Celtic reaction: Rangers 'killing the derby' banner, Green Brigade go berserk, Rodgers system failure

Celtic's goalless draw with St Johnstone raised talking points both on and off the pitch ...

Celtic fans displayed a banner aimed at Rangers over the Old Firm away fan allocations during the draw with St Johnstone. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Rangers 'killing the derby' banner

The ongoing ticket fued between Celtic and Rangers over Old Firm away allocations will see the first meeting of the rivals this season take place with no visiting fans at Ibrox next Sunday. As was the case in the final two derbies of last season at each of the rivals' home grounds in a wholly unsatisfactory situation that has undoubtedly damaged the Glasgow derby. Celtic blame Rangers for initially reducing the allocation from 7000 to 800 back in 2018 - a decision which prompted Celtic to respond in kind. Only for things to turn a further downturn last season when safety concerns led to away allocations being removed altogether. Celtic have again refused Rangers' offer of 700 tickets for next weekend's derby despite assurances of extra security. In response, Rangers have written to the SPFL to demand that their fans are allocated tickets for the return at Celtic Park in December. Celtic fans made their feelings clear in the 66th minute of the goalless draw with St Johnstone as a large banner aimed at Rangers was erected in the Green Brigade section of the ground which read: "They killed their club. They're killing the derby. Bring back old allocations." Given both sides have now sold season tickets in areas previously earmarked for rival away fans, the prospect of a return to the large allocations of the past appears anytime soon appears slim.

Green Bridge go berserk

The Green Brigade section of the Celtic support react at full-time after the goalless draw with St Johnstone. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Celtic fans have every right to be frustrated with their team's last two performances. Following one poor result with another is almost always viewed as a crisis in the ultra-demanding Old Firm landscape but some of the scenes after full-time on Saturday spilled over the top. There were boos around the stadium on the final whistle, which is to be expected, but that quickly gave way to muted applause from those in the 58,600 crowd that stayed behind as Rodgers and his players embarked on a walk of appreciation around the pitch. That was until they reached the corner of the ground housing the Green Bridage where the vitriol that spilled down from the stand was somewhat startling. The fans group made it clear that they disapproved of Rodgers reappointment, and now they have now turned on the manager very early into his second tenure. Too early perhaps. After all, his predecessor struggled across his first few months in charge before everything clicked into place. And Rodgers himself had a bump in the road - remember Lincoln Red Imps - during his first spell before embarking on an unprecedented winning run. Perhaps a lap of honour was the wrong call after a second successive setback, but it also felt like the fan group went a bit overboard in their reaction.

Rodgers system failure

While Brendan Rodgers has inherited a treble-winning squad, he has also inherited players who were signed to play in an Ange Postecoglou system. It has seemed, at times, like some are having a hard time adjusting to his new style of playing. Of course, these things takes time. So ingrained were the Australian's methods that veering away from that, even slightly, will require lots of work and, perhaps, different personnel, which Rodgers himself aluded to after the match in stating the need for new arrivals before Friday's transfer deadline. In the defeat to Kilmarnock it was hard to pick any area of the Celtic side that was working as it should. It was a complete breakdown of the Rodgers system with Killie taking great credit for the part they played in that. St Johnstone too deserve fulsome praise for putting a stop to Celtic on Saturday, but midielder Matt O'Riley insisted afterwards that the failure to win, or score, for a second match running was not entirely system related. Admitting Celtic were still looking for a "bit of cohesion throughout the team" he countered that by stating: "I think structurally today we were actually better. For me, it's the most comfortable I think we've felt on the pitch in terms of understanding certain things. At times there were some loose passes and we could have been a lot cleaner, but in terms of the understanding of the system, for me personally, today was the most comfortable I've felt within that, and I think that showed with the chances we did create."