Celtic F.C. Eyeing 9th Consecutive League Title

The 7th instalment of Scottish Premiership is just around the corner, with less than 2 weeks separating us from the opening matches in the top tier of Scottish football.

As we eagerly await the first kick-off of the season, we can’t help but wonder if the Celtic’s era will continue into 2019/20 season as well, or will we finally see Celtic dethroned after 8 years.

Celtic’s Dominance

Celtic F.C. will enter 2019/20 season with high expectations, which is only normal for a team that has dominated the Scottish football scene for the last 8 years.

Not only have Celtic won the last 2 seasons of Scottish Premier League, the Hoops won every single title in the newly established Scottish Premiership, meaning no team managed to dethrone them for 8 long years.

While miles away from their glory days of the late 60s, early 70s when Celtic won their first European Cup (1966/67) followed by runners-up finish 3 years later,  the team is proving year after year they are a force to be reckoned with.

The fact that the closest Celtic ever got to losing their title in the last 8 years, came last season, when they held onto the no.1 spot since 17th round and still finished 9 points ahead of Rangers speaks volumes.

But it also raises the question; Can any team derail Celtic on their way to their 51st league title?

There is little to suggest Celtic will drop down from their throne anytime soon.

While the team went through a rather bountiful transfer window, which saw a total of 12 players leaving and 8 arriving, the “small rebuild” does not mean Celtic will come into 2019/20 season weakened in any way.

Some small “hiccups” at the start of the season are expected, however, when they get their wheels rolling and find their rhythm, they will return on their old trail, which led them to 8 consecutive titles.

the team went through a rather bountiful transfer window, which saw a total of 12 players leaving and 8 arriving, the “small rebuild” does not mean Celtic will come into 2019/20 season weakened in any way.

Some small “hiccups” at the start of the season are expected, however, when they get their wheels rolling and find their rhythm, they will return on their old trail, which led them to 8 consecutive titles.

Established Favourites Chasing New Heights

Some of the UK top betting sites seem to agree Celtic are the favourites to win another Scottish Premiership title (1.33), which is fair.

The team is not getting worse, on the contrary, they are getting better each year.

While there are some arguments to be made Rangers (3.00) have a legitimate chance to win Scottish Premiership, something will have to go terribly in Celtic’s squad for them to drop down to 2nd.

Nonetheless, we can expect a fierce fight between both halves of the Old Firm as there is more than just a title on the line.

As mentioned Celtic have won 8 consecutive titles. That means they are only 1 title short of reaching the historic record of 9 consecutive titles, which was set by Jock Stein’s team in the late 60s, early 70s.

The record was then tied by Rangers in 90s, and could potentially be reclaimed by Celtic this season.

While winning their 9th title in a row won’t bring Celtic to any new record, it will set them nicely to reach for 10 in a row the following year.

This does not only mean the 2019/20 season of Scottish Premiership promises to be an exciting one as it could serve as a gateway for a new record, but we also have to acknowledge that Celtic’s efforts to win the title could have a negative effect on their domestic cup competitions.

Scottish Cup in Question

Just like the title, Celtic are considered the favourites to win their 40th Scottish Cup in the upcoming season as well. Sitting at odds of 2.10, the Hoops are well ahead of Rangers (4.50) and even more so ahead of Aberdeen (15.00).

The odds fairly reflect the chances of teams winning, but as we have established, Celtic will most likely pay little attention to their domestic cup competition, especially if they feel like their league title is in danger.

he odds fairly reflect the chances of teams winning, but as we have established, Celtic will most likely pay little attention to their domestic cup competition, especially if they feel like their league title is in danger.

While it’s hard to imagine seeing Celtic having their title threatened, we have to mention again the Hoops could see a slow start of their league campaign.

They have brought many new faces to the squad, who need some time to get in sync. While there is no questioning Celtic’s quality, Rangers (4.50) seem like a better bet when the domestic cup is in question.

They might have not won the cup since 2015/16 season, but that was only because they could not get past Celtic, who they meet in the semi-finals in 2016/17 and 2017/18.

Another Season, Same Goals

Celtic goals have been set and it’s not hard to figure out what they are. To put it simply it’s; “win everything”.

What exactly will the 2019/20 Scottish Premiership season bring to Celtic is anyone’s guess, but should there be no huge surprises, the 9th consecutive title is most likely what Celtic will walk away with.

However, when it comes to their chances to win the domestic title, it will all come down to how well their league campaign goes.

Should they get a huge lead ahead of the competition early, the Scottish cup is not out of the question.

On the other side, if Celtic feel threatened, it should not come off as a surprise if they completely disregard the cup competition and focus solely on winning the league.

Prediction: Celtics to win the Scottish Premiership
Odds: 1.33

Prediction: Rangers to win the Scottish Cup

Odds: 4.50

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