Playing at last season’s levels was unrealistic for Celts. It was a one-off – but they could still lift Treble in May
Star men’s form dip no reason to panic
DEREK McINNES is right. If Celtic don’t win another Treble it will be seen as a disappointment for them.
But to be honest most things were going to be a disappointment for the Parkhead punters after last season’s incredible Invincible campaign and there comes a time for a bit of reality to set in.
Have Celtic been as good in the first half of this term? No, they haven’t. There haven’t been as many exciting performances and there haven’t been as many matches where they have really lit up the game.
But all this does is cement the astonishing way Brendan Rodgers and his team went about their business for 10 months last season.
Reaching the levels again was never going to be realistic. It was a one-off. That’s why the club were breaking records but it’s not easy to do what they did. The same goes for individuals. You could go through them one by one.
Scott Sinclair won every award on offer last term bar X Factor and he’s found it hard to reach those lofty heights again so far.
But he’s received extra marking with teams doubling up against him and, when you strip it back, his statistics are still very good.
Moussa Dembele was the man on everyone’s lips as he scored a barrowload of goals and had half the clubs in England’s top flight chasing him. Yet now there are Celtic fans who wouldn’t mind seeing him leave if they got £20million for him. He has been nowhere near the same player but I wouldn’t buy any talk from the manager that he could be affected by transfer speculation and that it could have an unsettling effect.
Dembele’s problem has been he was hammered early in the season by a recurrence of an injury and has barely made two consecutive appearances since returning.
Ditto Leigh Griffiths. He’s not been able to hit top gear because he’s lacked consistency of selection recently. He began the season well when he was starting matches consistently.
Stuart Armstrong hasn’t been anything like his best, Patrick
James Forrest has been sensational and has added vital goals to stunning performances