Celtic swept aside a poor Motherwell side in the Last 16 of the Betfred Cup, winning 5-0.
Scott Sinclair is an excellent signing
The 27-year-old striker only joined the Hoops last weekend, but already he is showing what a shrewd bit of business Brendan Rodgers has pulled off.
Scott Sinclair signed from Aston Villa for £3.5 million
Sinclair was almost unplayable at times against a Motherwell defence who won’t be able to forget tonight quickly enough.
It was his searing pace that won the penalty, and his goal was fitting reward for a superlative performance. His link-up play with Rogic and Dembele was a joy to behold.
Rogic wasn’t bad either
Although Sinclair was given the Man of The Match award, Rogic was equally devastating in attack.
Playing in the attacking midfield role, he made a beautiful diagonal run to get on the end of Callum McGregor’s chip pass to score the first of Celtic’s five goals.
He forced saves out of the Motherwell goalkeeper throughout the evening, cutting in on his left foot with aplomb. He deserved more than one goal, and he finally scored a second when James Forrest’s shot was parried, leaving the Australian with a simple tap-in.
Rogic (L) will have a lot to smile about if he carries on like this
Rogic only signed a new three-year deal yesterday, but on the basis of this showing, Celtic fans will want to keep him for longer than that.
Rodgers has released the shackles
Celtic were very impressive tonight. They had 28 attempts on goal, of which 20 were on target. The scoreline said 5-0, but it could easily have been more.
Against a narrow Motherwell outfit, Rodgers’ side played with speed and width, using Janko and Izaguirre on the overlap throughout.
With skipper Scott Brown dictating play from deep, and with Rogic in imperious form higher up, his strike force were able to make incisive, diagonal runs at pace. The Motherwell defence simply didn’t know what to do.
Rodgers when he was unveiled as Celtic manager
July’s defeat out in Gibraltar seems a forgotten memory for Rodgers, who has invigorated his charges to play an exciting brand of football.
Motherwell need Craig Samson
That Motherwell only conceded five goals was down to goalkeeper Craig Samson.
The 32-year-old made a string of excellent saves, ensuring that 15 of Celtic’s shots on target didn’t make it into the net.
Without him, it could have been even more embarrassing for a Motherwell side that seemed devoid of pace, width or a game plan.
Manager Mark McGhee will need to do something if his side are to challenge the top teams.
Celtic mean business
The Bhoys last won the League Cup in 2014/15. Based on tonight’s performance, Rodgers is looking to launch an assault not only for league victory, but also for cup victory.
Beat Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and who knows…
With the first leg of their Champions League qualifier coming up against Hapoel Be’er Sheva on Wednesday, Brendan Rodgers is looking for success with the club in his first season, and on multiple fronts at that.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
