Into the Bear Pit — Match Reaction

So, the first Glasgow derby of the season is upon us, and the team news is somewhat surprising with Tounekti selected instead of Hassan. Tounekti did look a little more direct against St Johnstone and certainly produced one of his better performances for Celtic, but for occasions like these I still believe Hassan should be the clear first choice. He constantly shows a willingness to deliver the ball into the box and, although his final ball isn’t always great, it’s the percentage play we should lean on, especially with Høgh available again.

Johnstone retains the gloves, no shock there, as this was sign-posted midweek. O’Neill clearly had his reasons for sticking with him, although Sinisalo hasn’t done a great deal wrong. Otherwise, no real surprises: Nygren back in for Sørensen, CCV and Tierney return in place of Murray and Trusty, and Durán replaces Hassan.

Celtic have the kick-off in a typically raucous atmosphere. The surface looks conducive to good, quick passing football. The Ibrox side have the first shot in anger, deflected meekly into Johnstone’s hands. A late challenge from Makhanya on Durán earns only a warning. Then Johnstone makes a big error, playing a clearance straight to Kelsy, who lashes wide.

Not a great start from us in the first five minutes. Successive fouls against us, slack passing from McGregor… we look nervous. We need to settle. Quickly.

Celtic are very sloppy, but Donovan breaks up an attack and plays a lovely ball in for Høgh, who loses his footing. Durán picks up the loose ball and screws a tame effort wide. Good play from Donovan, our first proper attack after 11 minutes. Tierney concedes a corner. Celtic defend it.

But we’re under pressure again and Johnstone flaps wildly at a cross. Scales is there to deflect the goal-bound effort for another corner. We spring a quick counter and again Høgh seems to get his feet mixed up, as does Tounekti soon after. No composure. That was a decent break and we fluffed it.

Celtic build some pressure but a loose pass from Scales leads to a 50/50 challenge and Nygren picks up a very soft yellow card. The one thing that is obvious: our midfield is non-existent. A repeated symptom all season. Baur is nowhere, McGregor has no influence, and Nygren is just being Nygren. We can’t get a foothold as we approach the halfway point of the first half.

The breakthrough arrives as Neil strikes low to Johnstone’s right from just outside the box. Shocking defending from CCV and not a great attempt to save from Johnstone either. This is a shambles from Celtic so far.

Inexplicably, Fernandez is allowed to drag Høgh to the floor as the referee waves it away. That was more of a yellow than Nygren’s incident.

The midfield is absent and the defence is unprotected. Donovan is next in the book for a rash challenge after being easily beaten by Gassama on the left wing. Celtic are living dangerously. The resulting free-kick is headed over.

Half an hour played and this is shocking stuff from Celtic. We’re all over the place.

The pressure is still all on Celtic and we’ve yet to string any passes together. We’re flailing wildly at almost everything. Johnstone is making me very nervous. There’s a strange hush around Ibrox. I’m also noticing a number of Celtic players losing their footing.

Finally, Celtic have some sustained possession at the 37-minute mark. Yet Gassama is released against Donovan again, who, surprise surprise, seems to trip. Gassama’s venture into the box is thwarted, but what is going on with Celtic? We’re literally tripping over ourselves.

Johnstone again struggles with a routine back pass and is probably at the root of most of our first-half nervousness. Celtic are simply too panicky for me.

I would take Baur off for Ox and Nygren for Hassan. Changes must be made because this is utterly woeful from Celtic. Not a single player has looked comfortable on the ball.

An abject display as we reach half-time. It will be interesting to see what changes, if any, O’Neill decides to make.

Second Half

The second half resumes and Hassan comes in for Tounekti. I think most Celtic fans were baffled by Tounekti starting this match. Hassan is immediately into the action as he is scythed down by Makhanya, who receives a yellow card. Arguably, it should have been his second.

Celtic are still not convincing. Min Su hits an effort which is parried by Johnstone. Johnstone then flaps wildly at another cross. He may be a good shot-stopper, but based on this evidence everything else is suspect. If I was a Celtic defender, I’d be very reluctant to pass back to him.

This continues to be a tough watch as Celtic are being outfought in every department. Whatever was said at half-time has had no impact.

It’s more of the same as we approach the hour mark. We’ve barely laid a glove on them and the Ibrox crowd are mocking Johnstone with every touch. What will this do for his confidence? Yet again he makes a decent close-range save from Min Su.

But Celtic are opened up again and Kelsy is free to smash in his first goal for the Ibrox club. This one is on Tierney, caught ball-watching and leaving his man unmarked. A VAR check ensues, but whatever the outcome, this is shocking from Celtic.

The goal stands.

This is a meek surrender.

Fernandez heads into the Celtic net but offside is given, Raskin judged to be interfering. I’m not so sure. Looked a good goal unless he got the slightest touch.

It’s a salvage operation now as O’Neill brings on Forrest and Ox for Nygren and Høgh. The atmosphere is electric and we’re disappearing without a trace. If we aren’t careful this could get embarrassing.

Hassan has seen very little of the ball since coming on. I said in my preview yesterday that we need players who will fight, who will work. There’s very little evidence of it. Donovan is on thin ice after another foul.

72 minutes played and Hassan has a speculative effort from distance which flies just off target.

My preview headline yesterday was Into the Bear Pit… and we are being mauled.

Dan Neil curls into the top corner from a similar position to his first. The same area from which LASK punished us. I would have expected us to put serious focus on that zone given our previous frailty.

3–0 down with 15 minutes left.

We were sinking. Now we’re sunk.

Quite why Baur is still on the field I’ll never know. He’s been completely anonymous. He isn’t the only one. Mhueka replaces Durán and Lotomba replaces Tierney.

Our race is run.

Celtic look scared. They’ve looked scared all afternoon. No one is trying to fire us up. No leadership. No passion.

I won’t comment on the rest unless there’s a goal. It’s pointless. The only player to get any kind of pass mark is Scales. That is a shocking indictment in itself.

As the game fritters away into added time, I am bereft at the sheer ineptitude of this display. I had my fears beforehand and they were well-founded. Celtic have been well and truly humbled today.

If the Celtic players aren’t embarrassed, I’m embarrassed for them.

Second best in every area.

Full time.

3–0.