CELTS LOST THE ED
Odsonne told Bhoys to stay focused after equaliser but they got caught chasing it
THERE was a telling moment at Celtic Park on Thursday night. The supporters in the stands were edgy and tetchy but Odsonne Edouard was the coolest man in the place when he produced that ridiculous dinked penalty to get his side level against Copenhagen. He grabbed the ball but rather than celebrate he pointed to his temple – telling his team-mates to keep the head. If only they had listened. I have absolutely no doubt the Celtic squad won’t have slept on Thursday night and will still have that sick feeling in the bottom of their stomachs. Because when the dust settles on their Europa League exit they will be left with that horrible feeling of letting a huge opportunity slip from their grasp. In my time there were ones that got away. Bobo Balde punching the ball in France against Lyon, Magnus Hedman chucking one in at Bayern Munich. Those were opportunities missed when we were underdogs. Celtic were favourites this time and that’s what will make it harder to take. The other night in Glasgow felt similar to when we faced Boavista on the road to Seville, even though it was at a more advanced stage. We knew it was a decent draw as Porto and Lazio were the other semifinalists. Yet we still had to make the most of our big chance. That’s the galling thing for Neil Lennon and his side. Copenhagen are a competent side but I’ll eat my hat if they get any further than the last 16.
Celtic could argue they were the better side over the two legs, they created the most chances and should have been home and dry. But that doesn’t wash when you’re out on your ear. They just didn’t keep the head. You can call it game management, naivety, whatever you want. Jozo Simunovic has been made a bit of a fall guy and yes, he should have stuck the ball in the stand rather than attempt a risky pass back to the goalkeeper. But I look at the reaction to going level. Greg Taylor was 70 yards up the pitch, Tom Rogic
got caught trying to pull the ball down, Callum McGregor was miles up the pitch. Celtic were left overloaded when they should have been seeing it out.
They knew conceding again would have been game over so they shouldn’t have panicked.
There was plenty of time left and an extra 30 minutes if need be, where you would have fancied Celtic to get the job done.
Instead it was a rerun of Cluj and of Athens last season.
I don’t know if it’s the in-built mentality that comes from dominating in Scotland, they feel the need to throw men forward to win games, perhaps because they expect to do so.
You have to be smarter at this level though. Simunovic had a lapse while Kristoffer Ajer is still in the development stage of his career, the same goes for Taylor at this level.
I know there’s a temptation to question the line-up, point to the missing players like Ryan Christie or Olivier Ntcham or wonder about the fitness of Scott Brown, Rogic and Mohamed Elyounoussi – but that would be a cop-out.
It wasn’t the formation that caused the late meltdown and the squad is strong enough to cope with a team like Copenhagen.
It was a hugely disappointing result and it will probably haunt players like Brown for some time. But it doesn’t have to be catastrophic when it comes to the season overall.
Celtic have to take it as a wake-up call and a motivation to finish the job on the home front. They have a commanding lead in the Premiership and a massive Scottish Cup tie ahead at St Johnstone tomorrow.
There’s also Livingston to deal with on their plastic pitch in midweek. If Celtic can get make some kind of statement in these games, the European pain will ease.
I don’t even think the Scottish Cup is ultimately a necessity. It would be incredible to win another Treble but it would be a bonus as the league is the be all and end all right now.
We all know how the west of Scotland works. When one team is up, the other is suffering. Last week at one stage Celtic were cruising in Copenhagen and Steven Gerrard’s neck was on the block after going two down to Braga. Fair play to Rangers, they turned it around and it was a brilliant achievement reaching the last 16.
But Celtic have to forget about their rivals and what they do in Europe. A Premiership and League Cup double would be a successful season for Lennon, add the Scottish Cup and it would be a tremendous campaign, regardless of Europe.
They will carry the regret of what might have been in the Europa League but when it comes to matters back in Scotland they have to listen to Edouard’s advice the other night.
Celtic need to keep their heads.
They feel the need to throw men forward to win games because they expect to do so