This score line was an absolute travesty. 10-0 would not have been unwarranted on the basis of the play, and the football served up by Celtic is sometimes quite breath taking these days. The first half in particular reminded one of the Lisbon Lions at their best, and it was all done without Liel Abada and Ryan Christie! And how on earth Hearts managed to beat Celtic a fortnight ago was quite inexplicable on this performance!
The goals were superb, my favourite being that of Steven Welsh (fast developing into an outstanding defender) who had the brains to head the ball down into the ground to give the goalkeeper an awkward bounce, but the others were great as well – and of course there would have been more but for an inspired Craig Gordon performance in the Hearts goal where he was much booed by some Celtic fans with very short memories.
And the big bonus yesterday was the play of Odsonne Edouard. No-one can really say whether he will stay or go, but yesterday’s performance was that of a man who was happy and content within himself, and who was enjoying his game and turning on the stuff of which we know he is capable. If Ange has managed to turn him round (and it is too early to say), then it must be one of his best achievements. The contrast between yesterday and what went before was stark.
My first impression of the penalty kick was that it was soft, but on seeing it on the highlights, maybe it was justified, and like that late Hearts goal which made the score line far more respectable than it should have been, simply shows that, as a defender, neither Carl Starfeld nor anyone else, cannot ever stop paying attention, no matter how far ahead the team is in terms of play and entertainment.
Apart from that, the defence looked very settled and confident with both full backs showing that they are indeed Celtic class, in spite of what some Celtic supporters have been saying, with Tony Ralston in particular looking good.
Callum McGregor was simply Callum McGregor, and I cannot put it better than that. David Turnbull was also first rate and Tom Rogic has been a revelation since his fellow Aussie took over. Previously he was an excellent substitute with many fine cameo performances to his credit but he never dominated things from start to finish like he did yesterday.
And it was nice to see James McCarthy getting a run out, He is clearly some way short of match fitness, but that will come. And as for Kyogu Furahashi, well let’s just say that he is in the Nakamura class!
What a feeling to score in Celtic Park… Truly a paradise! 🍀❤️
満員のセルティックパークでゴールできたことは格別でした！次もがんばります！🍀 pic.twitter.com/joYFvLI3hI
— Kyogo Furuhashi 古橋 亨梧 (@Kyogo_Furuhashi) August 15, 2021
It was a great day with a great atmosphere and Wednesday night cannot come quickly enough if we can get more of this. The standard has been set, and we must not now fail to reach this standard in future games. The support are energised and enthused.. There is a spring in our step once again, and last year is well on its way to being forgotten.
And it is Raith Rovers who are coming to Celtic Park in the quarter final. Full congratulations to John McGlynn and his men for beating Aberdeen, and they will be no pushovers. They have had some good League Cup performances in the past with one grizzly horror over us coming to mind, but that is for discussion some other day!
David Potter
