Celtic head into Sunday’s first Glasgow Derby of the season having shown a great degree of tactical flexibility in the last few weeks. They opened with a 2-0 defeat to Glasgow City and despite lacking for match sharpness in comparison to their opponents, who were already up and running with Champions league football, they competed magnificently before understandably running out of steam.
The Celts followed that up with an example of all out free-flowing football in a 10-0 thumping of Hearts in Edinburgh. Then last Sunday, in their first home game of the season, it was a case of patience is a virtue, as a deep defensive line frustrated the Celts before a fortunate Sarah Ewens goal settled the encounter against a Spartans side that made Walter Smith’s famous anti-football approach to European competition look like Brazil of 1970.
On Sunday the Celts travel to face theRangers at their training ground, and it’s a game where Celtic can not only claim the bragging rights, they can also leapfrog our rivals with a victory on the day.
Fran Alonso’s tactical nous will be required again as he faces a side who have defeated both Hibs and Spartans by a single goal, before seeing off Hearts 5-1. They are second in the SWPL1, behind early pace-setters Glasgow City only on goal difference. theRangers head coach Malky Thomson has built his side on a solid defensive outlook. Therefore, last week’s patient approach from Celtic in overcoming Spartans may be revisited.
Thomson has a good amount of coaching experience having started out as a youth coach with Celtic before spells with Hibs and then theRangers. He was a first team coach at Inverness under Craig Brewster and also had spells with Birmingham City and beside David O’Leary at Al-Ahli. Thomson was Barry Ferguson’s assistant coach at Blackpool and Clyde before managing briefly himself in the Indian I-League.
It’s fair to say Fran Alonso may feel he’s had a bit more of a footballing education as a coach. He was after all Ronald Koeman’s assistant at Everton and Southampton, having also worked initially under Mauricio Pochettino, before moving with Koeman to Everton. With all due respect to Kelty Hearts manager Barry Ferguson, Alonso may hold the educational advantage at least over his opposite number on Sunday.
Speaking to Celticfc.net it’s fair to say it’s also a fixture Alonso has very much been anticipating:
“It’s one of the games I’ve been looking forward to. They’re one of the best teams so we’ll have to test ourselves against that, but it is what we aspire to be.
“We know they’ve invested massively and have signed internationals, so on paper they are favourites and I agree with that. We will obviously try to get something from the game, but I think it will work both ways because they are under pressure.
“Anything other than winning the league after that kind of investment will be a failure for them, and we don’t have those same expectations. We’re in more of a long-term project but I think we are well prepared. It is a challenge we all want to take, mentally we are ready and we will fight the best we can.”
🗣️ “It is a challenge we all want to take, mentally we are ready and we will fight the best we can.”#RANCEL #COYGIG https://t.co/1m155UfTU4
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) November 14, 2020
Certainly, a bit of mind games in operation then from the Celtic head coach as he attempts to talk up the opposition as favourites ahead of Sunday’s game and claim the underdog tag for his own charges.
Alonso has also previously been keen to emphasise the extra training work that has gone on behind the scenes, particularly following the opening day defeat to Glasgow City. It is something he feels, along with some consistent winning form, that could benefit Celtic on Sunday:
“Right now, we are happy with our level of fitness when we are doing testing and we’ve improved a lot from the start of the season, so I don’t think we will struggle physically.
Poetry in motion from @sarahewens19 🎼 https://t.co/vBB7QCavVB pic.twitter.com/AKreriGtAT
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) November 14, 2020
“It will be our third game in a row which is the consistency you need in any professional league. With international breaks and Covid before that we haven’t managed to get that, so this is the first time and that helps. You want to compete against teams that are at full strength,”
And in true Derby style, Alonso is keen to emphasise the need for his team to play the game and not the occasion tomorrow afternoon, trying to play down the importance of the outcome as the same number of points gained for winning as any other game:
“Historically there is the big rivalry, but for us it’s still just another game with three points to play for,” he told.
“It’s a special occasion in that it’s my first Glasgow Derby, but at the end of the day, it’s worth three points that we have to try and fight for. We will play them another two times, so we will work hard but be confident and do the things we know we are good at.
“We will be happy if we manage to win, but if we play well and get a draw, I will be happy, but we obviously know that if you wear the Celtic badge you have to aim for winning every game.”
Celtic’s opponents on Sunday have indeed accrued a group of international class footballers, they have also started the season well. However, in the talents of Summer Green and Sarah Ewens Celtic have players our opponents will know are match winners and creators in their own right.
“If they’re good enough…” 🆙
Celtic will keep placing their faith in “some of the best youth players in the country,” says @FranAlonsoFA 💫https://t.co/xmmam0SJia
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) November 11, 2020
Celtic also have a coach in Fran Alonso who plays offensive football, based around possession of the ball and bravery on it. When it comes to quality players who can win the three points Celtic have that in their ranks. They won’t fear an away Glasgow Derby, in fact they will revel in the opportunity to showcase their abilities at the top level.
Sunday’s game kicks off at 3pm and is available on a pay-per-view basis from theRangers website.
Best of luck to Fran Alonso and the Celts ahead of the first Glasgow Derby of the season from all at The Celtic Star.
COYGIG
Niall J
