Ange’s furious Celtic demand sums up my midfield frustration
Three points at Easter Road were welcome, but Celtic’s slow build-up and disconnected midfield left me shouting for the same thing as Ange.
Phillip Cooney 
Ange Postecoglou once delivered a furious Celtic demand that summed up my afternoon watching us at Easter Road: “Stop passing it back!”
That outburst came against Raith Rovers in February 2022. Watching today’s 2-1 victory over Hibs, I understood every ounce of his frustration.
Yes, the wind was dreadful. Yes, three points mattered. But I spent far too much of this game shouting at the television, pleading with Celtic to go forward.
Celtic’s midfield leaves Scales searching
The pattern felt painfully familiar. Scales to McGregor. Across to Murray. Back to McGregor. Back to Scales. Eventually, back to the goalkeeper.
Then we started again.
My frustration was with the lack of options ahead of the ball. Too often, I saw McGregor dropping alongside the centre-backs while the players further forward looked disconnected.
When our captain comes that deep, somebody must offer a route through midfield. Otherwise, we leave Scales looking up, searching for movement and attempting the pass that others should help create.
Why are we asking a centre-back to solve our creative problems?
McGregor can drive forward and hurt opponents. I want to see that ambition more often, supported by midfielders showing for the ball and attackers making runs they can actually find.
Possession needs purpose
Sky’s match statistics recorded 61.2% possession and 488 accurate Celtic passes, alongside four shots on target.
Those figures cannot describe every passage of play. However, they underline why keeping the ball alone never satisfies me.
We have forwards capable of devastating moments. Camilo Durán supplied the decisive one today. Yet too often, to my eye, our attacking talent waits for service while possession circulates behind it.
The midfield must connect the team. It must receive, turn, carry and create. Without that movement, we become predictable and painfully dull.
Three points cannot end the discussion
Martin O’Neill called this our best win of the season, given the circumstances. I understand his reasoning. He also acknowledged that the performance was poor.
I celebrated the victory. I still found long stretches desperately disheartening to watch.
The weather made good football harder. It should not close the discussion about our spacing, movement or willingness to play forward.
Ange’s demand still applies. Celtic need to stop passing responsibility backwards.
