Matt O’Riley believes Celtic will need all of their attacking answers as they aim to constantly solve increasing defensive puzzles. The Parkhead side have made a flying start to their title defence with three straight wins in a comprehensive beginning.
Typically, Ange Postecoglou’s side have done it with a bit of swagger and go into Sunday’s clash against Hearts having hammered 10 goals already in the wins over Aberdeen, Ross County and Kilmarnock. Crucially, the goals are being shared around with seven different individuals on the mark already.
Although talismen such as Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi have hogged the headlines, Celtic have found defenders such as Stephen Welsh, Moritz Jenz and Carl Starfelt all adding to the tally through the trio of triumphs. As Celtic prepare to welcome the Tynecastle team aiming to make it four wins from four in the Premiership and stay at the top of the table, they will again go at an organised opposition from all angles.
Postecoglou is thrilled at the squad having multiple threats and O’Riley feels it is going to be crucial in the months ahead with fresh challenges being posed on a weekly basis. He said: “It’s important that we have a spread of goals from all over the team. That’s the case especially with the way teams play against us in Scotland.
“They really try to stop us from playing our game and we need to find a way past that. Take the Ross County game as an example, they were following the midfielders all over the pitch.
“I would run out wide and that left Cameron Carter-Vickers with the space to run all the way up the pitch and shoot. That kind of shows that we will have to use as many options, and resources, as we can to score in certain games this season.
“Sometimes, we need to wear teams down and then look for the openings after 60-70 minutes. Spaces can open up even more at that point and I think late goals could be quite common this season with the way teams are being set up. Being patient is important, we need to find the space when we can and then it’s a case of being clinical when we get the chances.”
Ironically, the midfield unit which includes O’Riley, Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Reo Hatate have yet to get off the mark, but the assists are there and the goals are surely coming.
Postecoglou’s men work tirelessly on the training pitch to ensure they fulfill their maximum potential on match days. It has been well documented through the start of the campaign that the additional Lennoxtown working days afforded due to lack of European qualifiers is helping them to further fine-tune their methodology.
O’Riley feels the benefits are evident and are going to have a big bearing on the squad when the cut-and-thrust of non-stop midweek football at home and abroad joins the weekend commitments at the end of this month as the congested fixture list ahead of the World Cup in Qatar really takes hold. He said: “Having extra training time does help some of the new boys adjust to the way we are playing.
“This four-week spell when we don’t have midweek games should help us a lot. The players’ bodies will get used to the training and that’s good, as come September it is going to be pretty full on. Having this period is going to help us later in the season.”
Of course, within their variety of tests and tasks lies the group stages of the Champions League. Having secured the title last term and automatic qualification, the players have been aware for three months that the big nights are looming after a five-year absence from Celtic Park.
By this time next week, Postecoglou and his players will know who they are going to face with the draw taking place in Istanbul on Thursday. However, such is the way of life at Celtic that no focus is being placed on it at this stage.
One of the secrets to the squad’s success is their refusal to look beyond the very next obstacle which comes in the shape of the Jambos. Postecoglou has built a 35-game unbeaten Premiership run on the back of the total focus model to go alongside the exhilarating play and O’Riley says no minds will ever drift when there are more-immediate matters at hand.
The Denmark Under-21 star said: “I haven’t actually thought about the Champions League that much. We are very process-focused at Celtic and it’s very much about the day to day. It’s about training and preparing for the next game.
“We know the draw is coming up and there are going to be massive teams in it. When the group comes out, I will have a think about the competition a bit more.
“But this month has been about focusing on the league games every weekend. It’s all about the present and what we control. The next game is always the biggest at Celtic. That’s how it is. With the amount of fixtures at this club, there is no other option.
“We could end up playing over 60 games this season so you can’t afford to think too far ahead. Let’s be patient, focus on the next game and take it all as it comes.”
