If you are looking for a scapegoat for Ross County’s demise against an out-of-sorts Celtic, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Yes, the penalty was harsh, but Ange Postecoglou’s Bhoys made enough chances at a very tough venue to win a hatful of matches, and it was not the only goal which brought three precious points to Paradise.
It was always going to be a slog up in Dingwall with the tight, slippery pitch, allied with a determined, Malky Mackay-inspired, Roman Legion-esque set up, primed for a defensive onslaught. Celtic, in comparison, were honed for the kill, and despite an enforced rejigging of an ordinarily fluid and effective midfield, County were over-run from the off.
It were only in the last quarter that the Highlanders displayed anything other than a will to survive, putting Joe Hart under minor scrutiny. In truth, I cannot recall the veteran being tested beyond palming away a dangerous cross from the right hand side of the box. Everything else, apart from a couple of unforced errors by Carl Starfelt was repelled by a solid Celtic backline, meticulously patrolled by the peerless Carter-Vickers. Not for the first time this season the USA International drew plaudits for his composed and steady handling of totem poles who threw their considerable height and weight at him.
No one in the Celtic defence came away with anything but credit, not even Carl who put his errors aside to put in a tough and effective shift against a bullish, but fruitless County attack. Alistair Johnston looks a tremendous bargain every time he pulls on a Celtic shirt, and his forward forays were always a threat. What a buy this Bhoy is!
It was stomach-churning to see the ever reliable, Greg Taylor exit the fray after receiving a dead leg after taking a knock in a meaty challenge where no one was at fault. My immediate thoughts turned to next week where Greg’s knowledge and craft will be vital against a mysteriously verbal Sevco outfit. Indeed, Greg was so unlucky to see a swerving drive from the edge of the box crash off he post and out to safety before his misfortune.
The hooped midfield slipped and slid into mistake after mistake despite having the vast majority of possession. When they did prize open a robust and healthy County rear-guard, the final ball was lacking, too short or just beyond the onrushing attacker. It was frustrating to watch, but we all knew how this would end as we’ve seen this movie before.
What we didn’t expect to see however was a VAR decision going in our favour. The ball was flighted into the home box, Cameron Carter-Vickers contested the arial with Alex Iacovitti whose arm was up to prevent a head clash, but the Celt’s header brushed the defender’s outstretched limb. When Willie Collum was alerted by the VAR custodian, he went to the camera before declaring the arm block illegal. Penalty to Celtic.
I know, that’s an uncommon phrase these days unless reserved for the south side of Glasgow, but despite the sporting unfairness of the decision, it was the right one by the laws of the game. We’ve had so many ridiculous ones go against us in the last couple of (decades?) years, we didn’t grumble, and our Portuguese Superstar, João Pedro Neves Filipe (aka Jota), drove unconvincingly, but lethally down the middle past the diving Ross Laidlaw. Malky Mackay was spewing, and we can all see the ex-Celt’s point.
Point of order; whilst this was going on, it was ‘missed’ by officials and pundits alike that Kyogo, on his dashing way into the box was hauled down en-route. Nobody mentioned it, nobody saw it, despite being visible on our screens. Therefore, in my opinion there were two reasons to give a spot-kick, not one. Justice was done.
Celtic set out to destroy County after the break, but the song remained the same. Slip-ups, misplaced passes and errant finishing, especially from the most unlikely of sources, Kyogo, who passed up a glorious chance in front of the heaving Celtic Support behind the goal, leaving them all with their hands in their heads. It simply looked like one of those days. All credit to Tomoki Iwata who was making a rare start alongside Matt O’Reilly in of the absences of Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy.
It seemed to me the game was bypassing the industrious Iwata for a spell, but it was not his fault the passes did not regularly come his way. He did, however, impose himself in the second half with some impressive footwork and telling passes, rarely putting a foot wrong. He was keen to be involved in all aspects of Celtic’s play, and just justified Ange’s faith in the Japanese. Despite his goal, Jota was not having his best game, grafting but to no effect although a superb strike from outside the box crashed against the bar giving credence to our thoughts that we’d have to really graft for the points.
As Celtic pulsed toward the County goal with only one goal in it, the northerners fought back in a brave bid to rescue a valuable point, making Connor Goldson’s dreams and predictions come alive, (as we always knew they would…) by clawing back the Hoops’ NINE (effectively TEN) point lead at the top of the bonfire. Sorry to prod you in your slumber Connor, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Celtic took the game by the scruff, a cross from the right evaded the County defence and arrived at the feet of Taylor’s willing stand-in, Alexandro Bernabei who controlled the ball, took a touch before hammering an unstoppable piledriver past the despairing Laidlaw who stood not a jot of a chance.
The celebrations were long and loud as the Santa Fe full-back milked the raucous applause and punched the air as “Argentina, Argentina!” peeled the Dingwall sky. Yes, it was relief all around in the Celtic camp who, although never under serious pressure, were wary of a fluke equaliser or a dodgy decision in retribution for our earlier fortune. THAT would have been an injustice!
In essence, the headlines were always going to about THAT penalty, but if journos were to be honest with themselves, less biased and more forthcoming with the truth, there was only going to be one winner regardless, and that was Celtic. I’ll quote my cheeky chappie nephew, Sean Henderson who usually sums up Celtic’s wins with this outage, “Celtic-free scoring, never boring!”
Up north, the Bhoys great, but were in total control and scored the goals which kept them nine points adrift at the summit, and that’s all that matters. Until next Saturday, 8th April when the lofty ambitioned, Connor Goldson brings his Mystic Megs to Paradise. In the real world, he’ll need to bring more than his mouth and his dreams. In fact, he’ll have to bring all the fire and fury of a desperately hurting Ibrox side, three one-sided officials together with Dave King-eyed VAR observers, a partridge in a pear-tree and pray Celtic don’t turn up. Literally!
We all know what this week will bring as the wrath of the MSM will be evident, and a plethora of blue specs will be worn in our daily rags. Don’t read ‘em! Although it’s Holy Week, I doubt we’ll be relying on a miracle to beat them, we just need to ‘turn up’ and pray officialdom is worthy of its calling in a match of such magnitude on Easter Saturday. Enjoy the build up to what may prove to be this season’s defining match. ‘Old Firm’? Never heard of them.
See you on the other side. Hail Hail!
Eddie Murray
Just as Joe always pushes Kyogo's back, Kyogo pushed Bernabei's back is one of the most impressive scenes today.pic.twitter.com/PXgGv81Lg2
— Yatao (@yataoda4) April 2, 2023
