LET’S GO FOR THE JUGULAR
Ntcham echoes boss and feels Celtic must put Zenit on back foot
IF Celtic supporters have learned anything about European away matches under Brendan Rodgers, it’s that witnessing the sublime, the ridiculous and everything in between is entirely possible.
The former label would certainly apply to an outstanding three-goal destruction of Anderlecht in Brussels in September and a deserved score draw at the Etihad the previous December.
The sting in the tail, of course, came with the concession of seven goals in the backyards of both Barcelona and Paris SaintGermain. On the road, there seems but one certainty. Dull, it is not.
Irrespective of the standard of opponent his side are facing, the man from Northern Ireland refuses to flinch an inch. His side will continue to play on the front foot — no matter the pain that approach may occasionally bring them.
If this bold strategy has naturally been questioned after particularly bruising away encounters with Europe’s elite, few believe tomorrow in St Petersburg is the time or the place to mothball it.
Conventional wisdom suggests a 1-0 victory over Zenit in Glasgow last Thursday, while hardly an unassailable lead, does give Rodgers’ men a distinct advantage due to the tightrope Roberto Mancini’s men are now walking.
It does not take a degree in advanced mathematics to deduce that just one Celtic goal in the Krestovsky Stadium will leave the free-spending Russians requiring three to advance.
Accordingly, there seems about as much chance of Rodgers (below) parking the bus in Russia for the first time as Christmas coming early.
‘It is up to the manager how we play in the second leg,’ said midfielder Olivier Ntcham. ‘But if I was the coach, I’d say we should play the way we always play.
‘We always try to score goals and that is our way.
‘We don’t just have to try and stay in behind and defend for the whole second leg waiting until the game is finished.
‘It is best to play our own way like we are used to doing.’
Last week, Celtic defied expectations to fashion a deserved win through a performance which was brimming with maturity and patience.
If that is replicated in tomorrow’s return, Zenit will have to be either extraordinarily good or extremely fortunate to prevail.
‘All of the team enjoyed the first leg because we played good,’ reflected Ntcham.
‘Defensively, the team was good and we managed to get the goal which was needed and now we take that to Russia.
‘I think the coach set us up well and it stopped Zenit from making many chances. It was enjoyable to play in the system.’
Mancini’s dilemma tomorrow is obvious. At some point, his side must commit sufficient numbers forward to create the chance which might level the tie.
Yet, to leave the likes of James Forrest and Scott Sinclair scope to get into their stride on the counterattack is risky in the extreme.
If the Russians didn’t previously fully appreciate Celtic’s strengths, they know by now. Rodgers’ side reserved their most complete performance of the season for the first-leg victory. Zenit didn’t come close to justifying the hype.
With the Russian season still two weeks away from restarting, the fervent hope among the Scots is that any ring rust in their opponents’ ranks will still linger.
The judicious approach, from Rodgers’ perspective, is to assume that last week’s flat display was not a reflection of their true selves.
‘I don’t know how Zenit will be different, or if they will be different in the second leg,’ added Ntcham.
‘Maybe they will be stronger than the first leg. Maybe they will change some things for this game.
‘Of course, they have now played a competitive game after their winter break and, when you play more and more games, you become stronger and you become more confident.’
Ntcham’s sole experience of playing club football in Russia may have been as a member of a supporting cast but the night in question remains one more reason to travel back there without fear.
Back in 2014, as Manchester City’s big guns drew 2-2 with CSKA Moscow, Ntcham was part of the development squad which beat their equivalents 2-0 in the UEFA Youth League. It goes without saying that a similar result under rather more pressure tomorrow would do nicely.
‘It was with the young team and it was a good game that I enjoyed,’ he recalled.
‘Of course, it was a little bit cold, but I liked it.’
The age profile tomorrow will, naturally, be significantly different. Yet there are still key members of Rodgers’ side who are callow.
Kristoffer Ajer is just 19. Kieran Tierney and Eboue Kouassi are still only 20. Charly Musonda and Moussa Dembele are just 21.
Collectively, though, they had too much nous for Mancini’s men in Glasgow.
‘Although we have many young players, I feel there is maturity when we are on the pitch,’ said 22-year-old Ntcham.
‘The manager has said that there is growth in the team and I think that is true.Game after game, Kouassi is getting better and we are seeing what he is able to do.’
Dembele, too, displayed flashes last week of the unplayable beast he previously was. The transfer window now closed, there is an expectation that the striker can reprise his role as a big-game player tomorrow.
‘I hope for him and I hope for the team that Moussa can score a goal over in Russia,’ said Ntcham.
‘He was holding the ball up for us a lot in the first leg. When you are a defender, it must be difficult to play against a big and strong striker like Moussa.
‘It must always be hard to come up against that and he is a great player.
‘It is not just down to one player. We all must try to do things, but Moussa can always score and play well. We all know that.’
Largely written off before the tie got under way, Rodgers’ players would not be human if, privately, they have not sneaked a peek at a last-16 draw that is almost certain to contain the likes of Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
But their assignment is taxing in the extreme.
Last year, Zenit lost only once at home across all competitions. It has already happened twice this term. Mancini would be well advised to see that it does not happen again.
‘If we managed to get through, I think it would be a really big achievement for all of us,’ added Ntcham.
‘For the manager, for the club and also for all of the players.
‘When you achieve your targets, you are always happy and that is what we want to do.
‘The second leg is going to be tough but to get through is our aim and that is what we will fight for.’ still