Opinion: Celtic need to improve on indifferent clean sheet percentage

Celtic‘s defence have performed admirably this season. The Hoops have conceded just 13 goals in 25 Premiership games, which is by far the best record in the league.

The form of the defence is one of the reasons that the Hoops have stormed to the top of the league in the past week.

What is interesting when looking at Celtic’s defensive record is that the number of clean sheets that the team has had isn’t what you might expect.

Footystats.org discloses that the Hoops have kept clean sheets in only 56% of the team’s league games so far this season. 83% of Celtic’s home games have featured a clean sheet, which is an impressive record – the Hoops have conceded just twice at home.

Away from home though the Hoops can do better, as just 31% of Celtic’s away games in the league have featured a clean sheet for the Hoops defence.

It is perhaps not surprising that Celtic have a better clean sheet record at home than away, as the Bhoys will have more of the ball at Celtic Park.

However, it is a bit of a surprise than when you consider that Celtic are in such a good run of form that the team has struggled to keep clean sheets on the road.

Thankfully Celtic did keep a clean sheet in the team’s most recent away game, the 4-0 win over Motherwell, and Joe Hart and the rest of the Hoops defence will be looking to repeat that feat when the Bhoys take on Aberdeen this evening. 

So far this season, Celtic have only kept four clean sheets in away games in the Premiership, interestingly two of those were against Motherwell, with the others coming against Dundee United and St Mirren.

Celtic have shown this season that the team is capable of scoring on the road – the Bhoys have scored 26 goals on their travels – but it would make life easier if