SENTINELCELTS

Morning,all.

Bloody hell,it isn’t easy being a Celtic supporter,is it? Two up against one of the top sides in Spain,easy street.

Then ASWGL supplied me a link to the game! (No offence,mate. I’m very grateful)

I clicked it just in time to see Betis score their first. Now,I’m not sure whether this was bagatelle in the box or the most intricate of footwork,but the ball could have gone anywhere. Sure enough,it landed in our net.

A couple of minutes later,a magnificent through ball led to a tap in for the equaliser. Form two up,we were hanging on!

Yet it all started so brightly,Ajeti getting on to a Jota cross to chest it in-VAR had to make the decision here-and shortly after he was brought down in the box for a penalty. Duly converted by Juranovic for a two goal lead.

Which could have been three straight afterwards,but Bravo somehow managed to get a touch on Jota’s dink. At three,we would surely have been out of sight,eh?

Maybe not. Our defence was all over the place,our midfield providing little if any cover to help them out. Our two centre backs might be new to each other,but last night they looked new to a football. Ralston had perhaps his worst performance since his return-but was that entirely his fault? Sure,most of their breaks came down his side,but he was getting no cover from Jota.

And that is hardly Jota’s fault,as he clearly couldnae tackle a fish supper.

The answer lay in pulling Juranovic over to replace Jota,with Montgomery dropping back to his preferred left back position. Except who could AP bring on to fill the gap on the left? Our bench was a disgrace last night,it wasn’t even up to the quota much less the standard.

That is not the fault of the players,nor of the manager. I reckon we know where the blame lies.

But back to the game,2-2 at HT,but 4-2 down a few minutes later. Ripped apart and shredded. Given a lesson,in fact,by a forty year old. And fair play to him. Yes,we had a goal disallowed,a shot from Rogic off the inside of the post,then a late consolation from the tireless Tony.

But this was a lesson. Do not send a man naked into the negotiating chamber. We have a terrific goalkeeper,but he is new to us. A right back trying-and doing very well!-to redeem himself. A new signing at left back,who is really a right back. Two right sided centre halves who are hardly on first name terms yet.

I could go on,but it is our defence,as always,which will need attention.

I believe that this will be a defining season for us,but not because it’s win or bust domestically. AP will look at the cards he had to play last night and wonder if it is worth it. If the board don’t back him in January,and PROMISE to do the same in the summer,he will walk.

Those players last night did their best. AP did his best. With what he had.

Whoever said that football was a squad game clearly hadn’t been exposed to the toxicity of our club. Last night wasn’t a squad,it was barely a quorum.

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Above article by BMCUWP