Celtic fail to make case for the defence
IF this was a forward step by Celtic, it was more of a hesitant stumble than a purposeful stride. Unquestionably the superior side over the piece, John Kennedy’s players were markedly better than in their toothless display against Rangers here in October that signalled the beginning of the end of their title hopes. They fashioned more chances and dictated the tempo. They identified and exploited Rangers’ weak spot down their right. More men in green and white won their individual battles. Yet, for all that, it was still no vintage performance. Good rather than great. Adequate but by no means exceptional.
Allan McGregor did produce a string of saves but none were ones that were over and above the call of duty. A lack of punch on Celtic’s part ensured the Rangers keeper was not nearly as busy as he might have been. Defensively, Celtic’s display was in keeping with so much of this season. A needlessly conceded set-piece, an inability to win the first header, the net bulging. A
sequence now as predictable as day following night. When you are so vulnerable at one end of the field and so unconvincing at the other, there can be no hard-luck story. ‘I don’t think it’s just this fixture,’ said skipper Scott Brown. ‘It’s been a whole season for us. We’ve played some great football but we just can’t get the ball in the back of the net. ‘They have one shot on target and score one goal. It’s been a hard season for us. We’ve come back and been really good in the last three games. ‘I thought we were very good throughout the 90 minutes. I think today’s team performance was miles better than we’ve been this season — we probably deserved three points as well.’
They would probably have got them too had Odsonne Edouard simply taken the hit when Borna Barisic committed to a challenge four minutes after Mohamed Elyounoussi had headed Celtic in front. It was the Frenchman’s decision to make the most of the contact made which cost him a certain penalty. Brown, as is any player’s wont in such circumstances, felt Willie Collum should have signalled one anyway. He said: ‘It was a stonewaller. There is no need for Odsonne to go down, he chopped inside, we saw it at half-time. ‘It’s one of those ones... you go in at half-time 2-0 up and the (Rangers) goal changed the game. They managed to get back in it but we’ve had enough chances. ‘It’s a bit unlucky as well, it’s probably a foul on Jonjoe (Kenny). It goes out for a corner and gets a flick on and whoever scores at the back post as well.’ There was at least enough here to assure Kennedy that his players will give it everything in the five remaining league games and, more significantly, as they set about winning the Scottish Cup for an unprecedented fifth consecutive season. ‘The lads are still fighting,’ said Brown. ‘We’ve still got that pride in ourselves. ‘We need to keep going, we’ve got a Scottish Cup to look forward to now, we’ve go a lot of games to look forward to and win as many as we can.’
In a bleak season, the positives have come in the form of David Turnbull and Stephen Welsh. The latter was an assured defensive presence throughout. He did little wrong when he made his first start of the season against Rangers in October but looked a more accomplished player five months on. ‘I think I have come a long way since then,’ said the 21-year-old. ‘I’m more mature, better on the ball and defensively. I’m probably more physical as well. ‘It definitely helps me having John Kennedy there. I’ve been with him for four of five years as a coach and now the manager. ‘I enjoy going out and playing for him. He trusts me to play in these games and that gives me a lot of confidence.’