You are here

Celtic: the season so far

The Brendan Rodgers era is well and truly underway – and Celtic are benefiting from his prowess and tactical astuteness in attack. The Bhoys have scored 15 goals in the first four games of the season, including five in their recent derby day victory over Rangers; a result that sent shockwaves across the Scottish Premiership.

Without doubt, Celtic are the best team in Scotland’s top flight and it would take a brave man to back against Rodgers’ side this year. At the time of writing, the reigning champions are priced at 1/8 in bet365’s SPL betting odds to retain their crown this season – and plenty of punters will expect the Bhoys to continue their prolific form over the coming months.

With a number of elite players in the squad, Rodgers has plenty of talent at his disposal. The likes of Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffith are among the top stars in the Scottish Premiership and these three men are capable of firing Celtic to the title. If nothing else, the Bhoys will overpower most of their opponents this season - just as they did against Rangers in their most recent encounter...

Despite suffering an embarrassing first leg defeat against Gibraltar champions Lincoln Red Imps in their first Champions League qualifier, Celtic were able to advance to the group stages of the competition and the Scottish side will now face Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach in what is widely regarded as the ‘group of death’. Clearly Brendan Rodgers’ men face a tough task to reach the knockout rounds...

However, the Bhoys won’t expect to reach the next stage – they are the weakest team in the group and Celtic will use these games for experience as they look to secure their status as the dominant force in Scottish football. At the end of the day, the Scottish Premiership is their primary aim and objective; and it is even more important this season as arch-rivals Rangers are back in the top flight.

But that doesn’t mean that Celtic shouldn’t take their Champions League fixtures seriously; in fact, they should look to make a major impact on the European stage. Facing the likes of Manchester City and Barcelona should give the Scottish champions a genuine opportunity to prove their worth on the big stage. And with Rodgers’ men in fine form and full of confidence right now, the Bhoys could cause problems for their superior opponents...

So far, so good for Celtic – but there is plenty of work to be done if Rodgers’ men are going to win the title. A decent showing in Europe would be a bonus but the Scottish Premiership crown has to remain Celtic’s number one priority this season. Watch this space; the Bhoys could be set for a glittering campaign.