Celtic playing style question may have to wait until the summer

Celtic are continuing their dominance in the Premiership, remaining in fine form in the league, but they are not a pretty team to watch.

The Bhoys came from behind to beat Hibs 2-1 over the weekend to protect their lead at the top of the Premiership, and aside from the defeat to Rangers before the international break, there aren't any major concerns over their ability to win the league title.

Celtic have mightily struggled in Europe, lacking the necessary quality to properly compete with good teams, but they still have too much quality for the vast majority of the Premiership.

Hibs gave them a good test, but the conditions played a part, and we must afford the Hoops some grace for their relentless schedule. Wednesday night's Premiership clash with Dundee United will be their third mid-week fixture in three weeks, making it seven games in the space of three weeks by the time they face Falkirk this weekend.

That's a tough ask for any team, and there were always going to be games at the end of this stretch that lacked sharpness and quality.

But with the wind so bad on the weekend, we can almost take the Hibs clash in isolation and toss it aside.

But the Hibs clash was not the only game that showed Celic's clear lack of playing style. Under Martin O'Neill and assistant Shaun Maloney, who does most of the training and actual coaching, it is a win at all costs approach.

Celtic are scrappy on the ball. Their attacking chances are largely created from second balls and finding men in space, rather than coming as a product of a system that looks to expose certain defenders and create space in specific areas.

There is no clear approach in how they want to play, and it seems to be completely dependent on the opponent. Some managers work that way, so it doesn't necessarily speak to any incompetency.

After all, no one approach is right. It's the old adage of whether you would rather win or look pretty losing, and while that is simplifying things, there is some truth to it. Ask Wilfried Nancy.

But this has to be short-term play. Celtic's dominance of the Premiership is as close to a given as anything in professional sports, so many fans want to see some attractive football being played.

That more progressive football will also give the Bhoys a better chance to succeed in Europe, perhaps giving them a chance of keeping the ball and going head-to-head with better teams by laying down their blueprint for the game.

But the bottom line is that Celtic don't currently have the necessary talent level to play good football in Europe, even if they could pull it off on the domestic level. O'Neill knows that, and while he has never overseen progressive football, it's why he is right for the job, and by the same token, it's why Nancy wasn't.

But this lack of style will wear off quickly for fans, even with success, and Celtic need to consider it when they make their next appointment. Crucially, though, their recruitment must match their playing style ambitions.

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