ANGE WANTS BIG REACTION
with a massive match against Aberdeen to come in two days’ time.
Postecoglou, who has now won just two of his last eight matches, was visibly gutted after the Parkhead pummelling.
Celtic missed gilt-edged chances and came up against goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky in inspired form.
But Postecoglou knew there was no room for excuses as a sell-out crowd was let down.
He said: “We have to get better soon. We’ve had injuries, we rebuilt the squad and it’s taken time – but we can be better.
“We have just got to persevere and use the disappointment to light a fire under us.
“We have just to keep persevering. We’re very disappointed in the dressing room and we should be – we have to have a reaction.
“We’ve made things difficult for ourselves in the group. Towards the end there was no need to concede a fourth.
“It shouldn’t have been a 4-0 game and we have to be stronger mentally towards the end of the game and keep ourselves in the game.
“I’m disappointed for our fans. They created a great atmosphere and we got such a great start to the game.
“We had some great chances but they’re a good side. They were clinical in the box, we were wasteful and made mistakes you can’t make at this level.”
Postecoglou welcomed back Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor from injury with the striker missing two great chances.
Postecoglou said: “The keeper pulled off some unbelievable saves but it was good to have Kyogo and Callum back in the team. It made a difference but not enough.”
McGregor was pleased to be back from injury for Celtic but the captain was left lamenting the missed chances that contributed to an unhappy finish against Leverkusen.
He said: “It was a difficult game against a really high-level opponent.
“At this level the game is decided in moments when you don’t take your chances. That was a theme of the game.
“We dominated the ball well but in the moments that matter, we have to be better.
“They have real quality and they can expose you on the counter-attack like they did.”
Asked about the new gaffer’s attacking style of football, which has now conceded eight goals in two Europa League group games, the skipper added: “It’s a very, very high-demanding style of football.
“It takes time for the players to understand where to move and when to move.
“In the defensive transition is where we have struggled.
“Everyone is together and everyone believes in what the manager is trying to do.”
Leverkusen boss Gerardo Seoane praised the sensational showing of Finnish international keeper and his captain, Hradecky.
He said: “Well done to my team. It was a great game from them.
“We knew it would be a tough first few minutes.
“But we did what we intended to do and there were plenty of good things.
“We also made some mistakes but we had Lukas saving us.
“It was a sensational game from him.
“We knew we could rely on Hradecky.
“The victory was earned. Maybe the score was a little bit too high but we deserved to win.”