If it was a simple as the team who had the most attempts on target winning the game then Celtic wouldn’t have enjoyed one of their greatest European victories since that historic night in Lisbon in 1967.
So as Parkhead punters scratch their heads in disbelief at just how their side failed to find the net against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, it’s worth recalling the 2-1 victory over Barcelona under Neil Lennon a decade ago next month.
The Catalans had a staggering 25 shots with 14 of them on target yet only managed to score in injury time through Lionel Messi. But by then Celtic were already two goals to the good through Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt – two goals from a total of five attempts, all of which were on target.
It was quite unbelievable and unforgettable for Celtic. In fact, maybe they have been made to pay the price for that ever since. The Hoops have only won one Champions League group stage at home since that night - a 2-1 victory over Ajax the following season.
How else do you explain the unbelievable goal attempts, this season alone, that have failed to bring a goal? Maybe it is Barca karma. The image of Ange Postecoglou, head in hands after another chance has gone begging, has been a familiar one in their Group F campaign which came to an end in terms of remaining in the competition with two games still left to play.
Twice they hit the woodwork - as did Callum McGregor on an equally frustrating night in the first game against Real Madrid - in quick succession through Matt O’Riley and Greg Taylor with Kyogo also squandering a close range header. But there were too many opportunities to mention. Sixteen attempts in total but just two on target while RB Leipzig showed the difference – you get what you pay for as £25million man Timo Werner broke the deadlock – at the other end with a couple of goals from their five on target of 13 attempts on the night.
It was a similar story to the first game in the Red Bull Arena which Leipzig won 3-1. In fact, over the two games against the Bundesliga side RB’s xG was four from which they scored five times while Celtic netted once from an xG of 2.7. When it’s such a common theme, it’s hard to put it down to bad luck.
Sead Haksabanovic said after the St Johnstone game that they would need extra shooting practice in the build up to the RB Leipzig game after squandering opportunities at McDiarmid Park but if Ange Postecoglou carried that out at Lennoxtown then it didn’t work - in fact it got worse.
But the double header against RB Leipzig just confirms the story of the four games in Group F so far, as Postecoglou said himself post match. Incredibly across the four matches Celtic have had a total of 54 attempts at goal, 17 of which have been on target, and scored just two goals.
That is bad enough and highlights the obvious need to be more clinical. But they are either playing against sides who are simply more ruthless or there is a problem in defence because the numbers at the other end don’t make for very good reading. Celtic have conceded nine goals from 20 goals on target and 46 attempts in total. That’s nine conceded from an xG 6.31 while scoring just two from 5.42 xG.
READ NEXT
