Over the last few games, I have taken the time to look at videos of our upcoming opponents. Ahead of the Ross County game, I identified a weakness in their left back area, which I felt Frimpong could exploit with his pace. The young full back didn’t go on the outside too often, but on the first occasion that he did, it resulted in a goal as he left his opposite number for dead and squared to Turnbull. Prior to Hamilton, I spotted that the Accies were vulnerable when it came to defending balls into the box. Griffiths almost proved that when he hit the post with a header from Frimpong’s cross, but Celtic dismantled them without needing to rely on any set tactic.
With our upcoming opponents being the Rangers, I neither desire, nor require, to look at video footage of Celtic’s rivals. It is well renowned that their full backs are their danger men and St Mirren defeated the ‘Gers by stopping their full backs from playing.
The Saints sat deep and blocked the wide areas. That is understandable as they have inferior quality. However, I think Celtic should do it a different way. Indeed, if I were Neil Lennon, I would stick with the 4-4-2 formation and the same team who started the game yesterday (if Jullien is fit). I would instruct Edouard and Griffiths to push on to the Rangers full backs and allow the centre halves to have the ball. If they advance into midfield, we have an extra man there so Turnbull can press them. If the Rangers continue to push their full backs forward beyond the half way line then our strikers can pass them on and the Rangers will leave themselves exposed at the back against two of the most lethal strikers in the country.
It’s win or bust for Celtic. We need to go at them and chase the win. Therefore, 4-4-2 with our current personnel gives us a good attacking threat, but a simple tactic of pushing our strikers onto their full backs can nullify their threat.