A primary free midweek in a month didn’t liberate Martin O’Neill from what should really feel like a relentless onslaught of issues.
As welcome because it was for the 74-year-old, Sunday’s victory at Ibrox additional underscored the problems Celtic face within the closing third by way of creativity and ending. To win a match with out registering a single shot heading in the right direction takes some doing, and a penalty shootout received’t be an possibility towards Motherwell on Saturday.
‘We’ve got to be a bit extra inventive,’ stated O’Neill. ‘You’ve bought to pay money for the ball. You don’t wish to be giving it away casually, significantly to Motherwell.’
Simpler stated than finished. Whereas O’Neill rubbished ideas that Callum McGregor is a long-term harm concern – he ought to return at Tannadice subsequent weekend – the skipper’s absence will likely be keenly felt in one other must-win recreation.
Arne Engels remains to be sidelined, though O’Neill has pencilled in his return for the journey to Dundee in three weeks’ time.
The image in the midst of the park is maybe not fairly as bleak because the supervisor feared it could be as soon as the mud settled on final weekend’s conflict.
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill needs to see extra creativity from his gamers in entrance of purpose
Paulo Bernardo’s cameo position in Govan advised he nonetheless has quite a bit to supply his season. Likewise Reo Hatate, who capped one other improved show with an ice-cool penalty.
Then there’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Evidently wanting match health when hooked at half-time within the first instalment of the double-header, he regarded extra up to the mark when changing Luke McCowan simply earlier than the hour mark. The ex-Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder has benefitted from an uninterrupted week’s work.
Whereas the captain’s loss is a blow as Celtic attempt to rein in Hearts, O’Neill feels it could be offset by Oxlade-Chamberlain coming to the boil on the proper second.
‘He may simply play Callum’s position, having had that have. Simply getting one other week’s coaching in and getting used to it … we do an terrible lot of tactical work right here. He’s a really intelligent participant, however he’s having to get used to entering into sure positions that he won’t have gone into naturally earlier than. He’s very, very self-critical and he doesn’t must be.
‘I’ve stated to him that, if he by no means kicks one other ball for us, his late purpose bought us three factors when it was only one on the playing cards towards Livingston. I hope he doesn’t take me too actually and say: “Properly, I’m simply going to down instruments now”.
‘However, no, he’s finished wonderful. He discovered the tempo of the sport towards Rangers the earlier Sunday was actually hectic and that doesn’t shock me. He simply bought misplaced within the recreation, therefore us taking him off at half-time. However he was nonetheless disillusioned with himself.’
His calm conversion of Celtic’s first spot-kick on the Copland Highway finish proved {that a} extended spell out of the sport hasn’t affected his nerve.
Coming after James Tavernier struck the cross bar, Oxlade-Chamberlain set the tone for an ideal sequence from 12 yards which took O’Neill’s facet into the semi-finals.
Celtic needed to depend on a penalty shootout to see off Rangers final weekend after failing to register a shot heading in the right direction throughout recreation
Seeing Auston Trusty, Reo Hatate and Tomas Cvancara additionally hearth past Jack Butland spared O’Neill from having to observe Liam Scales take quantity 5 by means of the cracks in his fingers.
‘That was a priority, no query about it,’ he smiled. ‘I scrubbed him from the checklist twice! I even had Brian Wilson in earlier than him!
‘I stated to him: “Would you are taking a penalty?” and he checked out me as if to say no, then stated: “Yeah, I’ll take one”. (It confirmed) nice character. But when it had been the one to determine the sport, it might need been a unique ball recreation. It isn’t good for a 74-year-old.’
With McGregor and Kieran Tierney becoming a member of a roll name of automated picks on the sidelines, there was little logic to counsel Celtic would keep within the competitors. For the fourth immediately recreation, they dug in. It wasn’t fairly. however efficient. ‘We went in with a facet shorn of a few actually good gamers,’ stated O’Neill. ‘I’m not speaking concerning the long-term accidents we’ve had all season.
‘It was our fourth recreation in 10 days. So, the longer the sport was occurring, it grew to become a extra defensive job as a lot as the rest. It wasn’t a case of enjoying for penalties. General, it was a very nice effort by the crew as a result of we have been beneath stress.’
Nearly misplaced within the aftermath was the reward. O’Neill will face St Mirren at Hampden. Many consider he ought to have had the honour within the League Cup closing, just for Wilfried Nancy to be ushered in. ‘Hindsight is a superb factor,’ he stated. ‘I can perceive the membership on the time considering it could be exhausting for a supervisor simply to step in and that be his first recreation. So, he needed to have the week beforehand. I’ve no complaints at present.’
As for at present, Motherwell signify a severe risk to Celtic’s hopes of remaining in competition for the title. Their boss Jens Berthel Askou has fused model with substance. A lot in order that, if O’Neill walks into the sundown this summer time, the Dane may scarcely have finished extra to showcase his credentials as a attainable substitute.
Tomas Cvancara fires house the successful spot-kick at Ibrox, however a penalty shootout will not be an possibility towards Motherwell on Saturday
‘It’s been very spectacular certainly. He’s finished a very tremendous job’ added the veteran. ‘He’s wanting them to play in a unique trend to the best way they’ve performed earlier than. They’ve accepted that and thought: “Let’s see the way it goes for some time”. Then while you begin to win a couple of matches and play rather well, all people appears on board with it.
‘They’ve bought a few actually good attacking choices, too. No shock the younger lad (Tawanda Maswanhise) is main goalscorer, he’s a very good participant. (Ibrahim) Mentioned’s participant. Once you get a few little midfield gamers who actually begin to shine, then you definitely’ve bought one thing taking place for you.’
