‘One down, two to go,’ Celtic keeper’s clean sheet mission

CRAIG GORDON got what he intends to be the first of three clean sheets in a week of action at Celtic Park against Hamilton on Sunday. The Celtic goalkeeper – whose only involvement in the match at the weekend was taking a save in the first 30 seconds then running the length of the park to celebrate with Dedryck Boyata after the controversial Belgian won Celtic the points – is planning to shut up shop again tomorrow night against FK Suduva in the Europa League Play off before keeping out the World Beaters on Sunday.

Gordon’s last three goals conceded have caused him considerable annoyance, yet he was blameless for the two conceded in Athens – at great cost to Celtic – and was let down by his defence in Lithuania last week, although there is an argument that he should have come out for the cross.

The Celtic goalie has had enough of conceding these soft goals so is on a mission to deliver clean sheets in these three matches. One down, two to go.

“Keeping clean sheets has been something we’ve been very good at over the last two seasons,” Gordon said.

“We had been going along at something like a 50 per cent success rate when it comes to keeping clean sheets and that is an incredible ratio in any league anywhere in the world.

“We need to get back to doing that consistently. We’ve done it the last few seasons and, yeah, we’ve had a blip the last few weeks, but we can definitely get back to doing that again.

“I think we have just been giving up a lot of easy chances recently and that’s disappointing. Teams haven’t had to work too hard to get their goals against us so far this season.

“We have dominated games and played quite well at times and got a clean sheet against Hamilton. But too often we have shot ourselves in the foot by giving up easy chances, so we have to stop that happening.

“We know where we have been going wrong.”

The defeat in Athens was costly and if the Celtic players watched the poor quality on show in the AEK v Vidi match last night – see our report HERE – then they really would have been kicking themselves even more.

At least the players have a chance to put the frustrations of that and the disappointing draw against the little Lithuanian side behind them on Thursday when Suduva visit Celtic Park.

“It’s been the story for us the last few weeks. We have had the majority of the ball, not turned it into goals and found ourselves losing goals at the other end from not many chances given up,” Gordon continued.

“So, that has been frustrating and something we need to sort out and get back to consistently doing what we had been doing over the last two seasons. The quality we have in the team means we are going to dominate most games and dominate the ball.

“It’s about turning that into goalscoring chances for us, concentrating at the back and making sure we are not giving up the few chances from which we’ve been losing goals.

“Every chance we give up seems to go on target at the moment and that’s just the stage we are at.

“We have to focus and get through it and get better for what is a very big week in prospect.”

Celtic could have some new faces ahead of the third of the triple header but much depends on the club having European football to offer – even if it is only the Europa League.

And don’t be surprised if Dedryck Boyata mysteriously drops out of the side tomorrow after his Man of the Match performance against Hamilton. The answer to that mystery can be found HERE.

Tomorrow could also be a the final appearance of Moussa Dembele in a Celtic shirt. The club could have two big offers from France for the striker and are not likely to say no if either bid reaches the £20million mark – see HERE.

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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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