Scottish Premiership: Celtic boss Ronny Deila concerned by profligacy after win at Motherwell
Sunday 7 December 2014 07:40, UK
Celtic manager Ronny Deila felt profligacy was his team's biggest problem after the 1-0 victory away to Motherwell.
The Scottish Premiership leaders dominated proceedings at Fir Park for virtually the entire game, but squandered a handful of opportunities.
In the end, a Tony Stokes goal after just six minutes proved to be enough to seal a seventh consecutive league win for the Hoops.
Deila said: "The first 20 minutes were brilliant. We pressed well and created chances and had total control of the ball.
"If we had done that for 90 minutes, it would have been the game we wanted.
We have to learn from this. It's stupid. We should have been 3-0 or 4-0 before this happens and then we might have had six or seven.
"We should have scored more goals but there are a couple of games where we haven't been effective enough.
"The most important thing is that we created chances but we should have killed the game off."
Motherwell could have hit back late on when substitute Lee Erwin missed their only chance of the game from close-range in the dying minutes.
Asked if he was fretting about Motherwell snatching a point from the game, Deila added: "Of course I was worried but I was more irritated that it was possible.
"We have to learn from this. It's stupid. We should have been 3-0 or 4-0 before this happens and then we might have had six or seven.
"But we won and we have good momentum, we just keep it up now."
Motherwell were reduced to 10 men after Simon Ramsden saw red for a crunching tackle on James Forrest.
Deila said: "I think it was a very hard tackle. I was frightened for James getting injured again."
Motherwell caretaker-boss Kenny Black was satisfied with the contribution of his players despite the result.
Black said: "After the opening goal, I thought it was going to be a long afternoon, particularly when you're playing against a team of the calibre of Celtic.
"But we certainly hung in there, through some poor finishing from Celtic and some good defending from our point of view.
"Our goalkeeper had another excellent game. We might have had an equaliser towards the end. Even at 10 men, we still hung in there.
"I was pleased with the spirit and determination from the players."
