Aiden McGeady- no end product?

It was the easiest criticism of Aiden McGeady.

There was an element of truth to it at times but equally the stats disputed that argument with McGeady top of last season’s SPL assists chart alongwith Steve Davis of Rangers.

The last two season’s at Celtic haven’t been much fun to watch, even less so to have played in.

Other than Scott McDonald McGeady had no one to help with his end product with the combined scoring rates of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Georgios Samaras, Marco Fortune nowhere near the Australian who was shipped off to Middlesbrough.

Add in a midfield that struggled to accumulate ten goals a season and it’s obvious that McGeady had precious few options to help his ‘end product’.

A burst of pace and quickly delivered cross 3:18

Looking at the start of his Spartak Moscow career it seems that the 24-year-old has found himself a set of team-mates more in tune with his thinking.

In two league matches he has set up two goals. On his debut against Saturn a seventh minute pass behind the defence sent Brazilian Welliton racing in on goal to put Spartak one up.

Yesterday, away to Spartak Nalchik it was a more familiar turn that sealed the points for the visitors.

A quick turn of pace to create a yard on the right wing was followed by a low cross into the penalty area for Ari da Silva to head across the goalkeeper into the net.

Although it’s only You Tube clips McGeady looks to have settled in quickly with his new team mates and to be enjoying the new challenge.

The attendances in the Russian league are nothing to write home about with under 30,000 watching McGeady’s two appearances so far but it seems fairly obvious that he’s not homesick for the prospect of four or five games with Inverness Caley Thistle or Kilmarnock and wondering how Ross Tokely or Frazer Wright have changed their game.

Winning the title looks to be beyond Spartak but a top three finish would bring about a place in next season’s Champions League qualifiers whilst last week’s 1-0 win away to Marseilles was the perfect start to the current Champions League campaign.

There are just over two months to go in the Russian league season with the Champions League programme stretching into December.

McGeady looks in the mood to maximise what’s left of the season and after avoiding the depths of the Russian winter should be raring to go again next season amongst a team that appreciates what he has to offer- including end products.

Celtic’s Academy bhoys on form for Scotland.

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