Celtic enjoyed an almost total domination over Aberdeen in Saturday’s League Cup semi-final win at Hampden.
Celtic’s 6-0 victory over Aberdeen was probably one of the best performances of the season from a Brendan Rodgers team that just did not let up.
The Hoops controlled much of the 90 minutes at Hampden in a game that left Willie Miller fuming about Aberdeen’s capitulation to Celtic in what was the Pittodrie side’s biggest game of the season.
But the Dons’ performance wasn’t the only thing that left Miller raging as he questioned the first-half Celtic stats whilst on duty with the BBC.
Aberdeen ‘no threat’ as Celtic possession stats ‘can’t be trusted’
The Aberdeen legend was picking the bones of his old club’s defeat to Celtic when he admitted that he was stunned at what the first-half possession stats were being reported as.
Miller told BBC Sportsound, “Aberdeen were no threat as well. Celtic controlled the game, they had all the possession. Who gave the possession stats at 67%?
“It looked about 90% for Celtic in the first half. So I don’t know if whoever’s doing the statistics can be trusted. Certainly, my eyes didn’t agree with them.
“So Celtic dominate the game the first 30 minutes or so before the first goal and it looked as though Aberdeen could keep them quiet.”
Willie Miller names four Celtic players who were a ‘threat’ to Aberdeen
Every Celtic player that turned out at Hampden was superb in the Aberdeen but Miller singled out four of Brendan Rodgers’ team that caused real problems for the Pittodrie club.
“But thereafter, when Celtic hit that top form,” Miller continued, “Maeda doing what he’s capable of doing, Kuhn with those driving runs forward, Kyogo just in the box just being a threat.
“McGregor just being the conductor, just controlling the whole midfield with nobody getting near him and it doesn’t help when Nielsen gives a ball away on a couple of crucial occasions as well.
“One, he gives a ball away, the other one, he dives into a tackle, and you know, for the Kuhn run towards the two centre backs.
“So, a lot to learn for Aberdeen. It’s been all good news so far, this is a setback.”
Looking at the BBC match stats for the game it’s not hard to see where Miller is coming from:
- Possession 53% Celtic
- Shots on target: 8
- Shots off target: 3
- Aberdeen saves: 2
The possession stats don’t seem to do Celtic’s dominating performance justice but the fans and Rodgers won’t care.
All they will care about is that Celtic have the chance to win the League Cup against Rangers and pile more misery onto the Ibrox club this season.
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