Celtic unstoppable at the moment?
Sunday the 20th of February 2011 will live in the memories of Celtic fans for a long time coming. Thrashing Rangers to a bouncing Parkhead is never forgotten, and even more so with the style Celtic played and has done this season.
The season started very poorly for Celtic, getting knocked out of Europe and after falling away to Braga and to Utrecht. The league also started strongly, with some impressive wins from a squad who had just begun to know each other, but they were given their first real league test at Parkhead, against Rangers, where after going up, they were soundly beaten 3 1. A bad day for Celtic fans and a joyous one for Rangers, as fans pondered if this new squad were up for the big games.
Their doubts were once again cast a few weeks later, Celtic fans went into Tynecastle full of confidence once again after destroying Aberdeen 9 0 the week before, however this confidence was not to be maintained as they fell 2 goals to zero down to an average Hearts performance. There was some joy to be taken as Hibs thrashed Rangers at Ibrox. But in Scottish football, you have to focus on your own results not those of others, and Celtics result that night, was a very bad one.
Four games lay ahead that would soon see Celtic pick up the pace again, or so you would think. A last minute winner against St Mirren brushed them through the game and then three consecutive draws in a row against Dundee, Inverness and Kilmarnock. Three home games that looked like they would prove costly to the bhoys.
Things started going uphill from here on. Apart from a hiccup against Hamilton (caused by a bit of poor linesmaning) the Celts came out as a full unit, as a team full of passion and emotion, and fired up by Neil Lennon swept aside Rangers at Ibrox, Hearts at home, and Aberdeen both at home, in the cup and away. By now Celtic had tallied up an extremely impressive 17 goals against Aberdeen in four games, and only conceding one. The goals and points were beginning to build up.
Finally a cup draw with ten men against a Rangers side who should have done better led on to last weekend’s rival clash again. Celtic went in full of confidence, Rangers fans went in believing that Celtic were being too cocky, and oh didn’t they have reason to be.
There have been some great Glasgow Derby’s of recent times, some great high scoring games, some great results, but never like that one that will be talked about so much as when Rangers were totally destroyed by Celtic. From 3 home draws in a row to 3 goals in a row, it looks like it could be 3 Cups sitting in a row in the trophy room next year. Neil Lennon said when he signed his contract that he wanted to ‘bring the thunder back’ and that thunder is back, and louder than before, and just watch as it crushed Rangers down into the ground.
Rangers fans, be afraid, be very afraid. Because the Bhoys are back in town.
Simon Kermack