Steps forward 2 - 4 Steps backwards

How can you account for a team that has won the league championship three years in succession getting turned over on its own ground by a side with some talent but which is also peppered with mediocre footballers?

Bad luck? Bad refereeing?

No.

The answer is bad planning and inexcusable errors from individuals.

First, to the defence. Yet again, Celtic have been exposed as a team that is uneven in its distribution of personnel. We have at least six talented midfielders but still only one left-back. (The “versatile”, injured and invisible Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe can hardly be counted.)

It has been apparent since, 12 months ago, Vladimir Bystrov raced past Lee Naylor like a Ferrari overtaking a Skoda with a caravan in tow that we needed another left-back. We didn’t sign one. What are we left with? A good right-back putting in an abysmal performance in the left and being skinned by the likes of Kirk Broadfoot.

Gordon Strachan, who often mentions the duty of full-backs to protect their centre halves, would do well occasionally to remind the men in the middle of small consideration such as cover, when players like Daniel Cousin are tearing down the wings with only one option in the penalty box.

Wilson was bad – really bad – but the experienced pairing of Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus far too often watched play developing around them, perhaps because of the clever zonal marking system that Celtic execute so brilliantly.

Then there is Artur Boruc. Let’s mention the elephant in the room: Boruc is a great goalkeeper – probably the best in the world – but has started the season in the manner of a man whose priorities are seriously distorted. Two disciplinary incidents since the summer, a visible belly and a casual demeanour do nothing to engender confidence after a display that would have embarrassed Henty “Drop the Ball” Smith.

Then there is our most experienced international striker, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. A game is not lost at 3-1 with 20 minutes to go, especially when your opponents have just had a man sent off.

To aim idiotic kicks at opponents off-the-ball and then leave the pitch with a wry smile when quite correctly shown a red card is inexcusable and unworthy of a Celtic player. Jan has been an exceptional player for us and has suffered a serious injury. Hopefully the manager will demonstrate to him forcibly that as a senior Celtic player, he is expected to be professional at all times.

How frustrating this must have been for the players who were performing well. Scott Brown and Paul Hartley worked hard to be productive for the attackers, Georgios Samaras was dangerous throughout and Aiden McGeady, Shaun Maloney and Shunsuke Nakamura looked capable of producing more openings. Ben Hutchinson faced an unenviable introduction to the derby fixture but should now be in third place in the strikers' pecking order.

However, it was a wasted effort when let down by such unprofessional, juvenile displays elsewhere.

Rangers deserved their win and congratulations to them on an excellent display. Some Celtic players should seriously consider issuing an apology.





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