YOU can set up to frustrate. You can keep the pitch dryer than the Atacama desert. Ultimately though, it seems there may be little the rest of the Scottish Premiership can do to put up any sort of resistance to Celtic when they’re in the mood.
It is hardly breaking news that Glasgow’s big two clubs enjoy a massive advantage over their domestic opponents, but the gap this year - even in these early stages of the season - appears especially cavernous.
It was almost a case of anything Rangers can do, we can do better from Celtic, as they responded to the Ibrox side’s 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Saturday with a an even more emphatic triumph of their own at Rugby Park.
The chasm between the haves and the have-nots is not the fault of Ange Postecoglou or his men though, who looked to thoroughly enjoyed their stroll in the baking Ayrshire sunshine, hitting three goals before the interval through a typically predatory Kyogo finish, a stunning Jota effort and an acrobatic effort from Moritz Jenz.
The returning Carl Starfelt scrambled home a fourth from a corner, before Giorgos Giakoumakis got in on the act with an overhead kick of his own to put the cherry on the icing on the cake with a fifth.
Celtic were a little more direct than usual on the day, and they brilliantly exploited the space between the Kilmarnock full-backs and centre-backs to wreak havoc with Derek McInnes’s gameplan, running in behind almost at will.
It didn’t take long for them to find a way through, and it was Kilmarnock old boy, the outstanding Greg Taylor, who was the architect.
The left-back picked the ball up in a central position on the turn, and played an incisive ball in-between Kille right-back Ryan Alebiosu and Ash Taylor to send Daizen Maeda scampering in behind. He got his head up and played the first-time cross into the path of Kyogo, who side-footed home via the post for his second in as many games with just seven minutes on the clock.
The hosts were holding on for a spell as they tried not to allow the game to slip away from them in the early stages, but gradually they managed to get a little closer to their opponents, and forced a couple of half chances after catching Celtic players in possession.
This Celtic team have a way of extinguishing hope just when the opposition think they might be onto something though, and boy did Jota step up and do that here.
The winger picked up the ball 30 yards from goal after being fed by Maeda, and just as he did against Aberdeen on the opening day, he unleashed a rocket that nestled into the keeper’s top right-hand corner.
He made a beeline for the photographers behind the goal, where he held up a tribute to Benfica legend Fernando Chalana – who died during the week - that was scrawled on his wristband. He is well on his way to earning similar hero status among the Celtic faithful himself.
Moments later, he should have killed the game stone dead, racing in behind once again but electing to shoot at Sam Walker instead of squaring for Maeda, who would have had a simple tap-in.
It mattered not, as the game was indeed over bar the shouting just before the interval, Callum McGregor picking up the scraps from a corner and having his shot blocked into the path of Jenz. The big defender had all the time in the world to take a touch, and he then produced an acrobatic finish worthy of any of his side’s attacking talents to get his own second in as many games.
It was almost four straight after the re-start, David Turnbull’s clipped free-kick delivery being glanced towards goal by Kyogo but cannoning off the bar and being scrambled to safety.
There was then the return to action for Starfelt after the hamstring injury that interrupted his pre-season preparations, Celtic manager Postecoglou taking no chances with Jenz after he had picked up a knock.
There were some early signs of ring-rust from the Swede, with his first contributions to pass the ball directly out of play and then overrun it to give up possession in a dangerous area, but Killie couldn’t capitalise.
Starfelt would settle down, and in fact, made a positive contribution at the other end, hovering around the back post to pick up a deep corner and finally force the ball passed Walker at the second attempt.
It would get even worse for Killie, as they failed to deal with a low cross from the right, succeeding only in knocking the ball up in the air invitingly for Giakoumakis. The big striker gobbled it up with relish, meeting the ball flush with an overhead kick and sending it rocketing past the hapless Walker.
It won’t be days like this that ultimately decide Kilmarnock’s fate in the Premiership, of course, but there were some worrying signs. They looked toothless up top, the defence failed to cope with the movement of the Celtic attack, while keeper Walker had a day to forget.
For Celtic, there are no such worries, and it appears there may be more than a few days like these between now and the end of the season.
