Celtic’s Number Six Problem Shows Yet Another Reason Why Comparing Martin O’Neill’s Two Eras Is A Pointless Exercise

There is one position in this Celtic team that probably tells you more about how the club has changed than any balance sheet ever could.

The number six.

Celtic don’t have one.

Not a natural, specialist holding midfielder whose instincts are to protect the defence, close space around the edge of the box, win second balls and give the more creative players licence to go and hurt teams.

Instead, Callum McGregor continues to occupy that position because, quite frankly, it suits Celtic.

Not necessarily McGregor. Not necessarily Martin O’Neill. Most importantly, I’m increasingly unconvinced it suits this Celtic team.

It suits the club because it means they don’t have to buy one.

Compare that with Martin O’Neill’s first spell and you begin to understand why comparisons between these two eras are becoming completely pointless.

Martin O’Neill Once Built From A Position Of Strength.

Think back to the midfield Martin inherited and then developed during his first spell.

Paul Lambert had won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund. He was vastly experienced, tactically intelligent and perfectly capable of operating as the more disciplined player in midfield.

Alongside him you had Stiliyan Petrov, capable of getting up and down the pitch and contributing at both ends.

Lubo Moravcik provided the imagination.

Put it into today’s terminology and you effectively had your six, your eight and your ten.

Was that midfield desperately crying out for somebody else to sit and protect it?

Not particularly.

So what did Celtic do?

They spent almost £6million on Neil Lennon.

Why?

Because O’Neill wanted him.

The immediate question became how Lennon and Lambert could possibly play in the same team.

What a lovely problem to have.

Rather than looking at Lambert and saying, he can do the job, so that’ll do us, Celtic looked at a position which was already strong and made it even stronger.

They built from a position of strength.

Sound familiar?

It should, because it’s precisely the phrase Celtic supporters have heard repeatedly over the years.

The difference is that Celtic actually did it then.

Callum McGregor Is Not The Answer To Every Problem.

Fast forward 25 years and the mentality couldn’t feel more different.

McGregor has spent years being asked to perform the deepest midfield role.

Can he play there?

Of course.

He’s an outstanding footballer who can operate in several positions.

That doesn’t mean it’s his optimum role, nor does it mean Celtic shouldn’t have recruited a specialist.

This isn’t even particularly about criticising McGregor.

It’s about asking why Celtic continually expect him to solve a recruitment problem.

Need a number six?

Move Cal back.

Need someone to dictate possession?

Cal can do it.

Need somebody to collect from the centre-halves?

Cal again.

Meanwhile, the specialist defensive midfielder never arrives.

Gvidas Gineitis was pursued during the summer, yet Celtic ultimately failed to complete that deal. Whatever the reasons behind that collapse, we’re now watching a midfield without that type of player and seeing exactly why the position mattered.

Saving money in August doesn’t look quite as clever when you’re trying to plug enormous holes in September.

Opponents Have Spotted The Space Around Celtic’s Box.

The weekend should have alarm bells ringing.

Dan Neil scored twice in the 3-0 defeat at Ibrox, with his opener coming from the edge of the penalty area. Contemporary match reports confirm exactly that.

Watch the space rather than simply watching the goals.

Who’s shutting it down?

Who’s recognising the danger before the ball arrives?

Who’s making an opposition midfielder think, I’ve got about half a second here before somebody empties me out?

Nobody.

Instead, players are finding pockets where they can set themselves.

Get the ball out of their feet.

Look up.

Shoot.

That’s becoming a pattern, not simply an unfortunate moment from one bad afternoon.

We’ve seen Celtic vulnerable around the edge of their own penalty area repeatedly this season. Once opponents identify something that works, they’re going to keep targeting it until Celtic stop them.

Why wouldn’t they?

Right now, there isn’t a proper number six patrolling that space.

Teams Are Firing Shots At Our Goal At An Alarming Rate.

What we can say without any hesitation is that the underlying concern is visible.

Celtic are allowing opponents opportunities from areas where a genuine defensive midfielder should be influencing proceedings.

The weekend provided the latest evidence.

For all the discussion about systems, formations and square pegs in round holes, sometimes football isn’t particularly complicated.

Protect the middle of the pitch.

Celtic aren’t doing it well enough.

£6million Then Versus £6million Now Says Everything.

This is where the comparison between O’Neill’s two spells becomes fascinating.

Imagine the conversation in 2000.

We’ve already got Paul Lambert.

O’Neill’s response was effectively: I want Neil Lennon as well.

Celtic paid £5.75million and got him.

Now imagine the equivalent conversation.

We don’t actually have a natural number six.

The response seems closer to – Can Callum do it?

That’s the difference.

Then, Celtic saw a strong position and strengthened it further.

Now, Celtic can see an obvious weakness and seemingly search for reasons why they might be able to get away without fixing it.

One approach is ambitious.

The other is economical.

Only one of those puts the football team sheet before the balance sheet.

Comparing The Two Martin O’Neill Eras Is Inevitable But Futile Sadly.

Martin O’Neill hasn’t suddenly forgotten how football works.

He’s operating in a completely different Celtic.

Lennon alone arrived for almost £6million in 2000. Celtic’s business from that season shows the level of backing being given to the manager.

Twenty-six years later, we’re discussing similar nominal transfer fees as though Celtic would be entering the world of reckless financial abandon with the usual warning of “we don’t want to do a Rangers”.

That’s astonishing.

Inflation in football has gone through the roof.

Celtic’s revenues have changed.

European money has changed.

Transfer fees have changed beyond recognition.

Yet £6million can somehow still be presented as a major investment requiring endless deliberation.

Meanwhile, a glaring hole remains in the first team.

This isn’t asking Celtic to compete with the Premier League elite.

It’s asking Celtic to recognise an obvious deficiency and fix it properly.

The Number Six Tells A Bigger Story.

There are crucial matches coming again.

O’Neill needs solutions now, not in January.

McGregor will undoubtedly continue giving everything he’s got because that’s what he’s done throughout his Celtic career.

But asking whether he can play number six misses the entire point.

Of course he can.

Paul Lambert could do it too.

Martin O’Neill still went out and bought Neil Lennon.

That’s what building a football team looks like.

Improve your weaknesses, then strengthen your strengths.

Give the manager options. Create competition.

Make good players fight to stay in the team rather than leaving obvious positions untouched because somebody else can probably fill in there.

The current Celtic hierarchy appears to operate from the opposite direction.

Can we get by?

Do we have to spend MORE money?

Can’t Callum do it for us?

Eventually those compromises appear on the football pitch.

We’re watching that happen.

Celtic don’t have a natural number six, opponents are finding space around our penalty area and O’Neill doesn’t currently possess an obvious specialist alternative to change it.

Twenty-six years ago, he already had Paul Lambert and Celtic gave him Neil Lennon anyway.

Today he doesn’t have either.

That one position probably tells you everything you need to know about the difference between the two eras.

Keep Your Eyes On The Board.