Pressing the issue: The Celtic style tweak that would take their game to next level

In domestic matches, thanks to good movement from the midfield and improvements in forward passing by the central defenders, the Hoops are generally comfortable under pressure. However, European matches against Bayer Leverkusen and FK Bodø/Glimt, as well as the recent Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Rangers, showed that this is still an area in which the team can improve. 

Prevention is better than cure and one focus for Celtic could be to limit the occasions on which they are pressed. That might sound simplistic but just 90 seconds into the semi-final against Rangers there was an example of the Hoops putting themselves under pressure needlessly.

In this instance, Reo Hatate spotted an opportunity to switch the play and create an overload but his execution of the pass was poor. 

Instead of playing a quick, accurate ball to put Josip Juranović in a position to create an overload on the right flank, Hatate, who does have a strange tendency to fluctuate between extremes in terms of his passing technique, miscued a high, floating ball behind the full-back. This allowed more time for opposition players to make up the ground and close down the pass recipient. Juranović did well to quickly pass backwards to Cameron Carter-Vickers and the incident may seem forgettable as it did not lead to an immediate loss of possession. 

However, Celtic’s subsequent build-up was successfully pressed and Rangers created a chance to score. Carter-Vickers was forced backwards to Joe Hart in goal and, although Carl Starfelt and Callum McGregor then combined well to bypass the first line of pressure, Celtic lost the ball in midfield. Hatate acted too slowly on the ball, was tackled, and seconds later Rangers had a shot inside the box. 

Naturally, analysis of the chance will focus on the midfield turnover but the initial way in which Celtic were forced backwards is key. Especially against teams which can press their deep build-up successfully, it is smart for Celtic to maintain both territory and control and limit the instances in which the ball goes all the way back to Joe Hart in goal. Despite Postecoglou’s infamous dressing down of Stephen Welsh from the dugout this doesn’t mean never passing backwards - as it can be useful to draw teams out - just that it should be limited and planned. 

It also means taking more care over passes in midfield, spotting and avoiding the opposition’s pressing traps and considering what options the recipient of a pass will have before just handing the ball off to them. Particularly in European matches Celtic need to limit the occasions on which they are made to build up from their own penalty area.

READ MORE: What Celtic's performances against European teams and Rangers tell us about 'Ange-ball'

It is, of course, impossible to completely eliminate the need to build-up from the back and Celtic typically attempt to play through opposition pressure with short passes into midfield but they do have the option of bypassing the press by playing longer balls. Early in the semi-final against Rangers there were examples of the good and the bad, or even the ugly, of this approach. Initially, Carter-Vickers demonstrated the bad and ugly with a couple of aimless, lofted straight passes which were easily won by the opposition.

Then after just three minutes of play Juranović showed the good, with a direct ball from the edge of his own box in behind the left-back which created a counter-attacking opportunity. 

Often Celtic’s fullbacks are positioned more centrally during build-up so this specific type of pass may be rarely available but mixing things up with direct methods of getting out from the back could be very effective. 

Longer passes by Carter-Vickers and Starfelt from central defence tend to be to the feet of the winger on their own side but former Celtic player Virgil van Dijk has demonstrated the effectiveness of a long diagonal for Liverpool and this could be a variation Celtic introduce. In fact, Liverpool are the masters among elite possession dominant teams at going direct and Celtic could draw a lot of influence from their tactics. The Scouse side use specific types of passes, such as an out-to-in ball from the fullback, and a focus on winning the second ball with individual physicality and collective counter-pressing, in order to escape pressure and gain territory. 

In more challenging matches there could be a benefit for Celtic in relinquishing a little control for the benefit of just getting higher up the park. 

Celtic have this week been linked with FK Bodø/Glimt’s goalkeeper Nikita Haikin and a keeper with better passing technique and decisions would of course help Celtic in build-up. Joe Hart can be uncomfortable playing it short and, as can be seen in amber above, his longer passes in matches against Rangers this season were mainly unsuccessful.

However, Celtic could consider varying their play at times to play more to his strengths. In the Europa League he set up Jota’s goal against Bayer Leverkusen with a superb long ball and if allowed to kick long from his hands for runners he could be part of a plan to mix things up. 

Celtic’s ability to tweak their style for matches against teams that can press them will be a key factor in their attempts to win multiple trophies domestically next season and enjoy a deep run in Europe.