The hangover from the summer transfer window remains with protests kicking up against the board again
Celtic columnist
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Celtic have been in constant chaos since this season started.
Bad planning, stuttering displays, in-fighting, fans fuming, yet the line has to be drawn right now.
On the park, it’s time for reset. Almost start afresh. And it’s going to need the regular go-to men to spark them because, unfortunately for those lads, that’s the pressurised situation they have been dumped into.
I don’t need to go over old ground regarding what has gone on since the summer as we all know the story. Quite frankly, it’s been a mess leading to supporters staging protests and having meetings with the hierarchy.
Through it all, despite being nowhere near it, Celtic has managed to win five and draw the other two of their seven Premiership games to sit just two points off leaders Hearts, a team everyone has been raving about.
But Celtic can’t keep scraping by. It’ll catch up with them, especially going into a key period which is going to have a massive say in their season. They have to lift it.
The fact the squad is not in the top form and wasn’t properly strengthened is deeply frustrating to their punters. That’s down to a recruitment policy which was incomprehensible.
At the same time, it’s done. The squad is the squad until the New Year and now they are going to have to, somehow, successfully deal with a monumental period.
Given the situation, I feel it’s going to fall onto the tried and tested from the recent past. Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Liam Scales, Reo Hatate, Alistair Johnston. Boys who have been over the course.
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Those guys have been let down by their own club in terms of transfer failings and now have to shoulder the big burden until January. Celtic’s much-talked about mistakes in the last baffling recruitment effort which will see a raft of those signed not actually being involved at Dundee tomorrow. Which says it all.
Those who joined and will be at Dens Park have sporadically caught the eye. Sebastian Tounekti dazzled in his first couple of games, but we don’t know if he has consistency.
Benjamin Nygren has popped up with some goals, but I wouldn’t judge him as a central midfielder and I’m yet to be convinced overall as yet. Kelechi Iheanacho hasn’t seemed mobile enough in the central striker role, though that may come.
Mareclo Saracchi looks fine, Michel-Ange Balikwisha not so much. His assist last time out against Motherwell might have boosted him, but then again, maybe not. That’s the whole point. We just don’t know.
Hand on heart, with the visuals so far, it’s fair to say these guys aren’t at the level of players in recent seasons whose roles they are trying to fill. It may come, but I’m hoping it will come rather than being convinced at this precise moment.
Hence why I believe it’s on the proven performers to step up once again. The ones we do know can shine in the biggest moments for Celtic. More than ever, they’ll need to carry it at this crucial time.
I said my bit about McGregor in the column a week ago. It’s ridiculous to suggest he’s regressing. I’ll say it again, he’s being failed by those around him.
He’s still an outstanding footballer and a proper captain who leads by example. He and others of his ilk have the responsibility to push the team upwards. I don’t know what has happened to Hatate this season, but he’s miles off it.
When he first signed, I thought he’d be the one who would head to England for the biggest money. It’s not come to pass. Maybe that’s part of the problem, he’s been there for too long. But none of it matters because, like I say, it’s reset time.
For Hatate, read Maeda. It doesn’t matter what could and should have occurred as regards moves. You know you are there until January at least and you are needed to raise your standards to the levels of which you have proved already that you are capable of.
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Auston Trusty is back from injury, but in a season where the team hasn’t flowed offensively, Carter-Vickers and Scales have been two of the best performers at the back. Kasper Schmeichel is another experienced head who needs to stand strong right now.
Johnston is returning and he’s a proven performer of quality on one side, while Rodgers needs to find a way to start getting the best out of Kieran Tierney on the other. I can’t put my finger on why, but he’s not been at it since returning from Arsenal and this situation of not finishing games is an issue.
Arne Engels falls between the two stools, He’s neither seasoned for Celtic nor a new boy. But, like Hatate, I don’t know what’s going on with him this term.
Nobody knows the Belgian’s best position, least of all Rodgers it seems. He needs more from both Engels and Hatate, or if you like, the manager needs to get more out of them. Same goes for the likes of Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan, those types.
Despite not losing a domestic game, Celtic have been nowhere near it performance-wise this season, we all know that.
But they simply can’t get away with it for much longer with top-of-the-table games against Hearts, cup semi-finals with Rangers and two more big games in Europe to come in a vital run before the next international break.
It’s why, right now, Rodgers and his senior stars will be the ones needed most to hoist the levels again and pull them all through.