Martin O’Neill has warned Celtic cannot rely on late bursts like Hampden if they are to get through the closing stretch of the season. The manager watched the Hoops hit six past St Mirren, but the scoreline did not reflect how the game felt for long spells.
Celtic were ahead early and added a second before the break. Even then, the control was not there. St Mirren stayed in the game through direct play and set pieces, forcing saves and keeping pressure on the back line.
That pattern carried into the second half. Once the first goal went in, the game shifted. Celtic dropped deeper, the passing slowed, and St Mirren found a route into the box. The late equaliser did not come from nowhere. It had been building.
Extra time changed it. Celtic moved the ball quicker and attacked space. The difference was clear. When the tempo went up, St Mirren could not stay with runners. That gap in levels only showed once Celtic played with intent again.
O’Neill said: (TCW), “I just think St Mirren were very tough opposition today. I thought Hampden, I thought the pitch was great, really great.
“I think that we’ll have to improve, no doubt. I don’t think that we can just be hanging on in games.
“If we can get an early goal in matches, I think we have to really, really go for it. Try and put the game to bed, if we can do.
“But there are going to be moments in these next five league games where we will be stretched completely. It’s whether we have the resilience to do it.”
That point about early goals matters when looking at the run-in. Celtic have often taken the lead this season, but the follow-up has not always been there. Games have stayed alive longer than they should.
Squad use will play a part as well. With one match each week, there is less need to rotate, but energy levels still dip within games. That showed here when the press dropped and St Mirren stepped forward.
The next fixtures will test that balance. Teams will sit in, then break when the chance comes. If Celtic slow the game down, they invite that pressure again. If they move it quickly, they stretch sides and create gaps.
O’Neill’s message is simple. Start fast, then keep going. Hampden showed both sides of it in the same afternoon.
