Celtic’s friendly victory over Sligo Rovers last night ended up being a productive exercise that will keep the Bhoys ticking over nicely ahead of their return to Scottish Premiership action.
On a night where the Hoops overturned a one-goal deficit, Luis Palma confirmed Celtic’s victory against Sligo Rovers late on, completing his hat-trick in the process.
Luke McCowan and Hyunjun Yang also enjoyed a productive evening in the north-west of Ireland. At the same time, Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki both got a full match under their belt despite being bit-part players this term.
Brendan Rodgers was also able to grant a clutch of young players a taste of what is to come in senior football, with Sean McArdle, Lenny Agbaire and Jude Bonnar among the most impressive from the Celtic Academy.
While the main priority on the night was fitness and giving the Bhoys’ large Irish fanbase a chance to see their heroes up close, there were a lot of positives to take from the attitude shown by the visitors on the night.
Celtic’s impressive application against Sligo Rovers
Despite having to weather the storm against a competent Sligo outfit after seizing the initiative via Palma, Celtic’s overall level of application and ability to stick to their task was a notable feature of their outing on Irish shores.
Without being too rude, senior players could’ve taken it easy in a match with little consequence in an attempt to avoid injury. Still, the likes of McCowan, Yang and the hat-trick hero of the night carried a young side that put John Russell’s outfit under sustained pressure late on to force the desired result.
In possession, Celtic remained patient in their endeavour to pick the lock, seeing shots cleared off the line and blocked by a spirited opponent. However, when you keep a team camped in their own area for large spells, they are usually made to pay sooner rather than later.
Rodgers’ imprint on the Celtic Academy also reared its head as the youngsters on display followed the wider imprint of waiting for spaces to open up rather than letting the blood rush to their heads, illustrating a level of maturity despite inexperience.
Brendan Rodgers’ key two-pronged Celtic demand
Speaking last month, Rodgers’ demand for Celtic to work hard out of possession is something he touched on as a key principle in paving the way for attacks, which has now become a crucial component of his tactical framework this term.
He stated: “That’s the dirty bit that doesn’t get noticed so much from the stands. From a coach and player’s perspective, it’s everything.
“For me, the defensive philosophy coincides with the attacking philosophy. You need to be good in that defensive side and your structure. Being defensively good gives you that opportunity to attack more.”
Although Celtic maybe didn’t buy into this as much in the first half, they certainly brushed up on that aspect in the second 45 and deserve credit for approaching their mid-international break test with the correct collective mindset.
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