BETTER PILL TO SWALLOW
Celts have improved from the mess they were in on last Ibrox trip but missed chances will gnaw away at Ange
THERE would have been pain in the away dressing room at Ibrox after the final whistle yesterday.
The Celtic players will have been distraught – at least they should have felt distraught.
I’ve been there myself and it’s a horrible feeling. Especially when there will be a real sense Celtic could have got something out of this game.
But that’s why when the dust settles, my old club should also grasp the fact there are some positives. There wasn’t much in the game. Celtic had more than 60 per cent of possession and plenty of chances to hit the back of the net. That’s what will gnaw at them most. There were some familiar failings with the goal they conceded but it’s also important to remember where Celtic have come from.
Last time they went to Ibrox they lost 4-1 and it could have been anything. It was a total mess. Don’t forget Rangers won the league by a mammoth 25 points.
You don’t turn that around overnight and Ange Postecoglou has only been in the job three months.
You can see improvement and it was an achievement reaching the Europa League group stage.
Has the gap been closed on Rangers? It’s too early to say, but we do know it was no mismatch at Ibrox.
Don’t buy any nonsense about this being a weakened Rangers team. They’d an issue at rightback but still had an international player to bring in.
You could argue Celtic had a harder time of it with absences with James Forrest and Greg Taylor missing.
Credit to Rangers for stepping up to apply the pressure in the second half and you can tell they are a strong, well-drilled side.
They raised their game and it got them over the line. But this was about the fine margins.
Postecoglou and his squad should remember the pain – but they shouldn’t be too despondent.
Odsonne Edouard missed a real sitter. If he scores it’s a whole different game. Even after Rangers went ahead there were opportunities to get level and Kyogo Furuhashi should have squared for Ryan Christie.
Then you look at the winner. It was yet another poor goal from a set-piece. I don’t know what they were doing, it looked like Stephen Welsh and
Anthony Ralston got lost, Carl Starfelt got left with Filip Helander on top of him. It was right out of last season.
There were a few moments when Celtic put pressure on themselves. Some of the balls out from the back were heart-in-the-mouth stuff.
There were too many players who didn’t quite hit their levels, like David Turnbull and Christie, who I thought weren’t really at it. In the main though, Celtic were always in the game and will be kicking themselves.
They didn’t have more composure in the final third, they were not braver on the ball where it really mattered and they didn’t have the cutting edge they’ve shown so far this season.
There was enough on show to suggest they can make a go of the title race this time though – but it could hinge on the next 24 hours or so.
Celtic have taken their time over signings but Postecoglou has shown he has a decent eye for a player.
The new recruits have by and large looked the part. Liel Abada was quiet at Ibrox, but he’s shown potential, while Kyogo and Hart have improved the team. The jury is still out with
Starfelt but Josip Juranovic had a solid debut at left-back. Ralston’s form means there is now competition for places on that side for when the Croatian inevitably moves over.
Celtic still need a left-back in the door by the end of business tomorrow.
Another centre-half would be handy too, although Christopher Jullien’s return will be a major bonus.
We’ll finally have a decision about Edouard as well. It looks like he’ll be away and if Celtic can get up to £18million it would be a decent return given he’s in the final year of his deal.
I’d always rather have him around but if he wants to go, the main thing is having a replacement lined up. It sounds like Georgios Giakoumakis is coming in, but that still won’t be enough with Leigh Griffiths on his way and Albian Ajeti not cutting it.
Kyogo looks more of a threat through the middle but Celtic still need to be able to mix it up, and if he does play there, another wide player is needed.
Postecoglou has been up against it but he’s got the side to a level again where it looks like they can compete.
When Celtic click, they will beat most teams in Scotland.
But they need to be able to do what Rangers have done in the last year and learn how to grind.
There is a long way to go, it will be interesting to see where the sides are when they meet again at New Year.
The last 24 hours of the transfer window will tell us if Celtic can really push all the way to the title.