Alashkert 0 Celtic 3
It was one of the better starts to a season, one feels. A 3-0 win in the heat of Yerevan (the substantial and searing heat of Yerevan) will be enough to guarantee our passage to the next round, and should put us in good stead for future games as well. How nice it was to see, or in my case, to hear Edouard, Forrest and McGregor get the goals.
Premier Sports did not happen for me tonight, so I listened to the excellent words of Liam McLeod and Pat Bonner on BBC Radio Scotland.
Pat Bonner we have always loved for the excellent human being that he is, (very helpful and supportive without the sometimes unnecessary bite of Chris Sutton), and Liam McLeod (who, I understand, supports Aberdeen) clearly knows what he is talking about and like the studio presenter Richard Gordon (another man of sheepie sympathies, acknowledged and admitted in his case) is also well worth listening to. McLeod is generally hated on Rangers websites – so he rises in my estimation! Scott McDonald was also in the studio and coined a word “pre-seasonesque” to describe bits of Celtic’s play in the first half.
Disturbingly often did I hear phrases like “giving the ball away” and “sloppy” and “caught out of position” on the commentary, but then again one must allow for two things. One was that it was hot and the other was that it was the first game of the season. That, and the fact that we won 3-0 does tend to take the edge off any objection! It was nice to hear Lewis Morgan getting a start and impressing with his first run. I have it on good authority (a St Mirren supporter) that he is quite something.
So, a good start and very moving to hear “Grace” coming over the airwaves from the heat of Yerevan in the middle of the Caucasus (pronounced “cau-CAS-us” by Liam McLeod). Hope everyone gets home OK, and we look forward to Celtic Park next Wednesday for what will be an emotional reunion.
And so another season has begun. Never brilliant at Maths, but I count about 70 games to be played this season. Now, not all that long ago, we went 69 games without defeat. There’s a pleasant thought for you!
David Potter
