Match Report

RIDING CELTIC'S MAGIC CARPET – LET'S NOT GET CARRIED AWAY

By The Lone Gunman

CELTIC 2 ABERDEEN 0

SPL

Celtic Park

Saturday 10 th September

Kick-off: 3pm

Goals: Zurawski 13, Petrov 61

Celtic (4-4-2): Boruc; Telfer, Balde, McManus and Camara; Petrov, Lennon, Thompson (Pearson 90) and Nakamura (Maloney 70); Hartson (Beattie 70) and Zurawski

Subs Not Used: Marshall, McGeady, Wallace and Virgo

Aberdeen: Esson, McNaughton (Considine 56), Diamond, Anderson, Byrne (Muirhead 65), Smith, Nicholson, Severin, Clark, Crawford, Lovell (Stewart 69)

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Winter, Dempsey and Foster

Booked: Diamond

Att: 59,607

Ref: C Richmond

Whilst I am as enthusiastic and excited as the next Tim about what we can see developing with Gordon Strachan's Celtic, let's not get too carried away with the ‘Magic' of it all. This Celtic team has a distance yet to travel to totally convince me that we are Champions in the making.

That's not to say that I don't believe in Gord. I do. I want to believe. I just need more irrefutable evidence.

Until such time as Strachan's football philosophy, which is based on fast, free-flowing and passing football, is regularly achieving wins against our major competitors for the SPL Championship (Rangers and seemingly Hearts), and indeed against our other major obstacles (such as away days at places like Easter Road, which is next in Celtic's diary), we will not have proof-positive that we are back on the one road.

Following our atrocious start to this season, there is no doubt we have improved dramatically. The convincing 4-0 win at Dunfermline followed by Saturday's impressive 2-0 win against Aberdeen are causes for optimism, especially due to the facts that we recorded two clean sheets, scored six goals and in Maciej ‘Magic' Zurawski we appear to have the kind of talismanic goal-scorer we have craved since Him.

However, Easter Road and Hibs this weekend will provide a far sterner test for Gordon Strachan's Celtic. If we emerge from the Capital with three points, then, maybe then, we can start to contemplate the possibility of glory. Note that word is ‘possibility', as there are many more obstacles after that. Hearts and Rangers spring readily to mind.

Forgive me if I seem negative in these opening paragraphs, but I refuse to be carried away on a euphoric tidal wave of optimism until such time as Celtic are recording win after win, despatching our opponents regularly and with the kind of aplomb witnessed on Saturday against Aberdeen.

And, yes, from Saturday's performance we can only take positives, as we defeated the Dons very comfortably, with the score-line flattering the visitors from the North.

Undoubtedly, the biggest positive from Saturday was the display of Maciej Zurawski, who turned in yet another Man Of The Match performance. Magic scored the goal that began Celtic's profitable afternoon. He was then the creator of our second goal, brilliantly setting up Stilian Petrov for the decisive strike. And the Polish international striker's all round game was a joy to behold as he tormented Aberdeen from kick-off to final whistle.

Magic's partnership with John Hartson, and also latterly with Celtic substitutes Craig Beattie and Shaun Maloney, looks to be promising indeed.

Indeed, it was the Zurawski – Hartson combination which opened up the Aberdeen defence in the 13 th minute, as the Polish and Welsh internationals exchanged the ball to send Magic sprinting towards the Dons' penalty box. From fully 20 yards, Zurawski unleashed a thunderous strike, which rocketed into the roof of the net to give Celtic the perfect start to an afternoon that was dominated by the marvellous Jock Stein Tribute.

The Big Man would have applauded loudly, as Celtic's goal might have been scored by the likes of Bobby Lennox, who was of course watching from the Main Stand. Perhaps Jock was watching from a more Heavenly vantage point, maybe sitting on God's right and explaining the philosophy of playing football the Glasgow Celtic way.

Following on from his two-goal Man Of The Match performance at East End Park and his two match-winning, goal-scoring performances for Poland on World Cup duty, Magic Zurawski looks to be in fine fettle. Confidence does that to a striker, and Zurawski seems to be brimming over with confidence at the moment. Long may that continue for the sakes of all that are Celtic-minded!

