MORELOS STROP STUNS STEVIE
Broony and Celts falter as their bid to make history takes another hit
NEIL LENNON wasn’t appeased by the fire of the final of 20 minutes. Nor should he have been.
In the red-hot moments of battle when there needs to be ice-cool composure and chilled- out decision making, Celtic can’t stop melting. Incomprehensible periods of brain freeze are ruining their season.
Self-isolation woes have been a factor around Parkhead this term.
Self-inflicted wounds due to lack of appetite or concentration though are far more damaging.
Odsonne Edouard’s penalty and Diego Laxalt’s injury-time equaliser averted a disaster. Nonetheless, it was still another bitter disappointment and yet again the champions really only had themselves to blame.
Lennon is the manager. He carries the can. He’s been around long enough to know the buck stops with him when mistakes are made and results aren’t good.
But when big performers continually fail to do their jobs it’s shared culpability. When the team’s most experienced player opts to do something crazy to concede a penalty at a key stage of a contest, when two players stand hands on hips as the kick is saved watching a rival knock home the rebound or when others don’t do basics, it’s more than just a manager to be held responsible.
Lennon didn’t throw his skipper Scott Brown under the bus when he singled out his error. His attack on laziness at the second goal also wasn’t a betrayal of troops, merely pointing out the blatantly obvious.
The fact Brown is a regular pick is a stick being used to beat the boss by his detractors, yet Lennon showed loyalty to other individuals at Easter Road and got little payback from some.
Having made big decisions 13 days previously at Fir Park to axe Shane Duffy and Edouard, he gave that starting team the opportunity to go and build momentum. That they didn’t do so has brought the flak flying in his and Celtic’s direction again.
Inconsistency that has dogged them as a team and as individuals was once more evident. Brown was dominant in Lanarkshire yet followed it up with a below-par performance encapsulated by the needless penalty act when he barrelled over Martin Boyle. Mohamed Elyounoussi was brilliant at Fir Park. He followed it by being a pale shadow of that threat and missing free headers at 0-0 when he buried tougher chances with his forehead to complete a hat-trick against the Steelmen. Edouard’s return to form for the France Under-21s would have made most managers stick him straight back in. Hindsight suggests Lennon maybe should have done just that.
Instead he was loyal to Albian Ajeti who played his part in the Motherwell win. Payback was an inept performance.
Lennon’s critics will say Edouard is the No.1 striker and should have been selected regardless if he was ready to go.
But even if that’s an argument that swung firmly against the boss when the French sub delivered in the final stages he was still entitled to expect more from Ajeti. Tom
Rogic had twinkle toes but no end product. The only consistent aspect was the backline were unable to keep the back door shut.
Celtic seem incapable at the moment of putting an entire 90-minute performance together. There are periods in matches when they have complete control.
But strange things begin to happen. Focus is lost, the decision making becomes irrational, basics aren’t done. Issues perfectly illustrated at Hibs’ opening goal.
Despair at Brown barging Boyle over when he was facing a corner flag. Uplifted as Scott Bain saved the subsequent award from Kevin
Nisbet. That joy rattled right back to misery as Nir Bitton and Jeremie Frimpong weren’t switched on to follow the kick in as Jamie Murphy rammed home the rebound.
More mistakes from that pair as Nisbet got a free run on to a Murphy head-flick to make it 2-0.
Celtic did not deserve to be two goals down at that point. That they were speaks louder than anything Lennon said about shooting themselves in the mouldies.
Everyone has a theory about why Celtic have faltered to two wins in eight games. Plenty blame the manager. Others point fingers at the players. Hearing Lennon repeat the same criticisms about lack of hunger and laziness is not a good sign. It suggests some players aren’t listening.
But while only those inside the club can provide answers to where the majority of blame lies there’s one thing everyone can see.
Celtic have won 11 successive domestic trophies because they had the mentality to handle the big situations.
When things got a little sticky they found a way to manage the situation and overcome it. When they had to go the extra yard they did it to a man to get the job done.
Right now Celtic for whatever reason are doing neither. Once clear minds are now cluttered and clouded. That hunger to cover a colleague’s mistake is not evident.
Finding out why and clearing the malaise is absolutely crucial.
Taking out Europe, Scottish and Betfred Cup games, Celtic have five Premiership clashes before facing Rangers at Ibrox on January 2.
All are against sides from sixth place and below. Four of them at home. It’s a period where they cannot afford to let any of the 15 available points out of their grasp.
Because Celtic can’t keep doing themselves in like this. Lennon knows that better than anyone.