Celtic in cruise control as Rangers failings are cruelly exposed

Yet, the scoreline in the League Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden yesterday afternoon was misleading.

For the gulf between the Parkhead club and their Ibrox counterparts, both on the park and off it, is now yawning.

Perhaps, in fact, as great as it has ever been.

A Leigh Griffiths header in the tenth minute and a Kris Commons long-range screamer after half an hour gave Ronny Deila's side a richly deserved 2-0 victory.

They will take on Dundee United at the National Stadium in the final next month with high hopes of lifting the trophy - and completing the first leg of a potential domestic Treble.

The Scottish champions attacked with pace and purpose on a disgrace of a playing surface, bossed the midfield and defended with confidence and composure.

Craig Gordon in the Celtic goal was in serious danger of catching hypothermia and being rushed to the Victoria Infirmary on a bitterly cold February day due to his lack of involvement. He didn't have a single save of note to make.

Rangers were second best in every area. They gifted their opponents chances at the back, had no answer to the physicality of Nir Bitton and Scott Brown, and failed to create a solitary scoring opportunity.

Sure, they fared better in the second half when caretaker manager Kenny McDowall took off Fraser Aird, brought on Jon Daly and switched from a 4-1-4-1 formation to a 4-4-2.

Yet, by that stage in proceedings, the game was as good as won. Their rivals sat back in the second half, protected their lead and attempted to add to their goal tally on the counter.

The top-flight leaders had been able to weigh up just what they were up against in the opening exchanges of the first Old Firm game in three years. Once ahead, they switched into cruise control.

Given the rude, good health of the Celtic bank balance, and the ongoing financial difficulties that Rangers are wrestling with, it is hard to foresee an occasion any time soon when the latter will compete as equals with the former.

It was obvious from this one-sided outing that certain individuals at the SPFL Championship club are incapable of competing at the level demanded of such an institution.

The Gers are, with a couple of exceptions, comprised of honest journeymen professionals, raw and inexperienced youngsters and ageing stars. In stark contrast, the Hoops possess quality in every position.

How, though, do Rangers go about replacing them and bringing in others who are up to the challenge when such a massive schism exists between their followers and those who occupy in the boardroom?

The success of the EGM that major shareholder Dave King has called was always important. This game simply underlined just how vital it is that there is a change of regime if the Govan club is to flourish.

The jubilant Celtic supporters in the 50,000-strong crowd lapped up every minute of this occasion and revelled in their foes' current and past misfortunes.

"Ten-In-A-Row!" they chanted in a reference to the unprecedented period of league dominance they are anticipating in the years ahead.

A great deal can happen before that is achieved and the other leading Scottish clubs, not least Aberdeen and Dundee United, may have a thing or two to say about it.

However, on the evidence of this match, and others in the 2014/15 campaign, it is extremely difficult to envisage Rangers running them close for the Scottish title any time soon.

A moment just before half-time highlighted just what a mismatch it was. Celtic centre-half Virgil van Dijk advanced into the Rangers half with Nicky Law attempting to dispossess him.

The Dutchman swatted aside the challenge of the English midfielder without so much as breaking his stride and left his hapless opponent sprawling in the dirt.

The Scottish champions should have been further ahead, far further ahead, when they returned to their dressing room.

Van Dijk had headed over the crossbar from close range at a corner and Stefan Johansen had a shot blocked by the outstretched legs of Steve Simonsen.

Referee Craig Thomson, too, blundered when he penalised Ian Black for a foul on Brown after the latter had sent Griffiths clear through on goal with a precise punt upfield.

The substitutions that each manager made in the second half of the match showed the superior strength in depth that Celtic had over Rangers.

Deila brought on James Forrest, John Guidetti and Adam Matthews for Anthony Stokes, Griffiths and Mikael Lustig respectively. All three are current internationalists.

McDowall, meanwhile, replaced Aird with Daly and put on Nicky Clark for Kenny Miller. Kris Boyd, Seb Faure, Dean Shiels and David Templeton remained on the bench,.

The former Partick Thistle and St Mirren player, who could never have imagined leading Rangers out on such a momentous occasion, did the best he could with the resources at his disposal.

The Rangers fans stayed inside the ground en masse until Thomson blew his whistle for the end of the match despite what they were witnessing.

If that sort of devotion can be properly harnessed by directors and shareholders they trust, then they can feasibly recapture former glories in the future and challenge for silverware in the three main competitions.

But as things stand, Celtic are head and shoulders above Rangers - and don't look to be in danger of being caught any time soon.

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