Articles

Griffiths & MacKay Steven Score As The New Bhoys Take Their Bow

|
Image for Griffiths & MacKay Steven Score As The New Bhoys Take Their Bow

JS58119731

The first half of this game was forgettable even by recent standards.

A lifeless looking team appeared to be going through the motions; even the mercurial Griffiths was quiet as the side struggled to break down Inverness, and even looked vulnerable to their counter attack.

The most notable thing about that first half was Celtic Park, with a lot of empty seats and a ghostly atmosphere that has to be scaring the brass to death. The absolute apathy amongst the Celtic fans right now is a serious problem and one the club has to come up with a solution to pronto, or it’s going to become chronic.

Fortunately for everyone, the second half was much livelier.

Not only was the football much better, but we got our tantalising, long awaited, glimpses of the future when Allan, Christie and finally Roberts got onto the park. All three looked energetic, and Christie in particular looked classy, although he did have one slightly embarrassing moment when he went through on the keeper and then fell!

It was Gary Mackay Steven who found the net first though, and it was a fine goal that although it took a deflection was the result of some persistent football after Inverness had failed to clear their lines. GMS has taken some stick of late, including from me, but it was a decent strike and it eased a lot of nerves in the stands and elsewhere.

But once again the man of the moment was our striker, Leigh Griffiths, who scored the second and third goals, and basically made sure that it wasn’t as nervy an afternoon as that first half had suggested that it might be.

We’re not setting the heather on fire at the moment, but points keep piling up and with Aberdeen’s game off last night the onus is now on them to produce something when they next take the field. Ronny has been under pressure, whilst McInnes has had none. The Aberdeen fans are right to have expected more from his team this season; two cup exits and blowing a great chance to put together a genuine, sustained challenge isn’t going to make him manager of the year, and especially when you look at what Alan Stubbs might manage at Hibs.

So six points clear, after the same number of games; it looks better than the football has been, but as with last week the result was always going to matter more than the performance.

Fortunately for all of us, in that second half we got both.

Onward then to the next one, Hamilton away on Friday night.

Share this article