Wilfried Nancy has his first win under his belt, and it has brought calmness to proceedings.
Celtic fans can head into Christmas Day with a smile on their face because that horror four-game losing run has come to an end.
Michael Stewart has been keeping a keen eye on what Nancy has been wanting from his players since he replaced Martin O’Neill in the dugout.
But despite Celtic beating 10-man Aberdeen 3-1 on Sunday, Stewart has noticed a glaring issue that needs fixing, as soon as possible.
- READ MORE: David Martindale comes out swinging for Wilfried Nancy in passionate defence of Celtic boss
Celtic fans, send a message to Wilfried Nancy after big Aberdeen win.
Michael Stewart on the issues with Wilfried Nancy’s system
Make no bones about it. This is a very attacking system, with very few defensive personnel in the starting XI, and that is proving to be an issue.
Speaking on Premier Sports, Stewart explained that there is a lack of balance to the side, and it’s far too easy to cut open the champions of Scotland.
That was proven when Aberdeen, with ten men, equalised, with a simple through ball, as Stewart feels Nancy is being ‘overly risky’ with his methods.
“For Celtic, balance is key,” said Stewart. “Celtic are always going to dominate the ball. They have got better players than most.
“But you can’t dominate the ball, and allow your side, here Scales (for Aberdeen’s goal). The movement, that’s something that has been said to the players. A centre half isn’t going to instinctively look to overlap when his have just won the ball.
“But that’s what Wilfried Nancy wants. If you are going to do that, for me, you are going to lose an element of control.
“I think you are being overly risky when you don’t need to be. Okay, you create all these chances, you are playing lovely football when you have got the ball.
“But I just don’t think the balance is right in a defensive sense, when you lose the ball, you are far too open.”
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Still uncertainty over Nancy’s Celtic future…
Things were pretty bad after Celtic were beaten by Dundee United in midweek, including suggestions that Nancy could be fired.
Despite that win over Aberdeen, Stewart thinks the Frenchman isn’t out of the woods yet, even if Celtic go on ‘quite a good run.’
“It feels like, to me, even if he goes on quite a good run,” added Stewart. “If he hits another three or four games that he doesn’t get a win in it. It feels like it will spill over again.
“So, he really has to, somehow, get himself through to January. Get some big signings that hit the ground running. The Rangers game on the 3rd of January is huge as well – if they are moving in the right direction, then maybe he is going to get that extra time.”
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