any notion that Celtic might be snoozing in the blissful aftermath of Champions League qualification was destroyed by a thunderbolt of a shot from Tom Rogic that left Joe Lewis’ crossbar shuddering.
If that effort had power, the strike with which Griffiths opened the scoring was equally ferocious but crucially that touch more accurate. A devastating nutmeg left Kenny McLean in a confused heap and set the striker up for a shot which rattled the inside of the post before nestling in the far corner.
It was a brutal, devastating show of force from the title holders, but they retreated into a possession-based pattern of play that allowed Aberdeen to regroup before delivering the counter that saw them draw level.
Niall McGinn supplied a low cross from the left, forcing Kolo Toure to stick out a long leg to clear. Even as the ball fell into Rooney’s radius there seemed little danger, but the Dubliner executed a fine 180-degree turn to scoop his finish beyond de Vries from 12 yards.
Gordon has enjoyed free rein as Celtic’s goalkeeper since joining on a free two years ago but, while neither Lukasz Zaluska nor Logan Bailly displayed either the inclination or ability to push him, de Vries has arrived with a different agenda.
The Dutchman has been described by Rodgers as the best keeper he has seen with the ball at his feet, a key requisite in his long-term game-plan.
It would have been instructive to read the Scotland international’s thoughts as de Vries nearly gifted Aberdeen a second by, against Rodgers’ billing, making a hash of a forward pass. The 35-year-old’s ball to Toure was hopelessly undercooked and allowed McLean the chance to pounce. Fortunately for de Vries, Toure’s nous allowed him to crowd his opponent out before he could pull the trigger.
James Forrest put his side back in front with a goal that owed everything to the weight of pass from Rogic, whose reverse ball invited the winger to apply a finish with the outside of his right foot — and one that was almost identical to the goal he scored at St Johnstone a week earlier.
Aberdeen retained a foothold in the match with Burns looking the part whenever he got an opportunity to run with the ball.
It was also interesting to see the Dons press high on Celtic whenever the home team prepared to take a goal kick, a clear ploy to neuter these lauded passing gifts of de Vries.
A little bit of cynicism came into play when Reynolds picked up a caution for hauling back the excellent Rogic as he advanced on Lewis’ area.
McInnes threw on strikers Jayden Stockley and Miles Storey but the stretch in the game helped Celtic.
Scott Sinclair rolled Shay Logan then burst clear, inviting Reynolds to execute another foul that not only conceded a penalty but saw him pick up a second booking and ordered from the field by referee Bobby Madden.
Sinclair dusted himself down and, having beaten nominated taker Moussa Dembele to the ball, slammed it into the net, knocking the belief from the opposition in the process.
‘Scotty was my penalty taker at Swansea, so he knows the score,’ said Rodgers afterwards. ‘I trust that he will score a goal but I also trust Moussa who’s a great kid, hungry to do well. He hasn’t played maybe as much as he would want to but he’s shown a wonderful attitude and he knows it’s a long season and his opportunities will come.’
Rogic then capped a tremendous performance by curling a 20-yard free-kick into the bottom corner. CELTIC (4-2-3-1): de Vries; Lustig, Toure, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton (McGregor 81); Forrest (Roberts 57), Rogic, Sinclair; Griffiths (Dembele 57). Subs (not used): Gordon, Izaguirre, Janko, Christie. Booked: None. ABERDEEN (3-4-3): Lewis; Taylor, O’Connor, (Storey 84), Reynolds; Logan, McLean, Shinnie, Considine; Burns, Rooney (Stockley 84), McGinn (Storie 90). Subs (not used): Alexander, Morris, McKenna, Wright. Booked: Reynolds, Shinnie. Sent off: Reynolds. Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 57,758.