Celtic dominated in every permanent yesterday but failed to make it count as they were held to a goalless draw by the always dependably strong and resolute Livingston.
With an incredible 73% possession and 18 efforts on goal, 11 of which were on target, it was a frustrating day with the chilly temperatures, overcast sky and constant drizzle proving an apt backdrop to proceedings.
In the first half, Livi’s keeper Liam Kelly showed why so many have tipped him for international honours as he made an outstanding save from James Forrest and then denied the returning Tom Rogic twice. In amongst all that Livi attacker, Dolly Menga also made Scott Bain, in the home goal, work.
Things got even more frustrating in the second half as Edouard was also denied and then right at the death substitute Oli Burke fluffed his lines when he knocked it wide with the goal at his mercy after an uncustomary error from Kelly.
The result means that no matter how thing play out at Fir Park later today between Motherwell and Rangers, Celtic cannot win the title this weekend despite going 14 points clear and instead will have to wait for a whole fortnight until they are next in league action away at Hibs when the title party will be back on.
There are no guarantees though as the Hibees are in pretty stellar form at the moment. Since the arrival of their new manager and Neil Lennon’s replacement Paul Heckingbottom, they have gone eight games undefeated in the league with six wins.
Just yesterday they further galvanised themselves via a 2-1 win at Edinburgh rivals Hearts. This was their first win at Tynecastle in six years as they came back from a goal down via a spectacular double from Irishman Daryl Horgan. The result simultaneously puts immense pressure on Hearts boss Craig Levein ahead of next weekends Scottish Cup semi-final for the Jambos with Inverness Caley Thistle.
Hibs meanwhile go on a two-week break to prepare for us.
Elsewhere Aberdeen comfortably won at Dundee as Sam Cosgrove bagged a double to take him to 20 goals for the season – making him worth about ÂŁ10-15 million in Alfredo Morelos Monopoly money – and Kilmarnock easily swatted aside St.Jounstone 2-0 as both sides remain neck and neck in 3rd / 4th spots on 58 points.
Hamilton Accies and St.Mirren shared the spoils via a 1-1 draw in a relegation six-pointer with things starting to look ominous for Dundee who are now rooted to the bottom three points behind the Buddies and seven behind the Accies.
Anyway, the match tomorrow will complete the set and could see Rangers cut the gap to a mere 11 points or Motherwell climb to the top of the now confirmed bottom six so plenty to play for. Not that you’d think that when you read that sentence back.
As for a rather harsh critique of our own fortunes……….well…………I remain unconvinced by keeping on Lenny in the hot seat.
That’s six games under him in the league with four wins and two draws and only seven goals scored as we continue to look like a team who huff and puff a lot but don’t put teams to the sword. Indeed of the four games we have won every one has required a late goal to pull it out fo the fire. Today he played three at the back against a Livi team sitting deep and deploying one loan striker who was pretty much cut off throughout proceedings. Try and fathom that one?
Next week always was huge for him but is even more so considering we aren’t playing well and on the back of passing up a chance to secure the title.
His record at Hampden is pretty shocking with five defeats from eleven previous appearances under him last time, three of which were semi-finals, plus he also lost twice there as manager of Hibs with no wins.
Derek Mcinnes will be buoyed by the fact the last time he came to Glasgow for a semifinal he outsmarted Stevie Gerrard – not that that is particularly hard to do based on some of his recent statements about lions, performance and blame – and also by the fact he got a 0-0 draw against us at Celtic Park when we last met them a month ago.
He’ll fancy his chances of getting Lenny’s number far more than he did against Brendan and expect a physical encounter which will likely require patience and lots of it.
For Neil Lennon it’s vital. I personally think his job depends on it. Being that I’m not sold on him as the man to take us forward long term in a strangely perverse way it might not be the worst thing in the world if we fall to the Dons next weekend………..but who the hell am I kidding?!
Of course, I want the treble-treble and a big day out in the sun in late May.
....Always A Tim! 