Kil the nerves
RODGERS WANTS BETTER MENTALITY
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers called on his players to improve their mentality after Kilmarnock’s late equaliser handed Rangers the initiative in the Scottish Premiership title race.
Rodgers thought they had got away with a poor performance as the Hoops led through Kyogo Furuhashi’s 32nd-minute header when the clock struck 90 minutes.
But Killie had caused problems with their pressing and David Watson headed home in stoppage time (right) after substitute Alexandro Bernabei misjudged Fraser Murray’s cross.
Matt O’riley was denied several times as Celtic looked for a second goal either side of the break but they struggled to create chances in the final half hour. Rodgers said: “We lacked authority on the ball, we lacked composure, all the things you need to do to control the game.
“We looked nervous on the ball and, especially second half, we created nowhere near what we would want to.
“It’s happened too many times over the course of the season. We have played well in spells but then when we haven’t taken our chances and a wee bit of anxiety creeps in, you have to be able to deal with that pressure. I have been here often enough and had enough games here as manager to understand the pressures of taking the ball and dealing with it and we didn’t do that well enough. It’s bitterly disappointing.”
Rodgers, whose side had already lost twice to Killie this season, added: “It is not about ability or technique now, it is about mentality. It is about not letting that man go past you and having that drive and composure to play.
“We saw it the second half, even though we were not under great pressure we kept making it hard for ourselves.”
Rangers were seven points behind when Philippe Clement took over eight games into the season but the Light Blues will go two ahead if they beat St Johnstone today.