This Will Not Do: Celtic Humbled Again

The team news from Celtic Park was much anticipated before today’s home match against our Glasgow rivals. Would we stick or twist? Well, we’ve twisted — into what looks like a 3‑5‑2. Interesting, if not surprising, given O’Neill’s recent comments and two very poor defeats, including one against the same opponent. It’s also a bit too predictable: if we were going to change anything for this fixture, this was always the move.

Trusty joins Scales and CCV in a back three, with Tierney and Donovan as wing‑backs. In midfield, Sørensen is omitted entirely as McCowan comes in. Nygren returns, and Durán leads the line. On paper, it’s what many fans have been crying out for — more bodies in midfield, more solidity. McCowan over Ox is surprising, but overall the changes feel reassuring. At the very least, McInnes has something to think about; a defeat today would leave his side eight points behind going into the international break, and we all know the pressure that brings.

Naderi kicks off and Durán immediately fouls Raskin. A signal of intent, maybe, but composure is needed. Celtic can’t keep the ball early on and Rangers start on the front foot. Durán gets through but is muscled out of it. Moments later he goes down under Fernandez — not much difference between the two challenges — and Fernandez is booked after only four minutes. Celtic have a dangerous free‑kick. McInnes is booked too, along with Fotheringham on our bench. Nygren whips it in, Scales heads back across goal, Trusty lashes it home — but Scales is rightly offside. No goal. Barnstorming stuff and we’re only seven minutes in.

The game becomes scrappy, mostly played in our half. Celtic can’t keep possession as we approach 15 minutes. A corner comes to nothing. Another follows, then another, all dealt with easily. No attempts on goal yet. Fernandez clatters Nygren again — unpunished — and he’s walking a tightrope. Celtic mount some pressure but the passing is hit‑and‑miss, as always. Persistent fouls break up play. If Celtic get a chance, they might take it, but neither side is creating much. We’re struggling for space and rhythm.

Gassama is causing Donovan problems down the left. He breaks free and lays it to Neil at the edge of the box — our weak spot yet again — but Sinisalo saves. Rangers threaten again with a header. Worrying signs as they begin to control the match. Then, out of nowhere, Tierney rifles a brilliant effort off the bar. Our first real chance after 30 minutes.

Rangers come again. Donovan clears for a corner. Penrice delivers. A foul looks obvious but nothing is given. The ball drops to Minsu, his shot is parried, and Naderi sweeps home. Sinisalo has to push that save out of play or wide — instead he parries it straight into the six‑yard box. This goalkeeper situation must be addressed. Rangers have been the better team. No question. And again the danger comes from that same vulnerable zone at the edge of the area.

It’s almost 2–0 moments later. Gassama is in, chips Sinisalo, and it hits the post. CCV blocks the rebound. We can’t get a foothold. Rangers are harrying us everywhere. No space to breathe. McCowan over Ox is looking like a mistake — he’s had no impact and his confidence must be fragile. He’s now giving away soft fouls. We need far more than that.

Approaching half‑time, Celtic still can’t create anything. Durán breaks into the box and wins a corner. Nygren’s delivery is tame. Our set‑piece coach must be invisible — every corner is predictable and weak. Rangers leave two up front constantly, and it leaves us exposed. They break again on 45 minutes and win a corner. We clear, but any chance of a breakaway is snuffed out easily. There’s no bite, no aggression, no belief.

Half‑time. 1–0 down. Not shambolic, but nowhere near coherent.

It’s no surprise that McCowan is replaced by Høgh at half‑time. That won’t help a player already struggling for confidence, and it’s questionable why he started at all. Celtic seem to have switched to a 4‑4‑2 — the same desperate move that failed midweek. This is the issue: clutching at straws.

Celtic break down the left and Baur’s cross finds Donovan, whose header is saved by Pandur. Positive, but can we sustain it? Doubtful.

Penrice gets a shot away and again Sinisalo parries into danger. Surely that could have been smothered? Eventually it’s cleared, but the signs are there: we’ll be lucky to escape with anything. It’s all too easy for Rangers.

A free‑kick comes and Tierney delivers, but it’s headed out for a corner. Baur’s delivery is predictable again. Even from goal kicks we persist with this nonsensical playing‑out‑from‑the‑back approach. It only invites pressure onto a team that cannot handle pressure. It’s absurd. An hour gone and we’ve had two attempts, one on target. At home. I have no words.

Forrest replaces Nygren. It says everything that new signing Hassan can’t be trusted ahead of a 35‑year‑old. A scramble on our goal line is eventually cleared. Celtic break and Durán only has to square it to Høgh, but he’s snuffed out. Awful. I’ve no idea who’s playing where anymore — Tierney at left‑wing? Scales at left‑back? Madness when Hassan and Tounekti are on the bench. Playground stuff. Memories of the Inverness debacle that led to O’Neill’s first appointment — 26 years ago.

Durán and Tierney make way for Tounekti and Hassan on 71 minutes. If we salvage a draw it’ll be a relief, but I can’t see it. Rangers force a corner and take their time — who can blame them? From the corner, Celtic are all over the place. Baur heads the ball inexplicably back into the danger zone instead of clearing. Makhanya controls and loops a volley into the net, but he’s used his arm and it’s disallowed. Still no sign of any Celtic response. We’re being outplayed again and it cannot continue.

Donovan heads another clearance straight into the danger area. We get away with it, but we’ve been tactically outmanoeuvred yet again. Ten minutes left. In better times, you’d still have hope — but the signs are stark.

Hassan sees more of the ball but his crosses find no one. Someone needs to anticipate them. Another corner, more pinball, nothing comes of it. The crowd stays as we approach 88 minutes — are they expecting an equaliser or staying to make their feelings known? Likely the latter.

Three minutes added. Mhueka replaces Scales in the 90th minute. How absurd is that? We drift to the end of the game and this has been as gutless a performance as I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Would I ever have foreseen a time when I believed O’Neill should go? Not a chance. But now? Yes. One hundred percent yes — and he can take everyone else with him. This will not do.