CELTIC have not been as good as last season; everyone is clear on that.

There are two camps or trains of thought on the form and inconsistency we’ve seen this season.

Last season was so good, ‘we could never match it’ camp and the ‘Well, even if we can’t match it why has the decline been so steep?

As you can see from the stats, Celtic have scored 22 fewer goals, they have conceded two more and are down 18 points from this time last year. Of course, in both instances, Celtic are on their way to a treble so what am I banging on about? Who cares! You don’t know you’re born! Etc. etc.

Remember the season of 2015/16 when Ronny Deila was in charge?

That season was seen as a struggle, and of course because of more than just the league performance. But if we isolate the league table and out it up against Celtic’s current season. After 30 games Ronny Deila’s side were actually a point better off. This was a time when there was a lot of discourse about how the team were doing.

Again, yes this was contributed to by cup exits and the fact Ronny didn’t make the Champions League, but that’s not really what I’m getting at – I’m not trying to make a case for Deila nor am I trying to bring trouble at Brendan’s door.

I’m merely sitting here wondering why the drop off has been so significant, so much so that Ronny Deila’s much maligned side would actually be a point ahead of us in the title race.

  • Injured and off form strikers for a prolonged period of the season.
  • Major injuries to the likes of Armstrong, Rogic and an off form Sinclair who were so positive the season prior.
  • Defensive issues (However, Celtic have only conceded two more from this time last term)
  • Fixture congestion.
  • Euro hangovers.
  • The burden of expectation?

Take your pick!

I think the two aforementioned camps do have their place in the argument. The team are still on course to match what they did domestically, albeit in a less stylish and emphatic manner.

Decisions have to be made on who wants to be at Celtic in the summer and whose race has been run in the famous Hooped jersey.

Celtic have a lot of players coming into the last year of their contract, and it will be up to Brendan to figure out the finer details and who’s worth keeping.

Celtic were never going to be as good as last season, but nobody expected the level to which the performances have dipped so much. I believe that in the grand scheme of things, it will be seen as a season where the Champions did what they had to do to win.

A mere clearing of the throat by the club before they get ready to belt out their next hit.

This time next year when I do a write up after 30 games I think we’ll see a different Celtic.

 

8 COMMENTS

  1. what exactly is your point , we celtic supporters are well aware of the facts that you have produced , are you implying that del was a better manager , seems to me you are implying this , we as you know will never achieve last season again , but look at the injuries we have had never had a team to full capasity for ages , pluss the agenda , hectic , so lets see where we finish up , still champions , still got the best manager out .

  2. No one expected Celtic to be as good as lat season. But no one expected Celtic to be as bad as they have been this season. You deserve praise for mentioning this, particularly the comparison with Ronny’s team . This Celtic team have been worse to watch that Ronny’s last team . You will be getting called a Hun and a Zombie by the Children of the damned who speak with one voice and that voice screams ‘In Brendan we trust’ over and over until they collapse. The same peopel who were using statistics to get Ronny the sack. like you I am not defending Deila but Rodgers has a lot to answer for as well. Incredible decisions like sticking with Boyata and picking a confidence shattered Sinclair and a disinterested Armstrong whenever they are fit. Clearly Rodgers does not trust Sinclair any more hence the exclusion at Ibrox but to allow him on the park in an attempt to boost his confidence at the expense of the team is not good. Deila got slaughtered every single week at Celtic Park and then again on the internet for months. Not to mention the press. The worst excesses by Celtic supporters. The very same supporters who repeat every week ‘we were not at our best today, but do you remember 5 months ago during the unbeaten run when we played well’ then proceed to explain why Brendan Rodgers should never, ever be criticised for anything. He is God, the Pope and the ghost of Jock Stein rolled into one. And Europe well ‘we should just be happy to be in it losing 7 is not so bad, look at Sevco’. Not once mentioning how PSG are out after being hammered and so are Zenit. So not quite the top sides humiliating us (thank God). We are where we are because this is simply the lowest point that Scottish football has ever been at. Our rivals are literally League 1 in England standard. Look at their teams full of players from League 1 and 2 in England. Sevco, loanees from Championship clubs, guys who cannot get a game for teams battling to avoid the drop to the third tier in England. Our manager is on 2.4 million a year. Nearly EPL wages. He has one of the easiest jobs in football at the moment. No one dare say a word against any decision. The only games he has had to play in he has lost and we have drawn against league 1 standard teams 8 times losing twice. One third of our games. we have scored two less than the worst team in the history of Ibrox and they have the worst home record of any club playing out of Ibrox for 103 years. We could still win a treble but when you look at it God how have we managed it playing the way we have. Plus we are boring and fail to entertain most weeks. This team needs to be gutted with about six or seven guys who play regularly shown the door. Brendan is about to face his first challenge as Celtic manager and that is getting a team on the park to qualify for the CL. Playing as we are we have no chance. And getting real money to sign better quality players. Failure to do this means we will be out of Europe before September. Go with this group of players next season and New Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibs will all fancy their chances. Being at Celtic Park might not seem so attractive.

