Outstanding Edouard has magic touch for Celtic
Frenchman helps McGregor and Forrest sink St Mirren
THE theory being forwarded by many observers this week is that if Celtic play as poorly against Rangers on Sunday as they did in the Betfred Cup final, they are likely to get their comeuppance.
It is not without its merits yet it does ignore one hugely significant factor. At Hampden, Neil Lennon was forced to do without Odsonne Edouard for almost an hour. As belatedly demonstrated there and for the majority of the afternoon in Paisley yesterday, with him on board, the league leaders are simply a different proposition.
Edouard didn’t score here but was wrongly denied a goal at the outset of the second half and had a hand in those scored by Callum McGregor and James Forrest before the break.
His touch and sheer presence, particularly in the first half, elevated Celtic to a level which ensured they will approach the derby still five points clear of their city rivals.
‘I thought at times he was sublime,’ said Lennon. ‘He’s so deceptive with his feet.
‘He’s a threat and I like his physicality. I like his pace — he comes to life in the final third and he’s such a clever player.
‘He’s an outstanding centreforward. I’m pretty much sure he’ll start on Sunday and he makes us better.’
This was by no means the perfect, collective performance by Lennon’s men, though. Having done the hard part in the opening period, they rather laboured thereafter.
The third goal which would have put the outcome beyond all doubt proved to be elusive and had Cammy MacPherson’s deflected free-kick not come so late in the day, this might well have been the kind of untimely slip that their manager talked of earlier this week.
Nonetheless, an 11th straight league win was arrived at. Now ten points better off than at this stage last season, the Celtic manager is still entitled to approach the final game of the year in confident mood.
If there is such a thing as a good way to lose a game of football, though, St Mirren found it here.
Two down at the break, the easier thing would have been to roll over and watch the goals fly in.
Commendably, though, Jim Goodwin’s men didn’t give in. If the application they showed here is in evidence in the second half of the campaign, they shouldn’t have too much to worry about.
Unbeaten in their last three matches, the Paisley boss kept faith with the side which took a point from St Johnstone last time out. Lennon, too, stood by the men who had seen off Aberdeen by the odd goal in three at the weekend.
As if Celtic didn’t have enough of an incentive to win here, the comments of Dave Cormack yesterday morning would have irked them further.
In accusing Kristoffer Ajer of ‘feigning injury’ in the incident which led to Sam Cosgrove being sent off on Saturday, the new
Aberdeen chairman might well have meddled with the Norwegian’s mindset as he took the field in Paisley.
Keen to prove otherwise, Ajer launched himself at a couple of Ryan Christie corners. Narrowly off target on both occasions, there was to be no early retribution.
Despite being forced to play a right-back in Paul McGinn at centre-half purely through a shortage of bodies, there was a solidity to Goodwin’s side as the game settled. Jon Obika’s determination allowed him to cut the ball back from the byeline for Ilkay Durmus. Given the promising position the Turk had taken up, Fraser Forster made a save that was far too comfortable. Celtic were largely restricted to half-chances before getting to grips with the assignment. Olivier Ntcham had a volley booted clear by Sam Foley before sending a curling effort into Vaclav Hladky’s arms. Edouard’s run took him past three men but his shot only troubled the Celtic fans behind the goal. Lennon offered his encouragement from the sidelines, sensing his side were crunching through the gears. At the midway point of the first half, they had the goal their play deserved. Edouard (left) was the creator with one of his trademark runs from deep.
Approaching the six-yard box and with the Buddies’ defence in full retreat mode, the Frenchman tried to scoop the ball into the path of the supporting McGregor.
With the pass lacking purpose, either Hladky or McGinn had time to deal with it. Fatally, neither did. Alert to the situation, McGregor nipped in, struck the post with his initial effort then lashed the rebound high into the net. Celtic were already on their way.
St Mirren’s response came by way of a meaty MacPherson drive that Forster watched all he way. But before they had truly recovered from the blow of losing the first goal, they found themselves two down.
It was a slick counter-attacking move with Edouard, almost inevitably, at its heart. Releasing the ball to Forrest at precisely the right second, he took the entire home defence out of the game. Forrest skipped round Hladky and found a precise finish from an acute angle.
Lennon would have been keen to get the definitive third goal early in the second half and allow Edouard to rest up.
Forrest came close to providing it but saw his stabbed shot blocked by Hladky’s legs. The czech goalkeeper’s fingertips would then deny Jeremie Frimpong’s left-footed strike from 16 yards.
St Mirren kept at it. Junior Morias fired viciously across goal but Ryan Flynn couldn’t redirect the ball on target.
You wondered how many more gilt-edged chances like that they’d get. another did soon arrive via an uncharacteristic slip by christopher Jullien, though. Obika sped away behind the Frenchman but Forster did enough to block his shot with his legs.
One goal would still have changed the entire feel of the closing stages. MacPherson’s whipped cross gave Morias another sniff of the target but his header lacked conviction.
celtic struggled to settle the issue. Ntcham saw one shot saved and another blocked by Sean McLoughlin with Boli Bolingoli also failing to find a way past the St Mirren keeper.
as a consequence of such profligacy, Leigh Griffiths was only able to replace Edouard with three minutes remaining.
No sooner had the Scot taken the field, though, the Buddies halved the deficit. Jullien’s clattering of Obika 25 yards out came at the combined cost of a booking and a free-kick.
Excellent throughout here, MacPherson’s free-kick clipped Jullien in the wall and wrongfooted Forster.
But it came too late for Goodwin’s side to stage an unlikely comeback.