Carl Starfelt: “I guess he is a bit understated in the way he plays the game,” Ange Postecoglou

The Celtic Star

·31 January 2023

Carl Starfelt: “I guess he is a bit understated in the way he plays the game,” Ange Postecoglou

After a weekend win on Tayside, Celtic’s array of attacking options have rightly been receiving high praise from the Celtic support, yet Ange Postecoglou has also found time post-match to outline the case for his equally impressive defence.

Whilst Mooymania has been grabbing the headlines (with even Charlie Nicholas getting involved) and Jota is producing more highlights than his barber, the likes of Joe Hart, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Carl Starfelt and Greg Taylor have been the start of every Celtic attack – and the last line of a, by design, exposed defence.

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Vinicius Junior and Carl Starfelt during Real Madrid vs Celtic Glasgow Champions League match on November 02, 2022 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Photo: Cebolla/Senis/ ALFAQUI Madrid Santiago

With Celtic keen to push as high up the park as is possible, the risk of being countered grows with every yard gained, meaning Celtic’s defence have to be adept at one-on-one defending and recovery actions become absolutely vital in ensuring Celtic’s back door remains tightly bolted.

As reported in the Herald, the Celtic boss has been fulsome in his praise for an area of the team perhaps not quite as heralded as his attacking options.

“It is a very important part of our game,” the Celtic boss outlined. We wouldn’t be the attacking side we are and score the goals we do if we didn’t have the defensive framework to fall back on.”

And one player who for whatever reason appears to not always get the recognition, despite 16 months without tasting Premiership defeat when partnered by Cameron Carter-Vickers in the centre of the Celtic defence, is the often unfairly criticised Carl Starfelt, with Postecoglou keen to point out that a lack of appreciation on occasions outside the club is not mirrored internally.

Carl Starfelt congratulates Daizen Maeda after scoring during the Viaplay Cup Semi-final match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Hampden Park on January 14, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“Maybe externally, but internally he certainly does. He has been a cornerstone of our team since pretty much the day he arrived. He was one of the first ones we signed,” Ange noted.

“You know, I guess he is a bit understated in the way he plays the game. He rarely gets beaten, he is always in the right areas and contributing both to our attack and our defence. It (his unbeaten league record alongside Carter-Vickers) is a credit to him and Cam. They have a very good understanding. They complement each other really well,” the Celtic manager added.

“They are committed to the way we want to defend,” Ange said. “It’s not easy to defend in our team. We are constantly pushing the line, but we want to be aggressive. It means a lot of one-on-one defending, one defending without cover.

“You need to embrace that as a defender and be willing to put yourself on the line. They are both very, very brave in their position – as they need to be – and it is a credit to both of them.”

The central defence pairing has produced a miraculous period of defensive stability at Scottish Premiership level and with five consecutive clean sheets also chalked up in recent weeks, it would appear both players complement each other well.

Yet the Celtic boss is also keen to point out, as much as the attacks start with the last line of defence the defensive actions begin with the likes of Kyogo and new Korean signing Oh at the other end of the pitch.

“I think our whole defensive work since the break has been outstanding,” the Celtic gaffer said. “Led from the front with Kyogo’s pressing, everyone is really committed to being really aggressive with our defensive work. I think that is reflected (in the results). It gives us the foundation to play our football. Obviously, the back four is a big part of that, Joe is a big part of that. But collectively I think our defensive work has been really top notch.

“I don’t know if it gets overlooked, but we certainly look at it that for us it is the foundation we build our football on. If we are working really hard defensively, collectively and are really organised and disciplined it suffocates the opposition.

“It doesn’t give them time to breathe and allows us to wear teams down, break them down one way or another. That’s through everyone being committed to it. As I said, it is a very important part of our game. We wouldn’t be the attacking side we are and score the goals we do if we didn’t have the defensive framework to fall back on.”

It is par for the course in football that the goal scorers and creators get the headlines when a team is on a winning roll, but of course it is too easy to overlook the defensive contributions which allow the foundations for such an aggressive attacking strategy to be laid.

For Celtic, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt deserve as much praise as Celtic’s flair players and finishers. Sixteen months without defeat in Scottish League football is no mean feat and the Celtic boss is right to highlight the case for his defence.

Niall J

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