Celtic
‘Unthinkable,’ Sutton’s Kyogo Puzzle
POWER AND GLORY…Adam Idah celebrates his first goal at Parkhead following his header for No.2 in Celtic’s 7-1 romp over Dundee in midweek.
“Those views were shared by a lot of people who watched him play for Norwich. They are just as surprised at I am at how well he has done for Celtic so far.”Fair play to him. Idah had really embraced his opportunity at the club and justified the faith Rodgers has shown in him. He’s given the side a real focal point and it’s shaken the side out of this horseshoe stuff that had made so many games a slog.
FORLORN…Kyogo Furuhashi cuts a frustrated figure after drawing a blank against Dundee.
“It would be almost unthinkable to leave him out of the side going to Govan, yet Idah’s form might give Rodgers no choice. There’s a lot of football to be played before then, though, and Tynecastle tomorrow is a major challenge.
“Hearts will be hurting after they fell apart at Ibrox last week and they are a solid side this season. And the trouble with Celtic is the uncertainty over their performances.
“There are still question marks over this team including the big one – will they turn up?”
ON THE RUN…Yang Hyun-jun puts pressure on the Motherwell defence.
“I’m not sure Rodgers has known his best eleven this season and he’s been kind of searching around for the winning formula. It looks like he might have stumbled across it in the last game-and-a-half.
“Cameron Carter-Vickers returning from injury is massive and it almost goes without saying that him staying fit is absolutely vital to Celtic’s title hopes.
“Yang has come back from the Asian Cup and looked a new player. I know he’s raw and inconsistent, but of all the wingers at the club, I actually have a sneaky feeling he is the one who could go to the very top.
“He’s got a bit about him, with pace and a trick in him. His finally ball is still inconsistent, but when it works, it works.”
5 Dundee talking points from Celtic thrashing as Dee endure one of worst defeats in their history
The Dark Blues suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat at Parkhead.
Six by half-time, seven by the finish – a night to forget and forget quickly for Dundee.
Ripped apart by a rampant Celtic, Tony Docherty’s side have some soul-searching to do this week.
This team deserves credit for the positives already racked up already this season – they sit in sixth place for a reason.
But they also have to take one helluva bad day right on the chin.
So what happened in the 7-1 defeat?
Courier Sport was there analyse all the action.
Defending
Dundee’s defence was pulled left, right and centre and then dominated in the key moments.
The opening goal will infuriate Tony Docherty because of its simplicity. Owen Beck was caught out by Hyunjun Yang and hauled the winger down.
From the free-kick, Cameron Carter-Vickers completely bossed Amadou Bakayoko at the far post. It looked like a mismatch to have a striker marking Celtic’s biggest aerial threat and so it proved.
Then Adam Idah beat two markers to head in and the floodgates opened. Crosses were flying into the area, Dundee weren’t defending their box and the midfield weren’t tracking runners.
Matt O’Riley ghosted into the box off the back of Malachi Boateng to score, Joe Shaughnessy was too easily beaten by Daizen Maeda and then Greg Taylor drifted in free to score at the far post.
Dundee have largely defended well this season, earning plaudits for clean sheets. This was as far from that as you can get.
Celtic scored all but one of their first-half shots on a night that was so, so easy for the champions.
Back three
Dens boss Docherty reverted to his back three setup. Understandable at Celtic Park.
Antonio Portales started, making his first appearance in three months, but was off the pace.
It was Ricki Lamie’s first start as well since his December injury while Shaughnessy struggled.
The skipper had played every single minute of football for Dundee this season until his substitution at half-time on Wednesday.
And it has showed in recent games. Myziane Maolida gave him a torrid time at Hibs at the weekend and he didn’t have a good game at Parkhead.
Shaughnessy, though, has been an important signing for Dundee this season and will undoubtedly show that again.
Maybe needs a rest now, though.
Balls in the air, crosses along the ground, the experienced Dee back three were second best to everything.
The midfield in front gave little protection also while Bakayoko and the ineffectual Curtis Main couldn’t keep the ball up front. A bad day all round.
History
This was one of the worst results in Dundee’s history.
Only once before have they conceded more than seven – an 11-0 shellacking at Celtic way back in 1895.
It has happened four times this century now. Aberdeen were the most recent, Tony Docherty in the away dugout that night as Andy Considine scored a hat-trick at Dens in a 7-0 win.
Airdrie beat Dundee 7-0 in 2006 and Rangers did it at Dens in 2000, winning 7-1.
Fin Robertson
Youngster Robertson returned to the team and made just his second start since October.
On the ball, he was one of Dundee’s better players. He was making passes and trying to make a positive impact.
But there’s no excuse for his red card. Already 7-0 down, it’s the last thing his team needed.
Not only did it make the final stages harder for his team but there’s also a suspension to come this weekend.
Top six
It was a poor week in terms of Dundee’s top-six hopes. But one that was far from fatal.
Hibs have improved no doubt but they remain a point behind the Dark Blues.
The carrot of the top half is still very much dangling in front of the Dee right now – shrug off this forgettable night quickly and they can still grab it.
Big test on Saturday at home to Kilmarnock.
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