SENTINELCELTS

‘Has something happened?’ is the question that keeps crossing my mind.
It’s just not supposed to be going like this, not at all, which just makes me wonder the above.
 
We were told Ange aims to have his teams peak for the run in, that is patently not happening.
We witnessed momentum shifts towards the Bhoys in the title race, which usually spurs a team onwards and upwards.
That patently hasn’t happened.
The bulking out of the squad with five in January was supposed to provide the bodies and impetus to set the pace as league leaders, again that hasn’t happened.
 
Somehow and for some reason Celtic have hit bump number two this season, the first being a dodgy beginning to the campaign. I didn’t expect a second bump after closing the gap then taking the lead, but no one can deny the team isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Tired, ponderous, unadventurous, average. Not good at all for the league leaders.
 
Last weekend after watching his midfield fail to shine I expected him to learn the lesson and shuffle things about. It looks like he did learn the lesson as for the following two games he changed it up, but was still unable to get a proper tune from his chosen ones.
In that event there’s naturally calls for in game substitutes and players dropped from the starting eleven, yet only one sub was used with the defensive midfielders available looking on and needing as many minutes as possible in those legs before actually starting one of the ten cup finals remaining. That wasn’t clever from the gaffer, who should be looking ahead.
 
The Japanese trio had played an entire season prior to joining and rightfully should have their feet up looking forward to next season. It was a lot to ask of them, becoming instant starters and lynchpins of the side. They are burnt out, and need to be switched from starter to possible impact sub until those bodies are raring to go again.
Which of course means more tinkering but what’s the alternative? Run Hatate into the ground and have him injured for next season’s beginning? Keep hoping for draws from elsewhere while not finding our own form?
No, experimentation must continue until some positive signs are witnessed.
 
With only ten games to go, form is in danger of becoming less important than the win, three points are the be all and end all for the majority. Sure we could stumble to the title, but then what? Another summer of rebuilding because the majority aren’t performing well enough?
Simply becoming Champions won’t make us click, so what will?
What game plan and momentum would we bring into the top tier of European football, we would be more exposed than usual.
 
Most of all what would that say about Ange and his vision? There’s only so many times the manager can buy before he must make the most of what hes got. And as the old saying goes it’s easier to replace the manager than change all the players.
He’s in danger of finding himself in a no win situation,,he fails to get the team playing for the run in and comes second he’s the man who had it in his hands but couldn’t finish the job.
The team scrapes over the line without finding form he’s called lucky, and has little to build on or look forward to, bar big humpings.
A Wim the Tim hit and run job then, and questions forever about what went wrong, he looked so happy and was a man with a plan.
The club finds itself searching for a hero again having no real direction, scouting system, vision in general.
 
I recall early warnings that leaving everything upon one single pair of shoulders would lead to burn-out, that’s one fear. The public blast at the players didn’t go down well is another, they might feel they’ve done well to become league leaders.
My biggest fear would be zero rhythm and nerves galore in the remaining top of the table clashes, the earlier confidence that swept them aside gone, a rabbit in the headlight standing in its stead.
 
I read Ange is a lucky general earlier, and I posit the opposite. He’s unlucky his team have lost their form late in the season. Unlucky, or something has actually happened.
Whichever is true, he’s running out of time and get out of jail free cards.
 
The remaining ten games are now about more than this year’s title.
We need to know what type of team we are, and fast.
We need our mojo back.

By Mahe