Everything that Greg Taylor said to the media after Celtic's 0-0 Scottish Premiership draw with Hibernian at Easter Road
What were your thoughts on the game?
In the first half we didn't really do enough with the possession we had. I thought we were a wee bit wasteful in terms of maybe forcing things too early. Again, we probably didn't start the second half well enough. In fairness, when the boys came on I thought they gave us a wee lift in energy and we got the last 20, 25 and were maybe going to get the goal but it didn't come.
Did the exertions in midweek take their toll?
Possibly. It's difficult when you have the emotion of the night, a big game, a lot of energy put into it. That is the pressure of this club, you have to do it every week. To be honest I just don't think we found our level quickly enough against Hibs.
Is it mentally draining too?
You are tired, of course you are, but very rarely do you go into a game feeling 100 per cent. We know we have more than enough quality and strength in that squad that we should have gone to Easter Road and got the three points. But equally you don't have any right. That was a good Hibs team, I thought they played some good football. They were trying to play football the right way but if you can't win then certainly don't lose.
When you looked at the early fixture list and Celtic were sent to all the hard away venues do you harbour a sense of injustice about it all?
It has been a tough run. I don't know about an injustice, you need to play everyone anyway home and away. But it has definitely been a difficult start. We have been to Pittodrie, Ibrox, Tynecastle, Livingston now Easter Road. That's ten games in the league and eight wins and two draws. It could be worse but equally we strive to be perfect and we've not quiet got what we wanted from Saturday.
It is a tough run but you've come through them all unbeaten and are top of the league so you would take that wouldn't you?
I think the level of performance has gradually been increasing. I think on Saturday we didn't find the next level, to kick on, and I think we put that down to the first 45 minutes. We didn't get to our levels quickly enough.
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Celtic have a new manager, you have had lot of injuries to contend with but you are still motoring, right?
Yes but equally at Celtic that is the demand. Normally the fans demand wins and they demand an attacking style. I think gradually we have been doing that. On Saturday the fans came in their numbers again and they would have been disappointed to go home without the three points. If Jamesie's (Forrest) one had been just under the bar we would have managed to get the win. But we move on to Wednesday, another difficult game. St Mirren got a really strong result at the weekend so we know it will be difficult again and we need to start that game quickly.
Are you hard on yourselves when you don't win?
You’ve got so many boys in there who have been there and done it now. There’s good experience within the squad for begin so young. We wanted the win today but I think it was important that we didn’t lose it. Even when you are pushing later on, you’ve got to be careful that you don’t get stung. You hope that the goal might come. James (Forrest) has hit the bar and one comes out to me but I dragged the life out of it which doesn’t help. You keep probing and do the right things. We’re not the sort of team who is just going to bang it in the box. We are going to probe and play in the right way to try and get into the areas we want. A couple of times we did but we probably didn’t do it enough.
Have you been happy with your own form this season?
I think similar to the way the team has gone on, I’ve got stronger as the season has gone on. Probably to start with, I hadn’t quite found my level but I think as the weeks and the months have gone on, I’ve found a relatively consistent level. It’s the life of a footballer. To be fair, over the past four, five six games, it’s been quite a settled team. We’ve managed to find some consistency in the line-up and have found a good rhythm with the boys and good relationships. That helps. We’ve got a strong squad and everyone wants to play. So we understand that there will be different personnel at times.
Is the pleasing aspect that you have St Mirren on Wednesday and that you can get this one out of your system?
We’ve got a day to rest up and get rid of the lactic acid. We need to rest and recover and go again on Wednesday.
Was it good to see Mikey Johnston back in the team?
He’s had a tough time with injuries although I think he got a relatively consistent run in Portugal last year. He’s been fit pretty much all of this season although certainly he missed a chunk of pre-season. He’s getting consistency (with fitness). That’s what Mikey needs to do – get the training time in and wait on his opportunity and take it when it comes.
Is Liam Scales the perfect example for Mikey as to what can happen in terns of turning things around?
It shows you it can happen. It does but equally, you’ve got to want it, you’ve got to work, you’ve got to show that you are ready when the manager calls upon you. That goes for us all whether you play 20 games a season, 60 games a season or five. You’ve got to take the opportunity when it comes. That’s the life of a squad. He’s got bags of ability, Mikey. One vs one in training, he’s right up there with the best. You see his performances for Ireland. They’ve been very strong as well. So Mikey’s got ability. It’s just about delivering on a consistent level. If he does that in training then he’ll get the opportunity in games. There is a top player there.
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