We won’t sit back against Celts, vows Mac
ST JOHNSTONE striker Steven MacLean is intent on causing the Celtic defence problems after claiming there are weaknesses in Brendan Rodgers’ team.
Celtic can equal a 50-yearold club record for a 26-match unbeaten start to the domestic season tonight, but MacLean is in no mood to stand back and admire his opponents.
The Saints striker felt he and his team-mates sat off the champions far too much in their previous meeting this season, when Celtic led 3-0 at the break before claiming a 4-2 win at McDiarmid Park in August.
“We have been there before and beat them so we will go there with confidence,” said MacLean.
“It’s quite clear Rodgers has brought a different dimension to them, loads of pace and power and very dynamic from all areas.
“So it will be a very difficult game but I think there are weaknesses there as well. If you look back at the game at the start of the season, I think we were probably a bit too respectful of them early in the game.
“In the second half we had a bit of a go and we got ourselves back in the game, albeit they scored a late goal to make it quite comfortable.
“But I think we have strength in areas we can hurt them as well.”
Saints won at Celtic Park in March 2015 thanks to Danny Swanson’s spectacular strike and MacLean wants to put the league leaders on the back foot whenever they have the chance.
“You have got to have a good shape about you when you go there but we are not going to go there and be passive and let them do what they want to do,” the 34-year-old said.
“We will have a good shape but we will be aggressive in our play and hopefully we can get a positive result.”