The arrival of Wilfried Nancy as Celtic manager was always tipped to bring a fresh approach to Parkhead. Six matches into his tenure, that prediction looks like a monumental understatement, with the team's performances veering between the spectacular and the shambolic.
A Recipe for Chaos: Goals Galore at Both Ends
Part of you wants to applaud the boldness of the French coach for implementing such a radically different style mid-season. Another part questions the sheer logic of it. The statistics tell a stark story: 13 goals conceded and 10 scored across those six tumultuous fixtures. It's a vortex of exhilarating forward play and calamitous defensive errors, with recipes for success and disaster served up seconds apart.
'Nancy-ball' is undeniably entertaining, but the apparent need to score three or more to win any game is a fool's errand. This chaotic pattern simply cannot continue if Celtic harbour serious ambitions.
Engels Identifies the Crucial Flaw
As midfielder Arne Engels correctly points out, unless the squad rapidly adapts and smartens up defensively, they will not keep reaping the rewards that their high-risk approach yielded against Livingston and Aberdeen. 'I think we just need to work on the little details that help us in the defensive part,' said the Belgian international.
'We know that we have conceded way too many goals now and we need to work on that. Obviously, it’s new to play with the three or five in defence... It’s new for us and everybody is adapting to it. It’s up to us to work on it.'
For Nancy's midfielders, adapting to this new system without a pre-season has been a huge challenge. Previously used to a fluid central three, they have had to adjust to a four-man 'box' midfield. This was evident in the frantic 4-2 win at Livingston's Almondvale stadium, where Engels played deeper beside Callum McGregor, with Daizen Maeda and Benjamin Nygren further forward.
'Obviously it’s different, really crowded in the middle,' Engels added. 'But we know that, and everybody is trying to adapt to that new style.'
No Margin for Error at Fir Park
The first half at Livingston perfectly encapsulated the current madness. Celtic fell behind twice yet fought back impressively, with four of the game's six goals coming inside a breathless opening ten minutes. Engels admitted he had never experienced a start to a match like it, calling it 'a crazy start'.
The one moment of calm came from Engels himself, who coolly converted a penalty for Celtic's fourth goal. 'I’m confident in myself, I know that I can do it,' he stated, referencing a previous miss against Roma.
Attention now turns to a tough trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell, a side with just one home defeat this season. With the visit of Rangers looming, Engels knows focus is paramount. 'Every week is really big,' he stressed. 'Really, we can’t lose any more points.'
'I feel like there is a lot of improvement. Obviously, we are still conceding a lot of goals and that can’t really happen if you want to win big games. It’s up to us to keep improving, looking at the details.'
While the attacking verve is a positive, the consensus is clear: for 'Nancy-ball' to be a sustainable success at Celtic, the defensive foundations must be laid, and quickly.
