As we gear up for the utter boredom of the third international break of the season it’s perhaps time to reflect on Celtic’s season to date.
Without doubt it has been one of success. The spirit is back at the club, the passion and even the thunder identified by a previous Irish manager are present and correct in front of attendances that again begin with a five.
Brendan Rodgers is 100% the reason for the feel-good factor around the club. Without wishing to put the boot into Ronny Deila I’d hate to have been given this task 12 months ago- on the back of losing at home to Molde.
The former Liverpool boss is a brilliant communicator- but also delivers on the park.
So far there have been plenty of highlights to the season, as recently as Tuesday night we were enjoying the rarity of collecting a point away from home in the Champions League.
The 3-3 draw with Manchester City was the clearest sign of a club that was on the right track again. On the pitch the football was thrilling, off it the atmosphere was electric as the benefits of a genuine 12th man were evident to all.
In Moussa Dembele the fans have found a new hero, a player scoring goals and creating memories on a weekly basis backed up by a strong support cast that includes Scott Sinclair, Tom Rogic, James Forrest, Scott Brown and Patrick Roberts…
MOUSSA DEMBELE V MANCHESTER CITY
It was a goal of beauty and significance. After a ping-pong first half in which four goals were exchanged Celtic fans were bracing themselves for the real Manchester City after the break.
Two minutes into the second half Kieran Tierney swung in a cross from the left, with one touch Dembele tamed the ball, with his second he sent an overhead kick beyond Claudio Bravo to create headlines worldwide.
After the match Brendan Rodgers compared his £500,000 signing from Fulham with Didier Drogba, no one disagreed with that analysis
SCOTT BROWN V HAPOEL BEER SHEVA
It had been a turbulent qualifier that had too many flashbacks to the Malmo disaster 12 months earlier.
Somehow Celtic had edged 4-2 in front but it would only require a 2-0 defeat in Israel to send the hoops tumbling into the Europa League.
With five minutes left to play Brown charged into the penalty box, his first shot is best forgotten but with his second he hooked the ball into the net to put Celtic 5-2 in front.
Six days later it was that goal that separated the two teams with Celtic back in the Champions League after a two year break
CELTIC 3-3 MANCHESTER CITY
It was the night that restored Celtic’s reputation and reminded everyone looking in that Celtic Park is one of the top Champions League arenas.
From first whistle to last the action was addictive as the two teams charged at each other like a playground kick-about in the Champions League.
Three times Celtic were in front, three times City fought back with a draw a fair reflection on the night. For Celtic it was about pride and credibility, for City it was a shock to the system as their 100% record was halted
HAPOEL BEER SHEVA FINAL WHISTLE
Without doubt the longest 45 minutes of the season after the Israeli side went 2-0 up following a bizarre own goal engineered between Saidy Janko and Craig Gordon.
It looked certain to be a another long slow and painful night watching another Champions League campaign slide away but somehow Kolo Toure managed to keep the defence intact and Hapoel at bay.
Eventually the final whistle blew on a 2-0 defeat with relief the order of the day as the reality dawned that this team looked well short of Champions League standards.
DEMBELE’S SECOND GOAL V RANGERS
Without doubt a pivotal moment in the realisation that Dembele’s isn’t just another Championship player who has ran into a bit of form.
From the moment he collected the ball, drew the keeper out of position then drilled the ball into the net it had the hallmark of a classical goal.
At that moment Celtic Park rocked- to acclaim an exceptional striking talent and in anticipation of a derby hammering for the noisy and disrespectful neighbours.
DEMBELE’S PENALTY AGAINST MONCHENGLADBACH
They don’t come along very often but when they do they are worth celebrating.
This match had classic hard luck story written all over it until Dembele raced onto Patrick Roberts defence splitting pass.
After being grabbed around the waist the young Frenchman took his time, remained calm as the pressure built up then calmly slotted the ball into the net. It took talent to earn the penalty and guts to convert it, the 20-year-old Frenchman has both in abundance.
DEMBELE’S WINNER AT HAMPDEN
It’s hard to get away from the young Frenchman in this article, fortunately he was able to escape the attention of Rob Kiernan to take Celtic into the final of the Betfred Cup.
It was another afternoon of frustration for the Celtic support at the National Stadium as they watched their team create and miss a dozen decent chances.
With the clock ticking down Leigh Griffiths sent the ball into the six yard box with the outside of his boot, Dembele timed his run brilliantly and with a flick of his heal the ball was in the net with a place in the final secured.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS FREE KICK V HAPOEL BEER SHEVA
The Israeli side had arrived in Glasgow with a reputation for having a strong defence, 45 minutes into the match they had lost three goals with the free kick from Leigh Griffiths the pick of the bunch.
Griffiths was already on the score-sheet with a well placed header in the 39th minute but right on half-time there was another chance to cause damage.
Everyone in the stadium knew what was planned at the free-kick- no one could stop him as he drove the ball spectacularly into the net before heading over to celebrate with Brendan Rodgers
TOM ROGIC GOAL AT ABERDEEN
To score a goal of such quality in a top-of-the-table clash is pretty special.
Celtic were seven points clear going into the game against second placed Aberdeen and had already taken the upper hand in the match.
When a ball was headed out of the penalty box Rogic controlled it with his right foot then placed a left foot half volley beyond Joe Lewis. The fact that it proved to be the match winner was a welcome bonus.
