So it was yet another disappointing Celtic result in the latest Glasgow Derby.
It’s something we’ve gotten used to. Four times we’ve faced our rivals and failed to beat them. On three of those occasions we’ve been by some distance the more dominant side.
It was the same story at Ibrox on Sunday. Celtic had the vast majority of the ball and produced a truckload of efforts on Allan McGregor’s goal. Incredibly, and for the third time in the derby this season, we failed to find the net.
So much will be made of how poor a mentality Celtic have had this season. Plenty will be spoken about regarding our lack of success in this fixture. So much has already been said about a potential power shift in Glasgow after we finally produced a bad season.
But looking at the combined match stats from the last three games, Celtic are doing more right than wrong in these derby matches.
Celtic have lost twice at Ibrox and drawn once at Parkhead in our last three meetings. The first game being a 1-0 loss in Govan before a 1-1 stalemate at Celtic Park. Then followed that massively disappointing 2-0 defeat on Sunday [BBC]. In all three, Celtic have managed well into double-digits on shots taken.
In all three games combined, we’ve rattled in a grand total of 45 efforts on goal. That’s nearly double of our rivals, who boast 28 in the same fixtures. It makes it even more frustrating that we’ve only managed one goal from that figure. Rangers, somehow, have bagged four.
16 of our shots have been on target too across the last trio of derby matches. Rangers? Only the seven. Seven efforts on target over three games against us. It certainly doesn’t suggest the dominance over us that some would like us to believe.
Celtic not being bossed out of Glasgow Derby fixtures
Make no mistake, this isn’t some sort of equivalent of Brendan Rodgers’ Invincibles against Pedro Caixinha’s flops of several years ago. What Celtic are going through against our rivals is purely mental only.
Against any other team in Scotland on Sunday, Celtic take the vast majority of their chances. It was proven the week before against Livingston. But when they come up against Steven Gerrard’s side these days, belief is taken out of them.
These chances and dominance when it comes to shots at goal prove it’s not a quality thing. We’re simply lacking a bit of both belief and a ruthless edge.
In the last two games, Celtic have also generally bossed the ball possession. We’ve ended both matches with a superb 56% possession total. In the game against Rangers back in January, we were also dominating the ball for long spells before Nir Bitton’s red card.
The level of possession we have in the final third is also symbolised through the corner count. Celtic have won 22 corners in the last three derby matches. Rangers have bagged 10 in that same period.
No, we’re not looking for the “we have the most corner-kicks” cup award thanks. But it’s important to point out that much of our issues against Rangers have simply come from our own doing. We aren’t getting bossed and we aren’t being outplayed. We’re simply not as efficient as they are in the final third, and it’s something that has to be put right over the summer.
In the meantime, we have one more Glasgow Derby left to play. Fingers crossed we produce the goods and finally give our supporters some hope for next season.
In other news, we discuss why Celtic fans shouldn’t be fearful of Eddie Howe to Tottenham Hotspur.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
