Celtic’s defeat at St Mirren on Sunday was certainly a surprise to everyone. Celtic were a day short of going an entire calendar year without losing a league match.
However, with a shuffled team with six changes from the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk, Ange’s players failed to reach the standard previously set over the last twelve months since the 1-0 defeat at Livingston last September. Sunday’s defeat was actually Ange Postecoglou’s biggest defeat as Celtic manager and the first time he has lost in Scottish football by a two goal margin.
Some players in particular failed to make an impact when given their chance to show the manager they should be in Celtic’s starting team. Former Celtic striker John Hartson has called out some names from the Celtic squad for a lack of performance in Paisley when speaking to The Go Radio Football Show. Big Bad John had this to say…
“When you think Celtic started with Maeda, Kyogo and Abada, that was Celtic’s first choice front three last season before Giakoumakis started to come in and do very well.
“So you could say that there were too many changes. Maybe one or two of the lads who did come in, they have to realise that when they get their chance, they’ve got to put something in Ange Postecoglou’s mind that, ‘Can I now leave this lad out the next game?‘
“You’ve got to make an impact, you’ve got to do enough just to give the manager something to think about and at the weekend, Ange is not thinking that way.
“He’s thinking these fringe players, the likes of Mooy, the likes of Ralston, the likes of Welsh, they may be thinking, ‘I want to be playing more’ but that was your opportunity. That was a good opportunity to come in and to continue where you left off in terms of Celtic winning. That’s what you need to do when you come in and get your opportunity.”
It was an overall disappointing result but Celtic will come back stronger and use it as a reminder that they are not quite the finished article yet. More importantly however, the result will wake up the players who need to raise their game if they want more minutes in a Hoops jersey.
With four Champions League fixtures coming up, it should be every players wish to play in these games, impress Ange Postecoglou and make an impact. It is unfortunate that so many players failed to do this in Paisley on Sunday.
Here’s John Hartson’s thoughts on that disappointing Celtic performance at the weekend…
“They’ll bounce back, that’s what good teams do…” ⚽️
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