Unique Angle – McInnes can’t understand how Celtic lose games

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·13 April 2025

Unique Angle – McInnes can’t understand how Celtic lose games

Watch all the Celtic goals from Celtic TV’s pitch side camera as the Celts put on a five-star performance against Kilmarnock in Paradise on Saturday afternoon…

Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic support were all looking for a response from the players yesterday afternoon at Celtic Park after the disappointing performance at result at McDiarmid Park against bottom of the table St Johnstone last Sunday.

And the player clearly got the memo as they can firing out of the stalls with both Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers scoring goal of the season contenders. Hatate got a brilliant double and so too did Daizen Maeda although a curious call for offside reduced that to a singe strike, his simplest goal of the season. The Kilmarnock goal – a cross come shot denied Sinisalo a clean sheet and it was the only call to action all afternoon for the Finland international keeper.

OneFootball Videos

READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic v Killie Vanilli

Reo Hatate of Celtic scores to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

All those goals came in a brilliant first half where Celtic were relentless as the message from the manager and the fans clearly got through. After the break Kilmarnock were in damage limitation duties and Celtic dropped a level, although Arne Engels was unlucky to see his effort come back off the crossbar. It looked like Derek McInnes’ men ha secured the respectability of drawing the second half until seldom used Anthony Ralston popped up with the last action of the match to score a lovely goal of his own.

READ THIS…A Day in Paradise that the Taylor family will never forget

Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates scoring to give Celtic a 2-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, Glasgow, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

The Kilmarnock manager reflected on his side’s tough afternoon in the East End of Glasgow on his club’s own TV channel after the 5-1 defeat,

“Listen, it’s difficult for the players. I think when you see there’s two sides to us there. We slowed Celtic during the second half.

READ THIS…Celtic’s five star show sets up our 13th title in 14 seasons

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Celtic a 3-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, Glasgow, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

“We put a team out in the second half just to stop the bleeding and just to use a bit more experience, fill gaps, we became, as a consequence on paper, certainly less attacking. But we made Celtic go back the way a lot more and play around us, and I thought we defended really well second half.

READ THIS…“No doubt, unless Dermot Desmond tells me differently in the summer,” Brendan Rodgers

Anthony Ralston of Celtic celebrates scoring to give Celtic a 5-1 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes shakes hands with Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers at full-time. Final score Celtic 5 Kilmarnock 1. Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

“But the first half is where, and you asked the question, ‘Where did we get it wrong’, Celtic came out and started like a train. Everybody was talking to me about you’ll face the reaction that Celtic would have got from last week’s disappointment.

Reo Hatate of Celtic scores to give Celtic a 4-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

“And when you actually see Celtic, you think, ‘How can they lose games?’. You know, how can they lose games against teams in the league?

“But I thought Taylor’s movement, his energy and enthusiasm and his drive, Scales stepping into fullback areas, I thought they two where a huge part of that left hand side that was causing us issues.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores to give Celtic a 2-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, , Celtic Park, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace, Shutterstock

“Maeda, Hatate, Taylor and Scales just ganging up on us out there and getting us on the back foot and getting us to the edge of the box really.

“And then from there on in we’ve got to show a bit of calmness. The first goal was a hell of a strike. There’s two world-class goals there. Hatate and Carter-Vickers. I don’t even know how much power he’s got. It’s like Dave Narey all over again. Those two goals are first-class and it shows you the quality Celtic have got.”

An interesting post-match media conference from the Kilmarnock manager, well worth a listen…

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image above to join.