SOMEONE really needs to tell Virgil van Dijk that he is a centre-half playing in Scotland and therefore there are very strict rules he must adhere to.

Such players are not supposed to take free-kicks or take on long-distance shots.

They certainly shouldn’t be seen playing keepy-uppy during the warm-up and, as for back-heeling the ball through the legs of an opponent on the goal-line, spin around and then collect said ball and almost score! That's just bang out of order.

Central defenders in this country clear their lines by any means possible and leave the football to others. Who does the Dutchman think he is?

Well, as it happens, Van Dijk is a ridiculously talented player who should realise that while wanting to play in England is hardly a crime, he is better than Southampton, who are a more than decent team, and his coaches at Parkhead are right.

Stay at Celtic one more year, play in the Champions League – if the Hoops can overcome Swedish champions Malmo in the play-off round – get into the Dutch squad and that seriously big move will happen for this guy ... even if his manager thought he got a bit sloppy in the second half.

Van Dijk has started this season superbly and at Firhill he found it so easy ... maybe too easy.

Just ask Partick Thistle’s Liam Lindsay, who was left for dead by Van Dijk’s brilliant turn, which ended in a shot that was just wide, or anyone from the home side who tried to get past him.

If Deila is to achieve his goal of a Treble and, hopefully, a good crack at the Champions League, this player has to stay.

Another thing needed for Celtic this season is a strong squad and it would have pleased the Celtic manager that Tom Rogic came into the team, played well and scored, Kris Commons was back, he, too, scored, and Leigh Griffiths also looked sharp.

There was no Scott Brown, Charlie Mulgrew or Nadir Ciftci in the squad, yet this was still an easy Sunday.

Thistle cannot be judged on such a match. They played okay at times and will be better once they get all their players fit. But, in truth, this was a mismatch. In saying that, Alan Archibald's season is not about taking points off their city chums.

Only two minutes had gone when Celtic hinted what was about to come. The ball zipped between Stuart Armstrong, Griffiths and Emilio Izaguirre with the Honduran, looking a lot more like his old self, putting in a fine cross to the back post where Griffiths had got himself to and his header was just over.

Four minutes later and Celtic again created an opportunity when, after some more impressive passing, Armstrong found Commons on the edge of the box, and his first touch bought him some space, although his shot wasn’t strong enough to trouble Thistle keeper Tomas Cerny too much.

While all of this was going on, the home side were rightly aggrieved that Ryan Stevenson was not allowed on the pitch – he had spilled some blood following a challenge with Van Dijk – and, indeed, it did appear as if referee John Beaton had forgotten that the striker was on the touchline.

Someone who didn’t last the half was Armstrong, who was hauled off after 20 minutes. Young Callum McGregor replaced him, and he also did well. It made little difference to the pattern of the game.

On 25 minutes, Izaguirre made another good run and his cross picked out Griffiths, whose touch killed the ball that meant he got off a shot, which was blocked, and his resultant overhead kick was off target, although impressive nonetheless.

Then Van Dijk took on a shot from 25 yards which hit the underside of the bar. It was all Celtic and next to go was Rogic, whose effort from the 20 yards curled away from the top corner.

Thistle defended bravely, but a goal was always coming and they actually did well to get to 29 minutes before Celtic broke through with a terrific team effort.

Izaguirre won a 50/50 with Gary Miller he probably shouldn’t have, and the ball landed nicely into McGregor’s path. He made ground down the left, looked up and picked out Griffiths with a low cross, he put his first touch into the feet of Rogic, whose clever finish bamboozled Cerny and sent the ball into the net.

Thistle had a shout for a penalty before half-time when the ball hit the arm of Mikael Lustig, but as David Wilson was a yard or so away from him when he attempted a cross, it was never going to be given.

The second half was a strange affair. Thistle played a lot better – Sean Welsh caught the eye – and Celtic either tired or simply were made to work a bit more by an opposition who, to their great credit, refused to go away.

However, Celtic settled it on 63 minutes. Bitton floated a lovely, long pass towards Commons, who managed to beat two Thistle players in the air, run on to his own flick and then lift the ball over Cerny.

Thistle might have scored on 67 minutes had Van Dijk not cleared from under his own bar when substitute Mathias Pogba was about to pounce. Nothing was getting past him.

Pogba actually looked decent and should have scored at the death when he put his shot wide.

So there were encouraging signs for Partick Thistle in the second half, but it was pretty much a stroll in the park for the champions.

It was as easy a 2-0 as you will ever see.