TYLER BLACKETT is hoping he passes the screen test at Celtic this season.
The on-loan Manchester United defender admitted he indulges in self-analysis in his efforts to improve his performances.
He said: “I always try to watch every game. I try to look at every pass or every decision I am involved in.
“I’m critical of myself and I need to improve on every performance.
“I watched the Aberdeen game the day after. I went back to Manchester as we had a day off and watched it myself.
“You look back at things and try to learn from them. The coaches also talk to us about different aspects of the game where we could do better.
“It puts it in your mind to try and change it for the next game.
“Was Thursday night deja vu? We’re aware about set-pieces, so it is obviously a disappointment to concede again. We need to improve defending them. But we need to improve as a team rather than just the defenders and the keeper.”
Assistant boss John Collins shared his sentiments – and insisted Celtic will come good once the new faces gel with each other.
He said: “We’re disappointed with Ajax’s second goal, but it was a great ball and difficult to defend.
“It was whipped into a dangerous area. Just the slightest touch and it goes in although we could have pushed out a bit more.
“Again, you have to give Ajax credit for the good delivery, but we’ve scored lots of goals from set-pieces. That has been our strength.
“Last season we hardly conceded any and every team goes through these periods when they concede goals.
“We don’t like it and we work on it, but we’re doing nothing different from last season in our set-up.
“It’s a new back-four, though, and what it comes down to is communication. Don’t wait for the ball. You have to go and meet the ball in that danger area. You have to go and head it.”
Blackett looks certain to become a bigger part of that back-four – in Europe at least – with Emilio Izaguirre facing a ban after his red card against Ajax.
But the 21-year-old admitted he has a lot to learn about life at left-back.
He said: “Last season I played centre-back so to come in at left-back is new to me, but I have to adapt.
“In some ways I get the feeling that’s where my chance will be this season. I’m not bothered what position I am in just as long as I get the time to play and improve.
“That is what I am trying to do.”
