The issue of set pieces has become one of the clearest fault lines in Celtic’s difficult run, and it is now something Wilfried Nancy is speaking about openly.
After another defeat, the manager did not hide from the problem or try to dress it up as bad luck. Instead, he focused on moments, focus, and mindset, pointing to how quickly games can turn when concentration drops.
Celtic’s recent losses have followed a familiar pattern. There have been spells of decent play, some attacking pressure, and periods where the team look in control.
Then one moment changes everything. A corner, a free kick, or a loose second ball has undone that work. For supporters, it has been frustrating because the goals often feel preventable rather than inevitable.
Nancy’s approach to the problem is telling. Rather than leaning heavily on shape or drills, he has framed set pieces as a mental challenge.
In his view, these moments are short, sharp, and unforgiving. A lapse of focus can cancel out much of what came before it. That framing suggests he sees the issue as something deeper than simple organisation.
The Dundee United match was another example. Celtic competed well at times, but they were punished when the ball went into the box.
The goal did not come from a long spell of pressure, but from what happened after the first contact. That detail matters, because it shows how small margins are deciding games right now.
He said: (TCW), “This is one of the most difficult things as a manager, because set pieces, this is not about technique or tactics, this is mental. This is 10 seconds.
“Against Dundee United, we were good on the first contact, but the second contact or third contact, we struggled a bit.
“Before that, we were not good on the first contact.
“It is tough to concede like this, because I think that we deserve better, but the reality is for the moment, we have conceded many goals like that.”
Those comments underline how Nancy sees the problem. He is not denying responsibility, but he is also pointing to how fast these moments happen.
Ten seconds can decide a game. In a stadium like Tannadice, or at Celtic Park when tension is high, those seconds feel even heavier.
For the players, this becomes a test of confidence. When goals keep arriving from similar situations, doubt can creep in.
Defenders start thinking about what might go wrong instead of acting freely. Midfielders drop deeper. The whole team can begin to defend the fear rather than the ball.
This is where the pressure on the manager increases. Supporters do not want explanations alone. They want solutions that show up on the pitch.
Nancy’s belief that Celtic “deserve better” will resonate with some fans who feel performances have not matched results. Others will point to the league table and say deserving has little meaning without clean execution.
There is also a wider context. Set-piece weakness is not new at Celtic, but it has become more visible during this run.
That puts extra weight on Nancy because any existing flaw now gets tied directly to his reign. Fair or not, perception matters, especially when results are poor.
The challenge now is clear. Celtic need to show progress in these moments quickly. That does not require a full tactical overhaul.
It requires focus, clear roles, and sharper reactions when the ball drops. If those details improve, results can follow without changing everything else.
Nancy has chosen to speak plainly about the issue, which suggests he understands how serious it has become. Acknowledging the problem is one thing.
If Celtic can steady themselves at set pieces, it would remove one of the biggest weights dragging performances down. Until then, every corner will feel like a warning.
In a season already shaped by fine margins, that is not a position any manager wants to be in.
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