After all they’re getting the job done. Another three points in the bag keeps them nicely in the title race. The trouble is one that’s plagued the team for almost all of this season, the lack of attacking options, and this is what should trouble Celtic fans everywhere.
Whilst our title rivals are scoring goals for fun we’re scrapping through on the odd goal. 1-0, 2-1, sure victories but in a race as tight as this it’s not impossible to believe the league could be won on goal difference. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that come five o’clock on the last day of season 25/26 that 3 teams finish on the same number of points and the trophies handed to Tavernier, Shankland or McGregor based on their respective teams scoring prowess.
As it stands The Rangers are on +35 after their second half demolition of Falkirk, Hearts having taken care of stuttering Motherwell are +30, and Celtic +24. Of course this will change over the coming weeks but it’s something the board Must address during the close season. Celtic need strikers, goalscorers. I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before but I’d have never let Ireland forward Adam Idah leave. A 20+ goal a season striker, a young man who’s dream was to play for Celtic overshadowed perhaps by Kyogo at the time, he still made a difference, a major contribution to the team. Celtic have nothing in attack that compares to the current Swansea player. Kyogo of course wanted to leave to boost his profile, that’s another story, he was allowed to leave and we’re still looking for a replacement. The one shining star perhaps being Benjamin Nygren who as an attacking midfielder/winger/ occasional forward has scored in almost half of all games he’s played this season. 33 appearances and 15 goals is a more than decent return from the Swede.
Sure it’s a hypothetical scenario but it’s one that’s starting to look more likely. No one is going to “run away” with the SPL title but small margins matter, so whilst I’ll take the 1-0 victory over St Mirren the questions that keep me up at night continue to do so.
We metaphorically slept soundly under Ange, even leading up to the Glasgow derbies there wasn’t the worry, the fear that exists now.
The first question I ask myself as we approach a match isn’t “can we win?” but rather “where will the goals come from?”
Hearts are still top, the Rangers in second and Celtic third but a healthy goal difference is as good as a point in any season.
Sure this may be a remarkable season, one like we will not see again for some time or this could be the “new normal” as men and women with money continue to creep into our league and create a more level playing field. Suddenly the dominance of the Glasgow clubs has gone and new challengers appear.
From a neutral standpoint of course it’s better to have a league where more than two teams fight annually for the title but I’m no neutral.
Celtic now face St Mirren again next weekend in the semifinals of the Scottish FA Cup (Sunday 19th 2pm kick off live on Premier Sports 1) before heading into the final five matches of the season.
Finally (and for the benefit of Steve R and other lurking fans of the Rangers) performance of the weekend has to go to Danny Röhl and his team. From being 2-1 down at half time, to come back a reinvigorated team in the second half and score five was an outstanding performance. A performance worthy of champions (God forgive me) and whether they win the league or not the Rangers certainly have the man to take them forward and silverware is not far away.
There’s little point in speculating who the next Celtic manager will be and although the name Robbie Keane is being linked heavily he won’t be a universally popular appointment for reasons I don’t want to go into here.
Time will tell and perhaps the board will do the right thing by the fans for once. With that thought left in your head I’m off to hunt some wild haggis, I know they’re out there, probably hiding with the 20 goal a season strikers that Celtic just can’t seem to find either.
Til next time …
🐼 Gary Robertson is the TPQ Scottish football correspondent.
Plenty of brainfarts in our defence left in this season Gary. It's Hearts or your lot's to win, but I agree, Rohl and Cavanagh are setting us in good stead for next season.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Raskin come out and stick the knife into that tosser Martin though.
Don’t think you are being over critical or harsh at all. This Celtic side is very poor and has been run down, inexplicably, to it current state by a board who have been complacent and inept to an astonishing degree. Still 3rd favourites in this race and tbh, I can’t see Celtic retaining the title although I guess where there is life, there is hope. But this board has to go, they have compounded error upon error and they couldn’t have sabotaged this season to any greater degree than they have somehow contrived to do over the last few months. Astonishing, given the money sitting in the accounts and the huge advantage they have over every other club in Scotland, how they have let the quality of the squad deteriorate to the level it has this season
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