Celtic failing to respond to setbacks well enough in 2021/22

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Celtic may be a joy to watch moving forward, but even this early on, they have a major question to answer regarding their character.

The Hoops lost 1-0 to Livingston this afternoon making it six defeats in seven away matches this term. Our poor away form stretches back to February – the last time we won a domestic match outside of Parkhead.

However, this season, Celtic simply haven’t responded well enough to losing goals. Whilst the Hoops can be a terrific watch should they nab the first goal, they’re struggling to find their rhythm when they go behind.

This season alone, Celtic have lost the first goal in only four of their matches. However in all four we’ve ended up losing the game. We’ve yet to pick up a turnaround victory under the new boss, and this comes due to the fact we aren’t managing to keep our tempo high enough after losing an opener.

This stretches to games in which we’ve conceded a goal at any stage in fact. In total, the Bhoys have conceded in nine matches this season. Only two have ended in victory. Six have ended in defeat.

Today was another prime example of Celtic failing to raise their game and show some character after going 1-0 behind.

Celtic yet to prove their character this season

For anyone who watched the first 20 minutes, they would’ve been forgiven for thinking this one was a formality. Livingston couldn’t get a kick as Celtic probed and hovered around the penalty area. Some fizzing crosses were getting thrown into the box too as we looked a real threat.

Yet, after Andrew Shinnie fired Livingston in front? There was absolutely nothing positive from a Celtic perspective after that. All of a sudden, we were putting in the kind of toothless display we have done in previous visits to West Lothian.

It’s said that turning around deficits and getting three points from it is the mark of Champions. Celtic look nowhere near having that trait in their game at the moment. Both domestically and in Europe, we’ve tended to crumble far too easily after conceding.

Only Ange Postecoglou can tell us why this keeps happening. Why after we lose a goal it’s almost inevitable we won’t win the game.

The honeymoon period is most certainly over for the new Celtic regime. We have nine points from Celtic games in the Premiership. Our away form, regardless of how much of a crisis we were in last season, should never be that inconsistent.

Hopefully, the manager finds the answers to this particular question soon. If Celtic are going to be successful this season, we need to be able to trust them after going behind or when we’re given a major setback.

So far, we simply can’t do that.

In other news, Pat Bonner calls out Albian Ajeti for Celtic blank at Livingston