IT is not quite mid-season yet, the traditional period of reflection on the first part of the league campaign, but the break for the World Cup allows for an early taking of stock. And from a Celtic point of view, the headline news is that they already have one hand on the Premiership trophy.

It is fair to say then that on the whole, Celtic supporters will be more than satisfied by what Ange Postecoglou’s team have produced so far this term, building up a nine-point advantage at the top of the league despite a congested fixture list and a first foray back in the Champions League group stages for five seasons.

Here, Herald Sport takes a look at a hugely busy season so far for the champions, and how they have managed to assert their dominance over Scottish football once more during the opening period of the season.

THE LEAGUE – 9/10

As is always the case in Glasgow, the league is the bread and butter, and Celtic are currently lording it over a struggling Rangers outfit.

Their commanding lead though owes just as much to their own relentless consistency on the domestic scene as it does to the woes of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men on the other side of the city.

There have been an incredible 14 wins from 15 league games so far, with 50 goals scored compared to just 13 conceded. And that has mostly been accomplished by playing the sort of slick, unswervingly attack-minded football that the Celtic fans have come to love under Postecoglou.

The one domestic black mark that prevents the perfect 10 came away to St Mirren, where the silver strips weren’t the only things off-colour about Celtic that afternoon, as Stephen Robinson’s men deservedly took the three points against a team that looked jaded upon returning from the draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw.

On the whole though, Celtic have handled their heavy workload remarkably well, thanks in no small part to Postecoglou’s squad management, and the manager’s already sky-high stock with the fanbase has only risen further as a result.

EUROPE – 5/10

The return to the Champions League for Celtic was a largely bruising one, with the step up in level proving a bridge too far for Postecoglou’s squad at this stage in its development, particularly when focusing solely on results.

The six group games yielded just the two points, with draws in both fixtures against Shakhtar Donetsk and two convincing defeats apiece at the hands of Real Madrid and RB Leipzig. For anyone who watched the games though, the scorelines didn’t quite tell the full story.

Right from the off in the opening match against the champions of the competition, Celtic set out to impose their game on their illustrious opponents and stayed true to the uncompromising principles of their manager.

What’s more, for periods in all of their matches, they did indeed dominate, and would surely have yielded a far greater points tally had it not been for an uncharacteristic wastefulness in front of goal.

It could be argued of course that the slew of goals they lost at the other end owed much to that approach, and a naivety in trying to go toe-to-toe with teams who possessed a greater standard of player, but it made for great entertainment along the way.

More tangibly, Postecoglou argued, by playing their football on such a stage it also offered the Celtic players valuable lessons on how they might progress as a team next time around.

So, huge room for improvement, but signs that the improvement required might not be beyond this group of players.

RECRUITMENT – 8/10

Undoubtedly the best business Celtic pulled off in the summer was the permanent signings of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota following their successful loan spells last season, ensuring not only the team maintained valuable assets on the park, but the club gained hugely saleable assets down the line too.

Also arriving was Alexandro Bernabei, for the not inconsiderable fee of £3.75m, and after a slow start and some off-field issues, the left-back has started to show real signs of promise.

Providing cover for Joe Hart was Ben Siegrist, and at the back there was the loan signing of Moritz Jenz. The German has so far proved a shrewd acquisition, particularly given the injury problems suffered by Carl Starfelt.

Further forward there was the capture of Aaron Mooy and long-term target Sead Haksabanovic. Both players took a bit of time to get up to full fitness, but Mooy was beginning to show his class in recent weeks before heading off to the World Cup with Australia, while Haksabanovic looks to be another dangerous addition to a Celtic attack already dripping with menace.

The jury is still out however on Oliver Abildgaard, with the midfielder finding game-time rather difficult to come by, even in the absence of the injured Callum McGregor.

All-in-all though, far more hits than misses once again for Postecoglou.

THE MANAGER, ANGE POSTECOGLOU – 8/10

A straw poll of Celtic supporters would likely have their manager’s rating even higher, but given the high standards of the man himself and his admission that he was disappointed by his team’s results in the Champions League, he hasn’t quite earned full marks so far.

His European results at Celtic to date are perhaps the only slight black mark on the Australian’s report card since arriving in Glasgow, but the way he has continued to shape the team and lead the club in the opening months of the season has again been hugely impressive overall.

He is well on his way to delivering a second successive Premiership title, and you wouldn’t bet against them in the cups either, cementing his already messianic status with the Celtic support.

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