However, it was also Zurawski's off-the-ball runs and his general movement and link-up play that was exceptional. In fact, had Celtic's midfield been more aware of the Pole habitually finding space, the Hoops might have had this game won out of sight long before our second goal in the 61 st minute.

Again it was Zurawski who played a pivotal role for Celtic's second, racing into the Aberdeen penalty box in pursuit of the ball, harrying his marker and deservedly winning possession, before finding Stilian Petrov's intelligent run with a sublime pass.

Celtic's star midfielder of the day still had much to do, however, as he was rapidly closed down, but the Bulgarian captain feinted this way and that, before drilling his shot back across goal and into the corner of the net.

The game was effectively over as a contest with that strike. 2-0 to Celtic.

However, it must be said that Celtic, up to this point, had not created a plethora of goal-scoring opportunities. Notably, Alan Thompson had headed wide when the goal was at his mercy after he'd been set up by magical wing-play from the sublimely talented Shunsuke Nakamura.

Notably also, Neil Lennon, who like Thompson had been restored to Celtic's midfield after serving a one-match suspension, had three attempts at Ryan Esson's goal. The Irishman failed to hit the target on all three occasions.

And, in the first half, John Hartson was inches away from connecting with a near-post cross, which would have doubled Celtic's lead had the Celtic striker managed the merest of touches.

Perhaps, the excuse for Celtic often lacking the final ‘killer pass' lay in the fact that our two creative midfielders, Petrov and Nakamura, had recently endured such a punishing international schedule. Both players performed creditably, as did Thommo and Lennon, but perhaps their genius was intermittent because of fatigue.

Probably recognising the need to rest in particular Nakamura and also to inject some more energy and youthful exuberance into Celtic, even though we were two-goals to the good and cruising, Gordon Strachan replaced the Japanese international and Hartson in the 70 th minute.

For Aberdeen, it was a cruel blow, as the Celtic youngsters proceeded to run riot, tormenting Aberdeen's rearguard mercilessly. John Hartson had ‘softened' them up and now the Wee Hoops would exploit their weariness.

Strachan's tactics should have delivered another goal for Celtic, but chances were squandered, and the referee inexplicably denied a stonewall penalty when Craig Beattie's penalty box surge was crudely halted by a challenge from behind.

Nevertheless, Celtic won the game at a canter.

Finally, a few words about Celtic's much-maligned defence. It must be said that the Balde – McManus partnership worked exceptionally well today, as both central defenders dominated their opponents. Indeed, Balde even managed a few rampaging, if clumsy, forward forays.

The Guinea international has much to do to appease the Faithful after his transfer-seeking shenanigans over the summer. More performances like today's will go some way to restoring what was an iconic status. However, please Bobo, concentrate on defending and eliminate the delusions of grandeur. You are not the black Beckenbauer!

At right-back Paul Telfer's improvement seems to parallel that of Celtic's. The veteran has energy and enthusiasm and no little skill. He is undoubtedly finding his way at the Club and looks to be very dependable if unspectacular. However, my concerns are Telfer's susceptibility to pace and his lack of aerial prowess.

Mo Camara, meanwhile, remains an enigma. He has the athleticism and the stamina to run all day for the Cause. Today, he even defended well, but why is every pass, every header, every cross and every attempted control of the ball like an adventure?

Lastly, Artur Boruc. Timdom, we have ourselves a keeper!

Artur Boruc has a presence, an aura. He dominates his penalty area and one can almost see the confidence that he exudes affecting positively the confidence of those around him. Rarely troubled today, Boruc still managed to radiate his mastery of the goal-keeping art to all at Celtic Park.

Twice he acted like an auxiliary sweeper, racing out of his box to clear any hint of danger. Once he saved spectacularly from a deflection off Balde. Numerous times he used the ball, from hand or boot, effectively. And, the piece de resistance, the brilliant Bhoy also managed a Cruyff turn to elude Stevie Crawford's intentions to win possession.

Right, now to Easter Road. Let's keep translating the Gordon Strachan football philosophy to positive results for Celtic. We all want to believe in Gord!