Celtic were held to a rare draw by Motherwell yesterday afternoon. It was the first time that the Hoops failed to win a domestic match in something like 18 outings and the result leaves us a meagre 13 points clear with five games to play. (6 for the team in second place)
Criticism is legitimate in an analysis of any isolated game. We don’t have to pretend the performance was great and Ange himself didn’t. Maeda missed a sitter, Kyogo missed a one on one, Maeda should have squared to Kyogo for an open goal, CCV and Oh missed headers from 5 yards, while Starfelt directed a free header straight at the goalie. So, for as poor as we were compared to usual standards, we still should have won the game easily. Poor finishing, poor deliveries and poor defending on their goal stopped us getting the three points.
It was the third time in 33 league matches that Celtic didn’t win. Therefore, there is no need for panic or hyperbolic criticism. There’s been some wild remarks that ‘Taylor isn’t good enough for Celtic’, ‘Vata shouldn’t be near the first team’, ‘the team are crumbling before the semi final and can’t cope without Hatate’, ‘Haksabanovic is dreadful’, ‘Joe Hart is a liability’.
These comments are all wildly reactionary and nonsense. By all means tell the truth about things such as Taylor getting turned inside out, but don’t then rewrite his ability as being below the required standard when in truth he has been outstanding this term. And that goes for all the madness and hysteria surrounding one result.
This Celtic team can still equal a world record points total. No team in history wins all 38 matches.
All that matters is that we put in a stronger performance in the cup game next week because the league is done. A victory next week should see us secure the treble, no disrespect to the two championship clubs in the other semi final.
Relax. It was just a rare draw.
I hope you are right. But we are not playing well, defense in 2nd half at Kilmarnock were poor. Very poor whole game v Rangers. 5 Cup Finals after the split with a squad now decimated with injuries CCV on a suspension. Let’s take nothing for granted
You are right, Thomas, to say let us not take anything for granted, but the hysterical remarks that I have heard and read along the lines of what Liam is saying above do no-one any good. No-one will be more aware than Ange about the shortcomings of some recent performances, but we still have the squad to the job. And we should beware of listening to the opinions of some supporters. I have clear memories of hearing Jimmy Johnstone, Kenny Dalglish and Henrik Larsson getting told by some supporters that they are not Celtic class! “The serpent of complacency” may have been around recently, but it will certainly not be at Hampden next week. Let us rally behind the team,
I won’t be getting my knickers in a twist. Mainly cos the team we are playing are dross and it will be totally how we perform that will decide the outcome.