Hacks straight in with a negative angle at Greg Taylor’s media conference today

Straight in with a negative angle at the media conference this afternoon with the Celtic left-back and when you watch the video you’ll notice that Greg Taylor is immediately shaking his head in disbelief at this opener given the run of form that Celtic have been on in the league since dropping to points to Livingston last time around.

“How are you all feeling at the moment about the form?” the hack began. “Obviously, it was a good result on Wednesday night (grudgingly) but the form at the moment maybe hasn’t been at the level it was earlier in the season…”

Fair play to Greg Taylor with his response and his reaction to the question. “We’re so many games unbeaten, we’ve dropped two points in however many so… I don’t know if I agree that the form’s not quite there. We were disappointed to go out of Europe, of course we were, but we’re still controlling games and winning games of football so we’re all happy here.”

Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Next question is about expectation levels when you’re three points clear at the top of the table? Having a three point advantage is now a negative, who would have thought it when we set about chasing down a six point disadvantage!

“I’ve stressed this before – the expectation levels at a club this size are always going to be massive,” Greg Taylor replied. “There’s a demand not just to win games of football but to win them in a certain way.

“So when we don’t meet them of course there’s going to be outside noise but we just focus on our way of playing football and try to do that each day we train and each game we play.”

No joy there either, might be worth turning the questioning onto the Livingston being a tough place for Celtic to play.

“We know every game in the league is going to be difficult, especially now until the end of the season,” Taylor said. “Every team’s got their own ambitions and Livingston are on a good run. They got another good win the other night and I believe they’ve won a few in a row, so we know they’ll be right up for the game and ready to put on a performance at home.

“We know it’ll be a difficult game, as we believe the rest of the game until the end of the season will be.”

They’re persistent though and come back for a second attempt at this angle. What is it in particular about playing away at Livingston – their style of play, the pitch… is there anything in particular that makes it more of a tricky test than some other places?

Greg Taylor replied: “Just a difficult side, who have a good way of playing. They know how to get results and they’ve done that again this year. I’m sure they’ll have their own ambitions, whether that’s top six, Europe or whatever. We just need to focus on what we can do, what we can control and that’s bringing our A-game, playing the way we want to do it and hopefully getting the three points we want.”

Back to pressure mounting as the business end of the season gets underway. Does winning games by playing a certain way still apply then? “Yeah, it definitely does,” the Celtic defender replied. “The manager’s massive on that. The performance is first and if we play the way we want to, and the way the gaffer believes is going to bring us success, then results should hopefully take care of themselves. We’re definitely massive on performance – we aim to try to hit the levels we already have and better.”

What about trying the temperament angle? Say it’s goalless after 60 minutes do you just have to keep your cool and plod away and get that goal? Plod away football eh?

“The game is 90 minutes,” was the pretty obvious response. “From minute one to 90 we aim to play our style of football. Whether that means we get the goal early – which would, of course, be nice – or if it’s a case of just chipping away and eventually breaking teams down later on in the game then that might be what’s required.” Celtic have won several games recently with late winners, including of course the 3-2 win over Dundee.

If temperament isn’t an angel then worth trying frustration among the support, the same trick that was thrown in at the post match media conference on Wednesday night which puzzled both the Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou and his captain Callum McGregor as well as the two Celtic fam media representatives there, including The Celtic Star…”You could maybe hear some bits of frustration from the crowd, is that something you just have to shut out?”

Diplomacy is a strong point from these Celtic players, so is having a thick skin. “You understand from a fans’ perspective they want wins and performances as stress-free as possible so if we score early then it definitely makes their night a lot easier,” Taylor replied.

“It’s on us to try to do that each game but it can’t always work that way. There are 11 bodies out there trying to stop us playing our football. St Mirren were like that the other night. Eventually we got the goal and it settled everyone down and helped us go and get the next – and the three points, which was important.”

They try the ‘tactical battle’ approach next. “It’s difficult playing against defensive blocks but we focus on us. We can’t ever look for excuses,” Taylor said. “We try to do what we can control – and that’s playing our football. If we keep doing that, it might take until the last 10 minutes, but as long as we strive for performances, results will take care of themselves.”

Next few question concentrated on fitness levels starting with this one: How do you feel physically going into the last couple of months of the season? “I feel physically strong. I’ve been playing for the last however many months and with the games you get stronger. We train at an intensity here that means you’re ready for the games when called upon. So I feel physically good, fresh and ready to attack the last remaining league games and the cup.

Is this the fittest you’ve been in your career? is the follow up question to that one. It would be right up there, to be fair,” Taylor replied. “We get the figures and distances off the sports science guys and we can see the numbers are just going up and up each game. We’re working harder and the gaffer said that when he came in that when we got to this part of the season he’d aim for us to be stronger and hopefully we can continue to.”

Next a question on the dreadful situation in Ukraine and and what this could mean for the World Cup qualifier. The question: What’s your understanding of Ukraine wanting to postpone the World Cup qualifier (against Scotland) and is it the right thing to do?

“I would say these decisions aren’t football-related,” the Celtic defender noted. “There’s a lot bigger things going on out in Ukraine. You watch the news every night and it’s sad to see. Football definitely takes a second – if that’s what needs to happen then it would be understood from all the players.”

Fan media questions are always easier to identify and appreciate.

You’ve kept two clean sheets in the last two games – playing for a team known for its attacking powers how reassuring is it to know your defensive efforts have been praised now also?

“I think as the season has gone on we’ve improved defensively and offensively,” Taylor replied. “We’ve got a good understanding, whoever plays in the back four, of the way the manager wants to play with the high line, etc. It’s not just the back four, the defending starts at the front. You saw, for example, Daizen the other night, the number of pressures and amount of pressing he does for us definitely helps. We defend as 11 and attack as 11. We’re in a good place that way.”

5th December 2021; Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland: Scottish Premier League football, Dundee United versus Celtic: Greg Taylor of Celtic on the ball

How much are you enjoying the inverted full-back role?

“It’s been a new way of playing but one I’ve really enjoyed. The inverted full-back is not just about being inside it’s about finding the space whether that’s on the inside or the outside. I think it plays to my strengths and my game so long may it continue that way. I’m just eager to learn and try to improve each day and each game,” Taylor stated.

How different is it to playing as a conventional full-back and does it change against a team like Livingston?

“We’re used to playing against low blocks now. We come up against it quite often whether it’s at Celtic Park or away. It’s not just about trying to find the space in the middle. It’s on the outside at times. It’s about rotations with whoever’s on your side. It’s just about trying to find the space to get the breakthroughs that we need. Is it more difficult? No, I think it makes it easier as you’re freeing yourself up so you’re actually giving yourself more passing options. Whereas if you get locked on a side, for example, you’ve only got the option back inside you don’t have the outside so by being in there you’ve got both ways.”

That’s 16 league clean sheets this season – how important are the front players, the intensity off the ball and how much work goes into that on the training pitch?

“The gaffer’s been massive on that since he came in. Our press starts with our striker or wingers. To be fair to the lads who have played there, every game they have done that which definitely helps us. Going the other way, the build-up starts with the defenders and goalkeeper so for attacking it’s important for us to give the attacking players their chances. We all work as one and there’s a reason behind it,” Taylor said.

Watch Greg Taylor’s media conference below…

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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