Martin O’Neill admits Celtic are still “not up to speed” despite maintaining their perfect domestic record with a hard-fought victory over St Mirren.
The Hoops were forced to come from behind in Paisley, with two second-half goals securing a 2-1 victory and another three points for O’Neill’s side.
🗣️ “We dug it out”
🗣️ “We’re not up to speed”
🗣️ “New players need some work”Hear from Celtic boss Martin O’Neill after their 2-1 win over St Mirren ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/YutpH4CLxp
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 5, 2026
Celtic created enough opportunities to have made the evening more comfortable, but the Hoops manager acknowledged there were spells when the performance lacked fluency against an impressive St Mirren side.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neill said: “As we both predicted, it was a tough evening for us.
“We created some chances in the game, but I didn’t feel any phenomenal fluency about us.
“We really dug it out at the end, coming from behind against a team who are really in brilliant form.
“They played splendidly for some periods of the game, but we saw it through at the end, which was great.”
Captain Callum McGregor called for Celtic to simplify their play during the half-time interval, a message O’Neill fully agreed with after watching his side occasionally overcomplicate matters in possession.
On how Callum McGregor urged the team to simplify the game at half-time, O’Neill continued: “I think that is right.
“Sometimes we overcomplicate the game, so I totally agree with the captain. He knows the game inside out.
“It was almost like a single somebody going for glory, and not seeing the pass that might be on to his teammate. Things like that.
“But we tried, we tried at half-time to iron it out – but really, in essence, the players have won the game, which is delightful.
“We had been a little bit sluggish towards the end of the first-half, I felt. Then, of course, the disallowed goal, things not going in our direction.
“So it was important for us to start the second half really strongly, which we did.”
Celtic have integrated several new faces into the squad over the summer and O’Neill believes it is inevitable that it will take time for everything to click.
He singled out young Chelsea loanee Shim Mheuka for praise after the striker was denied a goal by a tight offside decision in Paisley.
Finally, on the new players getting up to speed, he continued: “No, we’re not up to speed, and I think that’s almost inevitable, really.
“Players are coming into the squad, some young players – for example Shim [Mheuka], who hasn’t really played first-team games properly… I’m talking about under pressure like this, and this is big pressure.
“I thought he did really fine, and was really disappointed for him, the offside goal must’ve been very tight indeed.
“But he’ll come on, and some of the other younger players will come on. It’s a matter of trying to balance out.
“But the most important thing for us is to try and win football matches, regardless of who we have on the field.”
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1 Comment
Of course it will take a bit longer to form new relationship and understanding, especially within our wider areas, along with the central midfield areas at present?
Would have possibly been easier and quicker if AJ and Tierney were available on a regular basis, but they aren’t at present?
Even calmac has to form that understanding with the OX and Baur, and even Sorenson thrown into the equation on Saturday night?
So couldn’t even say what our best combination is going to be at present?
In that area, even if the Calmac and Baur has been the most used to date?
Still say the strongest combination formed, has been between nygren and strikers imo?
Even that one isn’t totally clear upon which one is the best and strongest, as both have operated fairly well to date imo?
With no shortage of combinations, throughout our squad available, we are still possibly in transitional mode, of trying to bring combinations from training onto the field of play at present imo?
Not even totally convinced any longer, that a partnership of Calmac with another player, is actually going to be our strongest combination in our central midfield areas, any longer either?
Unlikely to change, anytime soon, but don’t believe that the policy of Calmac expected to play every minute of every game, has to be kept in place either for this season imo?
Could well be until after the October international break, before we might get our potential strongest team available on show?
Before then, we may be regarded as a work in progress team?
But certainly a far more exciting attacking team is in operation at present?
Question marks remains, when we are operating without the football still?
But hopefully that improves with the better understanding getting formed within our overall play?
Still wouldn’t class ourselves as a strong defensive team, but we certainly wasn’t one last season either imo?
But there again, we will play the majority of our matches upon the front foot, so a bigger focus upon our attacking intention, moreso than defensively?
Whether such a combination is going to be good enough within our bigger games, has yet to be determined properly?
The Lask tie, only confirmed that much work is still required, while we haven’t got the football still?
Hopefully the better combinations will vastly improve that side of our game, when the better understanding is formed imo?