Why Celtic fans must 'strap themselves in' for Nancy's 'chaotic' football

Watch Livingston v Celtic highlights

27/12/25

Celtic head Wilfried Nancy said aft Saturday's 4-2 Scottish Premiership triumph astatine Livingston that he wanted "a chaotic game" and that's surely what he got.

The Glasgow nine recovered themselves down aft 2 minutes against nan division's bottommost broadside earlier hauling themselves backmost level almost immediately.

After 8 minutes they were trailing again but 2 minutes later it was 2-2.

Half an hr connected nan timepiece and Celtic had nan lead. Fast guardant 8 minutes and they were starring 4-2.

All successful nan first half and aft a tally of 4 defeats and 1 triumph successful Nancy's 5 games successful complaint - how's that for chaos?

There is nary denying that Celtic, nether Nancy, are breathtaking to watch.

There are shades of Ange Postecoglou's "we ne'er stop" cognition astatine nan apical extremity of nan pitch.

They look for illustration they don't attraction really galore goals they concede, they'll conscionable people more.

In nan first half against Livingston they generated an xG (expected goals) of 3.52 from 13 shots, 4 of which were connected target. They had 11 shots wrong Livingston's container and and created 5 large chances.

They managed 4 goals and astir apt could person had moreover more. The triumph complete Aberdeen past play was similar.

In nan 2nd half astatine Livingston, Celtic had conscionable complete 60 per cent possession and a further 5 shots but did not look arsenic threatening.

Since Nancy took complete location has been a deluge of chances successful home games, but they person besides looked susceptible astatine nan different end.

In defence, Celtic looked exposed and gave Livingston acold excessively galore opportunities successful beforehand of extremity - Montano's eight-minute brace being nan premier example.

They allowed Livingston 13 shots crossed nan 90 minutes, 8 of which came from wrong their ain punishment area and six of those from Montano - nan astir he has had successful a crippled since 2023. Did I mention he was playing astatine left-back?

Livingston attempted 31 crosses - acold higher than their play mean of 19 - while managing 26 touches successful Celtic's punishment area. Had they been much objective nan scoreline whitethorn not person looked truthful rosy for nan visitors.

It was clear for some of Livingston's goals conscionable really exposed Celtic were.

Anthony Ralston - 1 personnel of nan backmost 3 and a right-back by waste and acquisition - was obscurity to beryllium seen for Montano's first and winger Hyun-jun nan could not get backmost successful clip to extremity nan Livi left-back from getting his changeable away.

For Montano's second, nan 34-year-old was wholly unmarked successful nan Celtic container and had plentifulness of clip to group himself and firearm his onslaught beyond Viljami Sinisalo successful nan Celtic goal.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner: Everything is attacking, everything is get nan shot down and let's get players bombing forward. If that's nan lawsuit and he gets nan aforesaid occurrence arsenic Ange Postecoglou past we're successful for a treat.

Celtic are still susceptible but they sewage distant pinch it. They didn't let Livingston backmost successful to nan game, past Nancy made nan correct changes and allowed Celtic to negociate nan crippled out.

Former Livingston head Allan Preston: Celtic aren't going to beryllium having immoderate dull games astatine nan moment.

Former Scotland striker Billy Dodds: I've ne'er seen a Celtic squad springiness distant truthful galore opportunities but if you're playing that way, strap yourself in. It's entertaining but you person to triumph and they've won again.

The problem for Celtic will travel if they springiness up chances, suffer games and nan fans will commencement to inquire questions again. You can't support offering teams up arsenic galore chances arsenic they are getting astatine this point.

BBC Scotland main sports writer Tom English: Celtic were offensively very good, very sharp, very hungry. At nan back, they were conscionable wide open. It is wildly entertaining but tin Celtic realistically play for illustration this for nan remainder of nan season?

Bob: Absolutely poor! This is schoolboy shot and immoderate squad pinch immoderate accomplishment will return america apart. Nancy is dreaming if he thinks his crippled scheme will work.

John: Celtic shouldn't beryllium getting down against bottommost of nan convention Livi but a awesome comeback. If we tin extremity leaking goals past we should romp nan league.

Mark: Still not convinced by Nancy astatine all. There's a quality betwixt bully attacking shot (see Big Ange Postecoglou) and kamikaze chaos. You won't ever beryllium capable to out-score teams, location will beryllium times erstwhile you person to do nan disfigured broadside of nan crippled and defend.

Drew: We are each concerned astir nan deficiency of condemnation successful Celtic's protect capacity - Liam Scales and Ralston some looking very uncomfortable successful possession - which doesn't lend itself to Wilf's style of play.

Joe: Are we judge Nancy wasn't a head successful nan NBA? Seems to deliberation if nan different squad people 98, it matters not arsenic we'll people 99. Even astatine 4-2 up it felt acold from safe. High-octane entertainment, if thing else.

Jim: Nancyball trying to guarantee arsenic galore Celtic fans person arsenic galore cardiac episodes successful 90 minutes arsenic possible. Unbelievable stuff. We thought Angeball was entertaining