Frustrated Ange Postecoglou knows Celtic have potential - but same old problems remain

Looking for reasons why his team failed to win their opening Premiership match against newly-promoted Hearts on Saturday, Ange Postecoglou was a frustrated figure.

Frustrated to be fielding the same questions and probably more frustrated that he was unable to offer different answers.

In a match they could have won – enjoying the greater percentage of possession – the Parkhead team were dogged by the same issues that have haunted them for far too long. And, although some reinforcements have arrived, as Postecoglou tries to build his own team and get them playing the way he wants, there was no dream debut for the likes of Carl Starfelt and Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Swedish defender was culpable as Hearts opened the scoring through Gary Mackay-Steven, and although Anthony Ralston levelled and Celtic looked more likely to grab a winner once the Japanese attacker joined the action, he was unable to help them address the problem they appear to have with killing off games when they have the upper hand, which allowed John Souttar to head home Hearts’ late winner.

Celtic's Carl Starfelt made his debut in the Glasgow side's Premiership defeat to Hearts on Saturday. Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group

In days gone by it was Celtic who were renowned for pushing things right to the very last second, grabbing late goals to secure three points, cup wins and league title. At times there seemed a sense of inevitability when it came to their ability to dig deep and deliver, forging fear and panic in rivals. But that aura has dissipated and they are going to have to work hard on all areas of the team, and bring in fresh talent and backbone to rebuild that reputation.

Both newcomers will come good, insisted the Celtic boss afterwards, clearly fed up with the way his team have thrown away chances in recent weeks, costing them Champions League football and leaving them playing catch up after just one round of league fixtures.

And, the truth is they have that potential. But it is no wonder that the Aussie boss is insisting at least another couple of new faces are needed to strengthen their resolve and their ability to challenge for silverware. At least a couple more. In truth, maybe even more.

Against Hearts they showed their calibre in fits and starts, with even the Tynecastle boss Robbie Neilson conceding there were occasions when they sliced through the home ranks like a hot knife through butter, but the consistency of performance and the necessary cohesion, is an obvious absentee at the moment.

Even survivors of the quadruple treble era seem to have lost their swagger as players such as Odsonne Eduard, James Forrest and Ryan Christie proved impotent when it came to turning periods of pressure into something tangible.

It left their opponents with the most dangerous of commodities to cling to, a feeling of hope.

None if it, of course, is a surprise to Postecoglou but as he puffed out his cheeks, or shook his head as he stood with hands in pockets in the away dugout, no doubt internally groaning at every wayward effort or poor decision or final ball, he will have had to work hard to silence the alarm bells.

Everyone knows this is a time of transition but just as he pushes the board to deliver new signings, so will the fans start to push him for signs of improvement.

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