Conor Spence’s Celtic v Hearts Preview – It is time to celebrate

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The Celtic Star

·13 September 2024

Conor Spence’s Celtic v Hearts Preview – It is time to celebrate

It is time to celebrate. The first international break is over, folks. We need to have a serious conversation across football at how early these glorified friendlies come about so early on into the new season…

Celtic v theRangers – Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates after scoring our second goal of the game during the match at Celtic Park on Sunday September 1, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

With Celtic returning tomorrow afternoon for the first time in two long weeks we no longer need to watch the ultra-negative, super cautious Steve Clarke style of football. In turn, Brendan Rodgers’ fast paced, high-intensity, electric football makes a sensational comeback and I for one cannot wait.

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We are only five games into the start of the league season and tomorrow feels like a huge clash against the Jambos. Steven Naismith’s side took six points from 12 against us last campaign. That included a shock 2-0 victory at Celtic Park ending a 14 year wait for a win against the Hoops in Glasgow. Revenge would be sweet, and Brendan Rodgers will be looking to achieve a 100% record against Naismith’s side who secured third spot in May.

Records can already be broken for Celtic tomorrow. The Hoops have kept a clean sheet in their opening five league games just once in their history and that occurred in the 1906/1907 season. Kasper Schmeichel can equal a record for Celtic which has stood for 120 years. Notably, the Danish stopper, managed by former Celt Morten Wieghorst at international level, kept two clean sheets during recent Nations League matches in consecutive 2-0 victories over Serbia and Switzerland.

The good news for Celtic kept coming today. With several injury worries heading into the game, Alistar Johnston returned to Celtic training this morning despite coming off with a hamstring issue with Canada. Cameron Carter-Vickers who left Celtic Park in a protective boot in our recent Glasgow Derby win also trained. Greg Taylor and James Forrest who pulled out of Steve Clarke’s squad are also available.

A fresh squad, with multiple options and a fanbase who are fully on board, the wheels are fully in motion. The squad is confident, and nobody domestically can stop this free-flowing Celtic side. The worry for teams such as Hearts or anyone for that matter is that the goals are spread across the pitch. 12 goals scored in four league games, with eight different goalscorers. Three beauties coming from captain and Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for August, Callum McGregor.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor arrives prior to the Premier Sports Cup match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on August 18, 2024 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The visitors at Celtic Park tomorrow have had a dreadful start to the campaign. Steven Naismith is a dead man walking and a sore defeat will only compound things. Devoid of any confidence, this Hearts side have lost their last six competitive matches. These included a 2-0 loss against Scottish Championship side Falkirk exiting the Premier Sports Cup and back-to-back defeats against Czech side Viktoria Plzen resigning the Jambos to Europa Conference League football.

You would need to go back to 11 May (10 competitive games ago) to find Hearts last win. Ironically, their only point this season came on the opening day against theRangers. Brendan Rodgers could seal Steven Naismith’s fate with a victory tomorrow.

The last time Celtic were beaten in the league was that controversial 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle in March. Thereafter, Celtic have gotten considerably better and have replicated performances they were displaying under Ange Postecoglou in his second season. Looking unstoppable domestically. On the other hand, Hearts have undoubtedly regressed; they look more like a Daniel Stendel side, and I suspect things will only get worse for them tomorrow.

It would not be radical thinking to assume that the manager will go with an unchanged side to the one that comfortably beat theRangers a fortnight ago. Although, he will flex his muscles with options such as Engels, Idah and a possible debut for Alex Valle to call upon from the bench. Like two weeks ago, Celtic will have too much for their domestic opponents and another straightforward victory awaits.

Conor Spence

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