It’s going to be very difficult for Celtic to close the gap this season in the SPL. At the time of writing, they were 18 points off the top of the table.
Neil Lennon’s men are unlikely to give up without a fight. At the very least, the manager will want to see some improvement from his side in the final third of the campaign and hope to carry momentum into next season.
Here are some areas Celtic must get right ahead of the 2021/22 campaign to avoid themselves being in the same position again.
Defensive Errors Must Stop
Celtic have drawn seven and lost three matches this season in the SPL and, on many of those occasions when they have dropped points, it has been down to individual defensive areas.
Their Glasgow rivals are now as short as 1/1000 in the football betting at Space Casino and one of the reasons for their success has been their excellent record at the back. They have conceded only eight goals in their opening 28 matches of the season. Celtic need to strive for something similar next year.
Expect to see new faces arrive at the back in the summer. They came close to signing Ben Davies from Preston last month, but unfortunately for Celtic fans, he opted to make the switch to Liverpool. Hopefully, the club can land their new targets once the transfer window reopens.
Club Need To Back Lennon Or Move On
There has been a lot of speculation over the last couple of months around Neil Lennon’s future at Celtic. This can’t have helped his side on the pitch. The club needs to either shut down those talks by backing their manager or go a different direction from him.
If Lennon is seen as the right man going forward, he has to be supported with cash in the summer so he can bring in the players he feels can help them reverse their position with Rangers next season.
On the flip side, if the board decide they want a change in manager this summer, they need to get his replacement right. Eddie Howe and Rafael Benitez have both been linked with the position and given what they have achieved in England, would be excellent choices.
Go All Out To Keep Odsonne Edouard
Frenchman Odsonne Edouard has scored 80 goals for Celtic over the last four years so it is no surprise that a number of clubs in Europe are interested in the striker’s services. The club must do everything they possibly can this summer to convince the 23-year-old to remain at Celtic Park.
If it means offering Edouard a club-record contract, so be it. He is proving to be one of the best goalscorers Celtic have ever had. When you consider some of the greats who have worn the green and white shirt, that is some claim.
Lennon or the new manager has to build their team around Edouard and improve the players around him. He is capable of leading them back to the title but without him, it’s a lot of goals they will need to replace.
Let’s hope the future is bright again and Celtic reclaim their dominance in Scotland next season.