SPFL: Week 10 Round up
Another eventful week in the Scottish Premiership has passed, bringing with it many talking points. Results saw ground made up in the quest for top spot and those struggling at the bottom continue to slip up.
The highs and lows in the Premiership are as dramatic as ever with Steven Glass finally tasting victory after a tough week for the club both on and off the park. Celtic and Rangers both came away with three points as this season’s title race looks to be much closer than we have seen in previous years.
Victory At Last for Aberdeen
The situation at Aberdeen has been one of great concern for fans .Before this week the club had not achieved a win since Matchday two of the league campaign away to Livingston. Since then, fans have grown increasingly impatient with the club’s horrific run of form, with new manager Steven Glass unable to put together a string of results. This weekend saw them finally register a 1-0 win against Hibs at Pittodrie. A huge result which does not immediately lift all pressure from the manager’s shoulders, but is a step in the right direction for the Dons.
After the calamity the club suffered midweek when Chairman, Dave Cormack, went onto BBC Sportsound in an attempt to give fans clarity on the situation but instead ended up in a petty squabble with host, Kenny Macintyre. This result alone will not be enough to appease fans as the club are now amidst a horror run of fixtures continuing with a trip to Ibrox on Wednesday. These next few weeks will be crucial for the Aberdeen boss, and it could be make or break already for his time in charge.
Dundee United Continue to Challenge
Many might have thought Dundee United’s choice to appoint Tam Courts to the top job after Micky Mellon’s departure to Tranmere was a strange one, but with the Arabs sat third in the table the critics are being silenced. Dundee United have put in some stellar performances this season already, with a win against then unbeaten Rangers at Tannadice and a well-earned draw at Celtic Park, it is of no doubt why they are sat so high in the table after 10 games. Tam Court’s well-oiled machine has showed no signs of slowing down after they saw off Motherwell in a 2-1 win. The question remains how long they can continue to push at the top of the table, as Hearts find themselves in second place and unbeaten.
However, Hearts allowed themselves to slip up in the shape of a draw with Dundee at home which could be an early indication that they are not in a state to compete for a full season.
Competition for top spots out with the old firm is a great thing to show the competitiveness of the league, although after seeing this sort of early season surge by provincial clubs before, the question remains, how long can this last?
Celtic at Winning Ways With Defensive Problems Slowly Fading
Much has been made of Celtic’s early season struggles to find form. Many in the media had new manager Ange Postecoglou under pressure already. Celtic struggled with injuries and away form continued to allude the side but now with a recent upturn in results, there is a renewed sense of optimism at the club. The Hoops now find themselves on a run of three straight wins in the league after a convincing 2-0 win over St.Johnstone at Celtic Park. The main critique of Celtic so far this season has been the leaky defence, which was shipping far too many goals and not keeping up with the standards of the team’s attack. New signings Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers have come under fire but as the weeks go on, they look to be forming a formidable partnership in the heart of the defence, keeping three consecutive clean sheets since the return from the international break.
The Celts continue to work away to climb the table, with their poor start to the season seeing them sit in fourth place. A tough test at Easter Road awaits Ange Postecoglou’s men and they will look to continue their fine vein of form and tick off another tough away day.
Four wins in a row has helped lift the mood at Celtic Park