Sinclair blames loss of form on being a marked man LAST SEASON WE WON A TREBLE NOW I’M SEEING DOUBLE
But he insists it’s because he has become a marked man for the rest of Scottish football.
The winger helped Celtic blaze a trail to their invincible Treble last season, scoring 25 goals in 50 games and lifting the Player of the Year plaudits from both the football writers and his fellow pros.
Celtic’s irresistible force has come up against some immovable objects this term though, as teams have tried to shut down his influence, often unable to shake off his shackles until he’s in the shower.
The former Chelsea, Swansea and Man City star was even left out of the side for Wednesday night’s Champions League humbling in Paris in a season which he admits has grown frustrating.
But he insists all he’ll need is a split second to make Motherwell pay in today’s Betfred Cup Final.
He said: “People can talk to me about having lost my form but it’s not the case.
“I still feel my form is there I just feel like I have two players on me in every game. Defenders are doubling up constantly.
“That wasn’t happening last season. I’m getting a player standing next to me for the whole game doing nothing now.
“I have to come up with different things to go forward, create and score goals and I think I’ve been doing so. They are making it much harder for me to get on the ball.
“It makes it more frustrating, that’s the problem. It comes to the stage where the guy is literally with you the whole game, you come deep, you go long, go to right back, you could come all the way back to in goal, he’ll follow me.
“The key is to stay patient. It might be the 60th, 70th, 80th minute. The first 45 it is going to be difficult to get on the ball, it might have to just be bits and pieces.
“So it’s about trying to keep coming up with different things in my game.
“What can I do to get away from my man? What decisions do I make? How do I come to get the ball deep or do I go long? Game by game I look over at all the videos and work at it.
“There will always be one moment. He might man-mark me for 89 minutes and then I’ll get away from him and get the goal.
“Look at the St Johnstone game a couple of weeks ago. They were man- marking me but Stuart Armstrong found me from the corner and I made my mark. The stats are still not too bad but it’s up to me to make more happen.
“If I have two on me then there is always going to be one spare man which is great for us.”
Only Scott Brown of the Celtic outfield players made more star ts and more appearances than Sinclair last season.
He was indispensable in the invincible.
This term though, despite 11 goals in his 24 appearances, the winger has seen more bench time, culminating in his stint as an unused sub in the Parc Des Princes. It’s highly unlikely he won’t start at Hampden this afternoon but he said: “When the manager makes a decision you just have to accept it.
“He pulled me aside the day before the game in midweek and said “Look, I’m going to keep you out of this one.’ Obviously you want to play in the Champions League, in any game for that matter.
“Especially when we’re playing one of the best teams – PSG will be right up there to win the whole competition so its for us to learn from the best as a team and as individuals.
“I’d say they were better than Barcelona. The way they attack with so much pace, the finishing was so clinical - every time they shot it went in.
“But throughout my career there have been things I’ve had to deal with. The thing for me is that when I do play I give 100 per cent.”
He will need all of that 100 per cent to shake off a Motherwell team who have become renowned for their physicality.
But Sinclair insists for a winger used to taking his dumps from defenders, he will be ready for whatever Well can throw at the Hoops.
He said: “We know it will be a very tough game. They’ll be right up for it, giving it everything, but that’s what we’re expecting. We’re not going into it thinking it will be easy. We’ll go there, play our normal game and be up for the occasion.
“We haven’t played Motherwell yet this season so we’ve not had that conversation about how they play. But the manager has mentioned it before now and again when we’ve played them.
“They’re a physical side but we’ll be expecting it and it won’t stop us.
“When teams are physical against you then you just have to match it.
“We have confidence in the team and as much hunger as Motherwell so if they do that we will match them.”
With three games between them over the next seven days – today’s final followed by back-to-back league clashes – there will be little they don’t end up knowing about each other.
The X-factor this afternoon for Well, however, is working out just how wounded Celtic are from the 7-1 pounding PSG gave them in midweek. Should they be worried about a backlash or hoping they’ll have come back damaged? Sinclair said: “I don’t think they should be more worried – they would have been concerned facing us no matter what the score was in Paris on Wednesday.
“We’ve shown our qualities and from now it is just about getting a reaction from everyone, from the whole team. We have to show what we are capable of.” as Cup medal has a League Scott Sinclair season. haul from last part of his Treble has earned more like he But it will feel if Celtic win. one this year 3-0 win over missed their The winger November after he was Aberdeen last against four days earlier the crocked just part of He said: “I felt Barcelona. the though I missed success even feel like I earned game. But I’ll year if I play one more this and we win.”