Alex Jones 
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Former Celtic boss and pundit Gordon Strachan has urged Celtic to recover their winning mentality ahead of their crucial second-leg clash with FC Midtjylland tonight.
The quest to make it through the Champions League qualifiers hangs in the balance for the Bhoys following a 1-1 stalemate at Celtic Park.
Indeed, it is a make-or-break situation that Strachan knows all-too-well.
As noted by the Daily Record, it is 16 years and one day since Celtic lost 5-0 to Artmedia Bratislava in an acrimonious defeat for the Bhoys early into Strachan’s tenure.
Consequentially, the ex-Hoops man holds plenty of sympathy for Ange Postecoglou.
Strachan was keen to calm nerves ahead of the game, reminding that Celtic dominated the game and only occasional defensive lapses offered true cause for concern.
Speaking to the Daily Record ahead of tonight’s clash, Strachan said:
“Common sense tells you Ange doesn’t need a miracle. His team dominated the first leg for God’s sake.
“No, what he needs is to put together a back four that is solid enough to get through the game with a clean sheet. Forget about all the rest.
“What worries me a bit is that the game on Saturday may have left a few mental scars.
“So Ange needs to find a way to protect them. He may have his own ideas about how he wants his full-backs to operate going forward and that’s fine.
“But all that’s for the future. What he needs right now is to somehow find a way of getting a back four ready for the next 90 minutes.
“Let’s not forget Midtjylland are a team in turmoil as well right now.
“So Celtic have got enough to score. The question is, how quickly have the boys at the back recovered?
“Have Ange and the coaches spoken to these kids and figured out what they want them to do for this one match?
“How do they give them more protection from the guys in midfield? Can the boys up front help out a little more?”
Read Celtic Verdict
Anything can happen on the night, but there is clear cause for optimism following the first leg.
Strachan’s dominance claims ring true; Celtic had 63% possession in the first leg and managed 16 shots (4 on target) compared to Midtjylland’s 3 (with 1 on target).
Although both sides ultimately shared the points, the ten-men teams will waste no time in licking their wounds.
A similar performance from Celtic – minus the lapses in judgement – will likely eb enough to see the Hoops progress.
