Celtic reaction: poorest passage since pandemic era; damning ‘bullied’ and lacking ‘courage’ assessment; McInnes on his own against Rodgers

A nuclear fall-out is assured following Celtic’s desperate second half showing at Kilmarnock that condemned them to first league defeat of the season.

The 2-1 loss at Rugby Park was notable for more than the huge questions it raises for Brendan Rodgers, as Andrew Smith reflects below.

Poorest passage since pandemic era

The clanging at Westminster cathedral on Christmas day couldn’t match the din from the alarm bells ringing in Celtic circles following the post-interval disintegration of the Scottish champions in Ayrshire on Sunday afternoon. Not since the fanless season of 2020-21 as Covid-19 raged across the globe and Neil Lennon’s side regularly exhibited all manner of ills have Celtic seemed quite so feckless and flawed as they did as a superb Kilmarnock hounded them into submission.

No manager on the Scottish scene can now match Derek McInnes' record against Brendan Rodgers, who has serious challenges ahead after the manner his Celtic side crumbled at Rugby Park. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

For all that the doom-mongers have now been claiming such a blow-out was coming, until this 17th game of the current Premiership campaign, Rodgers’ men have never looked like losing. Little consolation when, after letting a first-half lead slip with the concession of a 75th-minute own goal from Nat Phillips, they never looked like avoiding defeat. It has escaped the notice of no-one that they are now six points down on their total at the same juncture under Ange Postecoglou last season – the Australian securing thumping 5-0 and 4-1 wins on the plastic where Rodgers has now lost on four of his past five visits. And that in seven weeks since Philippe Clement took over the reins at Rangers, the Ibrox men have dropped two points to their rivals’ seven. It is a trajectory that places Celtic’s stranglehold on the title under serious threat, with the Belgian’s side now only five points behind having played a game fewer.

It must be said that with a starting line-up yesterday in which Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kyogo Furuhashi and the injured – and hugely missed – trio of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada did not feature, Celtic were far from their best in every respect. However, their selection issues aren’t as acute as across the city and the need for serious rejuvenation in the January transfer window is obvious, to avoid even more painful parallels with their trophyless campaign of three seasons ago.

Damning ‘bullied’ and lacking ‘courage’ assessment

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley didn’t mince his words in articulating what went wrong as Kilmarnock were a team transformed after heading into the break trailing to his 33rd minute strike. “We started really well and could have put the game to bed in the first half,” he said. “I had a chance which I should score in the second half as well and at that point you can kill the game, but, irrespective of that, second-half, I think we kind of got bullied a bit as well just in terms of most duels they were winning. At the same time, we were very sloppy on the ball and probably weren’t showing enough – what’s the word – courage just to want the ball, get on the ball and take responsibility. We went long a lot and they have big players who are good in the air, they like to fight for second balls, third balls and we played into their hands. I think, because of that, I’m not surprised the game went like it did in the second half.”

O’Riley said he had no concerns over his team responding to their Ayrshire aberration. And he claimed the Scottish champions would welcome teams attempting to come at them in Kilmarnock’s up-and-at-’em fashion rather than fear others copying the blueprint since that would provide them space to play in behind and prevent them having to counter the “low block”, that can be a problem for them. Yet, such were their vulnerabilities when attacked in this manner, it could be a case of careful what you wish for.

McInnes on his own against Rodgers

Celtic’s silverware-hoovering during Brendan Rodgers first spell in charge may have caused Derek McInnes more angst than any other manager with his Aberdeen team the closest rivals to the Parkhead side between 2016 and 2018, facing them in three cup finals over the period. Now, at least McInnes can comfort himself that no manager on the Scottish scene has got the better of Rodgers more than him. Sunday’s win was his third against the Irishman – two with Kilmarnock this season following the August League Cup success at Rugby Park, and the other coming at Celtic Park with Aberdeen in the closing league game of 2017-18 – putting him one above Neil Lennon and Craig Levein on this measure.