SCOTT SINCLAIR’S DEBUT GOAL AT HEARTS
As debuts come it was pretty spectacular. On the eve of the domestic season kicking off Rodgers had finally landed the player that had been a key part of his success at Swansea.
With Hearts levelling through a controversial penalty Sinclair was sent on to replace Stuart Armstrong with 30 minutes left to play. Breaking quickly from a Hearts corner Sinclair fed the ball left to Griffiths then continued his run into the penalty box to meet the return pass and put the ball into the net.
STUART ARMSTRONG GOAL V RANGERS
A last minute goal is always a great way to finish a derby.
Showing off the strength in depth available to him Brendan Rodgers had told Armstrong exactly when he would be replacing Tom Rogic, it worked a treat.
Last season looked a complete misery for the former Dundee United midfielder but with a pep talk and encouragement from Brendan the weight of the world has been removed from his shoulders.
DEMBELE COMPLETES HIS HAT TRICK AGAINST RANGERS
With two first half goals to his name it would have been a pity if Dembele hadn’t completed his hat-trick.
Seven minutes from time and with Celtic leading 3-1 Mikael Lustig sent a cross deep into the penalty box. With his first touch Dembele controlled the ball, his second sent a shot beyond Wes Foderingham to the delight of the goading fans behind the goal.
A new hero was born as the young French striker held up three fingers to the fans and prepared to collect the match ball.
RAHEEM STERLING OWN GOAL
Sterling became Celtic’s most expensive goal scorer when he put the ball into his own net but the goal was all down to home-grown Kieran Tierney.
Financially it was a mismatch on every level but no one told Tierney as he raced down the left wing to get onto Tom Rogic’s inviting pass.
There was fear in Sterling’s face as he raced back to match Tierney’s run, there was dismay as he realised that his attempt to block the ball had sent it beyond Claudio Bravo to restore Celtic’s lead.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS EQUALISER AGAINST ASTANA
As we enjoy and anticipate future Champions League nights it’s easy to forget how close Celtic were to losing out in the qualifiers.
Having played in last season’s group stage and being in mid season Astana were confident of getting past the hoops who had managed to lose the first leg of their qualifier away to Lincoln Red Imps.
With 12 minutes left to play Patrick Roberts wrestled the ball away from a defender, cut the ball back to Griffiths who needed one touch before drilling a low shot into the net, Priceless in so many ways.
SCOTT SINCLAIR SCORES AGAINST KILMARNOCK
The game was already won by the time Celtic were awarded a 72nd minute penalty at home to Kilmarnock.
Leigh Griffiths was due to take the penalty but happily handed the ball over to Sinclair who netted for the sixth successive time- the first player to do that since the prime of Jimmy McGrory.
Griffiths had already scored after coming on as a substitute but by handing Sinclair the chance to make history it illustrated the harmony within the squad.
JAMES FORREST SCORES AT ST JOHNSTONE
The forgotten bhoy started the new season on fire- matching Scott Sinclair goal for goal, game by game.
Celtic were on form and already two goals in front when Forrest collected the ball 15 yards inside the Saints half and immediately started driving towards goal.
A drop of the shoulder eliminated the back tracking defender from the equation before Forrest drew out the goalkeeper then slammed the ball into the net with the outside of his boot.
TOM ROGIC V ABERDEEN
It was virtually the perfect day at Celtic Park, leading 3-1 against last season’s runners-up and contemplating the most glamorous (and daunting) of draws in the Champions League.
Leading 3-1 it was the day that Celtic went to the top of the table and started to open up the nine point gap that they presently enjoy.
There was a few other candidates to take the free kick but Rogic was having none of it as he drilled a low shot across the defensive wall and outwith the reach of the despairing goalkeeper.
Happy days as fans lapped up the first home match of the season with style back on the menu.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS SCREAMER AGAINST ABERDEEN
Thirteen minutes in and Griffiths had the fans out of their seats with an incredible net buster.
James Forrest pulled the ball back to Griffiths 25 yards from goal. One touch took a defender out and teed the ball up nicely before a left foot shot flew past Joe Lewis, struck the inside of the post and exploded into the net.
In one move Celtic had demonstrated why they were the champions- with every intention of holding onto the SPFL title for at least another season.
MOUSSA DEMBELE PENALTY V MOTHERWELL
It wasn’t the penalty but the way that he won it that mattered to Brendan Rodgers.
With four minutes left to play and Motherwell barely raising a glove to Celtic it would have been easy to let the long ball run through to goalkeeper Craig Samson.
Dembele thought otherwise, chased what looked like a lost cause and panicked Samson into fouling him in the box. A penalty and subsequent goal out of almost nothing.
“I don’t want hungry players, it’s about being starving,” Rodgers said afterwards.
STUART ARMSTRONG AT ROSS COUNTY
Going into this match Armstrong had been the subject of lavish praise from his manager, his man-of-the-match performance was completed by a brilliant goal. Brilliant in it’s simplicity.
Making a driving run towards the Ross County penalty box he stopped in his tracks to take a pass from Patrick Roberts. As he shaped to shoot to Scott Fox’s left hand side he simply passed the ball into the other corner of the net to put Celtic 2-0 up in a fixture that had been in the balance even though Roberts had put Celtic ahead in the second minute.