Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is hoping to see a more clinical Hoops side in the upcoming away matches after a troubling start on their travels.
The Greek-Australian has gotten off to an ideal start as manager, winning over many doubters with a promising transfer window and an exciting brand of attacking football.
However, away from home, it’s been a different story than the swashbuckling football we’ve watched at Celtic Park. Four of our five away matches have all ended in defeat. Indeed, AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Rangers, and Hearts have all beaten Celtic by a single goal this term. Only Jablonec fell to a 4-2 defeat against Postecoglou’s Bhoys.
And the manager is expecting to see an increased ruthlessness to their attacking play on their travels.
As quoted by the Herald, Postecoglou said: “You need to address the fact of what we haven’t done in those games.
“When I look at the first games we had, we had some good performances away but there were disappointing elements in them, especially against Midtjylland over there. The flip side of that is that we lost all those games by a single goal. The frustrating thing for me was that we had enough good opportunities to win them. I think that is maybe what we have to address but I don’t think we have to change the way we play or change our approach.
“We want to play good football and be a dominant team but in big games and in tight games away from home, when the moments arise we take them.”
Celtic are creating plenty of opportunities away from home
Nobody can say Celtic have been out of any of their away games so far this season. Domestically, we had big opportunities to put Hearts and Rangers to the sword in particular.
The game at Ibrox two weeks ago saw the Hoops create three major opportunities in the final 20 minutes. Not to mention that glorious Odsonne Edouard chance in the opening 45. On another day, the Hoops would’ve been celebrating a rout.
The same goes for at Tynecastle when we had a host of openings that we couldn’t take. It’s not the creativity that’s been the problem, it’s been the efficiency in front of goal.
In Europe, it’s been a slightly different story. We took the one chance we needed to in Holland against AZ. We may have lost the game on the night, but that goal took us through to the group stages, and that’s all that was required.
The UEFA Champions League exit to Midtjylland was massively disappointing. But you also have to remember how early Postecoglou was into his Celtic tenure at that stage. He was having to throw the likes of Dane Murray into the side for example.
So there are mitigating factors here that played a part. No doubt the manager would be feeling a lot worse had it been the case that we were struggling to find openings. That couldn’t be further from the truth. But whilst chances will always be missed, we simply need to increase our shots:goals ratio.
With Real Betis coming up on Thursday night, chances are likely to be more sparse than we’re used to. Hopefully, then, that increased clinical edge is on show from the Hoops. We certainly need it to be.
In other news, Albian Ajeti earns Real Betis chance with important Celtic brace
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
