‘WE NEED TO BE MORE CLINICAL,’ INSISTS RODGERS

0

BRENDAN RODGERS winced as Celtic turned the possibility of a goal parade against Kilmarnock into a galling procession of missed chances at Parkhead last night.

Strikes from Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda eventually got the holders over the line and into tomorrow night’s Scottish Cup fifth round draw courtesy of a 2-1 scoreline.

It took a 70th-minute effort from the speedy winger, who had been among the culprits in a one-sided first-half where the hosts were involved in an alarming sequences of misses.

Nicolas Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate – who skied one over the bar from four yards – went through a full repertoire of how not to punish the opposition.

MUST DO BETTER…Brendan Rodgers was far from impressed with his Celtic players’ finishing.

Making matters even more bewildering, the Ayrsire club went in level at the interval after Bobby Wales was allowed to sneak in unattended at the back post just before the half-time whistle to knock one behind the unprotected Kasper Schmeichel.

With monumental understatement, the Hoops gaffer reflected on the tie and said: “I thought we created a lot of opportunities in the game.

“The game should have been dead by half time. That’s the reality because there were really good chances.

“Sometimes there are maybe half-chances, but there were so many good areas through really good bits of play and we didn’t quite take the opportunities

“Then of course, from a defensive throw, we concede, but, okay, we reinforce our good moments at half-time, but also we need to tighten up.”

Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “In the second-half again, we created opportunities, defended well in the main, because there were a lot of long balls, a lot of throw-ins from the side and everything else.

OH NO, REO…midfielder Hatate can’t believe missing the target from four yards.

“So, we dealt really well with it and it was good to get into the next round.

“I thought the players gave so much, Kilmarnock haven’t played for 10 days, so were arriving fresh for the game and full of energy.

“But I thought we were excellent in that aspect.”

The Hoops team chief added: “I just felt in the second-half, our pressing needed to be better to sustain the attacks.

“But we did that and we created so many really, really good opportunities – and we need to be more clinical.

“The keeper made a couple of really good saves, as well, so we’ve got to give him credit.

“But, overall, I’m pleased with the performance.”

McGREGOR, MAEDA GET THE JOB DONE

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author