Celtic reaction: Postecoglou’s men set new best; frothy placard protest; uncomfortable ‘patient died’ Skovdahl parallel for Aberdeen

The best of Celtic and the worst of Aberdeen were evidenced in the Scottish champions’ 1-0 victory at Pittodrie.

Celtic players celebrate widly Callum McGregor's clincher against Aberdeen that has created a first in the Ange Postecoglou era, (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Postecoglou’s men set new best

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou challenged his players to step up to another level on their league return post-World Cup. Without crafting a real calibre display, they instantly delivered with their success at Aberdeen. The win marked their ninth straight victory in the cinch Premiership. A sequence eclipsing their previous longest such run in the top flight under the Australian, at the helm since June 2021. That was set when they won eight games on the spin between Christmas week last year and the end of February in their 2021-22 title-winning campaign.

Banking their latest three points with another late goal – Callum McGregor crashing in a low drive on the 87th-minute mark – also bolstered another best. Celtic have now netted 12 league goals subsequent to the 80th minute in games. No other team comes close to them on such a measure, with Rangers’ seven total the closest.

Uncomfortable ‘patient died’ Skovdahl parallel for Goodwin

Aberdeen’s sore-on-the-eyes containment ploy is earning Jim Goodwin a social media flogging from the club’s legions. The fact is, though, that the blanket defending to smother Celtic’s attacking intent wasn’t far away – in purely clock terms – from resulting in Aberdeen becoming only the second team to avoid defeat against the Scottish champions across 16 league outings.

However, when your team succumb at home having not produced even a one solitary shot on target and settling for a paltry 19% possession, they have had a truly miserable afternoon. To compound that for Goodwin, his strategy, and its effect, recalled lovable – but misfit – managerial predecessor Ebbe Skovdahl. The Dane parked a fleet of buses when his team lost 2-0 at Celtic Park in September 2001. His only ambition then was damage limitation. In sort-of achieving that, he produced the memorable one liner post-match that “the operation was a success but the patient died on the table”. Yet, there were mitigating factors for Skovdahl then, that are denied to Goodwin.

The Irishman has made great play of his team going after teams in their home environs as they push for third. Skovdahl 21 years ago was merely attempting to avoid Aberdeen flirting with relegation, as they had in his first campaign. Moreover, his approach was framed by the fact that in their previous three visits to Parkhead before his expiring-patient afternoon, they had the ills of losing no fewer than 18 goals. In recent times, Aberdeen have been competitive against Celtic, without being reduced to camping on the edge of their box.

Frothy banner protest

The Aberdeen support have a tradition of going their own way. Into that bracket can be placed their challenge to the football authorities that takes the form of a placard demanding ‘End the beer ban’ placed at the perimeter of the Merkland Stand. It is unusual to see a fanbase so exercised about the inability to buy alcohol during games inside Scottish grounds. Moreover, so stultifying were Goodwin’s men against Celtic in Baltic conditions at the weekend, stiffer drinks than a few beers would have been required to dull the pain.