Callum McGregor questions Celtic bottle as captain admits Rangers have the momentum.
The captain cut a disgruntled figure at full-time as the Hoops dropped further points, giving Gers the title edge.
Callum McGregor questions Celtic’s ability to compete for the title against Rangers.
Kilmarnock’s late equalizer in yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Parkhead gave the Gers a chance to take the lead in the table. Celts were booed off the pitch by disgruntled fans, and McGregor concedes his Old Firm opponents now have the advantage in the championship fight. With 12 games remaining, the captain has promised to do all possible to find a solution.
He declared: “Momentum is the only thing separating the two squads. While the opposite team is having a rough game, with low confidence and an unfavorable atmosphere, the other team is full of confidence and is applauding every tackle and throw in.
“It’s our responsibility as athletes to fix it. If you manage to fix it, I promise you that everything will change. I’ve spent a lot of time there. A single outcome has the power to transform everything and mindset. We can change it in twelve games. Without a doubt, we can continue and have a great season even if we do turn it.
“When you play for major clubs, mental toughness is crucial. You must have mental fortitude and unity. You must play the game’s fundamentals together. You give yourself a chance if you act that way. Should you fail to take that action, people will start scurrying around attempting to pursue their own goals.
“With ten minutes remaining, we found ourselves in a situation once more where we have to protect a 1-0 lead. However, the truth is that we ought to have ended the game earlier. If you continue to place yourself in that situation over the course of 38 games, you will struggle and suffer consequences.
“In sports, the second goal is quite important. The game wouldn’t have progressed to that stage if we had it. However, we haven’t performed well enough in that area this season, so we had to resort to emergency defense once more. You will lose more goals in the box if you give up more opportunities.
Turning this around is a big job. We NEED to find a method since we have 12 games left. We need to communicate with everyone and let them know what is expected of them in this situation. Some things about the way we play are not negotiable. The team as a whole suffers if we don’t accomplish it. To solve it, we have twelve games. The players need to understand that there are standards that must be met on the field.
“Something just appears out of nowhere, and you wonder, ‘Where did that come from?'” That indicates to me that something is currently lacking. I’m confident I’ll figure out the answer to that. I’ll stop at nothing to discover the solution to that query.
“This year, we’ve found ourselves in this situation much too often. But getting the fundamentals correct is crucial. If you fail to do so, the bottle and nerve concern is raised. The score should be 2-0 at the end of the first half or sixty-five minutes.
“At that point, nobody is challenging your bottle; you’re following the team’s instructions and taking care of the necessities. Perhaps we do have a question to answer at this point regarding the bottle, the nerve, and everything else. However, we are prepared and capable of winning games right away.
“It’s about fixing this middle period where you kill the game, and nobody asks any questions as the game’s done after 60 minutes.”
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