Rangers And Celtic Win As League Goes From Strength To Strength

The Scottish Premier League doesn’t get that much positive press outside of Scotland, and that’s a shame because it really is quite a competitive league.

Yes, Rangers or Celtic have won every league title since the mid 80’s, but there is a lot more to a league than the team that wins it.

The standard of football is growing in Scotland and every team I’ve seen this season play exciting football. The days of kick-and-run are long gone, with most teams more than capable of outplaying the Old Firm.

Sadly, without the squad sizes and facilities available to the Old Firm, it is very hard for the likes of Motherwell or Hearts to compete over an entire season.

Before this season started there were three teams tipped for relegation and three teams only.

Kilmarnock, who finished last season second bottom, Inverness Caledonian Thistle (the SPL’s smallest club), and Hamilton Academicals (newly promoted).

According to those in the know, these sides would fill the bottom three positions come May, but that simply doesn’t look like it’s going to be the case.

As things stand after yesterday’s fixtures all three sides are in the top half of the table.

Kilmarnock hadn’t conceded a goal before Saturday and were joint top of the league. Hamilton have now beaten Dundee United and Aberdeen and sit fourth. Inverness Caley Thistle sit sixth.

Quite an achievement for three sides with absolutely no money.

The bigger clubs are really struggling. Dundee United are winless and rock bottom. Hibernian, Aberdeen, and Motherwell all take up positions in the bottom half.

Not so long ago Scotland’s SPL was ranked 24th in Europe. Now it’s 10th, and it’s fully deserved.

Celtic’s Andreas Hinkel made the move from Sevilla to Celtic in January. Since then he’s proved to be Celtic’s consistent underperformer, and he’s really struggled in the SPL.

How is he rewarded?

Well a recall to the German national team, of course.

Are you telling me there isn’t a better right back at one of the 20 Bundesliga clubs? If not, then the Scottish Premier League looks even stronger.

So, to this weekend's matches.

Celtic started off proceedings with the early kick off at Fir Park. Motherwell had no answer to a brilliant first half performance which saw Celtic lead 4-0 at the break. Shaun Maloney, Georgios Samaras (2), and Scott McDonald got the goals.

Motherwell did recover in the second half and scored two goals through John Sutton and Clarkson. They may have won the second half 2-0, but it was simply too little, too late.

Kilmarnock travelled to Ibrox for their clash with Rangers in confident mood having not conceded a goal all season. Killie got off to a flying start too, as Frazer Wright gave the Ayrshire side a ninth minute lead.

It was only after half time that Rangers got on level terms. A Kris Boyd penalty set up an exciting final 30 minutes. Rangers didn’t need 30 minutes however, and were in the lead four minutes later—and it was that man Boyd again. The former Kilmarnock striker haunting is old side.

2-1 it finished.

New boys Hamilton travelled to Aberdeen for what was on paper a very difficult trip. Rangers had already failed to return from up north with a win, so nobody was really expecting much from Hamilton.

That would be their mistake though as Hamilton came from behind to win 2-1. McDonald’s goal for Aberdeen cancelled out by strikes from Graham and McCarthy.

Falkirk were rock bottom before the visit of Hearts but a last minute winner by Arfield earned all three points. Veteran former Hearts man Neil McCann had given Falkirk the lead, but Scotland’s Michael Stewart cancelled it out with a 20-yard strike.

Dundee United are yet to win this season after going down 2-1 to Hibernian in Edinburgh, as Steven Fletcher opened the scoring for the home side. United captain Lee Wilkie equalized, but this was Fletcher's day as he bagged Hibs all three points on 63 minutes.

Finally, there was history made in Inverness where Adam Rooney scored the SPL’s 6000^th goal.

Rooney’s goal opened the scoring for Caley Thistle against St Mirren. The Paisley side hit back in the second half however, with goals from Billy Mehmet and Brady gifting the Saints the points, spoiling Rooney’s party.

So 2-1 wins were the order of the day, and 21 goals in six games isn’t bad at all.

I told you it wasn’t that bad.