Celtic beat St Mirren to secure three points, but the performance exposed a problem that is no longer easy to dismiss. The result keeps the title defence intact, yet the pattern behind it is now firmly established.
Celtic’s nervy win over St Mirren did not make for comfortable watching as the Hoops struggled to build on an early 1-0 lead after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s opening goal.
Instead of building on the lead, the match followed a script that fans have been watching being played out for weeks. And what Oxlade-Chamberlain admits after the Celtic win confirms that.
Celtic’s finishing issue vs St Mirren is not a one-off
Oxlade-Chamberlain addressed Celtic’s finishing issue directly after the match and did not attempt to soften the point. He said “That’s the goal that’s got us the three points. I think we should have had a few more. When you look back at the game, I think it’s similar to last weekend at Dundee, we probably should have been a few more up.
“And that’s something that we need to work on, probably, to sort of make games a little bit more comfortable, if we can.
“But like Callum said, credit to St Mirren. I thought they came out second half really well. They caused us some issues with pressing. And yeah, in the end, we had to be resilient and see the game out. And sometimes you have to do that. So yes, another job done, and we got to go from there.”
That comparison to last weekend in Celtic’s win at Dundee confirms this is no longer a one-off issue. Celtic are creating enough chances but not converting them.
The match stats from Fotmob points in the same direction and reinforce what the Ox is saying:
- 0.92 xG
- Three big chances created
- 56 percent possession
Those numbers are not even close to what Celtic should be operating at but they should still lead to a comfortable result. Instead, the result remained 1-0 and allowed for a nervy 75 minutes to play out at Parkhead.
Celtic already have a St Mirren warning before Hampden
St Mirren adjusted in the second half and caused Celtic issues with pressing. That shift disrupted the rhythm and forced Celtic into a more reactive phase where the team were backed into a defensive mode.
The interview makes it clear how the game finished, with Celtic needing to be resilient and see the game out. That is not the profile of a side fully in control of the situation.
Oxlade-Chamberlain also pointed to the need to keep the intensity that Celtic started the game with for 90 minutes. That standard was not maintained, and it allowed St Mirren back into the fixture, and it has been going on for weeks.
With a semi-final against the Buddies approaching next weekend, these comments should carry as a warning. St Mirren have already shown they can adapt and disrupt Celtic when the opportunity is there.
Celtic are still winning games, but they are not putting them beyond doubt when the chances are there. If that does not change, St Mirren will not need to find anything new at Hampden.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
