Celtic sailed to victory over Norwich City this weekend in a very comfortable display. However, one thing that was crucial to the victory was only the second clean sheet we’ve kept this pre-season during friendly matches. The Hoops have been prone to second half collapses in regards to the backline of late, causing some concern amongst the fanbase at times.
After opening the pre-season fixture list with a 7-0 drubbing of minnows Wiener Viktoria, we followed this up with games against Banik Ostrava, Blackburn Rovers and Legia Warsaw before facing Norwich City yesterday. Apart from the game against the Austrian side Viktoria, we struggled in all the games afterwards to keep it shut at the back.
Banik scored first in our match versus them in the Czech Republic, whilst Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Blackburn scored within 23 and Legia pulled it back from two goals down on Wednesday evening. It was a recurring theme versus stronger opposition and had begun to sow a slight seed of doubt the more it tended to happen in these games.
However, most of the time it was due to Ange Postecoglou makign a raft of changes in the second period of matches, meaning we were disjointed and disrupted. The match in Poland was particularly disappointing after such an amazing display in the first 45 minutes. Many of the heavy hitters came off in Artur Boruc’s farewell and Cameron Carter-Vickers was at fault for one of the Legia goals.
On Friday, along with Matt O’Riley, Cameron gave an interview with Sky Sports Scotland from the training ground up at Lennoxtown and his mantra was surrounding complacency. He said: “Last season we had to work really hard to lift the title and I think it’ll be the same this year, so for us it’s just about trying to improve every game.”
With that being said, it is no coincidence then that we managed to keep a clean sheet against Dean Smith and his Norwich City side on Saturday afternoon. Cameron will know he was badly at fault for one of the goals in Warsaw the other night and will have been looking to put things right. His display was watertight when he faced the Canaries and the focus and determination showed.
We now look ready to start this new Scottish Premiership campaign without the worry of shipping cheap goals. Carter-Vickers will be crucial in this respect, as he was like a rock at the back last time around. With the news his partner in crime will return to the team soon, Carl Starfelt, that strength in depth at central defence is invaluable.
Watch Cameron speak ahead of the new season with Sky Sports Scotland:
🗣️”Last season we had to work really hard to lift the title and I think it’ll be the same this year, so for us it’s just about trying to improve every game…”
There will be no complacency from Cameron Carter-Vickers as Celtic look to defend the Scottish Premiership title⬇️ pic.twitter.com/CQYwHArYPS
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) July 22, 2022
Paul Gillespie
He was out muscled several times by lightweight puki,he still has a long way to go to becoming a top class centre back.he will be facing far better players in the champions league.