Why Celtic don't want chaos against Rangers at Ibrox - 'I don't think that’s even crossed anyone's mind'

The last Old Firm derby resulted in Celtic hoisting a trophy into the the Glasgow sky. A December penalty shootout victory over Rangers following a gripping 3-3 draw brought with it the Premier Sports Cup. As a result, all three pieces of Scottish silverware reside in the east end of Glasgow.

In cup final, substance counts over style. Celtic captain Callum McGregor acknowledges that - and is also the first to admit that he and his teammates were not at their fluent best at Hampden. They will look to put that right when they renew hostilities with Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday in the Premiership.

“Yeah well that's fair to say,” McGregor conceded when it was put to him that Celtic weren’t at their best in the final, “especially about the first half - I think maybe there's a wee bit more narrative around that second half. We scored three goals and could have probably had more.

Callum McGregor and Celtic overcame Rangers at Hampden last month despite not being at their absolute best. | SNS Group

“So, we didn't play well for 45 minutes and then as the game went on we started to get control of the game. It was a bit of a chaotic game where we scored two and then we conceded straight after it which doesn't help things.

“But in cup finals everyone understands that that can happen. There’s so much emotion around the game and it became a bit chaotic.

“I think from our point of view we want to stop the chaos and try and control the game a bit more. Because we know with the ball we're good, we know against the ball we're good and we know in counter attack moments then we can be dangerous as well.

“So, I think if we take the chaos out of the game then it starts to look a bit more like what we were like. Obviously we've looked at the game. I'm sure the coaches have found little pockets and different ways to try and break down that mid-pitch block.”

Celtic are not really used to chaos in the top flight of Scottish football. Their midfield, orchestrated by skipper McGregor, usually takes control of matches early on and play to their tune. Rangers’ energy and press flustered Celtic, as did their set-up in midfield. If there is one thing McGregor wants to change at Ibrox, it is the game being played on the visitors’ terms.

“I thought it was more as the game went on it got stretched,” McGregor elaborated on the chaos. “We get ourselves in front, get pegged back, we get ourselves in front again and then we lose a goal with a minute or two minutes to go or which was very unlike us.

“Generally when we go in front in games we can see the game out. Obviously Rangers were pushing in the game as well and they felt good about the game. Us maybe not so much. We probably tried to protect it after we got the third goal which is unlike us as well.

Callum McGregor trains at a soggy Lennoxtown ahead of facing Rangers at Ibrox. | SNS Group

“So the emotion of cup finals is difficult to deal with and when it becomes a wee bit like that - they score, we score, they score, we score - then it can be difficult to manage the game. But I think the ultimate strength of our character was when we needed to find something we did in the penalty shootout.”

So much of the fall-out to the cup final was dominated by the non-award of a penalty kick to Rangers by VAR for a shirt tug by Liam Scales on Vaclav Cerny. Did Celtic not actually receive enough credit amid all the hullaballoo for getting the job done.

“Yeah, which is fine,” smiled McGregor. “We get that and understand there's a lot of chat after these games and what could have been or what might have been. But the reality is we went on and delivered and got the trophy. So I think our players deserve a lot of credit for that as well. It is what it is.

“I think us as players understand how difficult the game was and internally we stood up to the challenge and we got the job done.”

Celtic continue to get the job done in Scottish football. They go into this match top of the league, unbeaten and 14 points clear of Rangers in second place. You will not catch anyone within the Parkhead dressing room discussing an invincible domestic season, yet the biggest hurdles are running out. After this match, Celtic will be halfway through the league season. A trip to Ibrox is as tough as it gets - especially with no away fans present.

“When we arrive in the stadium we understand everyone's against us and it kind of helps the group a little bit where you have that siege mentality,” revealed McGregor.

“It's whatever you've got inside that dressing room, the 40 to 50 bodies that are working on the day. It's us against them and you have to go and stand up and be counted and be there for each other.

Callum McGregor knows it will be hostile when Celtic travel to Ibrox. | SNS Group

“When you don't have any supporters in the stadium then you feel even more responsibility to try and get a result for the guys that are watching either on the tellies or wherever they are. So, sometimes you take a wee bit more pleasure in that as well.”

McGregor completely shuts down any talk of this being a free hit for Celtic given their lead. “I don't think that’s even crossed anyone's mind,” added the captain. “When these games come around the competitive nature in you means you want to win.

“We're only halfway through the season so anything can happen really, let's be honest. We have to go and be dominant in the game. We want to win the game. And if we do that then of course it puts us in a really strong position. So we want to win and that's what everyone in that dressing room thinks as well.”