Can Celtic's Momentum Continue In Lisbon? Hoops Refocus Domestic Form For Europa League Test
Celtic returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Motherwell. Goals from Camilo Duran and Benjamin Nygren were enough to secure the victory, although it certainly should have been more based on the chances created. This means that Celtic remain top of the table and will now turn their focus to tonight's very different challenge in Lisbon.
Coming into the Motherwell match, captain Callum McGregor spoke about returning to the style which has made the club so successful on the domestic front. Martin O’Neill echoed this sentiment after the clash, saying,
"I think that we just had to refocus on the things that have made the team good. I think that we fell short... in terms of closing players down, things like this... that extra energy. And of course, with a lot of players away on international duty, I was a wee bit concerned about that energy, but overall I was delighted with the team."
From an energetic and pressing perspective, Celtic made their intentions clear from minute one.
When Alex Paulsen had the ball, Kasper Høgh blocked the pass to Stephen O'Donnell, forcing the stopper to play to Martin Moorman at left centre-back. Camilo Duran then closed Moorman down, while Colby Donovan closed in on Emmanuel Longelo. The Hoops had Motherwell penned in and were poised to win it back.
Yet they were immediately reminded of the risks of such an aggressive out-of-possession structure, as Moorman simply opted to play a long ball over the top, leaving Celtic exposed in a two-on-two situation.
However, it was one of the few times that Alfred Johansson's team managed to get in behind Celtic, and soon after, Camilo Duran gave the visitors the lead. It was a neatly worked goal all-round, with Murray, Høgh, Donovan, and McGregor all linking up with the Colombian. Duran put an end to his mini goal drought with an expertly placed finish into the bottom right corner.
An early goal was exactly what the doctor ordered after all the pre-match noise. From that moment on, the Hoops never looked back. A 2-0 scoreline in name, it was anything but. The Bhoys hit 12 of their 25 shots on target but had to wait until the 58th minute for Benjamin Nygren to double their lead. In short, Paulsen's heroics were the only thing standing between the league leaders and a much more imperious scoreline.
There were, in fact, a lot of positives to take.
Firstly, Celtic were much better set up in midfield. McGregor in particular played much deeper into the opponent's half, which made it more difficult for the Motherwell midfield three to mark Nygren and Mika Baur, ultimately giving the champions more bodies in the final third. Baur in particular had his best showing in a Celtic jersey to date and is looking every bit worth the £5 million+ spent on him in August.
Kieran Tierney and Colby Donovan also excelled at full-back. Their athleticism and attacking play were on full show, with both unlucky not to register assists. Tierney admitted before the match that he had been playing through an injury in the weeks leading up to the international break. On Sunday afternoon, he looked much more like his usual self and was a major asset at both ends.
Oh, and of course, there was the return of Jota. He looked emotional once again, saying afterwards he felt like he had "got his child back".
It will take time for the fan favourite to return to his best, but when he does, it will completely change the Celtic attacking landscape. His quality on the left paired with Duran on the right will make for an exciting-looking frontline. That is not to mention the goalscoring ability and tenacity of Yang, or the dribbling ability of Hassan coming off the bench. Outside those four, Sebastian Tounekti enjoyed an improved performance, while James Forrest remains a reliable option from the bench.
That said, it is important not to get carried away. Motherwell are a struggling side. Just as Rangers are the exact type of team that does not suit Celtic due to their direct and physical play, Motherwell's set-up and lack of physicality play right into how O'Neill's side wants to play. There are technical players all over the pitch for Celtic, and in a purely passing game, they will more often than not come out on top.
Nevertheless, tonight will be a major step up for Celtic. Benfica is the opponent, and Marco Silva's men will have ambitions of winning the Europa League after a comfortable 2-0 away win against AC Milan in their opening match.
With Cameron Carter-Vickers set to miss out, you really do fear for the backline, particularly if a similar pressing structure is employed. After a loss to Ferencvaros, a place in the play-offs becomes an uphill battle, but there are still plenty of opportunities to pick up the necessary ten (or sometimes nine) points.
Without wanting to sound full of doom and gloom, tonight does not seem like one of those opportunities, and I, like other Celtic fans, will be happy to settle for a competitive scoreline.
Then, it is another title-rival clash at Paradise, with Wouter Vrancken's Hearts coming to town. They are a completely different outfit this year, playing a more intense, running-heavy style of game compared to their tactical approach last season.
Should Celtic come through the Benfica game with a respectable scoreline and defeat Hearts next week, things on the pitch, at least, will start to feel a little better.
Comments