Celtic's crucial week continues. In between successive Old Firm derbies at Ibrox, Martin O'Neill's team are on the road again this mid-week, travelling to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen, 28 days after the original fixture was postponed due to a flooded pitch. Ahead of this must-win clash, it is clear that O'Neill must leave out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and restore Reo Hatate to his starting lineup.
At the weekend, Celtic just about kept their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive. The Hoops were 2-0 down by half time at Ibrox and appeared down and out, set for an ignominious derby day demolition. However, after the break, the Hoops pulled off an unlikely comeback. Kieran Tierney's header gave the visitors hope, before the Celts were awarded a penalty right at the end; Dujon Sterling penalised for handball.
Hatate's attempt from 12 yards was saved by Jack Butland, not once but twice, but the Japanese international managed to bundle the ball home from close range. 2-2 it finished in Govan, a true games of two halves.
Rangers vs Cetlic first and second half statistics
Statistics | Rangers 1st half | Rangers 2nd half |
|---|---|---|
Goals | 2 | Zero |
Shots | 7 | 5 |
Shots on target | 2 | 1 |
Big chances | 3 | 1 |
Expected goals | 1 | 0.45 |
Celtic 1st half | Celtic 2nd half | |
Goals | Zero | 2 |
Shots | 1 | 16 |
Shots on target | Zero | 7 |
Big chances | Zero | 7 |
Expected goals | 0.03 | 2.37 |
After barely even getting into the Rangers half in the first 45, Celtic accumulated 16 shots after the break, of which seven were on target, racking up seven big chances and a whopping xG figure of 2.37. It was one-way traffic towards the Broomloan Road Stand during both halves, with Celtic earning a point that appeared extremely unlikely at the interval. So, what changed?
Well, at the break, O'Neill made a double switch, with Reo Hatate replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, while Sebastian Tounekti came on for Junior Adamu, the latter saw Daizen Maeda move to centre-forward. It was though the switch in the middle of the park that made the biggest difference.
Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Celtic last month, having not played since May when he departed BeÅŸiktaÅŸ. The Englishman has shown glimpses of his quality, none more so than his injury-time winner against Livingston, but his lack of match sharpness was exposed by Rangers on Sunday.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain vs Reo Hatate against Rangers
Statistics | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | Reo Hatate |
|---|---|---|
Minutes played | 45 | 45 |
Shots | Zero | 6 |
Shots on target | Zero | 4 |
Expected goals | Zero | 1.19 |
Accurate passes | 11 | 27 |
Passing accuracy % | 79% | 93% |
Key passes | Zero | 2 |
Possession lost | 9 | 5 |
Carries | 4 | 9 |
Touches | 25 | 42 |
As the numbers show, Hatate contributed so much more during his 45 minutes on the park than Oxlade-Chamberlain did. The Japanese midfielder registered many more touches, completed more than twice as many passes and was a goal-threat too, most importantly adding some much-needed control that the Hoops had lacked during the first 45.
One Celtic supporter described the game as "the Hatate show", while another noted that the midfielder was "integral" to the second-half turnaround.
With Arne Engels sidelined, Hatate alongside captain Callum McGregor and top-scorer Benjamin Nygren is Celtic's best and most well-balanced midfield trio. This will especially be the case against an Aberdeen team that ranks seventh, out of 12, for average possession in the Premiership this season.
Perhaps Oxlade-Chamberlain can contribute out-wide, potentially starting in place of Yang Hyun-jun on the wing, but Sunday made clear that the 32-year-old cannot be used centrally in big matches.