BRENDAN RODGERS wasn’t pressing any panic buttons after Celtic’s fourth scoreless stalemate of the season against Hibs at Parkhead yesterday.
The goalless draw saw the champions topple from the Premiership pinnacle to be replaced by Hearts who are now two points ahead following their 3-0 victory over Falkirk at Tynecastle.
The teams are due to meet at Tynecastle a month today.
Rodgers was frustrated his team did not earn anything for their 77 per cent domination over the Easter Road club on an afternoon where new Bhoy Kelechi Iheanacho could have helped himself to a hat-trick.
OUT OF LUCK…Kelechi Iheanacho came so close to his first Celtic Park goal.
The UEFA deadline-day arrival on a free transfer from Sevilla was one of three players taking his bow at the home of Scotland’s title kings, along with on-loan Marcelo Saracchi and Tunisian winger Sebastian Tounekti.
Rodgers declared himself satisfied with the display of the debutants and said: “I thought they did very well.
“Marcelo, in that left-back position, you can see he plays it so well. He’s very aggressive with and without the ball. I thought he was very good for the 90 minutes.
“Likewise, Sebastian. In one-v-ones, he was excellent. He tired a bit towards the end, but he’s obviously played a lot since he’s come in.
“Again, though, he was beating his man well and getting crosses into the box.
“And Kels is probably disappointed that he didn’t score maybe a couple of goals, but, as a reference point to the team with his touch and everything else, I thought he was good.
“So, that’ll be good for him and for all three players to have played at the stadium.”
CLOSE RUN THING…Marcelo Saracchi prepares to whip in a low cross.
NET LOSS…Kelechi Iheanacho smashes the ball past Hibs keeper Raphael Sallinger, but is ruled offside in the scoreless stalemate.
Reflecting on the actual game where the Hoops created 26 chances with six on target, Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “Performance-wise, the players did really well.
“We progressed the ball through the pitch and if you look at all the numbers and statistics in the game – attempts on goal, attempts on target – we were very dominant.
“It was us just lacking that little bit of a killer touch in the box and couple that with some great blocks from Hibs players.
“But I can’t really complain about the performance level because we got through the pitch and into the areas we wanted to.
Iheanacho struck the bar and had a goal ruled out for offside plus Uruguayan defender Saracchi also smacked the woodwork in the opening 45 minutes.
Kasper Schmeichel practically had the day off and Rodgers added: “You just need that first goal.
“In the previous victories we’ve had here against Hibs, it’s that goal in the first-half really opens it up and we had opportunities and big chances in the game throughout.
“But the longer it goes on, it gives Hibs that little bit of extra motivation and commitment to keep the clean sheet.”
BLANKETY BLANK ON DAY OF FRUSTRATION
