Celtic have found their rhythm over the last few weeks despite evident issues with consistency in performance under Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops are on a run of eight victories from their last nine matches, with their only stumble coming away to Pittodrie in a 1-1 draw earlier this month.
Results have sometimes masked the level of quality shown by Rodgers’ side during this period; however, the Bhoys have shown character to grind out regular wins at a crucial time in the season.
It is easy to forget that the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston have missed chunks of action due to injury, signifying that credit must go to the Hoops manager for his tactical flexibility.
Scotland international Greg Taylor has also been sidelined in recent times due to a calf strain, though will return to contention for the Scottish Premiership holders’ home clash against Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Without a doubt, everyone at Celtic now looks to be pulling in the right direction as they aim to retrieve a domestic double from a campaign that has produced its fair share of agony and ecstasy.
Brendan Rodgers notes one majorly frustrating factor at Celtic
Weathering the storm, Rodgers has managed to rotate his squad efficiently amid a spate of enforced changes due to injuries.
Nevertheless, the Irishman has also acknowledged that absences have become a majorly frustrating factor in his second spell at Parkhead, particularly within his backline.
When asked how big a problem having to struggle without several key personnel has been, Rodgers stated [Celtic Way]: “It’s a massive factor. Especially when you had two centre-halves who played together for nearly two seasons.
He then discussed Sunday’s victory over St Mirren, saying: “Our centre-halves did very well today. The big guy up front (Mikael Mandron) is a handful and there were a lot of direct balls.”
Celtic need to keep their momentum going
Belief taken from recent outcomes on the pitch is undoubtedly creeping into the psyche of individual players as they look ahead to the season run-in.
Stand-in central defender Stephen Welsh said as much in a recent interview discussing life at Parkhead, stating: “We speak before the game. The most important thing for the back four is to play well, keep a clean sheet. And when we do it in this team, we’ve got the quality up front to win the game so hopefully we can push forward now and continue the good form.”
Perfecting the basics will give the Bhoys a platform to continue building ahead for the remainder of the campaign, though maximum concentration will be needed to turn their aspirations into reality come May.
Rodgers and his squad will be aware they face a stiff challenge to retain their title from across the city; however, Celtic hold an advantage because many of their players have already been over the course.
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