Two matches is not an adequate window in which to judge a manager. Nonetheless, these are worrying times for Wilfried Nancy and Celtic. Seriously worrying, in truth.
Back-to-back losses since the Frenchman’s arrival would be bad enough without the rampant manner in which Roma ensured six points from six in visits to Glasgow during this season’s Europa League. What a canter this proved from minute one.
Celtic are a club with aspirations of being a serious force in Europe and so recently were. Roma, inspired by Evan Ferguson’s first half double, faced disjointed and dysfunctional opposition. Sunday’s League Cup final against St Mirren carries huge meaning for Nancy. He has to prove, primarily, that he can field a team that will play to their strengths. Nancy is operating in the most unforgiving of environments, where patience was thin long before his arrival.
Roma’s first visit to Celtic Park came a matter of weeks after they toyed with Rangers at Ibrox. Celtic knew they would face high level opposition. Indeed, a key challenge in this Roma season may soon be whether to prioritise a tilt at the Serie A title or try to combine the same with a proper attempt at claiming silverware in Europe. Gian Piero Gasperini has unsurprisingly fuelled hopes of glory.
Celtic’s aspirations are lower nowadays. A crucial transfer window awaits, in which Nancy must try to rejuvenate a stale and imbalanced squad. Celtic should still be the favourites to prevail in Scotland but Sunday’s home loss against Hearts, Nancy’s first game in office, signalled the scale of the Frenchman’s task.
Nancy is determined to do it his way. He stuck with the players and adjusted formation that toiled days earlier. Three centre-backs, all left-footed, were again deployed. If you were to be kind, you would suggest the midfield is fluid. Roma sensed vulnerability, with the visitors completely dominating the early exchanges. They were heavily assisted for the opening goal, when not needing it, by Celtic.
Kasper Schmeichel had cheaply given possession straight to Roma, triggering the attack which led to a corner. Matías Soulé whipped it in, with Liam Scales’s panic as Gianluca Mancini lurked meaning the centre-back headed the ball straight into his own net. Albeit comedic in arrival, the goal only emphasised the extent to which Roma had Celtic pinned inside their own territory.
Reo Hatate was next to hand Roma a favour, the midfielder having his pocket easily picked 25 yards from Celtic’s goal. Ferguson should have doubled the Roma lead but cracked his shot against the outside of a post. As Schmeichel saved from the wonderful Soulé, Celtic were clinging on. Roma soon claimed the second, their dominance deserved. It arrived in blissfully simple circumstances, Soulé releasing Mehmet Zeki Celik on the right wing. Celik’s cross left Ferguson with little more than a tap in.
Hatate scooped over as Celtic mounted something approaching a response but this was galling for anybody of green and white persuasion. Apathy rather than anger set in as Ferguson notched a Roma third. Soulé was the creator, finding the feet of the Irishman before Ferguson spun and battered the ball low beyond Schmeichel.
An iota of salvation should have arrived for Celtic in the same spell of stoppage time but Arne Engels struck the post with his penalty after being fouled by Mario Hermoso. Nancy later admitted his players were “too soft” in the first half.
Unable to make 11 changes at the break, Nancy opted for three. One of the replacements, Kelechi Iheanacho, should have reduced the arrears in the 53rd minute but shot wide when clean through on goal. Albeit Roma looked content with their lot, Iheanacho’s chance arrived in a period where Celtic at least played with structure.
The former Leicester City man was more ruthless with his next opportunity. Iheanacho converted a low cross from Engels. The trouble for Celtic? The goal was chalked off for offside. It had long since been that kind of night for the Scottish champions.
The Roma substitute Leon Bailey was denied a goal by an identical, belated intervention from officialdom. Thousands of punters did not bother to hang around for the VAR check, such was the state of affairs regardless. Nancy must have taken note. He is a coach in need of a sharp upturn in fortune.
Asked afterwards if he had expected such a difficult start, Nancy replied: “I expected it. Come on guys, I just came one week ago. A few players played six games in a row, we have injured players, we have big games coming. So I expected that.”
“I want to be positive, we have situations I can be positive about but tonight was difficult,” he added. “In the first half, we were too soft in certain moments. We have to be stronger. We didn’t cope with the intensity in the first half. The second half was better. When we raised the pressure we were able to connect better. We need to be closer to be able to connect and get forward quicker.”
