Sublime Celtic could break records, our DNA, spend to catch St Johnstone
Auldheid did an article for us over the summer contesting the notion that this season’s Premiership race would be more closely contested than recent seasons’. Seven weeks in it looks prescient. It’s not only that we’re four points clear with a game in hand, it’s the manner of most of our victories which is the most telling.
We’ve scored six, five and four twice in six league games, rendering the lack of a league clean sheet an irrelevant detail. On that subject, having watched Coulibaly’s goal for Kilmarnock over again I don’t think there’s much blame to attach anywhere. As Brendan Rodgers said after the game, Dorus de Vries was as far of his line as he should have been when play was >40 yards from goal. It was a Black Swan strike.
It’s difficult to say if we’ve missed Leigh Griffiths or not. We passed up a barrel load of chances at Inverness, which he may have been able to do something about, but the squad is so strong at the moment it’s impossible to say if Leigh would have been able to augment what we got from Moussa. Great to have both fit and ready, though.
Some of the football on show on Saturday was sublime. The passing speed and accuracy gave us time and space to open up Kilmarnock. It will be a different task no Wednesday but we have to challenge ourselves at this level.
I watched the Aberdeen-Newco game yesterday. For all Aberdeen took the points this game supplied more evidence that they are well short of the form which saw them as genuine contenders for most of last season. A catalogue of unforced errors saw them concede possession and momentum throughout the game.
They will still probably win Best of the Rest title, thought, as Hearts don’t seem to be able to put a run of performances together, Motherwell are far from the team who finished second three years ago, and Newco don’t seem to be able to score or defend to any acceptable standard. Loved Souness suggesting they need to spend more money – a team already spending more than they earn! And to what end, catching St Johnstone? Ponder the facts behind your EBT, Graeme, then you might reassess what spending money chasing a football dream leads to.
As Auldheid suggested, these teams will take points off each other more than off Celtic. Records could be broken this season.
It’s in our DNA
74 Celtic fans have signed up to Sleep Out at Celtic Park on 12 November. Sleeping out in Glasgow in November is a non-trivial matter, but it’s being done to raise money to tackle the “torment of homelessness” for the winter ahead. Respect to all involved.
I’m not sleeping out but on Sunday I’m running the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon through Glasgow for the Foundation. The prospect feels non-trivial at the moment (though less onerous than sleeping out in November). Dozens of Celtic fans are also running for the Foundation.
The engagement right across the support to put something back in the tradition that started with Brother Walfrid in November 1887 is remarkable. We get it.
Not all of us can sleep out, or pound the streets for months in preparation, but if you can support any of these efforts please so. My MyDonate page is here. Thank you.