Celtic’s Emphatic Win Yesterday Counts For Nothing If It Can’t Be Replicated On Thursday Night…

When you’re a Celtic fan, it’s always about the next game, and the next result.

And after yesterday’s emphatic 7-1 victory over Hearts, it is really about the next game.

Of course we can enjoy such a resounding win, and we can look back on how easily Hearts were torn apart.

But let’s be honest here, Hearts aren’t Celta Vigo.

Yesterday, we definitely showed that we are what Chris Sutton says we are.

Flat track bullies.

But what we really want to see is us being flat track bullies in Europe, and especially at home again.

There was once a time when European sides hated coming to Celtic Park

Now most sides consider it a nice away trip to a historic ground where they pick up 3 easy points.

If yesterday’s result doesn’t incentivise us to end that perception, I don’t know what will.

So what did we discover yesterday that gives us the right to be optimistic about Thursday?

Well, the starting front three of Osmand, Duran, and Hassan was highly effective.

Martin O’Neill paid heed to that last Thursday night, and decided to utlilise that trio to start yesterday.

The result was devastating.

We were 5-1 up by half time.

In the second half, we were in cruise control, scoring two more goals, and toying with Hearts throughout the half.

Jota’s trickery epitomised that.

But there is one stat again from yesterday at Celtic Park, despite the fact we scored 7 goals, that should alarm us

Hearts created 20 goal chances.

Now, they might only have converted one of them, but in the last two games we have conceded 46 goal chances.

Once again, this is a pretty alarming stat.

Yes, I understand that it displays open and expansive play.

But there’s being open and expansive against Heart of Midlothian, and then there’s being open and expansive against Celta Vigo next Thursday night.

A team of Celta Vigo’s quality will punish us if we concede that level of goal chances again.

While Dane Murray and Liam Scales both produced solid performances yesterday, will you be totally confident of them doing the same if they start next Thursday night?

I’ll leave that thought with you.

Look, I’m delighted with yesterday’s result, it was a fantastic win.

Not only that, but the Ibrox side’s slip up on Saturday night allowed us to open up a 4 point lead at the top of the table again

As weekends go, the one just gone couldn’t have gone any better really.

But we have to keep our feet on the ground, and not allow one emphatic result to let us get carried away.

We need to use the momentum from this result to now get another positive result on Thursday night.

Otherwise yesterday will count for nothing.

Another humiliation in Europe will undo all the good it has done.

Thursday night could also be that bit more difficult with no Green Brigade, as the colour and the atmosphere they generate was there for all to see again yesterday.

But there’s plenty to be positive after our result against Hearts.

Let’s hope we’re having a similar conversation again on Friday.

It’s about time that happened.

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