Stephen Robinson insists it isn’t his style to sit back and hope to sneak a point against Celtic. The Buddies boss firmly believes a positive approach is the best chance of picking up a positive result against the in-form Hoops.
St Mirren have suffered heavy 4-0 and 5-1 defeats at Celtic Park this season – having played with two strikers on both occasions.
But that brave approach paid off at the SMiSA Stadium in September, with the Saints inflicting Celtic’s only domestic defeat this season. And Robinson is adamant his team won’t change their approach as they look to upset the odds again against Ange Postecoglou’s much-fancied side tomorrow afternoon.
He told Renfrewshire Live Sport: “Our approach won’t be any different from when we went to Celtic Park recently. We lost 5-1, but it didn’t reflect the game. Four goals were scored when we went down to 10 men late on.
“We were very competitive. What the three games have shown so far is that we’ve created chances, scored goals and pressed them and taken the ball off them. We haven’t just sat back and just waited to be beat. We’ve taken the game to Celtic at times.
“It all came together in the first game. We scored our opportunities. We kept 11 men on the pitch and referee decisions went our way.
“There is a belief here that, yes we’ve got a lot of respect, but we do not a fear anyone.
“Previously I might have changed the system or tried to do something different or be slightly more cautious. But I believe you have to go and play with a belief and your midfielders still need to make the runs, you still need to balls into the box, you still need men forward in numbers.
“Otherwise you just sit back and wait to be beat. That isn’t my style, but you learn as you go along. You’ve got a chance if you’re brave. If you sit back and wait to get beat then ultimately that’s what happens.”
Robinson knows he runs the risk of a hiding every time he doesn’t play defensively against Celtic, who have bagged an impressive 82 goals in just 26 league games.
Nevertheless the experienced manager still feels taking the game to the Hoops is worth the danger. Robinson added: “I’m not saying anything against sitting back and I’m not surprised other teams do it, because I’ve done it plenty of times.
“When you’re more open there’s always the threat that, if they click, you could lose by nine or ten goals.
“That’s the reality and they have scored a ridiculous amount of goals because they have players who can really punish you.
“If you press them high up the pitch then they can beat that by going over the top of you and using the pace of Daizen Meada, Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi or Jota running in behind.
“That’s the difference between Celtic this season and previous years is that the players running beyond the defence are really good with the ball at their feet and linking up with team-mates. They can hurt you in lots of different ways, but my way is still to try and win.
“It doesn’t mean that the other way is wrong because every manager has a different approach.
“It’s a challenge we embrace and a game I look forward to. I always tell my players it’s a chance for them to put themselves in the history books, because everyone expects us to lose.”
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