On this form it would be wrong to suggest that Celtic have entirely blown away the rustiness evident in their December performances but they offered a degree of resilience at Firhill last night after coming from behind to take all three points.
Last night;'s chat might have been all about Moussa Dembele - benched for the second successive game - but it was Leigh Griffiths who reminded those and such of those of his ability to write a headline. The Scotland striker came into this game with Celtic trailing to serve a reminder of his prowess in front of goal as Celtic's second-half display afforded them the upperhand in the Glasgow derby.
In what was an entertaining tussle with the Jags keen to have a go at Celtic - indeed there were two fine second half chances from Alan Archibald's side that could have out this game back in the balance - Brendan Rodgers' side found themselves trailing at the break thanks to a Conor Sammon penalty after Mikael Lustig was penalised for hauling back Miles Storey.
Rodgers' changes at the break amounted to an arrival for Griffiths, his first appearance of the year, while Lustig stayed inside and Celtic went to a back three. It paid dividends with Scott Sinclair levelling from the spot before Griffiths netted his 13th of the season to ensure all three points for the Parkhead side.
The initial tone of the game had suggested more comfortable evening for the visitors.
A trio of chances in the opening five minutes did not come to much but did seem to offer an indication of Celtic's attacking intentions.
That idea was soon knocked on his head as Thistle came into the game and worked hard to close down the space on offer to the Parkhead side.
Celtic's frustration grew when Lustig conceded a penalty after being turned by Storey. Clearly caught sleeping, the Swedish defender was late to the danger posed by the run of the Thistle player and as he looked to make up ground he clearly tugged Storey back.
To Storey’s credit he stayed on his feet and only after Craig Gordon had dived to save his effort, did referee John Beaton point to the spot and book Lustig. It could have been worse for the Swede with a red card a possibility but the penalty itself was sufficient to hurt Celtic.
Sammon took responsibility from the spot, sending Gordon to his left while he slammed the ball straight down the middle of the goal.
As Celtic teed up a couple of chances at the other end, inspired mostly by the running and creativity of Oliver Ntcham, it would have been interesting to take in the thoughts of those on the outside looking in.
Dembele's situation continues to intrigue. The French forward remained an unused substitute but if his head is somewhere else, as has been intimated by the Celtic coaching staff, the best thing to bring back into focus might be some game time.
Read more: Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald laments Celtic loss
The decision to leave the striker out of the action doesn’t appear to have a winner in any camp; Celtic looked short of options up front until Griffiths enlivened proceedings and Dembele’s value, assuming that the Parkhead side are indeed ready to cash in on him, is going nowhere as he sits it out with question marks regarding his attitude hanging over his head.
Furthermore, it raises the question that of no formal bids are forthcoming for the player in the next week then he needs to return to be incorporated back into the fold. Griffiths' display against Thistle has nullified some of the chat for the time being but it will not be a mute point for long.
Prior to last night’s game the Parkhead side had kept five clean sheets but against Thistle they found the going a little more awkward.
Not that Celtic were without their chances. Sinclair had one effort palmed over the bar after cutting inside while Odsone Edouard tried his luck with a backheel that was taken without too much drama by Thistle keeper Tomas Cerny.
Having lost the opening goal, the first conceded since that surreal afternoon at Tynecastle, Celtic tried to force their way back into things.
Griffiths came close to nabbing the leveller when an inviting ball from Edouard put him through but his effort was blocked by Cerny who rushed off his line to block the effort.
It proved to be a stay of execution for Thistle with Celtic restoring parity from the spot shortly after.
Sinclair was upended by Mustapha Dumbuya and made no mistake from the spot as he rifled a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Celtic could have taken the lead almost immediately when Edouard curled an effort just wide of the target.
Interestingly, Edouard seemed a bit more relaxed and less harried with the ball when playing with Griffiths in tandem.
Not that Thistle were without their chances. James Penrice cut a ball across the six-yard box that was almost converted by Ryan Edwards while immediately after Celtic’s leveller Sammon outjumped Dedrck Boyata to convert to cause a ripple in the Hoops defence.
It was Kieran Tierney, though, who thought he had captured the points for the Rodger’s side when he burst through and unleashed an effort from the edge of the box that was parried round the post by Cerny.
His goal, however, was to be breached shortly after. Scott Brown was the architect as he skipped inside before providing Griffiths. The Scotland internationalist jinked through the Thistle defence before squeezing the ball past Cerny and over the line. Judging by the emotional celebration from the forward, the goal was accepted with some relish - by both himself and Celtic.
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