Aberdeen 0-3 Celtic

A measured performance from the Hoops saw them run out comfortable 3-0 winners at Hampden in a display that told a familiar tale of Brendan Rogers reign to date.

Whilst the likes of Dembele and Sinclair have been making the headlines, todays performance and victory was built on the foundation of the revitalised "old guard" at Celtic. Rogers said before the match that he would judge his legacy at Celtic based on the players he had improved rather than trophies or personal accolades.

It was therefore suitable that James Forrest and Scott Brown would take centre stage and drive the team towards their first silverware of the new managers tenure.

With the mercurial Scott Sinclair ruled out through injury the big question was if Forrest could produce the magic (and the goals) that his predecessor has so often conjured since his move across the border, on the biggest of domestic stages.

My mind couldn't help but wander back to the 2015 League Cup final where despite scoring, Forrest let his ego get the better of him to take a penalty off Griffiths, proceeding the top it all off by missing it. It left a sour taste on what should have been a great day for the club.

This was the game that exorcised those demons in my mind. From Brass neck to no neck no problem, he was the catalyst for so much of our best play. His performance was typified by the fact that he was tracking back to make a sliding tackle deep in the Celtic half near the corner flag to prevent a corner with 20 minutes to go. Unthinkable 6 months ago. He played a key role in 2 of our 3 goals on the day. His own goal was a superb run into space through the middle of the park taking the ball past 2 defenders to hit an angled drive past the despairing glove of Joe Lewis nestling into the bottom right hand corner of the keepers net.

A quality goal from a player transformed- people will rightly point out that his goal to qualify us for the CL was his best moment but for me this was the pinnacle of his Celtic career to date in terms of the complete performance.

The opening goal is critical in a cup final as it can dictate the flow of the game and it was a moment of magic from Celtics Australian Maestro. A driving run forward found Simunovic looking to lay the ball wide, the ball deflected back into no mans land and the Croat did well to stretch his big legs and decisively poke the ball wide to its intended target. Celtics playmaker cut inside on to his left foot and in that moment it was, Wham Bam, Thank You Tam, the Aussie unleashed a bending shot that found the gap between goalkeeper and his right hand post, curling into the same corner of the goal that Forrest would find later.

Aberdeen were a menace from set pieces and their best chance came from their centreback Anthony O'Connor who found himself free in the box in plenty of space only to glance the inviting ball in tamely towards goal which Gordon was able to parry with ease. A better connection and I think we would be looking at 1-1.

Having said all that Aberdeens play did not merit anything other than a defeat and their fate was sealed when James Forrest showed great desire to get on the end of a sliding pass inside the box, toe-poking it away from the onrushing O'Connor and being take out in the process. A routine penalty decision and Dembele was ice cool in sending the keeper the wrong way and cementing Celtic deserved place as Scottish League Cup Winners 2016

Our captain Brown played well, he dominated against what was a Dons midfield that were bullied into submission, the flair players within the Aberdeen ranks not given enough ball to really sustain a threat on the Celtic goal.

I was surprised by how easy we made it look. Aberdeen had their purple patch 10 minutes after the break but that was all they could muster. It wasn't the slickest Celtic performance I've seen but it was no doubt more than enough on the day.

(Perhaps I'm being unkind but Mikael Lustig loves a back pass, someone will be making a killing on the number of touches Craig Gordon gets)