Gamboa calls for Celts to go ‘back to basics’ in second leg

CRISTIAN Gamboa last night insisted Celtic must “get back to basics” to cure their defensive problems.

The right-back admitted his team’s back five against Suduva, including himself, were not doing their jobs properly after they let in a soft goal; far from the first time that has happened in these early weeks of the season.

Celtic have to find a way of keeping the ball out of their net of the Europa League group stage, which they still look good to get to, or that campaign is going to be an unhappy experience.

Gamboa said: “It has to be back to basics for us. That’s what it needs. It’s the way that it is. Sometimes in these type of matches in Europe, it can just be the small details which make the difference.

“Those small details can change a lot in the game and the manager is right to have said what he did.

“In the attacking point of view, we are getting goals, but we need to get back to basics in the defensive sense.

“We need to start getting clean sheets and cleaning the mentality. Hopefully, in the next match against Hamilton on Sunday, we can start back to doing those things and changing those small details to make things right.

“It’s not confidence. It’s not about that.

It’s just concentration and everyone needs to have it. The manager said it at the beginning of the game and we lost it.

“As defenders, like I said, we need to get back to doing those basic things and try to do simple stuff.

“It is our job. That is what our job is at this club. The reason the club pays us is to defend and we need to get back to it and get those clean sheets.”

Celtic should win the return leg in Glasgow fairly comfortably but Suduva will fancy scoring a goal at Parkhead which could make for an uneasy evening.

Gamboa said: “We need to close this at Celtic Park. The game will be totally different. Everyone knows how good the pitch is at Celtic Park and the game will not be like it was here.

“We can move the ball faster and there is more space for us to play.

“The supporters will also make a difference for us and the scenario between there and here will be completely different. We’ll have some players who have been injured maybe coming back into the team.

“Also, there might be some other players coming back into the team, so I would expect it will be different. At a club like this, we need to be ready for these big matches and these challenges. I’m sure that we will be when it comes to the next

game.”