Quotes from the post match press conference.
“I thought we were very good in spells and gave ourselves a chance to win the game.
“I didn’t think there was much in the first half, but the failure to stop the cross from Forrest and Dembele getting the free header isn’t something we’re looking for.
“I thought in terms of denying Celtic, we limited the chance to cause us too many problems. Arnason’s a fraction away from putting us in front in the middle of the goal with a header then Stevie May’s has something similar. I thought we had some good moments in the game and I thought in the second half we were the better team.
“We played with a bit of thought and played with plenty of endeavour. We got opportunities, got into their box and asked the question of them. At 1-0 when they went down to ten men we still had plenty of time to get the equaliser and then try get the win. That was my feeling on it and I think we’ve been guilty of a couple of moments of madness. Sam Cosgrove has got caught up in the game. For me it looked like a red card. I haven’t seen it back, but there’s got be that restraint there, as much as he is keen to make an impression.
“We had one or two opportunities at 1-0 and then we put the ball into the box and Celtic counter on us. There’s not too many teams that have the quality to punish you on that, but Celtic do. You’ve got to commend Tierney on his endeavour to get up the pitch and get the second goal. From our own point of view when we’re taking a set play there, we’ve got to be better when that ball comes out and I’m not pointing the blame at anybody, but we slit our own throat in terms of that second goal.
“The effort from the players was everything I wanted, and I thought we looked like a proper team today. I thought we had the better of the chances, nullified their threat and stopped their better players having an impact in the game and we gave ourselves a chance to get something from the game. Ultimately, we didn’t, but there was a lot from the team that was asked of them and a lot of aspects of the game I was pleased with.
“It’s a combination of both. I thought they provided more quality in the final third and I thought we had the better chances as I said. They’ve got a great block from McGinn, the keeper’s made a save from McLean and then Gary Mackay-Steven’s in two minds whether to shoot or play it on a plate to Stevie May and he’s inches away from it. O’Connor has the follow up and puts it wide.
“There were enough moments for us to get something from the game, but ultimately, it’s about putting the ball in the net and we never. I think if we get one of those chances, the way I felt the game was going with the momentum and I felt we were the stronger team in the second half.
“It’s not a stat we’re proud of, but it was a stat that was common for a while. We’ve beaten Celtic previously in my time here and we haven’t managed to beat this current Celtic team over the last couple of seasons, but today at least we gave ourselves a chance. Without Christie and Shinnie, we’ve tried to put a midfield in there that would help us play the game going forward. I thought the boys did well and I thought we had a front two that tried to engage as quickly as possible. Every game is in isolation and I’ll take the positives, but ultimately, we’ve lost the game. It’s not what we want, but ultimately, we’re now judged and looked at against Celtic. There was a time here where we couldn’t even get results against the likes of Ross County and Inverness, but for us to make our mark and beat this Celtic team we need to do those little things a lot better than we did today.
“Certainly, the thought was there, the work rate was there. Players made contact, won tackles and we gave ourselves a chance to win today so we’ll take that with us going into the rest of the season.
“We’ll dust ourselves down, we’ll go and try get a positive result down there (Motherwell). We know how difficult that is, but we’ve won there this season already. Although we lost one, we recognise the type of game we’re going to face and hopefully we can show a lot of the qualities we showed today and come up with the result.”
“We’ll dust ourselves down, we’ll go and try get a positive result down there (Motherwell). We know how difficult that is, but we’ve won there this season already. Although we lost one, we recognise the type of game we’re going to face and hopefully we can show a lot of the qualities we showed today and come up with the result.”
