DURING my playing career, I never kept a count or a tally of penalty decisions that went for or against teams I was playing with. You remember the absolute howlers for ever, think you’ve been harshly treated, and then you recall one you got that you should still be embarrassed about. 

However, I completely get why the Motherwell players this week are rather aggrieved at the two penalty calls that went against them.

They were sore ones to take, because one in essence probably cost them any chance they had in a cup final, the other, a definite opportunity to gain some revenge and the chance to bring Celtic’s long unbeaten run to an abrupt halt.

Read more: "It's hard enough to beat Celtic on a level playing field", says Motherwell keeper Trevor Carson

The one on Sunday, when Scott Sinclair fell over after being challenged by Cedric Kipre, was definitely not a penalty in my opinion. It was a soft award by Craig Thomson, who then compounded the situation by sending off the Motherwell stopper. I still think Celtic would have won the game at Hampden anyway, but I’m less certain they’d have departed Motherwell with a share of the point without some assistance from Willie Collum.

What I found interesting was that in the wake of the game at Hampden, Brendan Rodgers was in print during the week saying he thought Celtic didn’t get enough penalty decisions. Putting doubt in the mind of referees, or just being clever? Low and behold, at Fir Park, Celtic get another. Has Brendan Rodgers changed his mind yet?

One thing that hasn’t changed is Motherwell’s luck. To a man, they’ll take some convincing that penalty calls will even themselves out over a season having had two like that in four days. How do you balance up seeing you chances of making history evaporate not once, but twice, in quick succession against the best team in the land. The Motherwell players must feel sick and extremely flat after those experiences. But do they have time to dwell on it?

You can’t have too much of a good thing, but a third successive game between the two teams isn’t exactly what Motherwell would have wanted, not with the luck they are - or are not - having.

Read more: Celtic captain Scott Brown irked at SPFL and Motherwell

Parking Motherwell’s woes to one side, what cannot be denied is the strength and steeliness of this Celtic team, week in, week out. Their collective resilience  is absolutely incredible.

Of all the games they’ve played through this unbeaten run, taking on Motherwell, on their own patch, and with emotions amongst the home side running so high, was one where Celtic could have come unstuck. They nearly did, losing a goal so near to the end.

But this Celtic team, in a domestic context, find a way of getting the job done regardless of what has been thrown at them. Admittedly, they needed a generous penalty award. But Celtic were still in a position to profit with time running out and at times you do really wonder if there is any beating of this Celtic side, in Scotland.

The same however, cannot be said of their nearest challengers Aberdeen. They still sit second in the table, but have just one win in their last four matches, and the midweek defeat to Rangers at Ibrox just typified so much of what has been wrong with the Dons this season.

They lost players at the end of last season, but I don’t think they have been getting the returns they may have expected from the players who replaced them. 

Read more: "It's hard enough to beat Celtic on a level playing field", says Motherwell keeper Trevor Carson

I think more was expected of Stevie May and Gary Mackay-Steven for instance, but it just has not materialised. Yes, they are good players. But both the team and the players need to adapt to one another, and watching them this term, Aberdeen just don’t have the same fluidity and direction they’ve had in recent years when pushing Celtic.

That means manager Derek McInnes has struggled to work out what his best team might be. Tactically as well, I saw them picked apart by Motherwell a few weeks ago, while against Rangers, they started out with three centre-backs.

Now, if that was a formation they could easily adopt, then fine. However, Ibrox isn’t the place to be going and experimenting against a Rangers team who are fired up and stung by the criticism aimed at them after recent losses.

It is almost as if he is over thinking problems he might not have.
Aberdeen are second in the table, but I have never felt that they have been quite as strong as they were over the last few seasons.  That may sound a contradiction, given where they are in the league. But they have blown hot and cold all season.

What Derek McInnes tries next to turn around that inconsistency, I’m not really sure - assuming that is, he is still at Pittodrie. If speculation is correct, he might have a bigger headache shortly.