The perfect storm descends on Ibrox, as Celtic and Aberdeen create an unbridgeable gap at the top of the table
10/31/2024 07:43 AM
People will wonder why I’ve said in my headline that the gap between the top of two of the Scottish Premiership and the Ibrox side is unbridgeable.
Well, the reason I say this is because in the last two seasons, Celtic created gaps of that magnitude between us and the Ibrox side.
While hapless Philippe Clement may have come close to bridging the 7 point gap he inherited last season, it ultimately proved too much for him in the end.
Michael Beale was incapable of bridging the 9 point gap he inherited the previous season.
So effectively, last night, an unbridgeable gap was created between the top two and the Ibrox side.
If Clement survives this latest defeat, it is blatantly obvious he is incapable now of achieving any better than third place this season.
If he is sacked, another “gap” is inherited by the incoming manager.
Aberdeen have proven by defeating the Ibrox side that they are title contenders this season.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt now.
Not only can they dig in when it’s most required of them, they can also conjure up crucial goals when it matters most.
They might not play slick, attractive football, but they are fighters, and they know what it takes to dig out results in games.
They possess a grit and determination that has to be taken seriously.
And that is the hallmark of a Championship contender.
They have shown what they are capable of against the traditional top two in the Scottish Premiership.
Have they split the Glasgow duopoly?
Well, that remains to be seen.
But it can no longer be said Aberdeen are not in this title race, they proved beyond a shadow of doubt last night that they are.
Celtic cantered to a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over a well organised and stubborn Dundee outfit.
It took a raft of substitutions in the second half for the home side to get into their stride.
But once the first goal went in, there was only going to be one outcome after that.
Without breaking much of a sweat, Celtic went about their business efficiently, securing another important 3 points.
Last night was very much about squad rotation.
It gave Brendan Rodgers a good opportunity to get a decent look at his fringe players.
We saw glimpses of the Luis Palma we saw last season, and being honest, the Honduran was unlucky not to score what would have been a well deserved goal.
Yang Hyun-Jun had a busy game on the wing, and proved that he still has something to offer too.
His last contribution before being subbed off was providing an assist for Celtic’s opening goal from Alistair Johnston.
Watching the game at home, it was very hard for me to resist switching over to the game between Aberdeen and the Ibrox side.
Once Celtic went two up, the flicking of the remote became a lot more frequent!
The game at Pittodrie was a fantastic advert for Scottish football.
An electric atmosphere from the home crowd, and a pulsating game on the field of play provided gripping viewing.
Make no mistake, last night’s win for Aberdeen sent shockwaves through the Premiership.
They have injected the kind of life into the league that has been missing for almost 40 years.
Jimmy Thelin is proving to be an excellent manager, and he’s setting records at Aberdeen.
They are now in uncharted territory after their 9th win in 10 in the league.
Scottish football needs this.
It’s needs a team from outside Glasgow to provide a new challenge.
And it’s happening.
After last night, it’s real now.
That the Ibrox side are the victims of it, makes it all the more appealing.
The perfect storm has now descended on Ibrox.
I think most people had the feeling last night that Aberdeen had it in them to beat Clement’s team.
There was something in the air at Pittodrie before kick off.
An air of confidence that has been missing for a long time in the Granite city.
This result could spell the end for Clement.
The klanbase have lost all faith in him, and they are desperate for him to go.
Follow Follow was in uproar after the final whistle at Pittodrie.
As far as they’re concerned, Clement is gone, and all they’re talking about is who the next manager will be.
That’s pretty presumptuous of them, isn’t it?
Considering their beloved club is about to borrow £4 million to keep the lights on, where do they imagine they’re going to conjure up the funds to pay Clement off if he’s shown the door?
Another harsh reality they’re incapable of facing.
Kevin Muscat is the bookies favourite, closely followed by Derek McInnes and Steven Gerrard.
Many of them see Gerrard as their saviour.
Rumours this morning are saying that Gerrard has already been sacked from his current side Al-Ettifaq.
The Record states he has not, despite losing a King’s cup tie to second tier Al-Jabalain.
That’s in addition to 5 losses in the Saudi pro-league.
How the Ibrox support believes that this guy could solve their problems is beyond me, but hey, who am I to question their infinite wisdom?
I guess one Covid title buys you a free pass?
I’m sure today we’ll hear that Clement has been given the dreaded vote of confidence from the ever-dwindling Ibrox board.
In reality, things could not be much worse over there.
With the disastrous accounts released on Tuesday, followed by a loss that has effectively ended their title challenge, things are looking bleak.
They are in the midst of the perfect storm.
This doesn’t get any better for them, any time soon.
Even if they bring Muscat, McInnes, or Gerrard in, they inherit the 9 point gap.
Prospects for this season’s title are gone.
Gerrard is a chequebook manager, if he comes in, do they think or imagine he’ll perform miracles with the current squad?
McInnes’ style of play is boring and turgid.
He’ll turn the current squad into a bunch of long ball, hammer-throwing, ankle-breaking merchants.
Impossible to break down, and rancidly boring to watch.
They’ll hack teams to pieces, and they’ll be ably assisted by the likes of Beaton, Robertson, Dickinson and McLean.
And Muscat?
Who knows what they’d get with him?
But if they think it’ll be an Angeball style of play, they’d better think again.
Add to that, Muscat will probably dip into the Chinese Super League for recruits.
Initially, the Ibrox hoards will lap this up, thinking he’s following the same template Ange did with our Japanese acquisitions.
Then they’ll realise very quickly that Chinese players are not quite at the same level as Japanese players.
By the time that dawns on them, Celtic and Aberdeen will probably be out of sight again.
So, even if they manage to kick Clement to touch, which they so desperately want now, these are their options.
Limited options, I should say.
Some of them are saying they’d love David Moyes to take the job.
Which really smacks of desperation, considering Moyes’ Celtic connections.
I sincerely doubt David Moyes would wish to destroy his relatively respectable reputation by heading down the same road pretty much every Ibrox manager has headed down since 2012.
To oblivion.
The reality is that the Ibrox side is headed to a destination they’ve been dodging for 40 years or so.
It’s called living within your own means.
The land of self-sustainability, solvency, and cost control.
As per UEFA’s financial sustainability system.
I touched on this in yesterday’s article.
You know?
The rules that every other football club in the Scottish Premiership abide by?
This is a harsh reality for the klanbase, and one they’re struggling to come to terms with.
Now we’re beginning to see the real Ibrox operation, stripped of it’s steroids.
And it is but a shadow of it’s former fake self.
In 2012, this club had a chance to do things right.
They chose not to.
They chose to try and be something they’re not, and that’s Rangers 1872.
As a result, they’re headed down the exact same path as the old club.
Unless they reel it in now.
Before it’s too late.
In a hole of £140 million, you wonder if it’s too late already?
The perfect storm….
The post The perfect storm descends on Ibrox, as Celtic and Aberdeen create an unbridgeable gap at the top of the table appeared first on Read Celtic.
