Remarkably, twenty one days into October and we’ve still only played ONE match is the Scottish Premiership this month, with the international break bringing the domestic action to a halt – yet again – and expect more of the same next month folks.
In this window, in between twiddling thumbs, Celtic do have a busy schedule of matches with games coming thick and fast over the next three weeks. Brendan Rodgers and his staff will have been working with the players not away on international duty and the time has also helped clear up the injury crisis that developed at the start of the season.
Indeed to come back with a seven points lead and already seeing off yet another manager across the city while coping with so many injuries is actually pretty remarkable. Yesterday Brendan Rodgers appeared to be glad to be back in the groove and ready for the action to begin with the games now coming thick and fast.
“We’ve got seven games in total in 21 days for a start,” Brendan said at yesterday’s media conference. “There is a lot of work that is going to go into that period. It is a really exciting run of games.
“We don’t assume that coming off the back of a run where we did really well that we will just continue that. It is hard work. It is a relentless mentality every single day. We always want to take that intensity into the game. That’s our aim for the weekend.”
Celtic’s next seven matches start tomorrow at Tynecastle against Hearts in the league before we take on Atletico Madrid in midweek at Celtic Park aiming to make it third time lucky in the Champions League this season.
After that we are at Easter Road next Saturday for yet another away-day in the Scottish Premiership – wasn’t it was nice of the planners to give us all the tough away fixtures early in the season?
After playing Hibs on 28 October, we are back at Celtic Park on Wednesday 1 November to take on St Mirren which will mean at that stage well played every side in the league this season. So as the fixture list flips we head up to Dingwall on Saturday 4 November to take on Ross County before flying out to Madrid for the second match in the double header in the Champions League against Atletico on Tuesday 7 November.
Then it’s Aberdeen at Celtic Park on Sunday 12 November before another international break begins.
So let’s enjoy this wee burst of matches and hopefully we can maintain our winning ways in the Scottish Premiership and icing on the cake would be getting something against a very decent Atletico side.
