Only twice did I feel that we might have come a cropper last night. One was when I saw the team and the thought entered my head that Ange might have overdone the squad rotation, and the other time was when Ross County scored and I began to wonder about the “one brings two” maxim, and in Cup football, you never can tell.

Ross County v Celtic – Premier Sports Cup – Second Round – Global Energy Stadium Celtic’s Callum McGregor celebrates scoring the first goal of the game on Wednesday 31 August, 2022. Photo Trevor Martin (IMAGO).

I need not have worried on either count – the resting of so many players meant that they were replaced by more talent, and a feature of Celtic’s performance tonight was that they did play as a unit with the goals (the second one in particular) all the result of some spectacular teamwork, something that indicates a high level of diligence and application at training sessions. And it was all the more encouraging when one thinks that not all these excellent players can necessarily be guaranteed a first-team place!

The goal that was lost was a bad one, and it came at the time when the pace had dropped and when Celtic allowed Ross County momentarily back in the game. The deficiencies in the defending were well highlighted by Michael Stewart in the Premier Sports team, but the good thing was that the team immediately tightened up, and our goal was seldom threatened for the rest of the game.

There were few people whom one could say had a poor game. Alexander Bernabei showed a little immaturity now and again, and Siegrist possibly lacked the command of Joe Hart (but he had one fine save near the end), but on the other hand, there were excellent performances from David Turnbull, Tony Ralston and James Forrest who has now been with us so long that we really must stop calling him Jamesie and call him “old Jim” instead!

What this game shows is that we have depth in talent and that any injury need not be a total disaster for the club. Ange was even telling us that there might even be some more transfer activity going on. We look forward to hearing about it, as long as it is going the right way!

And so bye-bye to Ross County and the month of August. A trip to Motherwell awaits in what seems to be the tie of the next round. (I’m sure I saw “Craggs” manipulating these balls so that (the)Rangers got an easy home draw – didn’t you? Just kidding! Or am I?).

But that can now go on the back burner for a while, until 18/19 October, I believe, when the Edinburgh-free quarter-finals will be played. In the mean time, our next two games seem quite important and quite difficult. Not that I have any fear over these guys we have at the moment.

Good heavens, no!

David Potter

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