Callum Mcgregor – On our way to make it 10

Riddle solved

After the terrible performance on Thursday night against Valencia, Celtic had a major point to prove. They couldn’t have picked a much harder place to do so domestically than Rugby Park, given that the hoops have lost on their last two visits there.

The first half of the game was relatively flat, with Celtic struggling to penetrate the Kilmarnock backline. Edouard did have an effort saved by the killie goalkeeper just after the ten minute mark but that was as close as they came in the first half. Celtic did dominate possession but Kilmarnock remained relatively comfortable. There was controversy just before half time when Scott Brown slid into a tackle late but was only shown a yellow card.

Into the second half and the game remained close, with both teams looking like they could break the deadlock. However the game changed when Kirk Broadfoot was shown a straight red for a dangerous challenge on Scott Brown. Celtic began to push more and were unlucky on a few occasions despite patient build up play. Then the moment came that all the fans were hoping for. Mcgregor whipped in a corner which Boyata headed back across goal where Scott Brown was waiting. His shot ricocheted off a Kilmarnock players hand and into the back of the net, right at the end of the game.

The stand behind the goal erupted, with fans flooding onto the pitch to celebrate Brown’s winner. He was sent off for the celebrations, not that he seemed to mind though, given that his goal takes Celtic eight points clear at the top of the Premiership.

It will take something special to catch the parkhead side now and you cannot help but feel that the only thing which will stop them from winning their eighth title in a row is themselves.

Ladies and gentlemen, Timothy Weah

What a start Timothy Weah has made to his Celtic career. Three goals in five games with an assist or a goal every thirty six minutes. This currently makes him the most prolific striker in the Scottish Premiership and given the fact he is only eighteen, that is quite the statistic.

Weah starred in Sundays victory over St Johnstone as he came off the bench to not only assist the opening goal, but also score himself. However before Weah’s introduction Celtic struggled to break the deadlock due to the phenomenal performance of saints goalkeeper Zander Clark. Despite the large amount of possession the hoops could not seem to find their way past Clark, who it looked like was on a one man mission to keep a clean sheet.

The game was crying out for a bit of magic and Weah provided it when he was subbed on for an injured Edouard. Almost immediately he started to make a difference with his runs in behind causing St Johnstone all sorts of problems. It was this that led to the first goal when an excellent pass from Scott Brown played in Weah who only needed one touch to control it, another to steady himself and then a further one to drill it along the ground to James Forrest who poked it home, much to Zander Clark’s dismay.

Unfortunately not long after Forrest limped off injured with a suspected hamstring problem and this, along with Odsonne Edouard being strechered off, will be real concern for Brendan Rodgers.

Weah would soon get in on the act when he finished off an excellent counter attack which saw himself, Scott Sinclair and Callum Mcgregor run almost the full length of the pitch in a matter of seconds. This secured an important result for Celtic, which keeps them six points clear of Rangers at the top of the table.

It’s cold at the top

A freezing cold game against St Johnstone on a Wednesday night, it is the stuff dreams are made of. It is games like these in which you begin to question your sanity for sitting outside for ninety minutes. But then Ryan Christie scores a goal like he did the other night and you remember why you love to do it.

Celtic went into the game against St Johnstone knowing it was a must win. The chance to go six points clear at the top of the table was an opportunity that could not be passed up. The team remained much the same as Saturdays win over Hamilton with the only change being Oliver Burke coming in to replace Timothy Weah.

As expected Celtic dominated most of the possession in the first half, but unlike recent games the saints provided a much sterner challenge defensively. The majority of the half was played in front of the St Johnstone back line and Celtic struggled to break the Perth side down with best chance coming when the goalkeeper made an excellent save from a Scott Sinclair header.

Into the second half and Celtic came out with a sense of urgency about their play. This urgency and quickness was personified in the two goals they would go onto score. The first came from a excellent shot from outside the box by Callum Mcgregor. Then two minutes later Ryan Christie scored a phenomenal goal, curling it right into the top left hand corner, to take Celtic six points clear at the top of the table.

Results like that one on Wednesday are so important in Celtic’s bid to win eight titles in a row and they make the risk of hypothermia very much worth it.

Project management

Celtic are a club that in recent years have always felt like a project when realistically they should have been well on their way to be becoming the finished article. The most recent example of this is the clubs failure to properly invest in the last couple of transfer windows and the lack of backing given to the manager in signing players in key positions such as at right back.

The fans frustration was clear to see on Saturday.

Frustration aside, Celtic looked to make it three wins on the bounce when they played Hamilton on Saturday. Much like the previous two games they dominated possession from the start. They had plenty of chances with the Hamilton goalkeeper pulling off a string of terrific saves including in an excellent one on one with Weah, who really should of scored. Despite his terrific first half performance it was his own mistake that gifted Celtic the lead when he allowed a Callum McGregor shot to slip through his legs just before half time.

Into the second half and Celtic continued to dominate but there was an air of sluggishness about their play. Despite the high rates of possession, a lot of the passing was poor and the ball was consistently being played back. However Celtic would go on to score two more with Christie getting a lucky rebound after the keeper spilled the ball and Sinclair scoring a header after not being picked up at the back post. It was a good result even though the performance was quite average. They will need to be better however when coming up against better opposition.

Saturday was a reminder from fans that the clubs bid for ten titles in a row is not a project and that it is something they cannot allow to slip away.