![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/F3_pVV4XgAAeNKe?format=jpg&name=900x900\")
<\/p>\nAfter a stunningly inept performance at Rugby Park on Sunday, Celtic crashed out of the League cup at the first hurdle.<\/p>\n
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It wasn’t very good, was it ?<\/p>\n
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Two previous matches had seen below par performances from the hoops, but the results had gone our way.<\/p>\n
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This time it was not to be, and to work out why, we must look at what went wrong with a cool and clear head.<\/p>\n
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The obvious problem could have been the pitch, an artificial surface that can be called controversial, but last season Celtic won convincingly on both occasions and so it’s fairly safe to say it shouldn’t have been a problem yesterday.<\/p>\n
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Maybe the problem is a little closer to home, and maybe it’s one of own making.<\/p>\n
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There’s a few things, come to think of it.<\/p>\n
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Not least the current injury crisis, which has seen Celtic without a number of regulars which, of course, means that continuity is broken, like when your club goes into liquidation.<\/p>\n
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That is a big problem, especially as key players such as Alastair johnston and Cameron Carter Vickers were a massive part of the team in the latter half of the season, which added to the sale of Carl Starfelt, means three out of the four regular back line are missing.<\/p>\n
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Which showed just a minute into the game on Sunday with a misplaced pass back that gave Kilmarnock their first corner.<\/p>\n
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Apart from that, though, the two new centre halfs looked promising, and they can;t be blamed for the defeat.<\/p>\n
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The rest of the players looked as though they didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing,<\/p>\n
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Calum MacGregor, so long a capable leader, didn’t look sure either, and it looks like the changes to the playing system brought in by the new manager haven’t been fully taken on board, for one reason or another, by the players.<\/p>\n
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In essence, we’ve changed a system that was probably as much fun to play in as it was to watch.<\/p>\n
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Why would someone fix something that isn’t broken ?<\/p>\n
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Add to that the more open style of Rodgers off the pitch, being much less aloof than Postecoglou, and it’s little wonder the players are confused.<\/p>\n
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Which, in turn, may also explain the sudden drop in form of the captain, who was previously in charge of the dressing room pre match.<\/p>\n
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And it was working.<\/p>\n
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Now he has had his wings clipped a wee bit, and may be afraid to stamp his authority and personality on the team.<\/p>\n
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I’m also curious about some of the stories we hear from behind the scenes, and it’s not verifiable enough to repeat them, but suffice to say there does seem to be a little bit of tension.<\/p>\n
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The change in personnel in the Sports Science department, which seemed amicable enough, may or may not be linked to the rise in soft tissue injuries.<\/p>\n
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Without looking too much into that , however, we need to look at what changes to the training methods have been so severe that they have caused the list to lengthen the way it has.<\/p>\n
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Maybe we’ve just tried to change to much too quickly.<\/p>\n
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When we really didn’t have to,<\/p>\n
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Mind you, some things never change.<\/p>\n
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There were a couple of honest mistakes during the game which . it can be said, had an effect on the outcome,<\/p>\n
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The goal could have been given as offside, but in truth I prefer the benefit of the doubt to be given to the forward, so I’m not going to moan about it too much.<\/p>\n
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But it would have been nice for an explanation of the decision when it had been subjected to a VAR review.<\/p>\n
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The rules change on a week to week basis, or at least it feels that way sometimes, so , as they did in the Women’s World cup, get the official to explain it as soon as it’s decided.<\/p>\n
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The elbow on Greg Taylor was a sending off offence. There is no debate about that.<\/p>\n
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Or shouldn’t be.<\/p>\n
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The trip on Haksabanovic was a penalty.\u00a0 There is no debate about that,<\/p>\n
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Still, the referees made someone, and themselves happy….<\/p>\n
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Celtic, I believe, are paying for VAR.<\/p>\n
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There is an easy answer to this problem, and that’s to refuse to pay for it.<\/p>\n
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If the board could stop sulking that Desmond overruled their choice for manager and get on with working with the one we’ve got, they would see that the VAR system needs to be dealt with as a priority.<\/p>\n
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It’s already cost us a Cup, it already has seen players assaulted with no punishment,\u00a0 and if they get away with that…..<\/p>\n
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Fingers out, Celtic, we’ve got problems.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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