Focus on Vasilis Barkas' error shouldn’t obscure Celtic's fundamental set piece issues

However, it is vital for Ange Postecoglou that as well as continuing to implement the dynamic system featuring inverted full-backs, a freed up Callum McGregor and a revitalised Ryan Christie which we caught glimpses of on Tuesday night, he fixes fundamental issues Celtic had when defending set pieces throughout last season.

Of all Scottish Premiership teams in the 2020/21 season Celtic conceded the fourth-most expected goals (xG) per set piece faced and, when up against indirect free-kicks, the Hoops conceded 7 goals from just 2.19 xG.

Neil Lennon ended up condemning his players for this stating: “You can tell them ad nauseam on the training ground but they have got to go and want to head a ball. They maybe don’t want to get hurt. It’s not good enough.”

However, our analysis of every indirect free-kick goal conceded in the league during 2020-21 by Celtic suggests this issue requires rather more attention than simply increasing the level of desire. 

A consistency of centre back selection, improving communication between defenders, preventing aerial mismatches and avoiding needless fouling must be a focus ahead of Wednesday’s second leg against the Danes - well known for their set piece prowess - and the start of the domestic season.

The season opener against Hamilton Academical ended with the emphatic scoreline of 5-1 but the Accies’ goal did bring some hints of what was to come as it featured poor communication between Kris Ajer, Ryan Christie and Scott Brown leading to confusion about who was marking who. It also highlighted the general lack of height and aerial ability in the squad outside of the centre backs and slowness to second balls. The error by Christopher Jullien to deflect the shot and Scott Bain’s failure to save it are memorable but the real issue is the poor structure to start with.

Barkas was beaten by an early Connor Goldson goal in the first match against Rangers of the season but the goalkeeper wasn’t really to blame. Ajer conceded a fairly needless free-kick and then Shane Duffy didn’t hold the offside line the Norwegian wanted which allowed Goldson the opportunity. As with the Accies goal, the keeper was close to touching the ball as it passed him by which led to accusations that he should’ve done better but the bigger problem, again, was the initial set-up.

In a November 2020 match, Motherwell scored from a set piece to bring themselves back into the game with 20 minutes remaining. Ultimately Mo Elyounoussi completed a hat-trick and Celtic ran out 4-1 winners but this was another example of basic issues when defending indirect free-kicks.

The team seem ill-prepared in terms of who is responsible for marking which player and miss out on the chance to play a higher defensive line as a result of the confusion. This, allied with a lack of aerial talent in the team, is compounded by Nir Bitton picking up Declan Gallagher, one of the biggest threats at set pieces in the league, and allowing him a huge amount of space to attack without any sort of physical impediment. The chance had an xG of just 0.01 but, while Bain’s positioning could have been better, the goalkeeper had little chance once the header had connected.

Kevin Nisbet’s brilliant finish in the dramatic draw at Easter Road in November 2020 resulted from another set piece that again underlined issues for Celtic outwith their goalkeepers.

Christie and Jeremie Frimpong failed to communicate clearly about who was going to deal with a long diagonal and the latter’s lack of height was exposed before there was a failure to get to the second ball quickly enough. Although Frimpong is no longer at the club Postecoglou will need to consider how he mitigates for a general lack of height in the team.

Another key consideration, and an urgent one given Bitton’s first yellow card, Stephen Welsh’s dive in before the goal and Ismaila Soro’s tactical trips to prevent counter-attacks all against FC Midtjylland, is for Celtic to stop giving away fouls unnecessarily.

In January 2021 Kevin Nisbet got an injury-time equaliser at Celtic Park after poor marking, weak aerial challenges and slowness to loose balls.

Conor Hazard’s failed claim contributed to this being a 0.48 xG shot but the opportunity might never have arisen if not for Diego Laxalt’s lazy leg.

A free header, 12 yards from goal, for Ciaron Brown helped Livingston towards a draw against the Hoops just over a week later. Brown was free as a result of poor communication between the defenders as Ajer wanted to hold an offside line and Bitton didn’t.

A consistently selected centre-back partnership can develop the understanding and shared principles to reduce errors of that sort but with Ajer now at Brentford, Jullien still injured, Bitton suspended for Wednesday’s second leg and Carl Starfelt required to self-isolate it may be tough to build that swiftly.

Finally, in February 2021, Jordan White gave Scott Bain little chance with a 0.87 post shot xG header in off the woodwork. Diego Laxalt, in a complete height and aerial ability mismatch, was man-marking White but the visualisation above shows he somehow ended up six yards away at the key moment.

Celtic’s two centre backs on the day, Ajer and Stephen Welsh, were picking up their counterparts and this goal helps to underline a further vulnerability if they are occupied.

Barkas, 14th out of 17 SPFL Premiership goalkeepers with 900+ minutes last season for GSAA% - a measure of goals saved above average as a percentage of shots faced, may not be the answer between the sticks but his error shouldn’t obscure Celtic’s fundamental set piece issues.