I said, with quite a bit of confidence, in January that Celtic’s capitulation at Ibrox was “a glitch, a temporary setback.” After yesterday, I need to reassess that.
Drawing Parallels
Some pundits have been quick to highlight a similar dip in form towards the end of Brendan Rodgers first run as Celtic Manager. The team looked weary and devoid of ideas, in the run up to his sudden departure for Leicester City.
The oft-quoted mantra at the time was that other teams in Scotland “had Rodgers’ number” and that his tactics had grown stale, failing to evolve as opponents adapted.
I think that conclusion was wrong then, and it’s wrong again now.
Too Arrogant? Complacent?
Over the next few days, we at ACSOM and various other Celtic fan media outlets will try to piece together what went wrong yesterday. I myself have to hold my hands up and say I got it completely wrong.
Unlike most of the Scottish press, I believe in accountability, and taking ownership of your words. I said Celtic would win 3-0, or maybe 5-0. That was obviously totally wide of the mark. I apologize.
But were the team guilty of the same hubris I, and indeed plenty of my fellow contributors showed last week?
A Problem Unique to Rangers
Maybe. But I think it’s more complicated than that. In all honesty, this is the third game in a row where Rangers have largely nullified us. In that time, we’ve shipped 9 goals, whilst only scoring 5.
And yet, Celtic are still able to win consistently, for the most part against every other team in Scotland. We’ve also done pretty well in Europe this year, with plenty of promising signs of more to come.
Rangers meanwhile, may well go out and drop points in their very next game. To call their league form patchy would be generous. Ahead of yesterday’s derby, they’d lost 4 home games in a row. Not even legends of yesteryear like Paul Le Guen and Pedro Caixinha managed that level of consistent ineptitude.
There is something about the way they set up that seems particularly effective in Europe and when they play Celtic. But what is it?
A Potent Counter-Attack
One area where Rangers are highly effective, and showed it yesterday is in the counter-attack. They soaked up Celtic pressure, but on the few occasions when they ventured forward, they made it count.
Of course, the fact that Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alastair Johnston and Kasper Schmeichel all, arguably, picked the same day to have their worst game of the season didn’t help matters.
However, I think it’s reductive to just put it down to player performance. Players can have one bad game against inferior opposition. But this is the 2nd, some would argue the 3rd time in a row that we haven’t turned up against Rangers specifically.
All Signs Pointed to Celtic Winning
I predicted a heavy Celtic win because, simply put, all the statistical indicators pointed to that. We were 16 points clear in the league, with a vastly superior goal difference. We’ve also swept aside teams in recent weeks that have beaten Rangers on their own turf. Every indicator said: Celtic by at least 2 or 3 goals.
So, the issue isn’t the quality of our players, it isn’t down to sudden surge in form of the opposition either. So, that must mean it’s the manager who is at fault? Right.
Again, I don’t think it’s that simple.
Not Deficient, But Maybe Unfocussed
So, I don’t think it’s all on the manager. I don’t believe he has been “found out”. If that were the case, other teams beside just Rangers would consistently turn us over too.
In any sport, once a team shows a clear weakness, multiple opponents will exploit it. Celtic don’t have an obvious weakness. What we do have however, is a particular susceptibility to the way Rangers play.
If the manager is guilty of anything, it is that perhaps he didn’t take January’s loss seriously enough as an indicator of the changes needed. But then again, very few people outside the staunchest of the staunch took that game seriously, especially after Rangers went and undid all their good work by dropping points in the next two games.
Again, I’m guilty of this too. I said the only consequence of that game at Ibrox was that Celtic would win the league a few days later than originally planned. Truth be told, had we taken care of the January derby and yesterday’s game, we’d already be champions.
Calm Heads and Context
I’m still angry about yesterday’s game. I hate to see Celtic losing to that mob, especially when I know that our squad, our manager and our entire operation is vastly superior. They shouldn’t even get near us, let alone win at Celtic Park.
However, having slept on it, I can see clear areas where we can improve, to stop this from happening again. If a rank amateur like me can see it, I’m sure Brendan Rodgers can too.
We’re all hurting right now, and in that hurt there is a tendency to single out individuals, or even the manager for blame. It’s a character flaw inherent in most football fans, especially fans of teams as accustomed to success as Celtic.
Brighter Days Ahead For Rodgers and Celtic
Remember, we are still on the brink of a treble. Barry Ferguson’s only chance of a treble this season is to visit the Louden Tavern during happy hour.
Actually, does a place that steeped in misery and hate even have a happy hour?
Ultimately, Rangers won yesterday because Celtic allowed them to. If the same happens again when we next go to Ibrox, then I think we can start asking genuine questions of the manager.
In the meantime, let those muppets have their wee bit of fun.
They can scream “no surrender” all they want. We all know, they already surrendered the championship months ago.
Never let them forget that.