The Celtic Star
·31 October 2024
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·31 October 2024
Brendan Rodgers of Celtic before the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic comfortably disposed of a hard-working Dundee side with a 2-0 scoreline.
Don’t tell that to the press hacks though! According to the headline fired off from the country’s most trusted source, BBC Sport, the Bhoys just squeaked past the Dens Parkers. And the band played…
The gaffer omitted six players from his usual selection, not gambling, but trusting his squad members to slot in seamlessly, and win the points, which is all that matters in the big picture.
Win, they did, and three more points were added to our almost perfect seasonal tally. Was it won with a cricket scoreline? No, but it was won in a canter. Only in the very first minute did the dark blues threaten Kasper Schmeichel in the Celtic goal.
After that, the Hoops took full control, and only profligacy of finishing, from Kyogo in particular, kept the scoreline down.
Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic runs with the ball under pressure from Juan Antonio Portales of Dundee FC during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Here are a few relevant stats;
Celtic: 79.6% possession. Dundee: 20.4% Celtic: 24 shots to Dundee’s 3 Total touches in the penalty box; Celtic: 41 Dundee 10
You can make your own mind up about that.
The Beeb did…
‘Celtic stay unbeaten after belatedly overcoming Dundee’.
“Celtic continued their unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership season – and stay level with Aberdeen at the summit – after an ultimately comfortable victory over Dundee.” BBC report.
Belatedly…Alistair Johnston scored on 60 minutes. Arne Engels scored a penalty just seven minutes later.
Level with Aberdeen – Celtic are ahead of Aberdeen!
Alastair Johnston of Celtic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The first came with half an hour to go! This was no last minute job, neither were we scrambling for the points. The stats say it all; Celtic played all the football, and deservedly took the spoils.
I’m not the only one sick and tired of media meddling when it comes to Celtic’s triumphs and successes. Scroll through social media and you’ll come to the same conclusion. It’s as if they must deflect from our dominance to cover up the pain of our brothers in Govan as they languish NINE points behind in THIRD place.
Arne Engels of Celtic scores the second goal from the penalty spot during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Did I say THIRD? Well, after theRangers were beaten 2-1 up at Pittodrie on the same night Celtic won 2-0, Aberdeen also increased their six point lead over the Ibrox outfit to nine, leaving the boys in blue well adrift.
There are two things at play here; Celtic have finally been given a challenge worthy of the name. That name is Jimmy Thelin. The new Dons boss has been a breath of fresh air since he arrived in the Granite City, and, from ten games has won nine, and drawn one – at Celtic Park.
Thelin has revolutionised the city as well as the club, (Pittodrie was packed tonight), and all decent football fans should applaud him for his efforts, and his take on things.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyogo and Alistair Johnston of Celtic after the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Conversely, the post-match interview with Philippe Clement was embarrassing. The Belgian bumbled through old scripts as he tried (again) to deflect from his own failings.
He was busy telling us how unlucky they were, mumbling about being a ‘toenail’ away from a result, (?) and assuring the gullible that, with a few tweaks, theRangers would be coming, again.
Kris Boyd in the studio alongside Chris Sutton was incandescent. He called Clement out and was a hairs breadth away from calling him ‘deluded’. He more or less said that he was untrustworthy and should not be taken seriously. He was right.
At the end of a dramatic evening Celtic remain on top of the heap with only goal difference keeping a resurgent and lively Aberdeen at bay.
Brendan Rodgers of Celtic after the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC at Celtic Park on October 30, 2024 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
If…If Celtic and Aberdeen maintain their form from now through to May, there will be no route to the Champions League for the perennial ‘comers’.
If…Motherwell knock theRangers out of the Cup at the weekend, in their current plight there would only be the Scottish Cup to fight for, and Celtic would be gunning for another Treble if we burst Aberdeen’s bubble at Hampden on Saturday.
Now, with their newly announced fiscal deficit (with losses since they started totalling £126.81 million) and lack of directorial leadership, that would throw the rudderless cat among the Govan pigeons!
Hail Hail!
Eddie Murray
Celtic in the Thirties (Volumes One and Two) are both published next Tuesday 5th November. Order your signed copies now and treasure these landmark Celtic titles brilliantly researched and written by Matt Corr. Order at Celticstarbooks.com…
Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW!
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