Celtic at the moment are crunching by way of the gears so shortly that their defence of the Premiership title appears destined to begin at a fiendish tempo.
Coming off the again of a powerful victory over Sporting Lisbon within the Algarve, Saturday’s dismantling of an expensively assembled Newcastle facet was each bit as complete because the 4-0 scoreline instructed.
However the truth that Eddie Howe’s males are two weeks behind Celtic in preparation for the brand new marketing campaign, you might solely admire the best way by which Brendan Rodgers’ facet bettered them in just about each division.
Whereas leads to pre-season are notoriously poor indicators of what lies forward, performances do depend for one thing.
And with so many acquainted faces hitting the straps a fortnight shy of the true stuff starting with the go to of St Mirren, Celtic look primed to peak bang on cue.
Maybe probably the most bodily imposing facet within the Premier League, Newcastle’s brawn helped take them to the League Cup and a Champions League place final season.
Kieran Tierney seemed as if he had by no means been away when he got here on towards Newcastle
Auston Trusty was awarded man of the match for his imperious show in a 4-0 victory
Liam Scales rises above the Newcastle defence to finish the scoring at Celtic Park
Realizing this, Celtic used their brains as an alternative. Courageous sufficient to play by way of the guests’ excessive press after a testing begin, they moved the ball slickly and with objective. Even after Rodgers modified 10 gamers on the hour mark, the collective efficiency stage remained remarkably excessive.
Sure Celtic gamers badly wanted this. Kasper Schmeichel’s season had ended with a expensive blunder within the Scottish Cup ultimate defeat to Aberdeen. The Dane seemed a lot the higher for the break, a few good saves contributing in direction of one other welcome clear sheet.
Usually missing an finish product from promising positions, Yang Hyun-jun was enterprising, menacing and again among the many objectives. His contribution ought to give his confidence a shot within the arm and persuade his supervisor that he’s value protecting on board.
Most vital, although, was the imperious show of Auston Trusty. The American’s first season at Parkhead was punctuated by some days of promise, simply not sufficient of them. A lot so that you just started to surprise if he’d be edged in direction of the exit door this summer time if a would-be suitor was ready to provide Celtic their £6million again.
This was far more prefer it from the centre-half. Tasked with protecting William Osula quiet, he learn each ball Newcastle’s midfield tried to string to their ahead.
He made sliding blocks and clearing headers. His calmness radiated throughout a again 4 containing Dane Murray and Hayato Inamura. Even when Osula had rounded Schmeichel, there was Trusty on the goal-line to avert the hazard.
Trusty nonetheless has rather a lot to show however, as he confirmed in knocking down the shutters on Atalanta in Bergamo, when he’s totally centered, he appears the half. He well-deserved the person of the match award he left the bottom with.
The event was much more memorable than so many of those encounters down the years. The ten,000-strong Newcastle help elevated the environment and, whereas the match was primarily a health train, it didn’t lack a aggressive edge. No match between sides from Scotland and England ever will.
Celtic have been much more potent within the ultimate third. Evidently having fun with his foot races with Kieran Trippier, Daizen Maeda customary the opener when his cross from the left noticed Joe Willock clumsily up-end Arne Engels within the field. The Belgian calmly despatched Nick Pope the flawed method from the spot. Innocent on that event, the England keeper will need to have felt like boarding the group bus on the interval after a calamitous error led to Celtic’s second.
Schmeichel’s lengthy kick was solely supposed to maneuver his group up the park. Pope misjudged its bounce, permitting Johnny Kenny a tap-in into an empty internet.
The younger Irishman deserved that second. The query is now whether or not his growth is healthier served by going out on mortgage or by selecting up 10 minutes right here and there underneath Rodgers.
Even the half-time introduction of £55m Anthony Elanga — to date Howe’s solely signing of the window — did nothing to vary the stream of the sport.
Celtic’s third aim was a peach, a six-man passing transfer which started with Schmeichel and ended with Yang slotting Maeda’s cross past Pope. With that, some Newcastle followers made for the exits.
The loudest cheer of the afternoon was naturally reserved for the return of Kieran Tierney. A ball of power on the left, the full-back seemed as if he’d by no means been away. He even claimed a late help for Liam Scales because the Irishman planted a header outwith Pope’s attain for No 4.
It was a positive afternoon all spherical for Rodgers, one which allowed him to afford alternatives to rising abilities together with defenders Ben McPherson and Colby Donovan, who prevented Newcastle from heading house with a crumb of comfort.
Early impressions of Benjamin Nygren are extraordinarily beneficial, with shades of Matt O’Riley within the Swede’s grace and composure.
Reo Hatate appears like a person on a mission after lacking the cup ultimate by way of harm. Paulo Bernardo, one other who was launched for the ultimate half-hour, seemed refreshed and able to enhance upon a private marketing campaign which solely simply received cross marks.
Bodily and psychologically, Celtic head to Como this week in superb form.
However although Shin Yamada, the striker signed from Kawasaki Frontale, will enhance their choices, there are nonetheless areas of the facet which can want strengthening if the progress witnessed in Europe final season is to proceed.
It’s simply conceivable that Newcastle could possibly be again on the town on Champions League responsibility this season. If that involves cross, it may be mentioned with some certainty that they gained’t be practically as poor as they have been right here.
