Despite doing his homework and analysis today’s opening Premier League fixture at Tynecastle will be a whole new experience for Brendan Rodgers.
John Kennedy and Scott Brown can provide a special insight into what is required at Tynecastle. The home supporters are far from happy over a Europa League ko to a team from Malta but the ‘welcome’ for Celtic won’t be diluted. They don’t like us!
Even Ronny Deila managed to get his side motivated for facing Hearts with the Norwegian winning in each cup competition, drawing once in the league before virtually clinching the title down Gorgie way in April.
With a new style of management and Hapoel Beer Sheva on the horizon it would be easy to lose focus on the importance of today’s points but that can’t be allowed.
After weeks of goading and hot air from Sevco the newcomers fell flat on their faces yesterday as they encountered real football for the first time ever. Celtic taking full points will put more pressure on the Magic Hat and his collection of waifs, strays and jailbirds to deliver on the park rather than in the media conference.
It’s usually one of the most entertaining fixtures of the season CLICK HERE to find out the key questions and battlegrounds that Celtic must win at Tynecastle.
DOMESTIC DUTIES
Without doubt reaching the group phase of the Champions League is critical to every are of Celtic.
However domestic matters can never be neglected and a win at Tynecastle would be a great boost for everyone going into the Hapoel Beer Sheva matches.
A year ago Celtic drew 2-2 at Kilmarnock then shipped in two late goals while 4-0 up at home to Inverness Caley Thistle. The Malmo home result wasn’t a surprise.
Playing on the front foot, delivering three points without mishap is the perfect tonic with Hapoel ten days away.
CAN O’CONNELL DELIVER?
It’s been a dream start to the season for Eoghan O’Connell but facing Hearts will be his biggest domestic test.
Over the course of a fortnight he has gone for a fringe player to first pick central defender in the plans of the new manager.
Tony Watt will be anxious to impress for a variety of reasons but O’Connell has the same target- another imposing performance today and Rodgers can start to think of a three man back-line of Sviachenko, Toure and O’Connell
CAN BROWN STILL DELIVER?
The Celtic skipper is facing more and more questions about his role in the Celtic side, on the evidence of the Astana games he quite fancies the challenge.
One through ball to Leigh Griffiths on Wednesday night was the sort of bass that he’s rarely struck in his Celtic career.
Brown seems to have a great knack of forging an instant relationship with new managers with Rodgers falling in line with Deila and Neil Lennon.
Tynecastle is a ground that Brown revels in, if he’s on full power Hearts won’t get a look in.
DISCIPLINE?
So far there has been little for Brendan Rodgers to concern himself with in terms of discipline but today’s match will certainly be a test.
There was a flare up in the closing stages against Astana but there will certainly be some flashpoints at Tynecastle.
Too often under Deila Celtic players looked the other way and wilted under confrontation. The way that they bounced back from losing a goal to Astana suggests that already there is more substance and character to this side.
SQUAD STRENGTH
Without Erik Sviachenko, Patrick Roberts and Nir Bitton the depth of the Celtic squad will be tested.
We all know that we have the numbers but do we have the quality?
There appears to be a number of replacements with O’Connell answering the emergency call for defenders, it’s upto other players to respond in the same way, take their chance and demonstrate that they don’t want to spend the season looking on from the substitute bench.