Rangers(H)
Rangers(H)
Brendan Rodgers spoke of how Rangers “Stole our game” in January but this time, it was the points they stole. Celtic were deserving of nothing but Rangers were fortunate to win.
The first half was strangely blasé. Alarmingly lacking in intent and general cohesion, Celtic found themselves 1 down, 4 minutes in, and in a weird way – it had been coming. Nico Raskin – all 5’6 of him – out-jumped Jeffrey Shlupp at the front post, to glance home a corner. If the first goal was sleepy, the second was amateurish. An alarming catalogue of errors, ending with Diomande being afforded time to take a touch and finish, 8 yards from goal, without even the hint of a challenge.
Things had to change. Nicolas Kuhn - so often the attacking instigator - was hooked for Adam Idah at half-time; the German had been non-existent but wasn’t alone in that.
Jota went right, Maeda left, the Irishman through the middle. It took 3 minutes to work and unsurprisingly, it was the Japanese forward who got it. After driving to the by-line, Jota pitched a perfect ball to the back post, for Maeda to head home. Game on.
Parity started to feel inevitable at this point. Anything but sparkling, Celtic had at least, woken up, heading into the final 3rd of the game.
As in recent games, the introduction of Yang provided impetuous. Enthusiasm is an underappreciated attribute; the South Korean has in spades and his new found assuredness, is both endearing and increasingly effective. His part in the goal, was a footnote but the urgency with which he moved the ball, had been missing. His sharp pass inside found McCowan, who weighted a perfect ball in behind for Hatate. Anonymous up to this point, the Japanese midfielder, had ran beyond the Rangers centre halves, meeting the pass and finishing well from a sharp angle. All square, 15 to play.
It seemed fair to presume, Celtic would win from here. Momentum gathering, possession secure, it was a time for heroes. This was not the day though. There was no attacking swell, or sustained pressure, there was no grabbing of the game, by the scruff of the neck. Uninspired, there was also little, in the way of re-enforcements from the bench.
In the 88th minute, the worst-case scenario, played out. Carter-Vickers somehow lost the flight of a thoroughly unremarkable, boot up the park from Butland; letting it bounce in behind him. Johnstone was on hand but, to put it simply, fell over, allowing Igamane to pick the ball up and turn. His attempt to drive with the ball into the area, was initially thwarted but the challenge ricocheted nicely for the Moroccan, who smacked it first time into Schmeichel’s top corner. It was both gifted to and finished emphatically by the Moroccan and brought a dramatic conclusion to an afternoon, that was fumbled, then recovered, just to be fumbled again.
On the ball, Celtic had been sedated and second-guessing, all afternoon. The laboured touches and slack passes, only seemed to go backwards and this further encouraged the Rangers press.
The midfield – in Callum McGregor’s absence – was dysfunctional and offered the defenders little, in the way of an outlet. While the Celtic captain is not the archetype physical specimen associated with a midfield anchor, his experience and nous, bring tactical balance, and fluidity, in the most important area of the pitch. It took Celtic forever to work it out and he might have sped this process up.
Three poor performances in consecutive derby games, have many asking about Rodgers’ tactics, is there a need to adjust? Two Rangers managers, two different shapes, same result.
To go against the sensationalist grain, I’m not sure it’s that deep. It seems reactionary to read anything into it. Rangers or not, this game had little consequence and there is no need for any big departure, from a system that has us 13 points clear in March and two wins shy, of a domestic treble.
This was a game of two halves, form went out the window and to complete derby cliché bingo, it did in fact, come down to one team wanting it more. Little more than that.
A little more than that.
It would be ideal, if we can sign a midfielder with a particularly defensive or combative skill-set. Just to have the option at least.
Getting physically bettered by the diminutive – yet hugely annoying – Nico Raskin, isn’t something, I wish to see again.