Finding the dig

 

 

Finding the dig

 Watching Celtic struggle against Rangers in the latest derby match reminded me of the old adage that ‘hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ Celtic were undoubtedly the architects of their own downfall with some defending reminiscent of the 1990s, when fans referred to the Hoops back line as the ‘sieve.’ Of course, good defence in the modern game begins with the front line and, press as they did, Celtic found that Rangers often achieved more with one ball over the top than the Hoops did with a dozen passes.

Last week’s narrow loss was down to more than poor defending though. Celtic looked soft in the middle of the field and their opponents thought nothing of leaving the foot in. Indeed, some of the tackling on Yang and Maeda was a throwback to less civilised days in the beautiful game when players set out to slow down the danger men in the opponent’s team by kicking them. Scottish football seems to tolerate a degree of physicality that other leagues wouldn’t. Igamane’s tackle on Yang late in the game was a borderline red card but in the SPFL it wasn’t even deemed a booking.

 Jan Bartram, a Danish international player said of his time playing for Rangers in the late 1980’s…

 "My team-mates laughed about my clash with Souness because they knew the truth of what I said. I was shocked by my boss's early tackle in a Euro tie with Steaua Bucharest. He should have been sent off. I would not follow his orders and deliberately kick people."

We used to say in those days that we’d rather sign a John Collins or a Joe Miller than a John Brown or Terry Hurlock, but there is a balance to be struck between skill and finesse and that physical dig required in the Scottish League. At times Celtic allowed themselves to be bullied last week and that can’t continue. In 2008, injuries and circumstances saw Celtic purchase Barry Robson from Dundee United on the last day of the January transfer window. With Robson and Hartley blending well in midfield, Celtic clawed back a big deficit in the title race to be crowned champions on an emotional night at Tannadice. Barry Robson added steel and experience to the midfield. He was a decent footballer but he could get stuck in too when circumstances demanded it. His clattering of Christian Daly in the opening minutes of a vital derby match set the tone for the game. Celtic were there to play football, but if the opposition wanted a battle, then they would get one. More recently, Scott Brown added that dimension to Celtic’s play when necessary. Today we have some good footballers in midfield but is there anyone ready to boss things and, when required, fight fire with fire?

 We know what Rangers’ tactics will be in the derby games and we need to adapt to it better. The last 5 matches against them have seen Celtic ship 12 goals (3-3, 3-0, 3-3, 0-3, 2-3) and that is a worrying stat. Rodgers win ratio in the fixture is the best there has ever been but this season’s title race has been more comfortable for Celtic than it could have been. Rangers won’t be liberally spilling points to lesser sides forever so it’s important Celtic re-establish dominance in the fixture. I still believe Celtic has the better squad and on the whole better players but the intensity and desire needs to match theirs for the entire game. We saw in that second half of last week’s match that when Celtic step it up and play as they can, they are the better side. Over the course of the game, they created enough chances to win, yet, they were undone in the end by little more than a long punt up the park.  

 All successful teams reach a point where the cycle of success is challenged. How they react to it is the deciding factor in whether they will continue to dominate. Next season will be an interesting one as Celtic will face perhaps a sterner test in the league than they have this year. The summer will, I’m sure, see some comings and goings at Celtic Park and the club needs to get the right men in to meet the challenges ahead. That being said, there is much to play for this season with a league to be settled and the Scottish cup to be fought for. The good work of 2024-25 season has the club in a strong position and we shouldn’t lose sight of that after a disappointing loss. The championship is decided over the course of ten long months of football in all kinds of conditions and Celtic are rightly in pole position. Last week’s loss is a reminder of what can happen if you don’t maintain the high standards you set. Football can be an unpredictable game at times and we may look back when this season is over and have much to celebrate.  

It is possible to lose the odd battle and still win the war.