John Hartson has admitted that there is an issue with Celtic’s finishing in the Champions League.
Once or twice you can be unlucky but over five Champions League matches it seems that a pattern has emerged where players fail to convert chances that you’d expect them to convert in the SPFL.
On Day One Daizen Maeda shot tamely at Thibaut Courtois 10 minutes into the second half, last night Giorgos Giakoumakis sent Kyogo Furuhashi through one on one but the Shakhtar Donetsk keeper blocked his shot with ease.
Matt O’Riley mentioned an anxiety around goal last night but as someone that scored over 100 times for Celtic- including goals in the Nou Camp and Anfield- Hartson recognises that there is a problem with the club’s conversion rate.
Covering Hartson’s appearance on BT Sport last night The Sun reports the Welshman saying:
We started here brilliantly against Real Madrid. It’s just finer details and that little bit of luck. Tonight, Giakoumakis’ goal.
I can’t keep going on about luck all the time. Ange will keep trying to improve. We’re decimated with injuries as well – 3 of our best players are out in Starfelt, Jota and McGregor.
We keep creating opportunities and I can’t think ever of Celtic creating so many opportunities and not putting 10 per cent of them away. If you go through the numbers, they are ridiculous in terms of how many efforts on goal we’ve had. 68 attempts on goal and we’ve scored 3 goals!
Next week in Madrid Celtic have the opportunity to add to their three Champions League goals.
lets be truthful our forwards just not good enough in the cl along with poor tactics by the manager, 2 points out of 15 2 goals 10 against just so very poor.and would be the same in the europa dont wont to listen to excuses again we are just not that good in europe at present back to spl football thats the best we have bloody hell .