Leigh Griffiths sets ambitious target for Celtic this season

By John McGinley

August 12, 2019

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths thinks the Hoops can hit 100 league goals this season, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

The Hoops have managed to net 12 goals in two Scottish Premiership matches so far. Hitting St Johnstone for seven in the season opener, we banged five past Motherwell on Saturday.

Griffiths has played his part, scoring two of those 12.

Now he thinks the team can hit 88 more on the way to a century of league efforts.

As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the 28-year-old said: “Yeah, we’ve started with 12 in two games so it’s 88 to go! As long as we play on the front foot and create as many chances as we can we have players who can put the ball in the back of the net.

“Going forward we look a threat — every time we get in the opposition half we look like scoring.

“As long as we keep doing that, and creating chances, with players like myself, Odsonne, Oli, Ryan and Jamesy we’ll get goals from all areas of the team.”

Griffiths is right about everyone pitching in with goals. There are threats all over the team. Even Kristoffer Ajer got in on the act with a classy finish at the weekend.

How possible is it to score 100 league goals though?

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Century Bhoys

It’s a rare feat in Celtic colours despite our dominance of Scottish football over the last couple of decades.

In fact, the Hoops have managed to net 100 league goals just twice in the last 15 years.

The last time it happened came in the legendary ‘Invincibles’ season which resulted in Brendan Rodgers’ side destroying all opposition on the way to the first of our ‘treble treble’ triumphs. That year we scored an exceptional 106 in the Scottish Premiership alone, amassing 106 points along the way.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Prior to that, Lennon’s side managed it in the 2013/14 season. That’s interesting considering most people recognised at the time that the manager’s cycle as Hoops boss was coming to an end. Scoring 102 goals and winning 99 points though, Celtic were imperious in the Scottish Premiership, if not in the other competitions.

Heading further back than that you need to go back to the Martin O’Neill era to see that kind of scoring.

So can it be done? Certainly. Will it be? The odds are against it happening but Griffiths clearly feels his side have the firepower to go for it and more power to him.

If we manage it, nine-in-a-row would surely follow.