Callum McGregor labels Celtic ‘team of individuals’ after Derby defeat | OneFootball

Callum McGregor has demanded a collective response from Celtic after admitting the Scottish Champions looked like a “team of individuals” during Sunday’s chastening 3-0 Premier Sports Cup defeat at Ibrox.

The Hoops had opportunities to hurt Rangers during a relatively even opening period but repeatedly surrendered possession in promising areas. Martin O’Neill later conceded his side had been “second best” and failed to capitalise after breaking the Rangers press, insisting it is a “wake up call”.

McGregor’s assessment was equally uncompromising. Speaking after the game, the 33-year-old issued a sharp verdict.

“You saw a team and you saw a team of individuals,” the Celtic captain said.

“Rangers were a team and we looked like a team of individuals who wanted to do our own thing, play when we got the ball and not necessarily run when we don’t have the ball.

“That’s the one thing you can’t do when you come here, is not run. You can’t defend with six players, it’s impossible.”

For Celtic, the concern is that this was not an isolated setback. The defeat came only weeks after O’Neill’s side surrendered a four-goal aggregate advantage against LASK to crash out of Champions League qualifying. Many people called the lack of a defensive midfielder in the summer as a major blunder but the signings of Van den Berg and Sorensen were supposed to ease the pressure on the midfield. Neither were involved with the former yet to make his Celtic debut.

There is also the concern that the players are responding to what they do on the training pitch. Rangers looked hungrier and more confident in their approach than Celtic, who looked like they were waiting for things to happen.

There is at least an immediate opportunity to respond. Celtic face Ferencvaros in Europe before Rangers visit a packed Celtic Park next Sunday, when O’Neill and his players will have the chance to demonstrate that Ibrox was an aberration rather than evidence of a deeper problem.