SANDMAN’S DEFINITIVE RATINGS: CELTIC v ST JABBERWOCKY…

Brendan Rodgers meeting Pope Francis

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Viljami Sinisalo. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
VINDALOO – 6.5/10 – Not often keepers take advice from Jamesy but ‘just the tip,’ had Vinny making a peach of a stop to keep the clean sheet. Zero chance with the disallowed rasper but his easy day in the Hampden sun was to be enjoyed after he’d remained sharp and quick on his feet during the level half hour.

Greg Taylor. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
GREGGS THE BAKER – 7.5/10 – Mr.Organisation brings something extra to the team when he’s tuned-in, baffling the haters. It’s his positional awareness, for the back of the class – the part of the game he slaved to perfect under Ange. Which affords great linkage with Daizen/A.N Other winger, and – exemplified in two goals – creates channels down the inside-left for advancing midfielders to exploit, overload and punish the opposition; e.g Reo, Scales and Calmac. Sign him up.

Alistair Johnston. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
WAYNE GRETZKY – 7.5/10 – ‘Blitzed by The Moose’ – that’s the Perth episode of Countryfile’s title. Only used to horses and livestock, the farmers didn’t see the world’s largest deer coming. Or they’d have had their man-servants shoot him. Aggressive and intuitive to win the ball and set up the opener, crowned his day with a terrific assist for the fifth.

Liam Scales. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
OF JUSTICE – 7.5/10 – Almost a meritocracy when you see a centre-back retain his place. And this type of game was well-suited to Liam’s cultured left foot; Time to stride forward and pick a winning pass – ideal for the Barndarig Beckenbauer, and he exploited every yard of space to play as virtually a fourth or fifth midfielder. Not that he was lapse in his defensive duties – two sprightly interventions early as they got the first corner of the game and our minds raced back to the aberration a fortnight ago; Liam was the Celt most alert to danger.
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