WHAT WENT WRONG FOR CELTIC VS MIDTJYLLAND?
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Liam McBride looks back on Celtic's 3-1 loss in Denmark, and asks where can the team learn and do better moving forward
Celtic slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Midtjylland in their fourth game of the Europa League league-phase. The home side now boast a 100% win record and are already just one match away from a guaranteed playoff spot.
Overall, it was domination from minute 1 to ninety, and in the end, losing by just 2 goals may prove crucial come matchday 8 for the Scottish Champions.
Yet, with ties against Feyenoord, Roma, Bologna and Utrecht still awaiting, qualification looks less than likely.
Now, here's the player by player breakdown for Celtic vs Midtjylland
Celtic vs Midtjylland : A Painful Reality Check for Celtic
Kasper Schmeichel - 8
On a night when Mike Tullberg’s men scored three, the Dane was arguably the best man in green and white. Perhaps, that’s a sombre reflection of where Celtic are. He made a total of nine saves, six coming from shots inside the box, and one long shot volley bouncing awkwardly in the six-yard box. Barring a few times, his distribution was tidy. He showed particular composure in the second half with a spin in his own area to crucially recycle the ball.
Anthony Ralston-3
It was a torrid performance from the makeshift Alistair Johnson replacement. In fairness, with such a near-range shot blasting him in the face, there is the possibility that he continued with a slight concussion for the remainder of the ninety.
Nevertheless, the opportunity which rocked him to the floor came from an inability to mark the back post and spot a runner. For the first goal, James Forrest cut off Mikel Gorgorza’s route inside, meaning that the only attacking area he could use was the outside. Despite this, Ralston failed to read the situation and allowed the young Dane to reach the by-line and put the cross in. Just minutes later, the nineteen-year-old skinned the Scot with ease to make it two.
Auston Trusty- 6
It felt as though he held the defence together by a thread, until it all unraveled. The left-hand side was consistently caught out of position, with Trusty having to cover the space left by his two teammates. In the early stages, his clearances came in clutch; meanwhile, he decisively passed.
Liam Scales- 5
The Irishman was consistently caught out of position, leaving massive gaps of space behind for a speedy Midtjylland forward line. He also showed a real lack of care in the ball, on one occasion falling over it with no real pressure, leading to a dangerous counterattack. However, he was reliable as ever in the air, with his clearing headers a real reason that the game stayed goalless till the 33-minute mark.
Kieran Tierney- 4.5
Eyebrows were raised at his inclusion in the starting eleven. More eyebrows were raised after he stayed on the park for the full ninety minutes. Like his partner on the left, Tierney was continually at sea positionally and was outpaced by the opposing right-hand side. It wasn’t for the want of trying.
He flew into tackles, winning 7 of his 8 ground duels. Moreover, in possession, there were moments of composure, mixed with scenes of confusion. He often found himself in space, but didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength as his teammates. It all seemed rather disjointed.
Arne Engels - 7
The Belgian was Celtic’s best midfielder on the park, without being excellent. He did the basics well and was the only one of the three who managed to get close and personal to his counterparts. He was a physical nuisance and showed a level of composure in possession that has not been familiar during his time at Celtic.
Callum McGregor-5
It’s not often you say it about the Celtic captain, but he never got involved in the game. Defensively, the home side never played in his space, and in possession, the Bhoys often opted to skip him in build-up, going full back to winger, or Schmeichel to a deep dropping striker.
Benjamin Nygren-5
The Swede, like the Captain, failed to get involved in the game, with the Celtic midfield yet again on the European stage completely overrun. He did find himself in a really promising position to open the scoring midway through the first half but fired his effort over the bar.
James Forrest-7
It becomes really difficult to rate the forwards when they were truly given so little service. The 34-year-old dribbled well at times, but had very little to work with. Defensively, he held his shape well. Overall, there was little to mention.
Johnny Kenny -5.5
He was asked to play the role of a hold-up striker, but struggled in that regard. Ultimately, it just seems to be a role that he cannot play, certainly not on the European stage. His pace in behind and striker like movement is effective against teams of a similar ilk; however, under pressure, he isn’t the physical presence to act as an out-ball.
Sebastian Tounetki-6.5
The Tunisian pressed tenaciously in the first half, running from right-back to goalkeeper in a bid to pressure the home side. In reality, a one-man press proved a waste of time and if anything, added to an already exposed left-hand side. He dribbled well in the moments he had the ball and won a few corners but was ultimately dealt an impossible task.