CELTIC’S relentless accumulation of goals continued at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon when, despite their leading scorer Kyogo Furuhashi being relegated to the bench by a minor injury, they fired four past Aberdeen.
Ange Postecoglou’s team, who eased to victory thanks to an early Callum McGregor strike, a Reo Hatate double and a late Liel Abada effort, have now netted on 106 occasions in all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign.
Since club football resumed after the Qatar 2022 break back in December, the Scottish champions have been on target no fewer than 44 times in 14 competitive outings.
Celtic’s willingness to attack, industry and ingenuity in midfield and ruthlessness in the final third have endeared them to their supporters and ensured they have once again dominated this term.
“We always want to score as many goals as possible and win by as many as possible,” said centre half Carl Starfelt following a win which maintain their nine point lead over second-placed Rangers in the cinch Premiership table. “It was a really strong performance which gives us confidence going forward.”
The holders will not be lacking in self-belief when the Viaplay Cup final against their city rivals kicks off at Hampden on Sunday after stretching their unbeaten domestic run to 23 games with an impressive all-round display.
Especially with Furuhashi, who showed the shoulder knock he had suffered seven days earlier against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup was not too serious when he came off the bench against Aberdeen in the second-half, set to return to the starting line-up.
But where would McGregor and his team mates be without the defensive solidity provided by Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Starfelt and Greg Taylor at the back?
Celtic prevented the visitors from getting a single shot on target during the 90 minutes and kept their eighth clean sheet in 11 matches at the weekend. Having a settled back four has been every bit as important to their success this term as their potency up front.
“It is a huge part of our game,” said Starfelt. “We like to stop the teams high up the pitch if we can do it which is why you don’t see too many clearances inside the box or too many dangerous situations.
“It is because we are on the front foot and really defending in their half of the pitch. Defensively, it is the foundation of our game to work really hard. Everyone works hard defensively so we can win the ball high up the pitch.
“It is important to have good communication, understanding and relationships, especially in the back four. We have been able to keep the core since Ange came in which is positive and we have a really good understanding of what we want to do.
“We also have very good relationships in the back four and all over the pitch. Hopefully it makes it easier for players who have come in like Alistair because it is really clear what we need to and it makes it easier for them that we play very well together.
“We have really good confidence within the squad because we have been scoring a lot of goals. But we have not been conceding many goals either. We have a great squad and great competition within the squad and training has been outstanding. So we will go in (to the final) with a high confidence and a belief in our game.”
Rangers manager Michael Beale has, with Antonio Colak, Alfredo Morelos, Fashion Sakala, Kemar Roofe and James Tavernier all available, no shortage of players who can trouble the Celtic defence at his disposal now.
Swedish internationalist Starfelt, though, is determined to help Postecoglou’s team to retain the trophy and keep alive their chances of completing a fifth treble in seven years.
“It is a big game and we are very excited for it,” he said. “Every trophy means a lot to us so we will always try to win as much as we can. It is a big game and we are looking forward to it a lot.
“I don’t know how it will play out. We will go in to play our football and give everything to win the game. How will it play out? We will see on the day. It is too difficult to predict. We will go in to play our football and with our game plan and we will see.
“All finals and all trophies are really big so it will obviously be big for the club, for the team and for the fans to win it. We will have a good week of preparation and then we will do everything on the day to win it. It is a big thing to never relax but to always be focused and concentrated.”
It is not just the strikers who get on the scoresheet at Celtic. Japanese midfielder Hatate made the difference at the weekend in the absence of his compatriot Furuhashi with well-taken goals in each half. Starfelt stressed that every player is expected to contribute.
“He (Hatate) was really good and scored two goals,” he said. “We have a big and strong squad and I think against Aberdeen the substitutes came on and contributed in a very good way. That is important. We don’t just have 11 players, we have other players who can come on and play well.”
The last League Cup final involving Celtic and Rangers back in 2019 was decided by a goal from centre half Christopher Jullien and Starfelt confessed he would like to emulate his old club mate at Hampden on Sunday.
“That would be nice!” he said. “In these games you need 100 per cent concentration in every situation - it can be a set-piece, it can be a counter-attack, it can be anything. So you need to concentrate. I will do my best.”
