Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side certainly know what the problem is in their frustrating Champions League campaign. Four games in Celtic have been competitive in all four games, indeed had three of the games ended with Celtic victories few could have argued that these triumphs were undeserved.
Yet Real Madrid survived a handful of chances for Celtic, the woodwork not for the first time in this campaign was not Celtic’s friend. But when you miss sitters against the European Champions you are more than likely going to live to regret it. And so it transpired.
In Warsaw Celtic ended up being the only team to dominate a crafty Shakhtar Donetsk side yet missing chances meant that the rewards were meagre with just one point secured.
In Leipzig at least a Celtic player found the back of the net but rather than a confidence surge unaccountably they went into their shells, tried to hang on and gave up the chance to get something in Germany as RB Leipzig ran out worthy winners.
The chance of redemption came quickly though and within 30 seconds unbelievably Celtic missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead. Chance after chance was squandered, Kyogo as guilty as Maeda and that woodwork at that end of Paradise, as mentioned earlier no friend of our twice tonight denying Celtic. Giakoumakis came on and he too was at it, missing when it looked easier to score.
And worse still, Shakhtar took an early lead in Warsaw against Real Madrid and came within seconds of a famous victory while in Glasgow it was Paradise lost for Celtic as Leipzig once again found the back of the net, against the run of play.
This campaign has cost us Callum McGregor for a few months, Jota is a worry and Abada didn’t make it to half-time. James Forrest came on and perhaps should have started given his status as an experienced Champions League performer.
Ange’s style of football suits Celtic but the consistency in dreadful finishing is surely a worry. A front three tonight of Forrest on the right Kyogo on the left and Giakoumakis through the middle could have made the difference.
Maeda’s lack of form and as a consequence, loss of confidence is mounting up and there is the possibility that elements of the support will turn on the player, who could have had three Champions League goals to his name by now.
Now Celtic need to beat Shakhtar at Celtic Park then go and win in Madrid.
Well done to the supporters who remained to the end tonight. And we’ll done to Matt O’Riley who was superb in the Callum McGregor role.
“You need to take your chances at this level” “We won’t shy away from the kind of football team we want to be” Ange Postecoglou told BT Sport.
"You need to take your chances at this level"
"We won't shy away from the kind of football team we want to be"
Ange Postecoglou looks at the positives in Celtic's performance as they crash out of the Champions League…💬#UCL | 🎙 @missconniemac pic.twitter.com/9dVuE5PsnL
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 11, 2022
Agree with everything. Apart from ORiley. Dreadful at first goal. Pathetic scooped shot from same position Leipzig stabbed ball into net. Slow, weak in tackle. Opinions eh! Keep up good work
Giakoumakis should have been awarded a penalty in the 79th minute, and Fredericks should have been red carded for his foul on him. It could have massively altered the game. If I could see the incident on my screen, then VAR should have picked it up as well.
The ref needs to keep up with play. Even schoolboy defenders know they can get away with fouls if the linesman is on the other side of the pitch and the ref is far away. In such situations they are blind-sided to the said foul.