O'Neill backs McGregor's concerns over Celtic control and attacking roles

Martin O'Neill has backed Callum McGregor's assessment that Celtic are struggling to control matches, while insisting the squad needs time to develop. BBC Sport reported that the manager agreed with his captain's concerns about the use of centre-forwards in wide positions after Celtic's 2-2 draw with Dundee United on Wednesday, a result that left them with three wins in nine games.

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McGregor, 33, had highlighted the way matches were becoming stretched rather than following Celtic's usual controlled pattern. He also questioned whether deploying Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran as wingers was contributing to the problem. Asked about those remarks at a subsequent press conference, O'Neill initially said he had not heard them, then endorsed the assessment once the context was explained.

O'Neill described Osmand as primarily a centre-forward and suggested he might be better suited to playing alongside a stronger attacking partner. He was less certain that Osmand could operate alone at the front of the team. The manager also identified Duran as a centre-forward, while stressing that players were still becoming familiar with one another as the team developed.

The debate comes despite Celtic retaining a four-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership. The defending champions have suffered only one league defeat, at home to Rangers, but their European results have been weaker: they have lost all three of their Europa League matches. There has also been supporter discontent, with the Green Brigade fans group boycotting some games.

McGregor's comments followed similar concerns from Cameron Carter-Vickers. After the defeat by Rangers, the defender had criticised the lack of consistency in Celtic's play. O'Neill nevertheless resisted suggestions of divisions within the group and maintained that their league position showed they were managing the situation, even as senior players publicly identified problems with the team's performances.

The manager pointed to the timing of arrivals as one reason for the uneven displays. Several players had joined late and had not completed pre-season with Celtic, he said. O'Neill expects improvement as those players become more settled through the winter, presenting the current difficulties as issues to resolve within a squad still learning to play together.