A MATT OF TI
Nothings counts for Celts now... clu
CELTIC sub Armstrong Okoflex missed a sitter for a winner. It didn’t matter.
Josh Mullin was denied by the crossbar and Efe Ambrose blew a huge chance beforehand at the other end for Livingston. It didn’t matter. That’s the thing. In terms of Celtic, none of it really mattered. It was irrelevant in terms of Ten because it’s already gone. That has to be the most appalling aspect of this whole situation for the club right now. January is in its third week and Celtic’s tired title race is run. Just think about that for a second. Five months to go and it’s already over. Livingston hadn’t even been formed the last time Celtic were in such a title state, back in January 1995 with the club playing home games at Hampden. Celtic played Meadowbank in the Scottish Cup that season. They hadn’t even become Livi yet. The John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish campaign was bad. But Celtic were actually only four points behind Rangers on this day of that season in 2000.
Right now, that gap, albeit with three games in hand, is an eye-watering 21 points. It’s getting bigger by the week. Just like their problems. That sums up the current situation.
Dubai and the fall-out has been written about enough. That’ll get a chunky chapter of its own when this sorry story of a season is told in the future.
But, on the park, the collapse is almost beyond belief. And this is now about all where Celtic go from here. What comes next is what really matters.
What matters is Callum McGregor’s post-match condemnation about the basics not being done properly and a lack of understanding of the game. That alone set alarm bells clanging for fans.
Rangers’ slip at Motherwell could have been cause for encouragement had things been different in the past fortnight. Instead, it has only increased the pain of the self-inflicted wounds.
When it is stated 13 players are missing because of the virus, the natural reaction is to accept it is going to be a brutally tough obstacle to overcome.
Of more concern is what was offered up by some of those who had to try to stem the bleeding.
Morale is low, that’s a factor. But the sight of Tom Rogic, a World Cup player, unable to have any real influence over Livi was sobering. So was seeing Nir Bitton bullied by Scott Robinson. Both out of position, but still.
Shane Duffy is the captain of Ireland. Out of sorts again.
Diego Laxalt has played on the biggest stage with Uruguay. Unconvincing. Their CVs have spoken louder than their performances. The likes of Mikey Johnston and Jeremie Frimpong are bereft of belief.
Yes there were academy players in the squad, but this was not an academy team.
It was full of internationals and they were still second best, outplayed and out-thought for lengthy spells.
It’s hard to criticise the likes of McGregor, David Turnbull and Ismaila Soro. That trio have been beacons of hope in recent weeks.
The fact they were not able to
t a real grip of midfield was, erhaps, unexpected, even if ey had nothing to hit or no one play off ahead of them. But they can be cut some ack for not being able to do it l on their own.
In that trio, at least there is mething to build upon. But erformances of the remainder on’t just hint at a squad shaping in the summer. It reams of a complete overhaul. Of course, sweeping changes ppear as a case of when and ot if across the board at arkhead. All departments are nder scrutiny and threat. Celtic fans see the truth. They alise staff can’t publicly say it over, but they want realism nd they want the rebuild arted now because deep down veryone knows it is. The inking and reshaping at all vels inside the club. Yes fans want to win the mes, but there’s a big picture ere. In that sense, they’d rather e a kid like Stephen Welsh get nother 90 minutes than seeing tton and Duffy at centre-back hen those two had already led there. The thought process ow has to be beyond a league mpaign which has gone. The 13 players will return for vingston on Wednesday along ith the manager Neil Lennon nd assistant John Kennedy, but ow many of them can be unted upon for next term? Football-wise, Lennon has to carry the can for this term as the gaffer. It has placed his situation into savage jeopardy. Therefore, Kennedy is in the same boat.
Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Olivier Ntcham will be among those back for Livi, but they are unlikely to be around in 2021/22. Ryan Christie returns without a new contract signed.
Have Hatem Elhamed, Albian Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas, Scott Bain and Patryk Klimala shown enough to fit into a new-look squad?
Scott Brown is 36 in the summer. Leigh Griffiths, if he stays fit, and James Forrest, when he returns, are good enough.
But who else of those likely to be left can genuinely be counted upon based on this year’s evidence? If none, can Nick Hammond really be trusted to find the right replacements given the evidence?
Sitting at the game, initially you felt the chances for Ambrose, Mullin and Okoflex might have changed the immediate mood one way on the day at least, but reflection insisted that wasn’t true. The mood is deep set.
To some fans, it basically can’t get any worse.
It has surely hit rock bottom and is the reason why this season doesn’t matter anymore in the long term. A Scottish Cup win won’t change anything.
The only issue for Celtic now is the planning going forward.
From this moment onwards. That’s all that now really matters.
STRETCH ARMSTRONG Okoflex tries to reach late Ralston cross and notch a winner for Celts
FLAT PERFORMANCE Hoops kid is left on deck as Livi keeper Max Stryjek fumes at his defence