Celtic Enjoy Home Comfort But Arduous Journey Awaits

Celtic are astir to group disconnected to Kazakhstan connected nan astir important travel of their season.

They do truthful connected nan backmost of 3 goals, 3 points and a decent-enough display, from a much-changed squad against Livingston, which keeps up nan Scottish champions' cleanable home start.

Amid each that astatine Celtic Park connected Saturday, location was immoderate of nan stodginess that characterised nan drab goalless first limb against nan Kazakhs and much grumbling from nan fans.

And location were much gentle reminders from Brendan Rodgers afterwards that he is not wholly thrilled by nan club's recruitment activity this summer.

The Celtic head cognize his broadside will person to beryllium near-flawless aft a nine-hour formation crossed respective clip zones to nan power of Almaty, wherever they'll spell caput to caput pinch Kairat connected Tuesday successful a £40m, winner-takes-all Champions League shoot-out.

The are they fresh to return up a spot astatine European football's apical array again this season?

Livingston adopted a akin attack to nan 1 Kairat utilized to frustrate Celtic, who were acold from their fluent champion successful an unconvincing first half but were overmuch improved aft nan break.

Given that nan protect line, midfield trio and beforehand 3 had either seldom aliases ne'er played successful those combinations before, it's possibly unsurprising location was a small unfamiliarity and deficiency of tempo to overmuch of nan first half.

In that period, Celtic were beautiful predictable, pinch their wide players coming wrong to an already congested area of nan last 3rd while Livingston watched them huff and puff successful beforehand of them.

The spot of nan Celtic chair speaks to nan bet Rodgers took pinch Tuesday successful mind. Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and James Forrest each sat connected nan bench, pinch Hayato Inamura fixed a debut astatine left-back and Shin Yamada his first Celtic commencement up front.

But what Celtic lacked glaringly until half-time was immoderate existent quality.

It was provided successful spades by Benjamin Nygren thereafter. The Sweden world glided past a mates of flailing challenges to group up, and score, nan opener and settee down an progressively restless Celtic Park.

In nan chaos of a crowded box, he past cooly recovered nan only disposable spot of Livingston's extremity successful which to curl nan decisive second. The relieved fans roared their appreciation.

Three goals successful his first 5 games is simply a dream start. Supporters screaming for large money to beryllium spent mightiness bespeak that it's often nan reasonably-priced options that supply nan champion value, fixed Nygren costs a reported £2m from Nordsjaelland.

At 1-0, nan cavalry arrived. McGregor, Maeda, Forrest were introduced. It continued nan wide upward inclination successful value being shown by Celtic, without overly tiring them retired earlier they committee Sunday's 10:00 BST formation to Almaty.

Celtic will consciousness they person respective gears yet to spell up.

They whitethorn good request them against a broadside who looked acold much threatening astatine Parkhead than Livingston did. No astonishment there. The Kazakhs person already beaten nan champions of 3 different countries, and will beryllium looking to make it four.

Rodgers paid tribute to nan supporters, acknowledging their support. Patience was nan watchword, fixed it took a adjacent while for nan goals to commencement flowing.

Significantly, pinch nan half-time scoreline goalless astatine Celtic Park for nan 3rd clip this season, location was nary audible dissent.

Just mild applause, possibly because Jerome Prior had conscionable pulled disconnected an unthinkable prevention to support retired Hyun-jun Yang's flying, point-blank header.

The applause and encouragement was amplified aft nan interval, nary uncertainty inspired by Nygren's contribution.

By mid-way done nan 2nd period, pinch Celtic 3 up and coasting, nan supporters were loving life. Game done, oppostion despatched, container ticked.

Not that everything was a complete furniture of roses for nan board sitting successful nan main stand. Hand-written banners were held up successful nan opinionated conception of Celtic Park, reference 'zero ambition', 'neglect team', 'rinse fans' and 'basic board'.

There were besides immoderate first-half chants of 'sack nan board', leaving nan level perfectly clear astir nan spot of emotion among immoderate of their own.

The grade to which that each either dissipates, aliases increases exponentially, will each travel down to nan result successful Kazakhstan connected Tuesday.

The Celtic head was mostly complimentary, and small wonder.

An wholly caller backmost 4 didn't concede. The striker getting his first commencement - Shin Yamada - looked lively, if a small rusty. The left-back not named successful nan European squad - Hayato Inamura - didn't look excessively retired of spot either.

"I'm really pleased. I thought it was a very bully performance," Rodgers said.

"We created opportunities and should person been up astatine half-time, but I deliberation our patience was important and nan crowd were terrific today."

All of that pales into insignificance alongside what is to travel successful nan adjacent week aliases so.

Not only nan matter of Almaty trip, but perchance a Champions League tie connected Thursday and a travel to Ibrox to look Rangers connected Sunday. Then, nan pursuing day, nan transportation model shuts.

"We want to beryllium successful nan Champions League and we person a awesome chance to spell complete location and qualify," Rodgers said.

"Apart from that first half connected Wednesday erstwhile we were a spot passive successful nan crippled - which happens - we're successful a awesome spot going complete there.

"There's nary uncertainty everyone tin spot wherever nan gaps are successful our squad, but nan players present are much than tin of going and getting nan consequence we want.

"We want to beryllium astatine nan highest level of European shot and Champions League is that. It gives a existent feelgood facet to everyone.

"We unrecorded for Celtic to beryllium nan very champion and erstwhile you person those opportunities you want to return them."