As we pessimistically look towards three huge games over the next fortnight, our performance at Dens Park at the weekend to me proved beyond doubt that this current Celtic team is in serious trouble this season, and if we look at some of the players we brought in during the summer and who are currently playing week in week out then it’s no surprise we are in this current predicament.
Easy to single out pretty much every player for criticism
To be honest it would be easy to single out pretty much every player for criticism this season but I’m going to look at some of the players who have come in and whether they are an upgrade on what we had previously.
I’ll start with a fan favourite who’s return to the club was already known to be happening as far back as January, an indication I thought that Celtic were getting good business done early and perhaps a sign that we would be looking to really strengthen the squad come the summer. How wrong I was.
Kieran Tierney was certainly a signing however that excited most of us. A fantastic player for the club previously, and one we all imagined would be even better after years playing with some of the top players in the world down in England.
Kieran Tierney has been a huge let down so far
Tierney however has been a huge let down so far. I hate to be so harsh but there have been times this season when I have watched him and genuinely don’t know how he did so well at Arsenal. He has struggled in many matches against domestic opponents that he should be head and shoulders above.
I just pray he’s still shaking the rust off after not playing a great deal these past couple of years but I’m not so sure. That huge chance he had on Sunday would have been buried by almost any other player on the pitch but due to Kieran being so one footed, by the time he sorted his feet out the chance had gone. If he had of just hit it with his right foot it was an almost certain goal.
Losing Greg Taylor has led to so many problems that none of us saw coming
The question is has he offered more than what we got from Greg Taylor and the answer, although some might not like to hear it is a resounding no. Taylor was more than capable using both feet, hence why he was so adept at playing that inverted role. Losing Greg in that position has led to so many problems that none of us saw coming.
The whole structure of the midfield has seemingly collapsed without Greg in that role, and it’s a role that Tierney will never be able to play. Greg certainly had his frailties, mainly defending high balls into the box but in all honesty if you offered me him instead of Kieran right now I would take him in a heartbeat.
Kelechi Iheanacho has been perhaps one of the better signings
We can now look at a player who came in with way less fanfare than Tierney did, in fact when his signing was announced most of us were far from amused. A free agent brought in after we had missed out on our top targets? He was going to have a job on his hands to impress the Celtic fans but to be fair to him Kelechi Iheanacho has been perhaps one of the better signings during that dreadful summer transfer window.
He has scored three goals so far although two of them have been penalties, both with plenty of pressure on them might I add. His overall play has been decent and like Tierney he’s another one who could still be getting up to speed but again I have to ask the question, is he an upgrade on what came before?
Even if we take the much maligned Adam Idah, yes he looked totally bereft of confidence in what we saw of him this season but his total goal return of 20 goals last season wasn’t to be sniffed at. Especially as he would never have been regarded as our number one striker at anytime with Kyogo then Maeda both ahead of him at different stages.
Will Iheanacho get 20 goals this season?
Will Iheanacho get 20 goals this season? Well as he’s seemingly our number one striker for the foreseeable future and also our designated penalty taker you would hope so but that’s far from guaranteed. In terms of goals anyway it seems Idah has the edge so this is another area where not only have we failed to improve but you could actually say we have regressed.
Mikey Johnston vibes from Sebastian Tounekti
Finally I’m going to touch on a player who out of all our new recruits has been the one to provide the most hope that we have got our hands on a top player but one that, for me personally, has flattered to deceive a bit.
Sebastian Tounekti has certainly shown glimpses of what he’s capable of but will he be able to produce the goods on a regular basis? Well the jury is still out on that one but over the last few games I’ve been getting serious Mikey Johnson vibes from him, as Sandman has also noted in his Definitive Ratings.
Talking about Johnston, I actually read an article the other day where a West Brom blogger was singing his praises, claiming he was the key to their promotion drive this season. He has two goals and three assists in nine games this season which is more than decent. Did you see the goal Mikey scored at the weekend?
25 YARDS OUT FROM MIKEY JOHNSTON!! 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/KP22arkIqc
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 18, 2025
The article actually went on to state that his dribbling success rate of 58.1 per cent is so good that it blows Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior’s rate of 42.9 per cent out of the water! A bit of hyperbole there I think but back to the question at hand, is Tounekti any better than players we have had in his position who have failed to make it at Celtic previously?
On current form the jury is certainly out on that one but it reinforces my thoughts that this Celtic team has gradually just been getting weaker and weaker. We have taken important players like Taylor, Kuhn and Kyogo out of the squad recently and replaced them with inferior players.
Even players we were glad to get shot of like Idah and Johnston are starting to look like players no worse than the ones we currently have.
As I mentioned in my article after Sunday’s defeat, Brendan Rodgers needs to take a lot of the blame for our recent form as there is no excuse for losing to the likes of Dundee, but there is also no denying that the board has overseen a clear regression in the standard of player currently operating at Celtic Park and they rightly are now being accused of asset stripping our squad.
Worrying times as a Celtic fan as we watch our club downgrading its ambitions
It’s certainly worrying times as a Celtic fan as we watch our club downgrading its ambitions. How have we gone from the highs of taking Bayern Munich to the wire to this state of affairs in just over 6 months?
Everyone at the club needs to come together to get out of this current malaise as soon as possible, before it’s too late and we end up enduring our first annus horribilis since that dreadful covid year.
Conall McGinty
Celtic in the Thirties in Two Volumes – Brilliantly researched and written by Matt Corr. An unmissable addition to any Celtic bookshelf. Click on the image below to order your copies…
