Hoops supporters were left squinting as well as their side didn’t quite look themselves against Hibs
Celtic’s relentless running machine lost a contact lens after about an hour and it seemed like a good time for boss Brendan Rodgers to give the poor guy a bit of a rest after another week clocking up more miles than a long haul lorry driver. Alistair Johnston was also seeing stars after the ball was smashed off of his coupon from close range and it pretty much summed up the fuzzy sense around Celtic.
Last Wednesday’s exertions against Atletico Madrid obviously – and understandably – took their toll. Celtic looked a little leggy in Leith. In fact, star turns like Matt O’Riley and Kyogo had the appearance of guys who needed a hug and a lie down by the end. O’Riley has been the best player in the country this season but was wearing concrete boots and starved of space, there were ball boys who got more touches than Kyogo, while you know Celtic are running on fumes when even Maeda is puffing.
Turning to Johnston – who hadn’t kicked a ball for Celts since March 2022 – was a big chance for a player who is probably due one after some wretched injury problems. However, it was also an admission that some people might have taken their eye off the ball in the last transfer window over a pretty bizarre summer for the club.
It’s clear Rodgers has a vision for this squad but it’s not this. He has a bloated group but not enough strength in depth. He’s a master at making do but this would have been a game to mix things up and make changes on the back of Europe – but the squad depth is not there yet. In fairness to the same old Bhoys who came off the bench, they did influence the game and might even have won it.
But he showed he has a pragmatic side on Saturday. The formation was the same but the deployment was different. Hibs were narrow and deep, there was no space between the lines and it stifled Celts superbly.
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