Celtic are in a frustrating moment at present following their 1-1 draw at home to Kilmarnock last weekend.
Brendan Rodgers admitted in the aftermath of proceedings that he felt it was ‘never going to be a procession’ in the Bhoys hunt for the title, though his side now find themselves encountering a sticky situation.
David Watson’s stoppage-time equaliser for the visitors, followed by Rangers’ comfortable victory in Perth yesterday, has left Celtic two points adrift in the Scottish Premiership table, which is unfamiliar territory.
Nevertheless, nobody else is to blame for the Bhoys’ downfall, evidenced by the fact they have dropped points in seven league matches this campaign.
One positive is that 12 matches remain, affording Rodgers and company an opportunity to turn things around.
Stephen Welsh is in a bullish mood and believes all is not lost at Parkhead, signalling that the return of injured key players, such as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate, will make a sizeable difference to his side’s title-winning credentials.
Getting back on the horse is the only option for Celtic, who can still claim a domestic double this campaign, though they will need to improve on the pitch significantly.
Greg Taylor says Celtic held dressing room meeting on Saturday
As a fan, you would hope that some home truths were shared after the Kilmarnock match following yet another substandard performance at Parkhead.
Celtic defender Greg Taylor has since revealed that he, Callum McGregor and Joe Hart were among those involved in a dressing room discussion in which all the players and coaching staff were present.
Taylor explained [Scottish Sun]: “We had a chat after the game in the changing room. It’s important to realise there are still 12 league games to go and we obviously need to improve, that’s clear, in terms of our level of performance.
“We want to hit the levels we know we can hit, but we all talked about that after the game — we’re a team, so it was coaches, manager, and all the players. We’re all united as one, and we all want to put on a better showing for the fans.
“Dropping points is disappointing and I feel for the supporters as they expect so much more from us, and righty so. We need to have perspective, it’s only February so there is still a long way to go. But we do need to find a level of performance.”
He later added when asked if there were raised voices during the squad-wide conversation after disclosing that he, McGregor and Hart hold prominent internal roles in the dressing room: “It’s probably better just to leave that in the changing room.”
Celtic need to have difficult discussions about recent displays
There is nothing wrong with clearing the air, and it can sometimes be of great benefit to everyone involved, serving as a reminder that being second-best won’t be tolerated at a club like Celtic.
On a different token, it is all well and good to say these things alongside talking endlessly about high standards. However, the fanbase need to see this reflected in on-field performances, which hasn’t occurred often enough this season.
Time will tell on that front, and hopefully, the Bhoys can get back to winning ways against Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
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