Kennedy defends Celtic's zonal marking

Celtic coach John Kennedy offered up a defence of zonal marking in the wake of the Hoops' dismal European exit to Malmo.

The Parkhead men failed to learn their lesson against the Swedish side after losing a late goal from a corner in the first leg of their Champion League play-off in Glasgow.

Celtic still travelled to the Swedbank stadion for the return game on Tuesday night with a 3-2 advantage but another two goals conceded from corners saw them exit the competition on a 4-3 aggregate.

Former Hoops' defender Kennedy, speaking at Hampden Park after the Scottish League Cup draw paired holders Celtic with Raith Rovers in the third-round, explained the thought process behind the marking system employed by Ronny Deila's side.

He said: "There's always debate about zonal and man marking and it will go on for ever more.

"With the height and presence we have in the team, zonal marking has worked for us. It doesn't make it wrong because of one game.

"When you concede from man marking someone points the finger and says 'it's his fault.'

"But no one takes into consideration the team might have two players blocking the man who is trying to mark a player.

"If you go man for man it is easy to get blocks and you can take our biggest defenders out of the areas where the other team are going to put a ball in.

"Whereas with zonal, we know pretty much where the ball is going to go, we can protect the most dangerous area of the box and put our best headers of the ball in there.

"It failed for us the other night but it doesn't make it wrong.

"We had a fabulous record last year and it was obviously disappointing to concede three over two legs.

"But if you look at the whole performance, in the second leg especially, it wasn't like us.

"We have been performing of late with a real confidence and desire to attack and score goals.

"We were lacking that the other night and we have to take responsibility for that as a coaching team and players.''

Celtic drop down to the Europa League but Kennedy insists the focus on domestic competition will remain strong, regardless of which European competition Celtic play in.

"You want a home tie and we got it,'' he said of the Raith draw.

"Regardless of being in the Champions League or not, we would still approach these games in the same manner.

"We want to win everything.

"We are bitterly disappointed with the result against Malmo but we have to get over that.''