Celtic Selections Called A Lottery: Should O’Neill Change His Approach?

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Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · The 4th Official ↗

Celtic's 2-0 defeat at Falkirk on Sunday marked their sixth loss in 10 matches, raising concerns about their direction under Martin O'Neill. The team has collected 28 points from 12 league games, but their defensive record is a major issue, with only one clean sheet in their last 10 outings. They dominated possession against Falkirk but struggled to protect their defense. The defeat highlighted Celtic's weaknesses, with Ethan Ross and Scott Tanser scoring against them.

Chris Sutton criticized O'Neill's team selections as a 'lottery', questioning whether he knows his strongest starting eleven. He pointed out issues beyond midfield, including Sam Johnstone's goalkeeping and Liam Scales' ambitious dribbles from defense. Sutton argued that Celtic lack athleticism and physical presence in midfield, which restricts their formation options and prevents playing Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh together in a 4-4-2.

Sutton demands that O'Neill be forthright about his approach and stick to one strategy. However, the issue is not just O'Neill's tactics, but also the squad's composition. Celtic need to recruit a stronger defensive midfielder and improve their centre-back protection to allow O'Neill to establish a consistent structure. Until then, O'Neill should stop experimenting with selections and provide a clear blueprint for his players.