Celtic 2 – 1 Ross County: Despite VAR, Hoops go Nine Points clear

Celtic 2 – 1 Ross County: Walking in a Winter Wonderland….

Job done folks. After theRangers dropped yet another two precious cinch Premiership league points again today in the early kick-off against St Mirren in Paisley, the pressure was on Ange and the bhoys to ensure that we stretched our lead even further come 5pm tonight.

We have done just that.

Yet again the officiating leaves us bewildered as time and time again there is highly dubious decisions made that go in the opposing team’s favour. Obviously the powers that be aren’t getting the message; it’s overdue that our CEO and Chairman take the Scottish FA to task over these ‘inconsistencies’. Hopefully we will have dialogue soon after that awful performance from David Munro and Euan Anderson this afternoon.

But we’ve gotten over the line without any major injuries and are sitting really pretty at the summit of Scottish football. It has been a hefty schedule with Champions League group stage football sandwiched inbetween a just as full on domestic calendar. We haven’t stopped. This is despite injuries to our influential captain, Callum McGregor and defensive stalwart, Carl Starfelt.

The break is definitely welcome from a mental and physical fatigue perspective, although us supporters probably wish we didn’t have this rather unconventional World Cup. It promises to be a long month or so as we wait on the return of the Champions-elect. Having said that, we do have the Sydney Super Cup to tune into as Ange takes the players who are not away on international duty to Australia, in which promises to be a good PR enterprise.

The game today wasn’t a classic, at times it was a total slog again as only one team were interested in making a game of it. County were their usual, brutish selves and left the boot into some of our players. Teams are now fully aware that they can disrupt the flow of the game using petty fouling and time wasting and the officials will do hee-haw. Such is life in the sphere of Scottish football.

Reo Hatate put on another masterclass in midfield today and his work rate and skill for the setting up of the David Turnbull goal was outrageous. Plaudits must also go to Sead Haksabanovic, who’s trickery and finish for the second goal on that park today was world-class. Long may it continue as he gets more time with his new teammates in the second half of the season.

It would be remiss not to mention Alexandro Bernabei’s contribution, as he was persistently a nusissance for the County defence and midfield today – popping up just about everywhere. He more than made up for his disappointing handball and subsequent removal last week against the Arabs. His movement was first class and he is still only 22. So much potential there.

So we got there. In the end it was 2-1 going on 21-1. We had countless chances towards the end when Ange freshened up the frontline and we were desperately unlucky not to sail away from the Staggies towards the final whistle. Ange had promised to come back bigger and better this year and that’s just what we’ve done.

Nine points clear before New Year. ‘We’re Walking in a Winter Wonderland!’

Paul Gillespie