    • Totally agree mate but say one word against Brendan and you’re slaughtered, he’s still the best manager we could hope for but it’s that little bit of arrogance that’s why he keeps playing Boyata that’s why he keeps playing Lustig, the boring pass back across park back to keeper and repeat the crowds are thinning everyone’s getting bored what happened to big jocks philosophy entertaining the fans who pay your wages

  3. John u mean the challenge of qualifying for the champions league that he has already qualified for twice? I’ve read u on here many times John and you appear to have a big chip on your shoulder about Brendan Rodgers? Been poor this season in comparison to last but still by a mile better than the bland, incipid, boring dross under Ronny Deila. I didn’t see you on here last season and earlier this season when we were in 2 champs league groups and 69 unbeaten praising manager and team, but you are quick to come on to criticise when we do badly. Seems to me you have an agenda and appear to only to happy to criticise, if u gave praise when deserved I’d respect your opinion more but you appear not to want to do that.

  4. Good piece , however , I feel Brendan is by far a better manager than RD . If you are a gambling man, historically we never do well domestically after a European game. The further we go in Europe, the more points we tend to drop. I’m tired of Celtic supporters not being happy. These are the modern glory years. These are the years to make legends and tell your kids you saw the invincibles , you saw the, god willing, back to back treble winners, and given the full backing of the support , hopefully ten in a row. Anything in Europe should be looked upon as a bonus, and just that. We can’t compete financially and EUFA don’t want us in their competition so be strong domestically. Brendan is trying to juggle having a good young team and selling assets , making substantial profit along the way. This is just another chapter in our history , enjoy ??????

  5. I am happy that Rodgers is Celtic manager but I firmly believe you are only as good as your last game. It is death to stand still. And Celtic have not stood still they are going backwards. I detest the Sevco-esque, drone like ‘Saint Brendan’ nonsense because this unthinking attitude comes back to bite you on the backside very very quickly. Celtic never strengthen from a position of power, not in the time I have been watching them, since 1969! And I feel it is happening again. I don’t live in the past, where most of our support are happiest. we need to recognise but we need to move on. One game at a time, the next one is the attitude the club should have. the most relevant history is your last five games. In the last five games we have earned 8 points. It has been the same all season. keep this up we won’t win the league next year and it will be the ‘In Brendan we trust’ mob that will be wailing and gnashing. I have also watched enough of Brendan to know he is a grade A BS merchant. it is actually what he is most known for down south. his comments after the game on Sunday were ludicrous as were his interviews weekly before getting the sack at Liverpool. This is where the ‘delusional brendan’ tag came from. If I am not in step with the very easily pleased new Celtic support who accept getting beat 5, 6 and 7 nothing then good. to have such people supporting your club is defeatist. And this article shines a light on many things. The same people whoa re willing to accept any old crap from Brendan Rodgers were screaming for Ronny Deila’s head. And the football under rodgers in the past 6 months has been no better than it was under Deila. And sometimes I wonder why? Is it because of Brendan ‘being one of us’? Is that code for something? Was Ronny’s background not quite right. And this in its self is a fiction. Brendan Rodgers uncles were Celtic supporters? Was Brendan Rodgers? Yes he has an affinity with the club but it does not make you a supporter? There is a delusion amongst Celtic supporters that being Irish means someone supports Celtic, This is clearly not the truth. Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal all have more supporters in Ireland. And I hope we are on for ten in a row but one thing will ensure that it does not happen is siting back and slapping yourself on the back about the achievements of previous seasons while nothing is being done to improve the current side. Lack of investment will ensure we do not qualify for Europe and we continue to struggle to put a winning run together. We are playing third rate rubbish every week and cannot handle them at the moment. That needs to be addressed. It is not good enough to talk about a 69 game unbeaten run, despite which we are only 10 points in front of criminally bad opponents. Tyneside you are supporting the wrong team . Support your local side, if participation in Europe is a bonus Celtic are dead. Europe is the be all and end all for Celtic. Playing in Scotland will never be enough. We will not attract players and managers will not come either. Rodgers will be gone very quickly as this is his opinion. It is a disgrace for any so called celtic support to have this opinion. It accepts we are a third rate nothing club. If that is all there is watch crowds plummet to under 30,000 rapidly ( see Ronnys last year). Scotland is not enough.

  6. Same old story Celtic will come out next season a better team BR has done a great job thus far yes we struggle in Europe and in my opinion it’s the defending and showing opposition to much respect we have to be more aggressive we showed that at Celtic park against. Zenit st Petersburg then fell apart at there ground two different teams .so let’s spend on a few quality defenders stop complaining and back BR

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