‘We were struggling’ – Stephen Welsh says one key ingredient will help Celtic turn season around

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Celtic face a fight for the Scottish Premiership title after being knocked off top spot due to events this weekend.

The Bhoys faltered at home to Kilmarnock yesterday as Kyogo Furuhashi’s headed opener in the 32nd minute was cancelled out by David Watson, who nodded home in stoppage time to rescue a point for the visitors.

Having to settle for a share of the spoils, Brendan Rodgers admitted that he wasn’t surprised by his side’s lacklustre display at Parkhead.

He stated post-match: “I can’t say I’m surprised, that’s my honest answer. I was looking to get through the game off the back of a performance that wasn’t great. But we couldn’t see it through.”

Rodgers’ men have now gone ten matches unbeaten across all competitions; however, you would be hard-pushed to find any Celtic supporter who could point out more than one or two convincing performances throughout that run, which is a major concern.

Of course, there is the small matter of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate, and Alistair Johnston all currently being on the sidelines due to injury, which has led to the Irishman’s options being stretched across the squad.

Nevertheless, all too often, the reigning champions have stumbled through matches this term and only have themselves to blame for the position they are now in.

Stephen Welsh thinks one key factor will help Celtic recover

Stephen Welsh has stepped into central defence to start the Hoops’ last three matches, slotting in alongside Republic of Ireland international Liam Scales [Transfermarkt].

The 24-year-old undertook media duties post-match yesterday and opined that Celtic will be ‘raring to go’ in their efforts to bring home a domestic double once Rodgers has a full squad available at his disposal.

He explained [Daily Record]: “There are big possibilities for us between now and the end of the season but this is when we like to start playing our football.

“We went through a sticky patch before the break but we were struggling with injuries then. Now we have most of our players back and once we get our full squad available we’ll be raring to go and fighting in both competitions.

“We have hard matches coming up but the belief is there. Our aim is to win every single game we have left. That’s the pressure there all the time. Whether it’s a cup tie or title decider we’re used to it and thrive on it.

“I relish the big games, the high-stakes ones where there is a lot of pressure on both teams, but only one can win. We’re looking forward to the run-in. It will be tough, but we’re going to enjoy it.”

Celtic need to hit their stride in the coming weeks

Celtic are in a sticky situation at present; however, they are fortunate in the sense that there is still plenty to play for this season, though they will need to hit their stride to guarantee that remains the case.

Uninspiring displays week-on-week won’t be enough to claw the title race back in their favour, and Rodgers will need to devise a plan to ensure his key men return to form in a crucial period.

Time is of the essence at Parkhead, and the next few weeks resemble make-or-break territory for the Irishman and his players’ title hopes.