Hearts 0 - 3 Celtic

Game of 2 halves really yesterday.

1st was what we'd came to expect from this team for most of last season and most of this.

Lacking any urgency, bereft of quality, sideways passing all in all I expected much better for a game of that magnitude we simply didn't look at the races and at half time I could see extra time and pens as a possibility.

Second half however with the 2 changes and McGregor dropping deeper we got into our stride and start looking again like the team of 2 season ago. Sometimes losing players to injury is a blessing and Ntcham going off was a blessing, he often slows the game down to his speed whereas McGregor in a deeper role always wants to move the ball quickly, his link up play with Christie/Rogic was brilliant.

Ratings

Bain (6) - Didn't have anything to do, hope he doesn't get bombed out for the final.

Lustig (8) - He gives us 5/6 performances a season where you remember why he was so loved at one point, this was one of them, passing was brilliant, he was up and down the line all day, defensively sound.

Ajer (8) - To come back in to a big game like that and perform as well as he did was fantastic, got caught on the ball a few times at the start but that's expected after so long out.

Benkovic (8) - Straight out of the Stubbs and VVD passing school , pinging balls on to toes all day long, looks a top talent.

Tierney (8.5) - ~Him and Sinclair were causing carnage second half down the left hand side, tbh he was probably the only player who looked like creating anything in the first half for us. What a boy.

Ntcham (3) & Eboue (3) - Didn't have any effect on the game and picking up injuries probably helped us.

Rogic (8) - 2 sides of Rogic, 1st half touch was off, ran into traffic everytime he got the ball, wanted to long on the ball. 2nd half it was the exact opposite. Such a silky player.

Forrest (7) - First half we was doubled up on and ineffective, 2nd half he started coming centrally to get on the ball and was the beneficiary of the tempo being upped by the introduction of Christie and McGregor to the middle of the park.

McGregor (7.5) - Was awful in the first half again like most he produced the opposite of what he produced in the first half, he even put a few decent corners in which was surprising.

Edouard (6) - Bit of a meh performance, should've had a hat trick but for some great defending but at times his touch was as poor as I can remember. We need a reliable back up striker.


Sinclair was fantastic, looked like the Sinclair of old, great bottle for the penalty and should've himself had a hat trick.

Christie finally announcing himself as a Celtic player, after putting in a terrific shift on Thursday he was probably unfortunate not to start, I think a 3 of him Rogic and McGregor could certainly work for home league games

Hendry - man of the match

Rodgers got the substitutions spot on they changed the course of the game, still disappointed in the lack of urgency again from the start. Not sure if the Naismith injury changed the game as much as Stewart was trying to make out but it certainly made our job easier