ANGE PUTS ON A TASTY SPREAD
Goal-hungry Bhoys are sharing scoring spoils
ANGE Postecoglou’s Celtic side have started the season with the same swagger that swept them all the way to the Scottish title last term.
But the manager admits it doesn’t have to be free-flowing football all the time when it comes to sticking the ball in the back of the net.
Celtic lashed 92 goals to claim the Premiership crown and have hit another 10 in the first three games this season.
There’s been long range stunners, sweeping counter attacks, tap ins and set-piece successes.
Postecoglou wants his side to be more of a threat in opposition penalty boxes, but he’s not exactly blessed with big Bhoys.
Moritz Jenz has grabbed a couple of goals while Stephen Welsh and Carl Starfelt have also been on the scoresheet.
Chuck in Giorgos Giakoumakis and that’s about it when it comes to six foot plusses in the side.
But Postecoglou is thrilled his squad have found other ways to get cheap goals.
Great
He said: “It’s great for us that they’re contributing because we want to have multiple threats.
“We’re not the biggest team in the world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t impose ourselves in the opposition box when the need arises.
“Welshy got a great goal in the first game, Moritz has got himself a couple and Carl got one on Sunday.
“It’s another bow in our armoury to hurt teams with and I think that’s important.
“I think that plays into the team we are. We get a lot of corners and set-pieces because of the pressure we put on opposition teams.
“That gives us the opportunity to get the ball into those dangerous areas so from our perspective it’s an important part of our game.”
Jota has made a flying start to the season, while fit-again Kyogo Furuhashi is causing defences palpitations even when he isn’t touching the ball.
Giakoumakis has been performing the role of supersub, then chuck in the attacking abilities of the likes of Liel
Abada and
Matt O’Riley and Celtic have enough artillery to give most managers sleepless nights.
Postecoglou said: “We want to be a team that’s got multiple threats going forward.
“Our centre-halves are contributing at the moment which is great, but it’s not just the starting XI, guys coming off the bench.
“We want to be a team that scores goals and has multiple avenues to do that.
“There’s different ways you can score goals and your position shouldn’t stop you from doing that.
Area
“If you’re in that area you take your chances. “They are getting those rewards in creating those moments because they are really committed to what we want to be and I see that every day with their training.
“What we see on gameday is the result of them working really hard at training and pushing each other.”
Postecoglou is enjoying having more time this season, after a debut campaign which didn’t leave much opportunity to catch breath, with games every few days.
This year has started differently, with one game a week for the opening month, given the gaffer time to work with his side at Lennoxtown, rather than just dunk his men in ice baths and get set for the next challenge.
Work
He said: “We just get back to our work, it’s the last week or so we have without midweek games so it’s important for us to get another solid week of work into the lads and get them ready for another difficult game next week against Hearts back at home and then move on.”
Meanwhile, Giakoumakis has been the subject of an approach from the Premier League, according to a report.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has told of interest from England as the summer window heads for its final couple of weeks.
However, he says that the hitman is ‘untouchable’ and Celtic have no intention to sell.
He wrote on Twitter: “There were clubs interested in Gorgios Giakoumakis as he’s doing great with Celtic, also approached by Premier League clubs in the last few days.
“Celtic have absolutely no intention to sell him: untouchable.
“He’s key player — also, Giakoumakis is happy at Celtic.”