No one is saying all will be forgiven, but come 3pm today Celtic can put one foot on the road to redemption. It says a lot about how far expectations and indeed standards have dropped this season that a visit from a St Johnstone team, and one very much in a transitional phase, would offer so much trepidation, but we are where we are.
This Celtic side is moving from invincible to invisible at a rate of knots. Yet despite the result on Thursday night, that opening spell and for a period of the second half, Celtic on the front foot at least, competed and caused problems aplenty for an AC Milan side five points clear in their domestic league.
It is those positives this Celtic side need to cling to this afternoon. If they are capable of rocking one of the most in form teams in any European league, then they should believe that a home tie against St Johnstone should hold no fears.
It really is time this Celtic side settled down and took responsibility for their actions now. They have many valid excuses as to why the season hasn’t worked out so far.
In pre-season the sales of French Eddy, Kris Ajer, Olivier Ntcham and even Ryan Christie were at the back of everyone’s mind. While we as a support rejoiced at the retention of our key players, perhaps we didn’t consider that some may wish to move and that the finances, if indeed they were on offer, would be life changing for these young lads. Given that it’s understandable a few have taken a little time to settle back down.
Neil Lennon has not only retained his squad; he’s been backed in the transfer window. Yet there may be excuses for the acclimatisation of these new players, it may even be some of the more experienced ones are disappointed with the contribution of the new recruits, even jealous of the funds spent and wages laid out. Perhaps that has also caused a little consternation, but all that has to be put to one side – starting today.
And those players who have come in, need to get over the shellshock of wondering what on earth they let themselves in for. They may well feel the ticket purchased does not relate to the ride they are on, but there is only one way of changing that and reaching the destination they were hoping for.
We bought Ajeti, Barkas & Turnbull for some £13million, and agreed short term but expensive loan options for Elyounoussi, Duffy & Laxalt. Some have shown flashes of form, other have disappointed. Such things happen in any transfer window, you never hit a treble 20 with every new signing.
What is certain is those who have shown moments, need to add consistency, and those who have yet to come out their shell need to man up and now. This afternoon is that starting point.
The most confusing thing for the support is that on paper enough had been done to win the ten. As usual European football and the early season collapse from those competitions is not down to money spent, rather the timing of the purchases and a board without a structural plan bar transfer window to transfer window, but that is not the player’s fault. We do however have enough to win that historical tenth title but somewhere behind the scenes that has simply gone off like a grenade in our faces.
With the benefit of hindsight, the loss of Fraser Forster has been keenly felt, and a reliance on both Scott Brown and Callum McGregor has been a big ask of those experienced players. Not only being asked to play every week but carry now the weight of underperforming and inconsistent colleagues – it’s been a cross too heavy to bear on recent evidence. But they have tried and their teammates need to show their appreciation of that and carry more of the burden.
We now know the impact of injury, illness and idiocy has also impacted morale and in turn performances.
We’ve had four players contract Covid 19 and others have had to self-isolate, while Jullien, Forrest, Edouard and of course Leigh Griffiths have all been unable to be called upon for large spells of the season so far.
And then of course the was Bolingoli and his flight of fancy and the fall-out from it. I’m not sure many of us realised just how popular that player was in the dressing room, nor the disappointment his friends within the group felt at his treatment in comparison to how others had been dealt with. We understand now and we know such imbalance in discipline meted out can have an impact on morale.
And while all of this has been going on it is clear those running the club, and perhaps those coaching the side, underestimated the strength our rivals had built up. That in itself is understandable, given by the time last season was ended, theRangers looked on the verge of civil war and bankruptcy.
We dropped the ball as a club, but it would take a brass neck and some amount of revisionism from any supporter to state they thought the Ibrox club would show this level of consistency this season either. Their form coupled with our inconsistencies has simply heightened the anxiety in such an important season.
Up to now it has been the perfect storm, a season riddled with poor decision making on and off the field but also with no little disruption caused by issues outwith our control and a rival burning up the gallops.
But today against St Johnstone there can be no further leeway for the players, they have valid excuses for inconsistent form, but all those excuses bar the form of a rival are now historical – and they can do something now to match their rivals. Starting today they can win every game they play and go to Ibrox and win on the 2nd of January. Do that and the pendulum will swing, doubts will transfer to our title rivals and confidence and in turn momentum will transfer to this Celtic team.
Do that, follow on from the seeds of recovery sewn in Milan today at 3pm, and we take a step forward on the road to recovery. Win by win we will claw our way back into this title race and by the time we leave the field at Ibrox we’ll have a transfer window where reinforcements can be sought for a final push.
To make all that happen three points and a performance to lay down a marker is needed this afternoon. It is absolutely essential. There have been many reasons for a stop start season to date, but at this moment and time the only excuses left are the ones the coaching staff and players themselves can influence. It is entirely in the hands of Neil Lennon, his chosen eleven and the five substitutes that can support from the bench.
If Celtic have a title challenge in them, they can prove today they intend to consign the recent past to history and look to embrace what lies ahead. A win against St Johnstone today will start us all on that road to redemption. It is time for eyes front and no looking behind.
Niall J
