Deila Keen To Keep Attacking Focus

Photo by Jeff Holmes Ronny Deila promised to keep the accent on attack at Celtic but admits defensive worries in Europe have to be addressed. The Hoops manager watched his side fight back twice against Inter Milan to draw 3-3 in the first-leg of a thrilling Europa League last-32 clash at Parkhead on Thursday night. However, the Scottish champions have now conceded 22 goals in 13 European ties this season and will have to tighten up in the return game in the San Siro next Thursday night if they are to have any hopes of progressing further in the competition. Ahead of the trip to Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, where midfielder Kris Commons will return after recovering from a hamstring complaint, the Parkhead boss outlined his philosophy. "There is always a balance between attacking and defending," he said. "But I would rather win 4-3 than 1-0. "We want to attack and we want to be offensive but the goals we lost against Inter were too easy. "There were some individual things, but we don't get the same pressure that Inter put us under, in the league. "So it is good to get these matches so we see what we have to work on in defence as well. "I saw things that we need to improve upon." Deila revealed there could be changes for the game against Accies with John Guidetti in line to start. The Swedish striker, on loan from Manchester City, came off the bench against the Serie A side to grab an injury-time leveller with his first goal since November. The Norwegian said: "He had a period where he was a little bit frustrated but he has stepped it up in the last few weeks. "It is going to be tough to take the right decisions but again, we are going to play so many matches, so we need everybody and we need good substitutes as well. "They had an impact on the Inter game and that is the mentality that we want. "We have to think about Celtic as a team, that the squad fights for each other and you put the team in front of yourself. "I said two things to the players the first day here; to be fit and to give 100 per cent every day. "Those players who have done that get their rewards, not because I want to give them rewards, but because they are playing better. "So it could be switched around on Sunday." The former Stromsgodset boss was more coy about discussing Anthony Stokes, who was left out of the squad for the Inter game. Deila denied he had been left out for returning late from a trip to Ireland saying: "No, there is hard competition now and we chose otherwise." Asked directly if Stokes had been subject to disciplinary action, the Celtic boss replied: "There was a small thing we had to deal with internally," before stating that there was a "possibility" the Republic of Ireland striker could return at the weekend. He said: "There is competition. I think we have 23 players at training tomorrow so we will pick the team we think will be the best."