Articles

Celtic Qualify In Third But That Was Nowhere Near Good Enough. Not Even Close.

|
Image for Celtic Qualify In Third But That Was Nowhere Near Good Enough. Not Even Close.

That was shocking tonight. There’s no other word. I am not going to try and sugar coat that; 3 points out of a possible 12, and but for a superb away performance that would be the worst European campaign in the history of the club. We just lost at home to Anderlecht. That is an appalling result, and the fact we went through is neither here nor there.

That performance wasn’t even close to being good enough, and that’s the truth. At half time we clearly needed to make changes; we did. The team was better in the second half. That does not mean they played well.

This will not be a uniformly popular opinion; I am not interested in what is popular. Better teams than Anderlecht await us, and they will turn us over if we play that way. Nor is it good enough to say that we had already got there and tonight could afford that; that’s a home performance in front of our supporters. Those people paid good money for that Champions League ticket package, and to watch what? Hammered by PSG, beaten by Bayern, albeit late, and then that tonight?

Those fans deserve better than that abject performance.

The manager did everything right at half time by the way. Armstrong still looks a mile short of this level at times. Sinclair has flattered to deceive long enough in this campaign. Whatever is on his mind, he needs to sort himself out. Ntcham added drive and dig to the midfield; he is going to be a class act. A better forward line would have made Boyata pay a high, high price – and us with him – for the display he turned in, giving the ball away countless times.

Anyone who was pleased by that, I think you’re mistaking relief for satisfaction.

That was not positive tonight and the fact we went through does not make it better than it was, not in the remotest sense. That was, I repeat, a home game in the Champions League Groups and we have lost three out of three in this season and five out of six overall.

That – not being beaten by a top, top side – is unacceptable.

This is no longer Fortress Celtic Park.

Our proud record at our ground is gone.

What an uphill journey we face to repair the reputational damage nights like this cost us.

 

Share this article