Edouard goal seals ideal start for caretaker boss
After all the hullabaloo that preceded his departure, the start of life for Celtic after Neil Lennon was always liable to be an anti-climax.
The records will show John Kennedy picked up a win in his first match in caretaker charge of the club he starred for as a player.
Likewise that under his charge, the Hoops bounced back from the embarrassment of their loss to Ross County in Dingwall with an efficient display.
However if supporters watching from a distance had been hoping to witness a dramatic change, this was not it.
In fact, the game was a near carbon copy of the teams’ meeting at the ground 10 days previously which ended with the same score and was settled by an early goal from the home side.
“The first half was good for us but in the second half we lost our way a little bit,” said Kennedy.
“When Aberdeen put pressure on, we got stressed and flustered. We gave the ball away cheaply at times.
“We lacked a bit of discipline in terms of being calm and clear in our minds but in terms of how we saw the game out, that was pleasing.
“It feels like we’ve been in that situation so many times this season at 1-0 and we concede.
“You could see that in the players, that subconscious thing in their minds.
“You must still have belief at 1-0 to keep doing the right things and that will take you to 2-0.
“That’s something we’ve got to work on psychologically. That’s because of our experiences this year so far.
“But we have to park that and get rid of it. That will come with results and confidence.”
Kennedy’s first team selection as Celtic caretaker was always going to be interesting.
Patryk Klimala ahead of Leigh Griffiths might not have been everybody’s pick, but his decision to have skipper Scott Brown out on the pitch and Ismaila Soro on the sidelines rather than the other way around was probably the biggest talking point.
Ryan Christie’s failure to take any of the dozen chances which came in the loss to Ross County last week was a tough experience for his former boss.
Here, under a different manager, the Scotland internationalist wasted no time putting the Dingwall experience behind him.
Picking up the ball on the right flank he showed a neat turn of foot to cut inside and roll a pass perfectly into the feet of Odsonne Edouard.
The French striker has been prolific since the turn of the year and, with the aid of a deflection off Tommie Hoban, he made it nine goals in nine games.
Soon after it was nearly two, Klimala sliding in at the back post failing to give Jonjoe Kenny’s perfect delivery the finish it deserved.
Aberdeen left Callum Hendry, their match winner against Kilmarnock, on the bench, going with Florian Kamberi and Niall Mcginn up front.
It was a defender, though, who came closest to giving them the goal they craved.
Ash Taylor fairly powered a header in on goal from Mcginn’s cross but Hoops keeper Scott Bain was up to the test making.
Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes would have needed no telling this was a good time to play Celtic but his side lacked the courage of their convictions.
One blunder, from Dean Campbell, literally had him hoping up and down in frustration.
Aberdeen had a few near things in the final half hour, with Considine going close, but ultimately this ended up as another match in which they failed to score.
“I’m disappointed because I thought the performance like the other night was deserving of something from the game,” said Mcinnes.
“Niall Mcginn’s delivery was brilliant and with the amount of ball we put into the box we should be scoring.”
Jim Goodwin admits there are too many soft penalties being awarded in Scottish football.
And the St Mirren boss pledged to throw the book at striker Collin Quaner if it can be proved he dived to win the spot-kick that won the game.
It looked like the Buddies were about to record their fifth consecutive draw until the German went down and Jamie Mcgrath stepped up to convert from eight yards.
This victory means the Paisley club have almost secured their place in the top six.
Goodwin, who believes they need one more win to be sure of that, gave an honest assessment of the controversial penalty incident.
He said: “I don’t think it was a dive. Collin has got the wrong side of the defender.
“It was soft, no doubt. I’m not going to try to pull the wool over people’s eyes and say it was stonewall.
“But that’s the way the game has gone and if we don’t do something about it, that’s what happens.
“I don’t think it was simulation, there was slight contact. Was there enough to make the big man go over? I’ll need have to have a look.
“If it is proved he has dived, I will be the first one to speak to him. If my player deserves the book thrown at him, then so be it.”
Goodwin was happy to agree that a draw would have been a fair result.
The highlight of the first half was a tremendous save by visiting keeper Ross Laidlaw.
In truth, his leap to push away a Mccarthy header was the only noteworthy incident in 45 untidy minutes of action.
It was one of those periods that makes you reflect on the tension that’s never far away in a 12-team top flight.
Saints are clearly desperate to clinch a top-six finish and the Staggies have a fight on their hands to escape the relegation zone.
There was plenty of pressing and lots of tackling, all to the background noise of managers imploring players to get closer.
Social distancing is not an option in a Premiership scrap.
John Hughes attempted to shake things up by making a triple substitution at half-time.
The introduction of Oli Shaw as a second striker helped to push the visitors further up the pitch.
Just as Laidlaw had done earlier, Jak Alnwick produced a fabulous stop to prevent White’s header from bulging the net.
The numerous substitutions made before 70 minutes showed that neither manager was satisfied with the way things were going.
Jim Goodwin followed County’s example by introducing Obika and Quaner in attack.
Alex Iacovitti had a volley from Paton’s corner cleared off the line.
That summed up the match – attempts on goal either weren’t good enough or were blocked by defensive heroics.
So it wasn’t too surprising the winner came from a penalty.
Leo Hejelde was the man adjudged to have fouled Quaner.
County kept pressing for a leveller but their efforts were in vain.
Tillson got a decent chance in added-on time but sent his effort just wide from close range.
So often we end up talking about referees.
Jim Goodwin came back to the subject when talking about a calf injury sustained by Joe Shaughnessy.
He said: “Joe was also clearly smashed in the face.
“If you ask which is more of a penalty, then I’d suggest Joe’s. He has a peach of a black eye.”