Winger hopes Celtic strike while iron's hot in treble-treble bid

There is a safety and security on the home front for Celtic that could yet prove pivotal in the pursuit of a treble treble. On the pitch, their east end of Glasgow environs can both inspire the new and allow for the old to shake off disappointment. In the regulation 3-0 win over Airdrieonians the former was as evidenced by the fizzing goalscoring debut of on-loan PSG attacker Timothy Weah, while Scott Sinclair bagging a double on the back of missing a penalty and two pinches illustrated the latter.

Celtic's Scott Sinclair stabs home to make it 2-0. Picture: SNS

Home is where it has happened for Brendan Rodgers’ men this season.
They have won all ten domestic encounters in their own backyard, conceding only four goals in the process. Moreover, the fact that they have been drawn at home to St Johnstone in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup means that seven of their first nine domestic fixtures in 2019 will be at Celtic Park.

That tie against the Perth club to be played on the weekend of 9/10 February will present Celtic with the opportunity to become the first side in the game’s history to win 24 consecutive domestic cup ties. The fact they are on the threshold of such a momentous achievement is testament to the domination enjoyed by the club under Rodgers. Yet, a certain good fortune in draws has helped play a part. Next month’s last-16 meeting with Tommy Wright’s side will be the tenth from a possible 14 domestic ties across Scottish Cup and League Cup in the past two-and-a-half years that Celtic will have been drawn at home in.

No wonder then that the three home league games Rodgers’ side will play in the next week-and-a-half starting with St Mirren’s visit on Wednesday is being looked upon by the club’s followers as a period to put some daylight between themselves and Rangers and put their feckless display at Ibrox on 29 December behind them. In terms of the derby
dunt, Sinclair, who took his goal tally in an up-and-down season to 11 at the weekend, maintained it won’t enter 
their thoughts post-winter shutdown.

“That’s gone now, we’ve forgotten that,” said the 29-year-old winger. “All we can do is look forward to our games. Anything that happened last year, or in the past, is behind us.”

What is in front of Celtic is a period
when new faces can bring a fresh impetus. Weah did that in a vibrant 20-minute cameo that was topped off with a smart, first-time finish that completed the scoring and led the 18-year-old US international to speak of an “insane” first outing following his six-month loan move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Other debutant Oliver Burke – the West Bromwich Albion loanee played through the middle with Odsonne Eduoard out injured and new permanent signing Vakoun Issouf Bayo yet to complete his paperwork – couldn’t bring the same brio as Weah. Sinclair acknowledged, though, that in terms of attackers with pace and power he and James Forrest are now members of a quartet.

Sinclair doesn’t buy that the increased competition will ensure that he and the other frontline mainstays from the Rodgers era will be 
given a necessary jolt.

“[They are two young hungry players] but I’m still hungry,” he said. “It makes for great impact for us. You saw Tim’s pace when he came off the bench and obviously he adds a goal as well. He’s sharp, he’s got skill, and it’s great to see.

“He’s at a new club and he’s keen to do well. And it is the same with Olly – he is a powerhouse and he is just as quick, and I’m sure we’ll see more of him as well.”

What Sinclair pledges Celtic supporters can also expect to see more of is his penalty-taking expertise. In the past six weeks he has missed twice from the spot, and scored once, with the club failing to convert three of their past four awards. Airdrie keeper
David Hutton made a brilliant one-handed stop down to his left to deny Sinclair with the tie goalless after half an hour but the Celtic man had the last laugh by burying two follow-ups from close in that resulted from 
Hutton knocking out balls that flew his way.

“You always get those games,” added Sinclair. “But it is up to me now, with the experience I now have, if you miss a chance or miss a penalty
you just get on with it. I think you saw that I just kept going and my goals came. I’ve taken some important penalties since I’ve been here, I can think of numerous occasions. I’ll always step up, I’ve always got that confidence, and the next time I’ll put it away.”

Sinclair should have had a hat-trick when he pounced to knock in another Hutton palm-away, only to be wrongly flagged offside.

“It was as clear as day to me. I couldn’t believe it because it seemed to me at the time that I was at least a couple of yards onside. So it is a bit disappointing.”