GREY DAY FOR THIS SAINT A NICE FEELING FOR THE CELTS
Staggering Postecoglou run crashes to a halt
ANGE POSTECOGLOU has vowed Celtic will learn harsh lessons from their shock 2-0 defeat to St Mirren in Paisley.
And the Parkhead boss is facing further problems with defender Cameron Carter-Vickers a doubt for the next Champions League showdown against RB Leipzig.
Postecoglou was left gutted after his side’s 364-day unbeaten Scottish Premiership run was ended by Stephen Robinson’s Buddies and he said: “We just weren’t aggressive both in action and in thought.
“We tried to ease our way into the game and you just can’t do that. You’ve got to be at it from the start and we weren’t.
“You can’t take all the praise as you go along and then expect people just to brush over it. You don’t put it down to one of those days, it’s a disappointing day. We pride ourselves on having certain standards and we didn’t reach those. And football will always teach you that lesson.
“What has got us to this point over the past 15 or 16 months is having a certain work ethic and certain levels of performance and belief. We didn’t reach any of those.
“We’ve got to take the hits when they come and we’ve just got to get back up and go again. We’ve done that before as a team over the past 15 or 16 months.
“It’s a sore one, it’s one that we’ve got to use as the fuel we need next to get going again.
“We were nowhere near the levels we want to be. Credit to St Mirren first of all. They worked hard and were committed to their gameplan.”
Postecoglou made six changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and it didn’t work.
Asked if the alterations affected rhythm, he said: “Potentially. You look at everything. Team selection, the way you perform. Everything is under scrutiny.
Factors
“Irrespective of those kinds of factors, we didn’t hit any of our marks in terms of the kind of football we want to play. Disappointing day all round.”
Celts were without defenders CarterVickers and Carl Starfelt.
Carter-Vickers is out of America’s matches during the international break.
Celtic face Motherwell on October 1 before going to Leipzig five days later.
When asked about the defender’s situation, the boss said: “He’s out of the US camp, so we’re hoping he won’t be too far away for us.”
STEPHEN ROBINSON made strong comparisons in the buildup between the past Celtic side of Brendan Rodgers and the current Ange Postecoglou unit.
The former Parkhead boss had a team who went through an entire Premiership season as Invincibles. The present incumbent managed a calendar year.
But now that staggering run of the Aussie is over after being brought to a shuddering halt by Robinson’s superb St Mirren.
The Paisley boss suffered plenty against the champions when he was in charge of Motherwell, but this was his day.
Robinson’s terriers were terrific. Goals from Mark O’Hara and Jonah Ayunga either side of the half-time interval delivered a sensational result.
Saints gave up possession.
They had to do the dirty work off the ball and slow the game. And they had to take the rare chances they would get.
Robinson’s team did all of that. And they got their rewards as the champions suffered a first setback of their title defence.
Celtic’s display was as grey as their change kit.
Celtic dominated possession, but they were easily contained.
In their previous 38 top-flight matches, Postecoglou’s team had found a way.
Not on this occasion, however. Up front, they lacked their usual penetration. Their vast array of
O’Hara 43, Ayunga 53 attacking weapons blunted.
At the other end, with firstpick duo Cameron Carter Vickers and Carl Starfelt not in the line-up, they lost their solidity.
This day was always to come for Celtic. No team can go on forever without losing and there could be no complaints. Every department was off.
The polar opposite of their hosts. Robinson’s had heroes across the park, with Aussie Ryan Strain amongst them.
Merited
It was win few saw coming. But one which, upon reflection, was fully merited by Robinson’s brilliantly-drilled troops.
The day started with angst in the home stands. A banner and singing from the away section during the minute of applause to mark the Queen’s death left some feeling sour, but they were sweet when it was all over.
The display was lethargic from the league leaders from the off. First-half set the tone.
They might have controlled the ball, but Saints had few issues holding them at bay.
Celtic had some fleeting initial looks. Greg Taylor cross delivered a whipped cross that was headed over the bar by David Turnbull.
Aaron Mooy curled over the bar from the edge of the box and Daizen Maeda was also unable to get over an Anthony Ralston with a header which spun high and over, yet there was a lack of punch and penetration and the hosts were onto anything slack.
In one instance, Mooy sloppily gave the ball away in the middle of the park and Strain charged forward down the right flank to deliver a centre that Stephen Welsh, in for the absent Carter Vickers, scrambled over his own bar. The Aussie would get his next cross bang on.
Raft
Postecoglou made a raft of changes and perhaps that had something to do with the lack of attacking cohesion and spark.