No excuses, we were outfought and outplayed but there were three significant VAR decisions in yesterday’s 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock that all went against Celtic…

Kilmarnock v Celtic – Viaplay Cup – Second Round – The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park Celtic s Sead Haksabanovic is tripped inside the penalty area.. Photo Steve Welsh

Yesterday’s League Cup defeat to Kilmarnock was a sore one to take.Not because we lost, defeats in cup ties happen all the time, it was more the way we lost.

We allowed Kilmarnock to bully us and we looked entirely devoid of ideas, it’s was quite frankly an abysmal performance from Celtic. It’s worrying that we couldn’t even muster a decent opportunity at a place were we scored nine goals last term.

Kilmarnock v Celtic – Viaplay Cup – Second Round – The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers at the Viaplay Cup second round match at The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park,  Sunday August 20, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh

Brendan Rodgers was rather reserved afterwards but you can bet your life he was fuming with the players and rightly so. Of course it’s early days and we are still top of the table, but any hopes of a treble have disappeared so early on, and that’s a huge disappointment.

Despite injury’s to key players it’s still evident we are weaker than last season. That urgently needs addressed.

Brendan again stated that we need more quality in the side, and let’s hope he gets his wish. If we don’t add at least two quality players in before the end of the window, there will be questions that need answered.

20th August 2023; Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland: Scottish Viaplay Cup Football, Kilmarnock versus Celtic; Liam Scales of Celtic with Gustaf Lagerbielke of Celtic

The Celtic Star was calling for Liam Scales to start yesterday because he was the only central defender with experience of playing on that surface, yet the manager opted to start new signing Gustav Lagerbielke. That was a mistake that’s down to the manager and it leaves Lagerbielke with a harder task now to establish himself.

There were three crucial and controversial refereeing calls in the second half yesterday and none of them went Celtic’s way. The Kilmarnock goal was quickly given the all clear by VAR despite their lines at least meriting more consideration.

Greg Taylor was elbowed in the face but VAR did’t look at this as a possible red card, Taylor had to off the park after receiving treatment as there was no booking for the elbow smash, and Kilmarnock scored when he was on the sidelines. Had a yellow been issued by the referee then Taylor would not have been off the park.

Photo Steve Welsh

Sead Hakšabanović was denied a penalty in the closing stages and the VAR check was even more hurried this time, yet our photos clearly show that there was indeed contact. Any referee looking at that on a monitor anywhere else in football gives a penalty. It was a stonewaller.

But the worrying aspect is the dreadful performance of so many of the Celtic players and the tactical and motivational failure from the dug-out. A read at Sandman’s Definitive Ratings is recommended because he sums up yesterday’s shambles of a Celtic performance perfectly.

READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic at Jock Tamson’s Bams

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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