SENTINELCELTS

Well folks that’s another away fixture navigated with the points returning home. With the elements being harsh and the daylight fading early plus three games a week starting in earnest, this clash felt like the true beginning of winter football. Not that the away support were bothered, they came in their thousands including a certain Mags McGill.

The manager was brave in his decisions on how to approach this one. It was brave to key the same defense together, brave to drop our record signing especially with Callum out, brave to hand Luke a start.
His decisions were ultimately vindicated, Valle assist, ditto an assist from the fresh legs of Kuhn which made it look wise to hold him back until they tire, goal for Luke who was my MOTM. Brendan also looked wise trying Scales at left back, with Greg looking on, I wonder is he being phased out in anticipation of departure? It’s wise to give Cameron a run out, likewise James Forrest and Palma, and of course Adam Idah who bagged a trademark one touch finish from close range. I don’t have the stats but in my mind his chance conversion ratio is better than Kyogo since first coming up north to present day. I picture him being the starter soon. Given his half time team talk also clearly worked Brendan can be very content overall with his day’s work.

The match itself wasn’t a cracker, but rather interesting viewing. I had heard of the new kid on the block Miller, and straight from the off he looked dangerous, justifying the hype, but faded as time passed. It was a scrappy first half with neither team having much time or space to impose their gameplan on the opposition. McCowan had clearly decided to make an impact though, and our most dangerous player created and finished the breakthrough goal in sublime fashion lighting up not a great 45 minutes.

The second half saw a much more composed Celtic dominate while looking to finish them off. We did just that, AJ capped off wearing the armband with a goal, it was followed late on by a poacher’s finish. It was pretty routine apart from a shaky start, somewhat of a worrying trend now the word is clearly out because teams go at us from kick off too often for coincidence.

The Whistler also turned in a routine performance, ie abject. He denied a stonewall penalty on Daizen in the first half, then had the temerity to produce merely a yellow for an ankle breaker and potential career changing challenge that was certainly deliberate.
The bassa couldn’t stop us on the day though, and now they know they can’t it’s gotta really hurt.

At this stage there only looks to be one team that can stop us, and they don’t play in blue. My goodness they are consistent, grinding out a 1 nil victory is part and parcel of a successful season, and like other supporters the midweek Pittodrie clash holds more than just a passing interest,it’s almost unmissable now and not just because of the result but I’m curious to see if the Whistlers try and interfere with Aberdeen’s hotstreak. I get the feeling that come late Wednesday night the ref will be a topic of discussion.

Looking ahead, a midweek home match against Dundee is a nice opportunity on many fronts, and Aberdeen’s exertions at exactly the same time just may leave them more sapped than usual at the weekend which suits us because we shall want plenty of energy when RB Leipzig come to town.
3 good games in 6 days, each one harder than the last, each in different competitions. That’s life at Celtic, and that’s what the squad is for.
Three wins is the target, over to you Bhoys.

By Mahe sentinelcelts@gmail.com