ANTHONY RALSTON was part of a Celtic defence that was far too easily rattled by Dundee United in the 1-1 deadlock at Parkhead yesterday.
The right-back put in his usual 100 per cent performance, but he was far too easily brushed aside by Ilmari Niskanen before he clipped over a cross from the left to expose the frailties of a back lot that just cannot get their act together.
Cameron Carter-Vickers came out to meet the Tannadice winger, Carl Starfelt failed to track the run of Ian Harkes, Josip Juranovic, unused to playing on the left, didn’t tuck in and James McCarthy arrived too late to play a part.
The outcome was a defensive connoisseur’s worst nightmare with an opponent allowed an opportunity smack in front of goal and the Tannadice midfielder left Joe Hart rooted with a bullet header.
FREE HEADER…the Celtic defence is wide open as Ian Harkes powers in Dundee United’s equaliser.
However, Ralston is still looking on the positive side as Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga’s second top team three points adrift of champions Bayern Munich, arrive in Glasgow for the Europa League Group G confrontation on Thursday night.
The 23-year-old full-back reflected: “We’re disappointed we didn’t get the win. We come into every game with the intention to win, of course, but it’s a point on the board and now we have to focus on Thursday with another massive game coming up.
“We get back on to the training pitch and continue to work.
“We’ve been a bit unfortunate with the injuries. But we’ve got a quality group and depth also, with the players able to come in and help the team.”
Ralston, speaking to the Daily Record, added: “We’re a collective, we’re in it together, no matter what the result is we stay positive as a group.
“We’ll be going into the training ground and putting the work in for a big game on Thursday.”
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