2008 should not be used as the template for victory for Celtic this season, O’Neill’s men are going to have to do it their own way…
Eric Knott 
22/05/08 CLYDESDALE BANK PREMIER LEAGUE.DUNDEE UTD v CELTIC (0-1).TANNADICE - DUNDEE.Stephen McManus kicks-off the celebrations after a 1-0 win against Dundee Utd and Rangers' 2-0 loss to Aberdeen handed Celtic the title (Photo by Alan Harvey\SNS Group via Getty Images)
In the run up to the split, a lot of people have been using Celtic’s 2008 title win as a template for winning the title this season.
But in reality, the circumstances were much different 18 years ago.
Contrary to what the media would have you believe, Celtic are actually in a much better position to win this season’s title in comparison to 2008.
The way people are talking, you’d think we were miles off the pace, instead of 3 points off top spot.
However, the huge difference between Celtic then and Celtic now is the level of players we have at our disposal today.
There is no comparison.
Our two forwards back in 2008 were the top scoring forwards in the SPL that season.
Scott McDonald (25) and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (15) bagged 40 goals between them.
That is only 19 shy of the total amount of goals Celtic has accumulated for this entire season to date.
That speaks volumes really, and it tells us the real story as to why people think we have less of a chance of winning this season’s title in comparison to 2008.
While the side of 2008 was in a much more precarious position in the League table than the side of today, Strachan’s side had firepower everywhere in that team.
This current Celtic side can only dream about having players like Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Strachan also had Aiden McGeady marauding on either the left or the right flank, and Shunsuke Nakamura as an attacking midfielder.
Those two players bagged a further 13 goals between them that season.
Nakamura’s free taking prowess was second to none.
Celtic has no such luxury right now.
While Celtic keep grinding out the results we’ve needed to remain in contention in this title race, we know it will take more than one goal to beat both Hearts and the Ibrox side.
We can’t ride our luck like we have in the last couple of games and hope that we can win 1-0 or 2-1.
Because its clearly evident that our two main rivals’ frontlines are well capable of scoring goals.
This is probably the main reason that people do not see us winning this title.
It boils down to our lack of firepower.
In reality, we have to hope that someone finds a scoring touch in the remaining five League fixtures.
And based on what we’ve seen this season to date, that is one tall order.
This is also why you cannot really compare the 2008 Celtic side’s exploits to what Celtic are up against today.
Martin O’Neill’s men are going to have to do it their own way.
Now, there’s no doubting that in O’Neill, the players have one of the best man motivators in the modern game.
How else has the Irishman managed to get this team to perform way beyond it’s capabilities.
But for the title run in, he’s going to have to wring another 10% out of them from somewhere.
People are starting to get excited about the prospect of Callum Osmand returning.
That in itself tells you the desperation for goals in this team.
Osmand had only scored 3 goals for Celtic before he was injured last November against Midtjylland.
But before his injury, fans saw a kid who looked like a decent calibre of player for the future.
After a lengthy injury, its unlikely he’ll recapture the kind of form he was in before he was stretchered off in Denmark.
It would be great, but I think its a lot to ask of Osmand.
As we’ve discussed previously on the Trinity Tims podcast, the most likely of all of our strikers to pin our hopes on to score goals is Kelechi Iheanacho.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter who does it.
We just need someone to score goals, and score plenty of them in the next five League games.
Our final journey to the double begins on Sunday.
If we secure our place in the Scottish Cup final, then we can focus on the League.
We can do this.
But not in the style of 2008.
In the style of 2026, and then maybe after that we can focus on rebuilding Celtic?
Success this season fixes nothing behind the scenes.
We all know that.
Let the double be the catalyst to change.
Key Takeaways
- Celtic’s current squad is in a better position to compete for the title compared to the 2008 team, despite being only 3 points off the top.
- The lack of firepower in the current team starkly contrasts with the 2008 squad, which had prolific scorers like Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
- Celtic must improve their goal-scoring abilities to remain competitive against their rivals in the title race.
- There’s hope surrounding Callum Osmand’s return, but expectations should be tempered after his lengthy injury.
- Success this season is crucial but won’t address the underlying problems within the club.
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That was a very sober and measured analysis of our current circumstances Eric of which I thoroughly agree. I to have been bemoaning the dearth of goals as the reason we won’t win the league.
Although there is something else missing from our play which was evident at CP against St Mirren after we went one nil up. I wish I knew exactly what it was but it manifests in us being predictable in attack, constantly losing the ball, lacking imagination/creativity and worryingly unable to get near the ball when the opposition have it.
Is that lack of quality players? Undoubtedly, is it a lack of proper coaching/ tactics? Probably. Is it also a lack of fight/determination? For some players yes but for others no, ie Tierney and Calmac have been giving 200% as have the entire back 4.
For me everything stems from the board of directors throwing Rodgers under the bus by selling his top goalscorers without like for like replacements, retaining Maeda, Hatate and Yang when they’ve gone stale and not freshening up the team. If we backed Rodgers we would be sitting with a 15 goal cushion now.
Rather than us looking just a teensy bit better than your average top six Scottish club. I don’t see us winning this league but it would be astonishing and truly delightful if we did,and as you pointed out… “hilarious”, but I’ve resigned myself to that being unrealistic this season
In mathematical terms my expectations for a Celtic title win is directly proportional to our recent goals per match compared to Sevco’s.