BY AIDAN SMITH
THE pressure was on for Celtic at the weekend as they looked to bounce back from a shock defeat to St Mirren before the international break.
It was simply unthinkable for Ange Postecoglou’s men to slip up for a second game running and a battling display ensured three points were clocked in the Premiership table against Motherwell.
Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate won the game for Celtic, while a red card to Callum McGregor and a calamitous Motherwell goal were the low points for the Hoops.
Ultimately it was the three points that mattered, Celtic gained them to regain top spot in the Scottish Premiership from Rangers, who had won 4-0 against Hearts earlier in the day.
The title race is heating up and here are five Celtic pointers that Herald and Times Sport picked up from the Parkhead tussle ahead of a hectic month of October for Postecoglou’s team.
HATATE SHOW
Reo Hatate was a frustrated figure over the international break as he was left out for Japan on two occasions against both the USA and Ecuador. The 24-year-old made his feelings known in an interview with local media and you could see from the off he was out to prove a point against Motherwell. Hatate was by far the best Celtic player on the pitch, in what was a pretty lacklustre display. The midfielder looked determined to make things happen and he hounded Motherwell players down at every opportunity to win possession for his team. Hatate’s performance was rounded off with a stunning winner as he fired past Liam Kelly from the edge of the box on the hour mark. It was clear the goal injected confidence into Hatate’s game, but he slipped up with a slack pass in the final minute, which resulted in captain Callum McGregor being sent off. Speaking to the press after the game, it was clear Hatate was frustrated, but his determination to be the best will serve Celtic and Ange Postecoglou well going forward.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
He may have been sent off in the final minutes, but Callum McGregor was once again impressive for Celtic against Motherwell. His performance was all the more striking given the shift he had put in over the international break with Scotland. McGregor is a key figure for both club and country and his class on the ball must be a joy to play with as a teammate. McGregor is growing as a captain too and simply demands his teammates to produce on the park. His furious reaction to Hatate’s poor pass, which ultimately earned him his marching orders, was a sure sign of the standards being set. Celtic may look to appeal McGregor’s dismissal as there looked to be defensive cover on replays of the incident. Postecoglou will want his skipper present and correct in the long run.
COMMUNICATION ISSUES
Celtic made Saturday’s game more of a struggle for themselves after they gifted Motherwell with a goal and route back into the game. A relatively tame cross from Paul McGinn was ultimately chested into his own goal by Josip Juranovic after a total mix-up in communications with goalkeeper Joe Hart. There were further mistakes in Celtic’s defensive third due to lapses of concentration and that needs to be eliminated, especially with Champions League fixtures around the corner. Postecoglou was calm over the goal his team conceded, but he certainly would have been more vocal had the error cost three points. Motherwell failed to capitalise but in games against the likes of RB Leipzig and Real Madrid, they simply won’t get away with such mistakes.
CENTRAL DEFENCE STRUGGLES
With Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers still out injured, Stephen Welsh and Moritz Jenz continued as Celtic’s current central defensive partnership. The pair are clearly learning each other’s games and at times they looked out of tune like they did against St Mirren before the international break. At times the duo stepped out from the back, but they appeared to lack confidence to hit the killer pass into midfield. Their belief and partnership will grow with games, but you would imagine Carter-Vickers and Starfelt will be given the nod when they are both fit again. The injured pair are without doubt a level above their centre-back counterparts. It remains to be seen how long both will be out for, but Postecoglou has given hints that Carter Vicker’s is not far away from returning.
A BIG MONTH AHEAD
Saturday’s victory over Motherwell was the first of eight fixtures to come this month for Celtic. A League Cup quarter-final is wedged between Premiership and Champions League fixtures and it will take a huge shift from the entire squad to produce the victories sought after. You would imagine squad rotation will play a key role and Celtic showed they have a number of players waiting the wings, who are all keen to make an impact. Aaron Mooy, David Turnbull, Liel Abada, Oliver Abildgaard and Saed Haksabanovic were all introduced from the wings and they looked sharp in their cameo appearances. With plenty of minutes to come this month, opportunities will arrive for the fringe stars and they must ensure to grab their chance to push for a starting spot under Postecoglou.
