Robson plea to goal-shy Celtic

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Robson confident goals will come

Midfielder Barry Robson has urged the whole team to help end the current goal drought at Celtic Park.

And Robson brushed off any suggestion that the strikers' confidence was suffering as the Glasgow side have not scored in their last three home games.

"If you know Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras, they don't get crises of confidence," said Robson.

"The goals will come, but it's not just the strikers, the midfield and defenders have to contribute too."

Celtic exited the Co-operative Insurance Cup at the quarter-final stage on Wednesday after a 1-0 home defeat by Hearts, despite having several good opportunities in front of goal.

"On the whole I think we dominated it and on another night we could have scored four or five," said Robson, who did not feature against the Tynecastle side.

It's not just up to Scott and Georgios, I'm a great believer that we should all chip in Barry Robson

"But you have to give Hearts credit as they counter-attacked quite well. I think we're playing quite well at the moment and we could have won a lot of games.

"Against a very good Hamburg at Celtic Park they had one chance and scored from that, and Motherwell never left their half for 26 minutes when they visited."

The former Dundee United midfielder said he was confident Celtic would rediscover their goalscoring form.

"Once the goals start going in maybe we'll start playing a bit more freely and better all round," he added.

"But it's not just up to Scott and Georgios, I'm a great believer that we should all chip in."

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray is also confident his side will soon "click" despite the indifferent home form which has seen them win only twice in nine attempts at Celtic Park this season.

"We would be concerned if we weren't making chances but we are making chances every game we play and it will click," Mowbray said.

"We take it on the chin and move on to the next game."

Celtic hold a one point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League but have struggled to establish momentum at home.

And Wednesday's cup defeat in front of fewer than 20,000 supporters left Mowbray frustrated as the holders crashed out to a Michael Stewart penalty.

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"In a stadium that is normally more atmospheric, we showed great desire to win a football match," Mowbray said.

"I didn't see a lack of belief. I saw a very positive team playing against a team who deserve credit for defending as well as they did.

"We deserved better than we got but sometimes you don't get what you deserve in football."

Substitute Samaras was particularly guilty of spurning a number of chances but Mowbray was remaining upbeat.

"I thought Hearts were hanging on for grim life in the last 20 minutes. We knocked on the door but couldn't knock it down."