For a small-town Ross-shire club, built around an inclusive community ethos and with a welcoming Highland hospitality feel to the whole operation, Ross County is very much a family club. Not one renowned for unnecessary gambles or expensive mistakes, the appointment of former Celtic defender Malky Mackay was something of a surprise.
The ex-Cardiff manager and Scottish FA Performance Director after all comes with a great deal of well publicised baggage and enough of it that even in a football world of forgiveness if success and profit ensue, Mackay still appeared less likely to return to football management than HMRC were hold their Christmas Party in Ibrox hospitality.
It’s difficult to put any of that aside, however Ross County did so. And if the unusual gamble by their normal standards was entirely football based it seemed the appointment of a former Premier league manager and one, until his spectacular fall from grace, who few had believed had reached his peak, would suit both parties. Ross County were gaining a meticulous football manager and Malky Mackay had a foot on the road to redemption.
Yet Malky Mackay had a tough start. Slow recruitment and an opening to the season that witnessed not a single win in ten games would have seen most managers, at a club where top flight survival was essential, not just with their coat on a shoogly peg but more likely to have their services dispensed with entirely. Yet Ross County’s Board of directors stood firm and there were probably good reasons for doing so.
Scratch below the surface of the bare results then the metrics for County gave hope. They were underscoring on their expected goals and conceding more than their expected concessions. As such there was wriggle room for Mackay and County and it turned around spectacularly. A visit to Dens Park on the back of four straight defeats saw county score five without reply and football analysts go to bed that night feeling somewhat smug.
However, the concern would have been such a result could simply become an outlier, and in terms of the margin of victory it was, yet it certainly became the moment County emerged from their slumber.
Last weekend saw Ross County move off the bottom of the table for the first time in two months and their solitary defeat to theRangers since that thumping of Dundee, would put them third in the form table over the last six games behind the latest Ibrox club and Celtic. If Mackay was a gamble when it came to the optics of a risk averse family football club, the results are starting to indicate, from a football perspective at least, there have been merits in the decision to employ damaged goods.
Perhaps then the visit of a Celtic side unbeaten in thirteen domestic league and cup ties since 19 September is something Ross County would rather avoid. Yet with two wins, one in Glasgow and then in Dingwall last season, and with a far more ordinary team and manager than now, there may be a feeling the timing could be perfect, particularly when facing a forward line at Celtic decimated by injuries – seven of eight forwards may be unavailable for selection for Ange Postecoglou tonight. And with Celtic looking forward to a League Cup Final on Sunday there may well be further reason to believe Celtic’s eye could be off the ball.
That however may be wishful thinking on the part of Ross County. Celtic have a well-established mantra of focussing on one game at a time and it was a message relayed both by the manager and Joe Hart in yesterday’s pre-match press conference (watch below).
Add to that Celtic’s attack is not their only strength, the best defensive record in the league is often overlooked and the injuries at the back and in midfield have been no way as impactful as they have been in forward areas. And despite the lack of options in attack, Celtic are still creating chances and winning games.
The Hoops may only have defeated Motherwell by a single goal on Sunday but they had the chances to score three or four. If the shooting boots return tonight and the defence remains true to form, then Celtic should have enough to continue their winning run before thoughts move to Hampden on Sunday.
Ross County took an almighty gamble appointing Malky Mackay and although a corner looks like it may have been turned and the decision is beginning to pay off, it would still take the most optimistic of punters to wager on County continuing their four-game unbeaten run past tonight.
Regan Charles-Cook is a clear threat with a one in three scoring average and Blair Spittal with six goals in fourteen games is another who can impact games. But beyond that only Alex Iacovitti and Harrison Clarke with three goals apiece are defenders with an obvious threat from set pieces. And despite having six strikers in their squad only Jordan White has more than a single goal to his name with three in seventeen appearances.
As such Celtic may need to score more than one goal to win tonight but they are unlikely to require more than that to return home from a midweek trip to the Highlands with three points.
And even with a lack of options up front there remains a goal threat from this Celtic team and the creation of chances has not declined in line the attacking options available. Hold tight at the back, as they have been of late, and Celtic should have enough to head to Hampden with their unbeaten run extended still further tonight.
If you’re not heading up to Dingwall then the game is available on Ross Couty TV PPV for £15, and you can order HERE.
Niall J
Advice from @RossCounty for this evening, face masks are mandatory when moving around any internal part of the stadium.
New barcoded tickets will be in use, please have your ticket ready for inspection and please arrive in good time for KO, gates open 18:15 pic.twitter.com/KgmQUlcNGQ
— Celtic FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) December 15, 2021
