This is a dark, dark day in our history. And there can be little doubt that we brought it all on ourselves. Indeed, there was something rather fitting in the way that Rangers won the League without kicking a ball, for Celtic’s failure to go with them throughout the season and to match them was apparent from an early stage, and we must now all face the consequences.
Today’s game was so, so predictable. A very impressive first half with Jonjoe Kenny and Ryan Christie in particular looking keen and interested down the right wing…but we didn’t score. And the longer the game went on, the more it was becoming apparent that we weren’t going to score, and eventually we gave up with Dundee United looking more likely to score than we were, as a sense of Doom settled on players and supporters alike.
The time is now surely up for Odsonne Edouard. A clearly, unhappy homesick boy who has had his moments for the club (even in this disastrous season) but now will surely want to go elsewhere in the summer for however many million pounds some suckers are prepared to offer for him. The pitch was bobbly today, but that is no excuse. A professional footballer must be able to play on bobbly pitches. Elyounoussi was not without his good touches, but is hardly the complete player and he too missed some awful chances today. Oh, where are Lennox and Deans of long ago?
But the whole team needs to share the blame. If the forwards are not doing it – and it was clear to me by half-time that they weren’t – then other things must be tried. What about running at a defence, what about using the wings, what about shooing first time before that pitch could bobble?
Oddly enough, there were some successes today. In the first place, Jonjoe Kenny must be retained for next season I feel and the two central defenders were acceptable. The midfielders Turnbull and Christie started well but Christie in particular faded badly in the second half, and how nice it was to see James Forrest back! Callum McGregor was once again industrious and creative, but his shooting was woeful. The rather large question mark that has hung over Laxalt all season must remain, I fear.
Perhaps, on this awful day, we can recall the story of Pandora’s box of Classical mythology which released all the evils of the world, in our case missed chances, disillusioned supporters and therefore the triumph of evil, but Pandora also released Hope. The season now starts again on April 3. That is when the Scottish Cup starts!