Celtic reaction: more penalties than Rangers; board don't hide from Green Brigade; radical reshape for Lazio?

Celtic's David Turnbull converts the club's eighth Premiership penalty of the season - a haul that means they have been awarded two more spot-kicks than Rangers in the league this season. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Celtic’s 1-1 draw at home to Motherwell proved to be an exasperating afternoon for the Scottish champions, two points dropped in the title race courtesy of the stoic visitors claiming a 90th minute equaliser and the hosts failing to convert one of the spot-kicks they were awarded.

A case of paying the penalty for the Scottish champions, Andrew Smith considers how all is not what it seems for the Celtic faithful on that front as he delves into a number of sidelines.

More penalties than Rangers

The Celtic support’s obsession with the supposed bias of Scottish officialdom towards their Ibrox rivals can send them down rabbit holes…chasing false trails. In playing to the gallery at the club’s AGM last week, chief executive Michael Nicholson stuck his oar in when quipping with his variation on the ‘penalty to Rangers’ mantra that is the linga Franca in Scottish football supporting circles for the Govan club forever appearing to be winning spot-kicks.

Yet, before Celtic’s encounter with the Fir Park men, they had received exactly the same number of penalties in the Premiership this season as Rangers - both having bagged six. Now, after snaring two more against Motherwell, Celtic are out on their own for league penalties received this season. Granted, Rangers’ extraordinary run of 67 league games without conceding a penalty is an anomaly that would only ever raise the suspicions of not just the Celtic faithful but the fans of all other clubs, but there is a quirk even with that measure this season. The Ibrox club’s run to the Viaplay Cup final has witnessed them receive two penalties, but also have two penalties awarded against them. As a result, this season Celtic are the only Scottish top flight club not to have had a spot-kick given against them in the domestic domain.

Board do not hide from Green Brigade

It may have been a mere co-incidence but it isn’t common to see, just over an hour before kick-off, Celtic board members milling around outside the front entrance of the club’s stadium. However, a number of them - including CEO Michael Nicholson and chairman Peter Lawwell - were spotted doing that yesterday. Just as the currently-banned Green Brigade members were beginning to disperse from the area following their ‘day of action’ - which seemed to amount to cheering the team in and giving it tight to Tory-supporting Rod Stewart. Read what you will into Celtic board members choosing to be visible on the same afternoon.

Radical reshape for Lazio?

It won’t happen, but in Tuesday’s Champions League confrontation it could be beneficial for Brendan Rodgers to adopt the strategy that allowed Celtic to nick victory in the Olimpico Stadium when they last faced Lazio there, back in November 2019. The Irishman talks of the importance of being flexible, and demonstrated that in switching to a back three for the closing stages of the 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid. Well, predecessor Neil Lennon took that approach from the start four years ago as he masterminded Celtic’s only victory on Italian soil.

A 3-5-2 in that Europa League tie led to James Forrest being deployed as right wing-back. Which didn’t hamper his attacking intent as he scored the opening goal on the evening. With Luis Palma suspended and Daizen Maeda injured for the Rome trip, Forrest is expected to come back into contention after missing out on the squad for Motherwell with a niggle.

In this last chance for group stage qualification, a 3-5-2 wouldn’t necessarily be cautious. Not when it would allow Rodgers to partner Kyogo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu and so have twin central strike threats. Moreover, selecting Nat Phillips alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales would bring some added height to Celtic team on the small side. It’s a thought...