Sky Sports pundit stunned with Celtic display; thinks teams are now "terrified" of Ange's Hoops

By David Walton

February 7, 2022

Sky Sports pundit Alex Neil believes managers in Scotland would now take a 2-0 defeat before they’ve even kicked off in games against Celtic.

The Hoops have been in scintillating form this season and haven’t lost a domestic match since September. The results have led to Ange Postecoglou’s side reigning supreme at the top of the Premiership.

Celtic have managed to win all 6 of their matches in 2022 so far, with Hibernian, Hearts, and Rangers all put to the sword in impressive fashion.

And after watching the Hoops totally dismantle Motherwell yesterday, former Preston and Hamilton boss Neil believes teams in Scotland will now be absolutely terrified of the Bhoys.

Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event [06/02, 3:33pm], Neil said: “I think Celtic at the moment haveing watched them, this is as good as I’ve seen Celtic playing in a long long time. I think for the last 20 games. I think teams in the league will be terrified of Celtic. Teams will be going, particularly at Parkhead, they’ll be going there thinking ‘I’ll take a 2-0 loss before this even starts just now’. That’s how good they are.

“That’s the one thing that nobody’s done yet [stop the Celtic frontline]. Ange’s style of play has been really, really difficult for people to handle so far. Nobody’s come up with the solution to try and counter it. What I will say though is that’s extremely difficult when you’ve got the quality of players Celtic have got.

“The only one that can rival them in terms of squad strength would be Rangers. So when you look at it, I think Celtic at the moment look unstoppable for me.”

Celtic picking up momentum at just the right time in the season

Whilst it could be a stretch to say managers will take a defeat before they face Celtic, you’ll do well to remember a Hoops squad brimming with this amount of talent in it.

Not since the Martin O’Neill days have Celtic been so stuffed with quality. At the start of the season there was more hope than there was expectation that we would overcome certain challenges in the league. Going to Fir Park, for example, was a game you simply hoped we would turn up for.

However, Ange has managed to replace that with firm expectation. We now watch Celtic expecting them to blow away the opposition in convincing fashion. Expecting them to absolutely stroll to victory and secure clean sheets en route.

Perhaps there’s an unwanted arrogance in that. But as long as that doesn’t seep into the players’ minds then it isn’t damaging. For supporters, we have every right to be lapping all of this up after the year we’ve had to go through.

Motherwell didn’t look like a team that was in fear of Celtic yesterday. Instead, they simply looked like a team who just couldn’t cope with our attacking threats and footballing intelligence. They couldn’t halt Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate from consistently finding space.

What Celtic do to teams, however, will now begin to strike fear into the opposition. If you’re Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass ahead of Wednesday night, you can’t say this is one you’re looking forward to.

In other news, Celtic player says Ange is teaching him a new role he’s never experienced before