Cameron Carter-Vickers believes Celtic made a key mistake against Kairat Almaty on Wednesday, and he’s keen to help fix it when they travel to Kazakhstan.
He explained that the team were trying to take control of the tie too quickly, which led to them giving the ball away in poor areas. Instead of letting the game settle and moving the ball around, they tried to force chances that weren’t really on.
That lack of patience, Carter-Vickers said, stopped them from finding the right rhythm to break down a solid defence. He thinks being more controlled, moving the ball across the pitch and switching play more often, would have helped create the gaps they needed.
He felt things improved slightly after half-time. While Celtic still didn’t create enough clear chances, they looked more settled and kept the opposition pinned back. That gives the squad confidence they can put things right in Kazakhstan with a smarter, more composed performance.
He said: (RecordSport), “We were almost in too much of a rush to do stuff. We’d get the ball down one side, then end up giving it away.
“We’d maybe have been better keeping it a little better, switching it from side to side, because that’s maybe when defenders lose concentration and we create that little bit of space we need.
“It might be the third or fourth switch when they switch off or don’t track a run, but it’s worth having that little bit of patience, rather than just trying to make things happen every time we have the ball.
“We wanted to get ahead in the tie, to take a few goals over there with us and that can sometimes lead to you forcing it, trying too hard, when a bit of patience – something we usually have – is what we need.
“Second half was a little bit better, even if we still didn’t do enough in the final third to get the goal we needed. We had them pinned in a little more.
“But we’re confident we have the quality and the ability to go over there and win. We’re confident in the squad we have.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in what we do next time.”
Carter Vickers was clear about what went wrong. The team were nervous early on, rushed things, and gave the ball away too easily. His message to the squad is simple: slow down, move the ball side to side, and wait for the right moments to attack. In Europe, it’s not just about speed, it’s about knowing when to keep the ball.
The second half showed signs of improvement, even if the score didn’t change. Celtic were more patient, pushed the opposition back, and moved the ball with more control. That kind of play gives them a solid base to build on in the second leg.
Carter Vickers’ comments should give fans encouragement. He’s not blaming individuals, just pointing out how they can be sharper in their decisions, and those are the things that can be fixed quickly, especially with a squad that backs itself.
The trip to Kazakhstan will be a tough test, but if Celtic stay calm, move the ball well, and pick their moments, they’ll give themselves a real chance. They’ve seen what went wrong, and now they’ve shown they know what needs to change.
