Ange Postecoglou was happy enough with the result, leaving Dingwall with the three points and had one or two real bonuses too in the stand-out performance from Tomoki Iwata on his first start and Alexandro Bernabei with his goalscoring cameo from the bench – Celtic subs always seem to score these days, do they not? Yet it was far from the most impressive Celtic performance of the season.
“It was a good challenge. With the conditions and the way Ross County play, we knew it wouldn’t be an easy afternoon. There wasn’t a lot of space to play for the most part but we still had the discipline and focus within the structure,” the Celtic manager explained afterwards.
“We were wasteful in front of the goal and that keeps them in the game. It’s then edgier than it should be but overall the lads handled it ok,” Ange Postecoglou said as he looked back on the 2-0 win in Dingwall that yet again restored his side’s nine points lead at the top of the league looking down on theRangers in the final match before the Ibrox side arrive at Celtic Park on Saturday for the Glasgow Derby, which will be played in front of 60,000 passionate Celtic supporters and zero away fans – a situation, it should be noted, that is entirely caused by theRangers and their disgraceful outlook and behaviour.
“With the conditions, the way they were it isn’t going to be a free-flowing game of football. But aside from the football, there was steel and character in the group to get the job done,” the Celtic manager continued. It certainly was a long wait for that second goal of the afternoon to make sure of the points and with so many missed opportunities from usually more accomplished finished that goal came from an unusual source, the young Argentinian left-back Alexandro Bernabei. That certainly did please his manager.
“It was good from Berno. We know he has it in his locker because we see it in training. Hopefully, it gives him confidence and belief. He’s still learning and getting up to speed with the way we play which isn’t easy. He works hard every day and has got his reward. We had guys getting on making an impact which is what we ask for,” Postecoglou said.
And the manager noted that Tomoki Iwata had a particularly impressive first start for Celtic up at Dingwall yesterday lunchtime. “was great. He was the one who looked most sure-footed in terms of the pitch and the handling of the ball. He’s so clean technically.
“He really helped us considering it was his first 90 minutes after three months. He finished strongly at the end. I was really pleased I got him out and he showed his qualities out there,” Ange said.
Asked about bedding Tomoki Iwata into the Celtic set-up patiently, Ange Postecoglou reckons that that is something that will benefit the Japanese midfielder. “I think he will get the benefit. Last year what we found with Daizen and Reo who we threw in quite early, they started strongly but fatigued towards the end of the season.
“They have come off a full season so it’s a different feel for them at this stage of the season. So my inkling if it worked out was to get those three boys embedded slowly and give them opportunities along the way. Hopefully, in the last bit of the season, they will be really strong. We will see the best of them after they’ve had a pre-season but after looking at it today he looked really strong.”
One downside from yesterday was the loss of Greg Taylor, who had almost given Celtic the lead in the first half when his brilliant effort came back off the post. Taylor was substituted to be replaced by Alexandro Bernabei, and immediately became a doubt for the Glasgow Derby next weekend.
“He had a dead leg which hampered him but it’s nothing that’s going to keep him out I wouldn’t think,” was Ange Postecoglou’s positive update in that worry. The Celtic manager didn’t accept that the missed chances yesterday was down to a rustiness after the players had the interruption of the international break.
“I don’t think so. It’s just the nature of the game. The pitch wasn’t great. You could see a few times our footing went but we hit the post twice. A couple of balls flashed across the goal when usually we were there.
“It’s not great coming out of the international break. I don’t like it because we have guys coming in at different times. We only had two days going into it. We weren’t sure if some would make it. Haksabanovic wasn’t feeling well this morning. It’s fairly disruptive but this group doesn’t want to yield to excuses or challenges put forward to them.”
