It probably won’t be too long before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts matches for Celtic.
As of this moment, Oxlade-Chamberlain is still settling after signing for Celtic after the January transfer deadline had slammed shut.
But even though the former Arsenal and Liverpool player has made only two appearances from the bench, they have proven to be very crucial for the champions of Scotland.
Pat Bonner was at Rugby Park on Sunday to watch Celtic beat Kilmarnock in stoppage time, and the man nicknamed ‘Ox’ certainly played his part.
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Pat Bonner is impressed by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance for Celtic against Kilmarnock
Martin O’Neill had seen enough at the break, so he brought on three new faces to change things up, including Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Reo Hatate.
But Bonner admitted that he couldn’t even see the Hoops scoring ‘one goal, never mind three’, yet the team turned it up in style and secured another crucial three points.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Bonner wanted to give Oxlade-Chamberlain his flowers because he felt his ‘very calm’ nature in the middle of the park allowed Celtic to ‘almost dominate’ that second-half period.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Bonner about Celtic’s comeback. “At half-time, and the way that they played in the first half, I would have said that I would see Celtic struggling to score one goal, never mind three.
“They played well in the second half. He changed it, Martin O’Neill. The subs he made at half-time were critical and crucial.
“I think Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. I thought he was very calm in the middle of the pitch. Every time he got the ball, he was up, and he would open that play out.
“Celtic almost dominated for most of that second half. There was a small period when they dropped their game, but they picked it up again.”
Why have Celtic been able to score so many late goals this season?
The positive side of Celtic scoring late goals…
Some are suggesting that Celtic scoring all these late goals is unhealthy because it’s papering over the cracks of the overall performance.
That might be correct, but Bonner wanted to look at the positive side, and how it’s ‘the making of a championship-winning team.’
“They now know that this game is not 90 minutes,” added Bonner. “It’s 96 and 97 minutes, and they will keep going until the final whistle goes.
“That’s the making of a championship-winning team.”
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