<\/p>\n
Relax.<\/p>\n
Let the papers, pundits and personalities have their day.<\/p>\n
Then consider this…<\/p>\n
What we saw last night was a makeshift Celtic team hold its own for about half an hour against a side riding high in the German league, which is generally accepted to be better than our own .<\/p>\n
Not for the first time, a couple of mistakes in an otherwise steady defensive performance let the team down, and the major creative influences, Forrest and Rogic, weren’t available to help out.<\/p>\n
The heart of the team wasn’t there either, so that little extra encouragement was absent.<\/p>\n
It happens. Unfortunately, it all happened last night.<\/p>\n
Against a weaker side Celtic may have got away with it, but the 2-0 reverse in a game that would have had neutrals switching over if Eastenders was on, wasn’t entirely unexpected, and there wasn’t enough between the sides to suggest the result couldn’t be overturned in Glasgow.<\/p>\n
Rodgers agreed…<\/p>\n
“We have seen enough to know that we can win at home when the players come back.<\/em><\/p>\n “From tonight’s general performance, I believe it’s something that’s well within our capabilities.<\/em><\/p>\n As with Salzburg away, Celtic did okay until their opponents scored.<\/p>\n Thats maybe something to work on …<\/p>\n And the argument around the amount of injuries, and the training methods..maybe theres something to work on there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But, oh, the palaver …the hurt and the wild, wild stories that have hit social media since the defeat.<\/p>\n Yousseff Mulumbu…is he the source for the Kris Boyd leaks ? some seem to think so. Thats why he didn;t play last night and Eboue Kouassi started..<\/p>\n As with all bits of tittle tattle that come our way, I tried to find out…<\/p>\n It’s shite.<\/p>\n Then there’s the row -over the phone between Lawwell and Rodgers- the two supposedly have fell out again and …oh whats the point in elaborating.<\/p>\n More nonsense.<\/p>\n Neither of these two are noted for discussing anything remotely important on the phone, and they tend not to talk about anything in front of anyone anyway.<\/p>\n To suggest that a weakened side losing in Liepzig was the catalyst for “major upheaval next week ” is stretching it a bit.<\/p>\n Whilst I genuinely believe those who gave us this news believe it, it seems to me that there’s a wider agenda here, especially ahead of Murrayfield.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Two tv pundits, both former players, have led the offensive.<\/p>\n Andy Walker, face deep in Sky flavoured soup said after the game..<\/p>\n “They looked out of their depth,”\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n He knows all about that, I guess.<\/p>\n They gave a chance to Lewis Morgan which they had to do given the amount of injuries but he didn’t look up to it.<\/em><\/p>\n “Ryan Christie didn’t look up to it, Eboue Kouassi, given you’ve spent \u00a33m on him, showed absolutely nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n “Celtic have been founding wanting in Europe and this I thought was their level, the Europa League.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Players who have been called upon to step into the first team for one of the most difficult games of the season can only be asked to give their all. If they were “up to it ” , then they wouldn’t be fringe players, which is not to say they are not capable of being first team regulars, but it is harsh to judge them on this one game.<\/p>\n None of them hid, and it could be argued that Christie, Kouassi and Morgan did alright, but tiredness is a major factor at this level when you haven’t been used to it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Then there was Chris Sutton, who perhaps allowed his genuine affection for Celtic to cloud his thoughts..<\/p>\n