Quite A Few Positives For Celtic During Opening Weekend

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I think Brendan Rodgers and his new Celtic team will come into work today happy with what they saw at Tynecastle yesterday.

Celtic managed to edge out Hearts in Scotland’s capital with a hard fought 2-1 victory. By no means did the Scottish Premiership champions have it all their own way, Hearts gave them a good game but Rodgers will feel that only makes his stars sharper for the season ahead.

A big plus for the new Hoops boss would’ve been the performances of captain Scott Brown and winger James Forrest.

Last season Brown often looked slow and unfit but yesterday he seemed reinvigorated and ready for the challenges that lies ahead. He was once again bossing the midfield, jumping into challenges and getting into the faces of the opposition. He looked like the Scott Brown of old and that’s the player that Rodgers wants in his midfield engine room.

Most of us had thought that James Forrest was leaving Celtic Park this summer. He seemed to hint as much when he rejected a new deal back in February. His career seemed to have stalled under previous boss Ronny Deila. But Brendan Rodgers seems to have wiped the slate clean for Forrest, told him to earn a better contract at Celtic and to star for the team. He started well yesterday and like Brown seemed to have more energy about his game and worked hard up and down the line. He was rewarded with his well taken opening goal that he himself started with a jinky run before receiving the ball back at the edge of the area and stylishly curling it beyond Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton.

Forrest should look down the River Clyde and see what Mark Warburton has done to turn Barrie Mackay’s career around. It was thought that Barrie’s time at Rangers was up but then Warburton arrived, played the youngster and gave him freedom to express himself. It looks like Rodgers could be willing to give Forrest that same opportunity, it’s just up to the Scottish international winger to grab it with both hands.

Now caution has to prevail here, after all it is just the first game of the season and both players have tailed off after bright starts in the past. But if they play with the same intensity week in and week out then Celtic will have saved a fortune and the Scottish national team will benefit too.

It would have also been pleasing for the new management team to see Kolo Toure get ninety minutes under his belt. I think Toure is a smart signing for the Hoops as he has vast experience and still has the pace to cover the ground when needed. His performance yesterday was well assured and very composed, that’s the reason he’s in there.

I think the Celtic fans will have been impressed with Rodgers substitutions and change in tactics during the tight encounter. While the game was on a knife-edge at 1-1 and Hearts were beginning to have a bit of superiority, Rodgers was brave and changed things to a more attacking 3-5-2 formation. That positive change worked as Celtic would grab the winner with just nine minutes remaining.

Obviously the debut goal from match winner Scott Sinclair was a huge confidence booster for the English forward. There’s no doubt that the twenty-seven year old has plenty of ability and pace but he needs to add consistency to his game. That will no doubt happen at Celtic as Rodgers knows what type of player he is and will give him valuable minutes on the pitch. He has forked out big cash because he believes in the player after all.

Sinclair’s goal was all about the run and cross from fellow striker Leigh Griffiths, who may not have scored himself but did plenty of work for the team’s cause. Griffiths picked up the ball just inside his own sides half. He then managed to burst down the left wing beating two Hearts players with his pace, before looking up and picking out Sinclair with a great cross and the new signing just had to usher the ball over the line. Superb runs from both forwards and a superb work ethic by Celtic’s number nine.

As I say it wasn’t a perfect performance but it was a fine start to the league campaign. I think an easy 5-0 win would have been detrimental at this stage for Rodgers as that can allow a false confidence to creep in and for the side to fall at the first sign of trouble. Hearts were robust and put up a decent fight and that showed the Celtic manager and the clubs fans that the team are willing to compete for a victory and chase for the winner.

The fact that Rangers and Aberdeen slipped up during the opening round of league fixtures is just a nice wee added bonus!

8 Responses to “Quite A Few Positives For Celtic During Opening Weekend”

  1. you could not have put that any better,nor could i find disagreement , young forrest played great on Sunday, and he should have a good think about his next move ,as he is a talented player , and he will not get to any better if he moves, this reminds me of a similar player that left celtic ,by the name of millar ,and look what happened there

  2. Hearts put up a decent fight apart from Walkers Dive and there fans attempting an assault on Scott Sinclair.What is it with this lot they dont like us,Thats 😉 fine.Means we are getting the better of them in more ways than one.Just as bad as there Zombie Ancestors over in Castle Brassneck.Its a game of football after all.Banters one thing but FGS Idiots dont belong at football matches.Tynecastle is a Dump.Reminds me of a Cow Shed.Jealousy spewing out of Robbie Neilson by way of his comments regarding anything Celtic.Its imperative what a biased tormented clowns attitude is regarding our Wonderful Club.The Leagues Ours.We will dominate Scottish Football for a Good While.Watch This Space.

  3. Just want to say,The Rainjurz v Hamilton game wasnt spose tae end like that.Rainjurz wur ment tae wun so they wur.its jus no faer neer it is.How cum Sellick get tae buy aw the best players.We,ll see whooz laffen when we get Leewandowskii Runaldow N even Messi.Joey Barton goat man ae the match so he did,Well dun Joey.Kenny Mulla n Niko Kranjcarre ur gonnae wun uz the Leege.We got Robertsun in the SFA noo anaw.So we cun wun doon that road anaw.Aw oor Nites o the Oranje Bllodoo Zombie Order o Wulliamz Bum Cheeks wulnae surrender evarr.Oor clubb deid but wur stull heer intway.wee urr thi peepull

  4. What a joke of a head coach Robbie Nielson really is,The guy is in total freefall in the media,Anything regarding my Amasingly Wonderful Football Club,Celtic,Has his Oranje Blood boiling.He goes from one extreme to the next.Its hilarious reading the Muppets Antics.Broony Sinclair and Guidetti n on n on n on.Anything that Flies Under a Union Jack is fare game.HH

  5. See the Rainjurz are wanting to sign another FANNI,Move over Barton

  6. As if its not blatantly obvious.Dundee v The Ref and Rangers.Forrester shouldve been sent off on numerous occassions.Something needs doing with this Farce of Refereeing and the SFA need Sacked.Our game will continue to get dragged down with the Establishment Team back in the .Scottish Premier Refs are Well Worth a Watching.Celtic are going to wipe the floor with the Tribute Act but rest assured Sevco will get every conceivable bit of help from there Brethren over at Hampden.

  7. Oh the shock of it,The ref did Rangers a bg turn against Dundee.This Sevco Mob are absolutely RANK!!!cant wait for this Rotten Lot to Show Face at Parkhead.

  8. Noo the Shame are back in the Premier,And the Honest Mistakes have commenced.Its not hard to workout a Refs Agenda.Somethings needing done about the SFA and match officials.Forrester against Dundee was a blatant bending of the rules.Decisions will win Reinjurz a Title,Thats a bit far fetched as they are not capable of competing with two or three teams in the Premier this season.Thats were there Twelfth man(Ref) will get man of the match more often than not for the jerz.HH the Celts are Here.

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