Wouldn’t we be fine with a genuine number nine, and our defending just grand if we didn’t self-harm?
Well, both those things ring true in a game where at least the coaching of the side appeared to indicate the incremental improvements we’ve seen under John Kennedy continue, whilst the individual errors, some of which cost us and some we got away with, were far too evident again.
For fifteen minutes we stood off and admired, after that from the edge of our own box to that of our opponent we were superior. To bookend such dominance, we will need to eradicate individual errors in our own 18-yard box and ensure we take full advantage of the opportunities we fashion. It looks like we are getting there but my word it is slow going.
Jonjoe Kenny may cry he was impeded as he conceded a corner from the halfway line but in truth, I’ve played amateur games where his feet wouldn’t have touched the ground on the way back to the changing room, and that’s before we even consider the on loan full back’s defensive contribution from the resultant set piece that led to the goal.
Add to that Scott Bain’s laughing policeman approach to belting the ball off Stephen Welsh and you have to wonder just how much weight people give to the importance of tactical decisions from the bench when those on the park can’t even take care of the basics of the game.
Such general lacking in those basics were not particularly exclusive to the borrowed right back or until recently third choice goalkeeper when it came to Celtic’s inadequacies today. No instead such responsibility also fell to Odsonne Edouard, who after delivering a wonderful goal for the diving head of the standout Moi Elyounossi, reverted to overrunning the ball far too often when his laces required dirtying and hung on his heels when to be on his toes, as has undoubtedly had screamed at him from the side-lines like every other young striker across the globe since he was eight years old, and such intransigence cost Celtic a tap in for a well-earned win, as well as a first half opportunity he tried to squeeze between McGregor’s legs, when half a second earlier the goal was gaping and demanding a first time shot.
READ THIS….Photos: Remarkable Images from Outside Celtic Park ahead of the Glasgow Derby
It amazes me at times how often people can watch football but not actually see it but thankfully Celtic’s coaching team appears to at least have sight of what they intend to do. It will take time of course but at least we are getting there.
As in life, in football you can plummet at pace, but when it comes to the slow climb back to the summit it takes patience and sure and slow footing to get there. Celtic look a far more organised outfit now, yet are still some way off their true potential. Thankfully at least we appear to have a plan – if not quite a philosophy just yet – to lean on, and that bodes well as there still remains a trophy to win this season, one that is absolutely vital to Celtic’s self-belief.
From a tactical perspective we clearly had learned lessons from previous encounters and had our opponents watched of late. We pressed from the front as Slavia Prague had done to our opponents on Thursday night and we had the tactical nous to target Balogun looking as comfortable at right back as Nicola Sturgeon realising the table plan for a friend’s wedding had her directly opposite an Mr A Salmond, and in truth with a little more confidence we may have taken more advantage today.
READ THIS…Celtic 1 Rangers 1 – ‘Elyounoussi and Edouard remain infuriating,’ David Potter
Instead, we claimed a draw where we should have won and had Willie Collum – unsighted again – not booked Odsonne Edouard for simulation when the challenge was off the ground, out of control and as such the level of contact immaterial, the outcome of the game could have been very different today. As it would if we could just get a handle on reverting to self-implosion, but it wasn’t to be.
That said we are getting there. Eddy and Moi linked well, Brown was solid if not spectacular in midfield and man for man, we evidenced that in a head-to-head at least we should be more than a match for our challenger. Transferring that to a full season or shaking the lack of belief this campaign has imposed on us may well take some time, but the blocks for rebuilding are at last taking shape.
READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic 55 The Scourge 55
In the end it was a disappointing result to draw at home to a team we had the measure of, but it is clear much of that is down to confidence rather than direction, down to in game decisions rather than in game management. Both those things are something that can be identified and eradicated with time and patience, and in truth we can have both of those afforded to this team but not for long.
In two weeks’, time, we have silverware to play for again and chances are we’ll have to face today’s opponent at some stage. We will need to be ready. An ability to execute chances and eradicate self-inflicted damage at the back will be vital and both those things come down to personal responsibility rather than direction.
Niall J
🤝A touching moment at Parkhead as Celtic captain Scott Brown shows his support to Glen Kamara after the Rangers midfielder suffered alleged racist abuse on Thursday in the Europa League
📺Watch Celtic vs Rangers at home – live on Sky Sports now! pic.twitter.com/qVTZgQLdik
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 21, 2021
COMING SOON…
