CELTIC supporters will roll up to Love Street this afternoon with the midweek battering by Barcelona still fresh in their minds. Yet, the Catalans' Champions League masterclass does not warrant soul searching.
Celtic did not play well during the second period in which they surrendered a 2-1 advantage on Wednesday. Their legs gave way and spirit ebbed as errors contributed to the loss of two goals that condemned them to only a second home defeat in 17 games
in the competition. But Gordon Strachan's side have been consistently patchy in squeezing out victories in their group matches these past two years. They have just never come up against a team so relentless and adept as Barça in pressing them so far up the pitch, starving them of possession and exploiting their defensive weaknesses.
By legitimately opening out and having a go at Barcelona, they merely played into their hands. The chasm in the abilities of the two teams is such that Celtic would have come up short over two legs against Frank Rijkaard's side even if they played one up, flooded the midfield and attempted to choke the life out of both legs. There was little point in being anything other than attack-minded at home then. Strachan believes, however, that does not mean his players had to be so generous in gifting possession.
"They couldn't have done any better in trying to win the game but the retention of the ball wasn't great," he said. "It is not often that they will come up against a side as good as that, though. That is good as it is going to get so they needn't be scared of anything else after that."
Strachan admits he might "have to freshen things up" for the visit to Paisley, the Barça game having proved so "physically and mentally testing". Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink will miss out with the hamstring strain that forced him off in midweek but the Celtic manager insists Ben Hutchison and not just Georgios Samaras will come into contention to partner Scott McDonald in attack.
With Celtic scoring more than one goal in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League tie for only the third time in 33 outings, they were admirably potent in their rare forays forward against their swashbuckling opponents. That came at a predictable price that was not lost on Gary Caldwell. The club's followers have painted the centre-back as a villain for the loose pass from which Thierry Henry was fed to score. In truth, right across a back four in which 17-year-old Paul Caddis gave a reasonable account of himself, Strachan's side didn't look capable of repelling the rapier talents of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Henry.
"We had to try and win the game and win it by whatever score we could," Caldwell said. "We're not a team that can sit in and defend. We're a team that always tries to attack and score goals. We always will. By doing that you leave space. They're very good players and know were to run and move to cause problems. It will be the same over there, we'll need to try and go out and win."
Strachan says his team will try to score a goal "to make a game of it" in the March 5 return that requires Celtic to win by two clear goals to go through.
The Scottish champions could be on the end of a real hiding in the Nou Camp. It will be no comfort that, in a backhanded sort of way, Barcelona assistant Johan Neeskens appreciated the enterprise from Celtic the other night. Principally because it allowed his side to maximise their great gifts in forward areas.
"At least Celtic also attacked," he said. "When we play in our league we are used to every team coming to us and even some teams at their home playing with only one forward and the rest behind the ball. Then it is difficult for us to play an open game like we did in Glasgow. Even if teams come like that we always play three strikers but as a football fan you enjoy watching a game like ours against Celtic. They pay a lot of money and want to see a good performance and attacking soccer."
