Carter-Vickers Urges Patience as Celtic Face Form Slump

Cameron Carter-Vickers acknowledges the frustration of Celtic supporters but urges patience as the team navigates a difficult period. The defender, who has experienced similar challenging stretches during his tenure at the club, believes in the team's ability to bounce back.

Celtic has faced a series of setbacks, including a comprehensive defeat in Austria, a loss to Rangers, and a loss to Ferencvaros. While the team still leads the league, the recent performances have fueled concerns about the season ahead.

Carter-Vickers finds solace in past successes, referencing periods under former managers Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers where the team's form improved significantly in the latter half of the season. He attributes the current struggles partly to a considerable turnover in players and emphasizes the importance of adhering to the team's plan and process.

"I think throughout my time here there’s been periods, whether it’s two game stretches, three game stretches, where we’ve lost games," Carter-Vickers stated. "I think what we’ve shown since I’ve been here is the ability to bounce back. That’s what we have to focus on and that’s what we have to do in the next game."

The pressure on Celtic has intensified with Rangers' strong form. A few weeks ago, the title race narrative was about the margin of victory, but recent results have shifted the focus. The team's performance in their 3-0 loss to Rangers last Sunday was described as one-sided.

Carter-Vickers emphasized that while players are responsible for meeting expectations, the process takes time. "It’s just about sticking to the same plan and sticking to the process as much as you can. And if you do that day in, day out, I do believe that eventually, again, it will all come good and we can really kick on."

The defender believes the team must focus on the upcoming match against Rangers, aiming to put in a performance that will secure a positive result. He hopes the home crowd will provide a significant boost.

Reflecting on the loss to Rangers, Carter-Vickers identified areas for improvement, particularly in contesting second balls and controlling the game's tempo. "I think the main thing we definitely could have been better at was picking up second balls and trying to smooth out the game and get the game going the way we want to play in terms of our football."

Despite criticism directed at manager Martin O'Neill for the team's performances, Carter-Vickers maintains that the players and coaching staff are united. "As a group, we’ve always been fairly together. I think you’ll find that all the players and the coaching staff are together in this and trying to improve and trying to do better for each other."

He added that the team needs to "double down on what we believe in and keep trying to improve."