Illusive focus should return to Celtic

Highlights from Easter Road on Saturday suggest Hibs are very much in the hunt for second place.  Aberdeen have the experience to finish Best of the Rest, but it is disappointing performances like that against Hibs which have given Celtic carte blanche to experiment with the squad so regularly in the league this season.

While Brendan Rodgers will only have thoughts for Zenit right now, Derek McInnes will be planning how to deploy against Celtic on Sunday.  The Aberdeen manager has tried and failed many times to get the better of Celtic in recent seasons, which is not the inhibitor it might seem to be.  He knows what does not work and what not to try.  This week’s discussion matter at Pittodrie will be whether Aberdeen can do what half the teams in the league have already done and take points from Celtic.

As far as the Champions are concerned, stacking big games back-to-back will bring out the best in them.  An away game at St Petersburg before heading marginally south to Aberdeen will bring a focus to the club which has been elusive recently.