Motherwell manager Steven Hammell lamented his players switching off at a set piece in the build-up to Celtic’s winner in yesterday’s 2-1 Scottish Premiership defeat in Paradise.
The Steelmen levelled from a defensive mix-up after Kyogo opened the scoring for Celtic, with Reo Hatate’s long-range rocket securing all three points for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Hammell felt that the Japanese star’s winner was preventable, with Celtic’s aptitude for quickly-taken and inventive set pieces this season something that he and his players were well aware of going into the game.
As reported by The Glasgow Times, Hammell said: “It’s something we’d highlighted. It’s a corner routine that they do – they’ll take two out and miss one and hit that space at the edge of the box. We’ve showed it – they’ve done it quickly, which we’ve showed, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to us.
“He’s got to score from 25 yards, which is difficult, but that’s the difference, the big moments in the game.
“We’re coming away disappointed. I feel frustrated a little bit. I felt especially in the latter part of the game we posed some threats there, but in the big moments and the fine details and the fine chances when you come to places like this need to be better. I feel that that was the difference.”
The Motherwell manager also commented on Callum McGregor’s late red card, when the Celtic captain pulled down Ross Tierney to prevent the youngster from advancing in on Joe Hart’s goal.
Hammell said: “It was a good red card from their point of view I feel, Ross Tierney is in for sure and Joe Hart was in a bit of a no man’s land.
“I feel like whenever we stretched them and pressed properly and got after the ball we caused them problems, but the plan was to come away from here with something and we’ve not, and that’s where the disappointment comes from.”
Celtic’s relentless style under Postecoglou means that even now when opposition managers come expecting it, just switching off at a single set piece can be their undoing, as was the case with Motherwell yesterday.
Whilst Hatate still had plenty to do to find the net from outside the box, Celtic have made the most of fine margins this season, and their tireless approach means that other teams domestically simply aren’t able to match them for ninety minutes.
It might take a moment like that to swing Wednesday’s game in Leipzig, with Celtic due for one of the toughest games of the season against Marco Rose’s side in the Champions League.
In other news: Hatate, Hart, Jenz and more take to Instagram after crucial Celtic win over Motherwell
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