00:00Good evening from Celtic Park. Mark Atkinson, Sports Manager of the Scotsman, here reporting from a 1-0 win for the Champions in their Premiership Curtain Raiser against St Mirren.
00:13It required an 87th minute deflected goal from Luke McCowan to give Celtic a 1-0 victory.
00:20They deserve to win, there's no question about that. They were much the more dominant team, had many more chances, far greater XG,
00:27hit the woodwork three times before finally scoring.
00:31But this wasn't quite the scintillating, swashbuckling performance that we've seen from Celtic in recent Curtain Raisers.
00:39In fact, I thought they were a level beneath what they were 12 months ago, at least, when they beat Kilmarnock 4-0 in the equivalent fixture,
00:46especially in the final four. Defensively, Celtic were fine today, no real issues at all.
00:50But going forward, in their front line of Dyson Mida on the left, Yang Kunjan on the right and Ademida in the central number nine.
00:56They just weren't quite at it. Ademida missed a couple of good chances.
01:00Yang didn't produce and Mida actually looked strangely off it as well.
01:04And when you look to the bench, there's not enough depth.
01:10And the manager desperately needs some new players in that final third.
01:14For games like today against St Mirren, probably get away from it.
01:17But what will happen when the Champions League playoff comes around in a couple of weeks' time,
01:21Celtic, and we'll find out their opponents in Monday's lunchtime draw.
01:26That'll be fascinating to see who they get and whether that sparks any further recruitment into life.
01:31There's no doubt that the Rodgers wants more in the final third.
01:34They haven't adequately replaced Kyoko Furuhashi or Nicolas Kun, two vital players from last season.
01:40But the reality is the Champions showed why they are Champions.
01:44Relentless spirit to try and find the winner.
01:46They actually had a goal disallowed from captain Callum McGregor before Luke McCown eventually broke St Mirren's resistance with a defighted effort.
01:54St Mirren played well.
01:55What do you expect from St Mirren?
01:57Disciplined, hard work, determined, really, really structured team.
02:02They didn't carry too much threat in the final third.
02:04But as the clock ticked down, you did wonder if they were finally going to get a result here.
02:09In the end, it was a sore one for them to take.
02:11Almost team Robinson was proud.
02:13Brendan Rodgers actually thought performance was pretty good.
02:15I'm not entirely convinced everyone will agree with him.
02:18Benjamin Negrim was given a debut in midfield.
02:21He was busy without being brilliant.
02:23And Rio Hattate also played quite well, but again, couldn't quite unpick that St Mirren midfield and defence.
02:32Nevertheless, after the opening weekend of the season, Celtics sit on three points.
02:36And they are already two points clear off Rangers, their nearest title rivals,
02:40after they dropped points against Motherwell less than 24 hours earlier.
02:44And I suppose, at the end of the day, that will please Rogers no end.
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