Celtic will hit us hard and fast, but Motherwell can win, says boss

Stevie Hammell knows Celtic will hit Motherwell hard and fast in their Premiership clash tomorrow, but he can use experience from the last time the Steelmen won at Celtic Park.

Hammell played at left back on December 19, 2015, when Motherwell returned to Lanarkshire with a 2-1 win, courtesy of a Louis Moult double either side of a Nir Bitton leveller.

The former defender says Motherwell will need to be on top form, and clinical in front of goal, to replicate that tomorrow afternoon.

He said: “I remember the game, Louis Moult scored, and I was playing in the game.

“Individually we played well, but collectively we were really strong, and when we got our chances we took them – that was important at the time.

“It was a good team we had, and I didn’t think it would be as long since then that we’ve won there again, but the feeling after that was that we were good enough to go there and win.

“The belief was there, individually and collectively we were strong, and I think for any team to go there and get anything this season those three things have to happen.

“If we get into those areas we have to be clinical. If there are any lapses in concentration or errors from their side, we need to be ready for it.

“In other ways we can cause problems as much as we can, but if and when we do get a chance we need to take them.”

Both sides go into the clash on the back of defeats two weeks ago - with Celtic losing 2-0 at St Mirren and Motherwell crashing 3-0 at home to Hearts.

But Hammell says he has no concerns over where they are.

He said: “Everything that we look to do, in terms of possession and our chances, where we’re creating chances from and our expected goals are all good – everything is at a high level.

"It’s just that conversion rate, taking our chances, and one thing we will know for the weekend is that you’re not going to get 10, 12 or 15 chances – you’re going to get a smaller number than that, and it’s important that when you do get there, that we’re clinical.

“We’re coming up against a team at a difficult time; Celtic at home or Celtic away are two totally different games.

“The ball in play at Celtic Park is high; it’s as close to 100 per cent as you’ll probably see for any team.

“The ball comes in, it doesn’t stop, so we’re prepared for that.

“Every kind of angle we could look at for Celtic we’ve looked at, and we’ll be as prepared as we possibly can be.

“We know we have to be strong. I need to do well, our staff need to do well. The players need to do well individually and collectively, be strong physically, and technically and tactically we need to be good.

“Every aspect of our game is going to be tested, but that’s where we’re at and we’re ready for it.

“They start fast, they’ll get the ball in play, get after you and try to win the game early.

“We’ve looked at what they’re good at, which is a lot, and we’ve looked at what we think we can do as a group, and how it suits us.”

The two week break for internationals has given Hammell a chance to get some of his walking wounded patched up, but still isn’t where he would like.

He said: “The break has been a bit of frustrating time, but it has been a chance for us to get people up to speed, give people a little bit of time who have been carrying things.

“We’ve used it to our benefit as much as we could.

“We’ve still got one or two that aren’t 100 per cent and we’re still waiting on a couple, potentially, for tomorrow.

“We won ‘t be at full strength, but we will be as ready as we can be.”

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