![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.hitc.com\/static\/uploads\/hitcn\/1405\/dermot_desmond_is_seen_with_peter_lawwell_the_chief_executive_of_1180787.jpg\")
<\/p>\nYou can stop fretting now.<\/p>\n
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I think I know what the problem is.<\/p>\n
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One of these guys uses us as a plaything, only getting involved when he fells like it, whereas the other gets involved far too much.<\/p>\n
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Yesterday, Celtic put on probably their best show of the season, snatching a 3-3 draw from the grasp of victory up at Aberdeen.<\/p>\n
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We can draw positives from that, and we can draw negatives.<\/p>\n
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There were signs that some, at least, of the players are fully aware that they will have to battle to allow Celtic to remain supreme in Scotland, and there were also signs that for some the pressure might be getting to them, and ultimately prove too much.<\/p>\n
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Manager Neil Lennon included Scott Bain in the line up, adding more uncertainty to an already uncertain back line, which won;t do the confidence of Vasilis Barkas any good, although Barkas is probably already fed up of being the whipping boy, and would have been glad to be out of the range of Shane Duffy, who thankfully only hurt his pride yesterday.<\/p>\n
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Mo Elyannoussi and Olivier Ntcham also started, but that proved to be a mistake as well. Granted Ntcham made a bigger impression than usual, but it wasn’t until the introduction of Scott Brown and Leigh Griffiths that a bit of heart came into the side.<\/p>\n
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These two injected a sense of urgency and direction, with Griffiths now eyeing a first team role with Oddsone Edouard out of the frame for a while.<\/p>\n
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If he stops sulking long enough, there’s still a blank page to write on his contribution to the club.<\/p>\n
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Brown showed that he still has a part to play, although it may be limited to similar cameos more often than not.<\/p>\n
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Elyannoussi, undoubtedly a capable player, but along with Duffy and Albien Ajeti, who unfortunately isn’t a loannee, we’ve actually bought this one, hopefully having kept the receipt, give the impression they are here for the ride and the glory.<\/p>\n
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There used to be a fan who sat behind me in 411 who throughout the game would simply repeat “Come on, Celtic, dig “.<\/p>\n
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Maybe the lockdown and his enforced absence has had an effect on the team, and if we are to admit supporters any time soon, I vote for him, and put him near the touchline so the players can hear him.<\/p>\n
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Celtic should have secured all three points yesterday, a spirited double come back to leave the score at 3-2 in injury time would normally be a season changer, but a lack of concentration combined with not a few nerves led to another penalty for Aberdeen, and a costly conversion.<\/p>\n
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Quite simply, although a number of the players have been over the course, they have been supplemented with too many who haven’t, and they are not up to the standard required. They’re still better technically than anyone any of our opponents have to offer, but with modern transfer policies based on statistics and monetary value, we’ve not replaced the quality of Virgil van dijk or Keiran Tierney with anything that approaches a similar level.<\/p>\n
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The inevitable result of such downsizing is that the quality suffers, whilst fans demand the same results, week in and week out.<\/p>\n
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Over the last few years we’ve seen an exodus of quality, one or two at a time, and it looks very much like it’s coming back to bite us.<\/p>\n
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In a sense, perhaps the work put in by the manager to persuade a few this summer to stay was needed, but if someone wants out, they are never going to give one hundred per cent, and again, we’re seeing the results of that.<\/p>\n
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No one of great significance left, but equally, no one , Laxalt excepted, of real quality came in.<\/p>\n
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If you can’t that quality, then the next best thing is heart, and Shane Duffy fitted that bill perfectly. One of us, an EPL international defender, but he has yt to raise his game to the level required, which has clearly taken him by surprise.<\/p>\n
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When Jason Denaayer debuted for Celtic, he had a lackadaisical first couple of touches, and was caught out. wathced him adapt throughout that game, and he went on to cope admirably alongside Virgil van Dijk.<\/p>\n
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Thats what Duffy needs to do.<\/p>\n
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Adapt.<\/p>\n
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Quicken his speed of thought and action.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, it all boils down to the selling of players worth tens of millions and the buying of players for considerably less. The odd nugget apart, you get what you pay for.<\/p>\n
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For years now Celtic have sold their biggest assets, apparently to balance the books, but there seems to be little thought going into replacements.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Greg Taylor is a more than decent defender, but supporters are holding him to the standards they held to Keiran Tierney, which is unfair to say the least and counter productive at best.<\/p>\n
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He’ll learn from Laxalt and go on to greater things, the same could be said for Patrick Klimala, who whilst showing and doing everything to earn a place has to play second fiddle to Ajeti, a different kind of forward who , granted, scores goals, but only when he’s goven the chance to, and right now Celtic aren;t creating those chances, and a more direct approach, as shown by Griffiths yesterday, is required from the front men.<\/p>\n
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It’s unfair to expect the team to perform at the levels of the last few years when we have a regime that doesn’t replace our top performers with , well, top performers.<\/p>\n
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The inevitable downward trend seemed to surprise us, and we’ve blamed everyone on the coaching and management side for this, when in fact silk purses and sows ears come to mind.<\/p>\n
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Even if the players who came in this summer were top notch, circumstances have meant there has been little opportunity for them to work together as a unit, there has been injury and illness, doubt and disorder.<\/p>\n
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And we are all guilty of blaming whoever we think is at fault.<\/p>\n
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In a nutshell, given the regular downsizing, any manager would have struggled to retain the levels of the last few years, which is not to say that he couldn’t be doing a few things a lot better, but how about some support for a man who deserves at least that ?<\/p>\n
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It’s too late to say he should have asked for more money, he’s spent a few quid but in todays market what you get for \u00a35m will not replace what you sold for 25.<\/p>\n
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This scenario has been on the cards for a while, and now we’re faced with it, we have to deal with it.<\/p>\n
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We need to be supporters, and we need a little more patience with the team, the coaches and the management,<\/p>\n
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Sentimental bullshit or not, it might yet prove to be our biggest weapon.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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