Celtic head to Pittodrie tonight and return to the ground where an eight month away day hoodoo was laid to rest and with it a corner turned back in October.
Jota’s late goal in a 2-1 win on 3 October felt like a weight off the shoulders, and it was that afternoon a bond was forged between manager, players and support, one that has been unbreakable since, as the post-match celebrations that began through relief soon developed into a cause to celebrate just what may be ahead.
Celtic now return to Pittodrie a different animal, the Celts are top of the league, scoring goals for fun, have the best defensive record in the country and are in a period of sustained form that could arguably be claimed began with that last visit to the North East.
Ange Postecoglou, talking at yesterday’s press conference discussed the importance of both the win and the post-match celebrations borne of the excitement of winning away from home for the first time in far too long.
“It was a tough game and I am not good at these things as the brain cells are slowly disappearing over time. We hadn’t won away for quite a while preceding my time at the club. Winning away from home was important for us as a group and a team. It stops that narrative of not being able to win on your travels.
“When you do it in a tough place like Pittodrie against a good side then it does give you that confidence that you can go away and win a tough game and at that time it was important because we had gone through a pretty lean spell away from home.
“Even this season our first three away games did not go well so it was an important win but what’s with the fun stopping? We are allowed to celebrate a win. We weren’t breaking open champagne bottles. It was sheer excitement that we had won a game of football.”
These are the games as a supporter you chalk off. Once you’ve been to grounds like Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Fir Park, and you’ve been there twice, it is then you start to look at the remaining fixtures as a run to the title.
If you are top of the league and these tricky away days have been navigated you know you are in a good place, as such tonight’s game against an opponent where we can discount current form, given they always raise their efforts for the visit of Celtic, then we’ll know with a win Celtic are on the home straight.
And Ange Postecoglou seems more than aware you can discount the current form of Aberdeen as he discussed the challenge Celtic will face this evening.
“I think irrespective if they were on a good run I wouldn’t be feeling any calmer about things. What you do know is that they have got some good quality players and they are a good quality squad and you saw them against (the)Rangers a while back and they looked a strong outfit.
“We are going there expecting them to be at their best and they are a tough opponent particularly on their home ground. Their lack of form and results over recent times is more of an issue for them than us. What we’ve got to do is make sure we expect them to be at their best and if they are then they can trouble anyone.”
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Tonight’s match-up with Stephen Glass’ side and a manager and team under pressure from a frustrated home support, will be as tough an encounter as any we’ve faced this season. Let’s not forget this is a side that but for questionable refereeing would have beaten theRangers, rather than having to settle for the point they got for their efforts. They are a side that have struggled for consistency, although on their day are one of the better footballing teams in the league.
However as much as Pittodrie, and that win at the start of October, felt like the beginning of something, a win atonight will turn Celtic into the home straight and the beginning of the end of a tilt at a title that seemed a long way off when Jota struck his 84th minute winner last time out.
Celtic have reached the level of consistency that has evaded our opponents this season, and a win tonight will further underline Celtic’s turning fortunes that began with getting that away day monkey off the back the last time we visited Pittodrie. It will also be cause for further celebration, if that’s allowed of course!
Niall J
