Celtic ditch the crossing as dominant first-half display dismantles Hibernian

Anthony Ralston, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kyogo Furuhashi all found the net against the Hibees to end Celtic's long wait for a win in Leith. 

Ange Postecoglou declared himself delighted with the football on display and, particularly in the first half, the Hoops were in rampant mood.

Here, The Celtic Way looks at the StatsBomb data from the game to give you a match report experience like no other.

Trendline

Celtic’s attacking threat was evident throughout the first 45 minutes and there are very little periods of flatlining in the xG race chart. Indeed, the Hoops created four high-quality opportunities in the opening 35 minutes alone.

Even in the second half, their cumulative xG crept up steadily enough - directly after half-time and much of the final 15 minutes were the only periods of low creativity.

Unlike their last opponents St Johnstone, Hibs offered more threat going forward with Joe Newell and Jamie Murphy both seeing decent chances saved by Joe Hart. The goal they did score, officially credited to Martin Boyle, was their third-best chance of the match in terms of xG.

Based on the quality of chances created, Celtic would have won this match 87 per cent of the time.

Shots

It was another almost 20-shot performance from the Hoops but this time, notably, there were at least seven mid-to-high quality chances. Postecoglou will be delighted that several of those were in central areas close to the Hibs six-yard box, with all three goals arriving from this location too.

Their attempts from distance were mixed, with a couple forcing Hibs keeper Matt Macey into action but the majority either blocked or off-target altogether.

Hibs also had their best opportunities from more central areas but found Hart in fine form to safeguard Celtic’s recent run of not conceding from open play. On this occasion, the goal they did allow came from a set-piece which marked the fourth such concession so far this league campaign.

Individually, David Turnbull was way out in front in terms of shots at goal with seven although his cumulative xG for those reached just 0.54. In contrast, Kyogo Furuhashi’s two attempts clocked 1.48 xG with Ralston’s pair registering 0.47. The second of Kyogo’s – in which he found himself free in the box but contrived to fire off Macey and over – was given a 0.61 xG.

Passing and possession

Two things stand out from the Celtic passing network and general positioning map: the difference between the wings and Turnbull’s location.

First, the wings. While Josip Juranovic was once again used at left-back he was this time paired with Mikey Johnston ahead of him. The two did not link up all that effectively down the left and this is reinforced by their relative lack of involvement (cooler colours) but perhaps even more so the thinness and opacity of their passing lines.

Contrast this to the opposite flank, where Ralston was more often than not close to Jota and linked up more effectively with his closest midfielder – Tom Rogic, before his injury-enforced withdrawal – as the trio made up a useful triangle on the right.

Turnbull generally playing further forward than Kyogo does not mean the midfielder was just idly poaching up the top end of the pitch. After all, he occupies a location an attacking midfielder would realistically hope to – their positioning likely speaks more to Kyogo’s dropping deep to get involved in link-up play than anything else. Indeed, the Japan international on several occasions was part of moves prior to the final ball, even when it was eventually he who received it.

While Callum McGregor’s colour is cooler than usual, the captain was still involved in three of Celtic five most common passing combinations and completed 90 per cent of his passes. It is worth noting that, despite only managing 40 minutes, Rogic still finished second in the xG Chain, marginally behind Kyogo.

The Hoops enjoyed almost 60 per cent possession, as they often have this season, while completing 85 per cent of their 570 passes and generally taking care of the ball well.

Hibs managed to top 400 pass attempts – many in the second period when they saw considerably more of the ball – but a 74 per cent completion rate does not seem too clever but is actually roughly their season average.

In terms of individuals, Turnbull again topped the charts for key passes with six. Four of those were from set-pieces with two resulting in direct assists.

Pressing and defending

Celtic’s pressing heatmap has an even spread across the pitch with particular intensity on the right flank. The Hoops registered 91 pressures and 19 pressure regains which are both near their averages for the season so far.

Hibs, in contrast, were naturally forced to press much more than usual and clocked over 40 more pressures than their season average. Despite this, their pressure regains total was only one better off than Celtic’s and five fewer than their usual per-90 amount.

This difference in pressing is reinforced by the individual totals – six of the ‘top’ seven were Hibs players, with Jake Doyle-Hayes running up a massive 35 pressures. Kyogo returned to the top of the Celtic charts with 15 with Turnbull second. Notably, Giorgos Giakoumakis clocked nine despite only playing 25 minutes.

Johnston was Celtic’s most active counter-presser although Turnbull and Kyogo were the most persistent in total duration and duration per pressure respectively.

Naturally given they spent so long without the ball and ran into an in-form Celtic side, Hibs’ full-backs – Josh Doig and Paul McGinn – ran up the most combined tackles and interceptions while centre-back Paul Hanlon was joint-top among all players for clearances and aerial duels won.

That said, and despite conceding after a three-match clean-sheet streak, Celtic performed well enough at the back.

In addition to his goal, Carter-Vickers lost his man for the Hibs counter but did make seven clearances and a few combined tackles and interceptions while central-defensive partner Carl Starfelt racked up four combined tackles and interceptions, with the same amount for clearances and aerial duels won.

That commitment was in evidence throughout the side, with Turnbull making a match-high four interceptions and every member of the starting XI, save keeper Hart and striker Kyogo, contributing at least one tackle or interception in their time on the field as Celtic continue to click as a team on the ball and off it.