The Manager "the performance merited us getting something"

Derek McInnes

“We are all disappointed.

“Angry that we have not taken something from the game.

“I thought the performance merited us getting something. I don’t think we did enough in the final third to get more than a point but I thought we were worthy of a point to be honest.

“You have to try and get the balance right between attacking and defending when you play a team of Celtic’s quality. I thought we contained them. I thought we pressed them. I thought we showed good tenacity in the tackle. I thought our pressing game was excellent. Celtic never got into any real rhythm. They never got any real progressive passing which they are so good at. Brendan has put together a team who are very strong when they find space and when they get running at your back four.

“I thought we did so much right in the game so to lose in the manner which we did from a set play – which was not a free kick – Tierney has slipped – was very disappointing. The ball in from Sinclair is quality but we have not got tight enough to Boyata in the box. It means that goal has separated the teams.

“I did not think there was a lot in the game. I thought between both boxes we were more than competitive. We had some strong performers tonight.

“Towards the end, we hoped something would fall for us.

“As soon as you go behind, in any game you play then you think how you can change things. We thought about making one change just before we went behind just to give them something to think about. You are working hard to force the issue. You don’t want Celtic to get it all their own way when they are winning 1-0 and when they are so good at keeping the ball. We had to take a gamble to get after them which leaves a little bit more space. But I thought again by and large we won enough ball in the middle of the park. We got into good areas but we lacked that real conviction in the final bit. We were looking for a bit more quality to get something from the game. Towards the end, we hoped that something would fall for us but Celtic hung on and hung on quite convincingly to be honest.

“The disappointment, the frustration and the anger is there from the fact we have lost a goal from a set play. We are not a small team. We don’t lose many from set plays. Sinclair’s quality of cross and Boyata getting some space is what has separated the sides.

“We were frustrating them. It was getting to the stage of the game where Brendan was looking to changes to try and get a spark into their play. We were disappointed to lose that type of goal. There was not a lot in it. “The fight is now for second spot. We are in our own league within a league. We are in a fight with three other teams. I feel we are good enough and competitive enough to be there at the death.

“There were a lot of good performances tonight.

“It was a follow on from five wins out of five. There have been some strong performances individually during those wins and I thought we had that again tonight. We have not won this game and it is important we try and get back to winning ways on Saturday.”