BRENDAN RODGERS praised his two goal scorers, hat-trick hero Scotty Sinclair and the explosive Odsonne Edouard and with these two in this type of form the Zombies could be in for a fifth consecutive 2018 thrashing at the hands of the Champions on Saturday.
Here’s what the manager had to say about Scotty Sinclair, who you will recall suffered some racial abuse from Aberdeen fans at the start of the month. Hope that racist moron was at the game yesterday to watch Scotty Sinclair get his hat-trick.
“Scott knows where the goal is and he wants to be in there to score. He’s done it since he was 16 years of age and he has produced in the big games.
“He loves that type of occasion and all of his finishes were very good.”
Odsonne Edouard came off the bench and what an impact he made. If anyone had any doubts about what he brings to the team or if his transfer fee was money well spent, then all those questions were answered yesterday. Aberdeen couldn’t live with his pace, his skill or his strength.
Brendan too was impressed.
“Young Odsonne also coming into the game for that last period also made a big difference in relation to his penetration in behind.
“His first goal was brilliant. To score with that composure and that poise.
“It’s a brilliant finish to dink the keeper and then he had the speed and power to square for Scotty’s hat-trick.
“It was a very good game. I thought we thoroughly deserved to win.
“We had control for large parts of the game and scored a very good first goal in terms of how we wanted to work against Derek’s shape.
“They make it difficult because they man-mark you and you have to try and find the solutions in the game.
“We did that well for the first goal and then gave away a daft penalty which we shouldn’t concede.”
If Brendan has another look at this he might change his mind somewhat. If it was a daft decision then it was Willie Collum’s. McGinn got his cross away, Izaguirre’s attempted block missed both the ball and the man and the Aberdeen player landed onto of The Celtic full back’s leg.
That in itself wasn’t a free kick to Celtic – the cross had been made, the block /challenge was unsuccessful and the play went on with Boyata clearing. Many Celtic Fans also point out that Kieran Tierney was actually taken out in similar circumstances against Hearts in the Betfred Cup semi-final with Collum refereering and no penalty kick was forthcoming.
Rodgers talked about the strong mind-set his players showed to overcome these Honest Mistakes – the second one was even worse.
“I don’t think it was a penalty when Graeme fell over, but, obviously, that gives Aberdeen some oxygen in the game.
“At 4-2, it’s a reflection of the game, but they score late on and it maybe looks tighter, but it’s a brilliant result and a very good performance against a team with which Derek has done a brilliant job.
“He makes them very competitive, they make it difficult home and away or at Hampden, but we earned the victory with a very good performance.”
“That’s how their mind is over these last couple of years. We just focus on our job.
“You know that when you play Aberdeen in these games you have to fight.
“You have to show battling qualities, but you need to have calmness as well and the players have that.
“I have no doubt that when a game goes against them they will keep playing and get their reward.”
A word on Aberdeen’s this goal. Watch it again and you’ll see what we wrote about in the match report just after the game. There is a foul on Craig Gordon, it is clear to see and Collum is looking straight at it.
Izaguirre was subbed at half time for Jonny Hayes and one of these two could play at Ibrox as it looks increasingly unlikely that Kieran Tierney will be fit.
“He is clearly a question mark, in the next 48 hours we will see.
“If not it’s unfortunate, but we have other guys to come into the squad and that’s always an opportunity,” Brendan said.
Final word on Collum – it is entirely unacceptable that he is not refereeing the Rangers games after they threw their toys out of the pram after a bad decision Collum made that had no bearing on the outcome of their win at St Mirren.
Was yesterday all about Collum trying his best to appease the Ibrox bigots? It sure looked that way.
Also on The Celtic Star…
Jim Craig – All was not well behind the scenes at Celtic Park…See HERE.
‘My day among the Sheep,’ David Potter…See HERE.
Hibs earn Ibrox draw as Rodgers calls out ‘diver’ McShinnie…See HERE.
Collum has a shocker but Celtic stand up to be counted…See HERE.
