Copyright Yardbarker
We have the Europa League on Thursday, a top-of-the-table clash with Hearts on Sunday, and a Premier Sports League Cup semi-final against theRangers looming, a side who have yet another manager, who brings the possibility of the ‘new boss bounce’. Mind you, they’re always coming, aren’t they? But let’s be less flippant. Slipping to defeat at Dens Park against a Steven Pressley side has to rank as absolute rock bottom. The nadir. And now the questions start flying. Fresh players to replace under-performers? They’ll have to come from within of course. In the absence of that, maybe Rodgers tinkers with the formation to spark something. But at the heart of it all, Celtic’s creativity has gone AWOL, pace is missing, and the team has become predictable in ways that make it easy for any decent side to read, and Steven Pressley. Opponents know exactly what to do. With Liam Scales, the opposition seem to have worked out Brendan’s use of him. Our best defender, even player, this season. But, as we know, he’s limited on the ball. So, teams press everywhere else, funnel possession his way, and force him into tight spaces. By the time the ball reaches midfield, the opposition is already in place to block any forward option. Progress through the middle? Forget it. It’s laboured, methodical, and often ends in a sideways pass that achieves nothing. The rhythm doesn’t feel like it’s Celtic’s anymore, or at least the beat feels much slower. Then there’s Callum McGregor. He still reads the game well, but dropping as deep as he’s being asked to, turns Celtic into something, not quite, but approaching, a back three when building from the back. Opponents have noticed, yes even in Scotland. They don’t have to press him as aggressively anymore, because they know he rarely plays that killer forward pass these days, and only occasionally carries the ball much either. So, central areas get clogged, midfield runners like Reo or Nygren struggle to find space, and our forwards are often receiving the ball in positions where they can’t do anything threatening. Even tactical tweaks, like moving to a three at the back formation of sorts, as we did against Dundee in the second half, and also against Braga don’t fix this. Forwards remain frustratingly static, midfielders fail to make penetrating runs, and the central channels get blocked. And it now feels like the width is gone too. Tounekti’s clever, Forrest has nous for sure, even Yang can have his ‘on it’ days, but none of our wide players, bar Daizen, blast past defenders to reach the touchline enough. So, full-backs stay put, central channels stay jammed, and the attack dies quietly before it even starts. Even when the ball swings across the pitch, opponents are already there. It’s all pretty predictable. And then there’s the passing. Often safe, sideways and maddeningly cautious. Where are the line-breaking balls? Where are the runs in behind? Tempo slows, attacks become formulaic, and the opposition can read the next pass before it’s even played. That instinctive spark that once defined Celtic’s transitions has vanished. Without players willing to take risks, carry the ball into congested spaces, or make clever runs, it’s just passing for the sake of it. Effective transitions, support runs and verticality are all missing. Forwards often isolated, midfielders rarely making those clever runs to stretch the defence. Even when tactical changes place someone higher up, there’s little movement to create real danger. Static forwards, hesitant midfield runners, full-backs unwilling to push, it’s a side that is predictable, readable, and now becoming beatable. Opponents also know when, and crucially where, to press Celtic now, and who to target. Compress the midfield, force possession onto Carter-Vickers, Scales or to a lesser extent the full-backs and disrupt Celtic’s rhythm. No need to overcommit because Celtic hand it to them. The initiative has shifted. So, what’s the fix? Short of an open transfer window until January and no guarantees of investment even then, Rodgers will need to tinker tactically and thoughtfully. Change formation, yes, but that won’t solve the underlying issues. What’s needed are players willing to run in behind, take risks, stretch defences, and inject verticality. Midfielders must find pockets, forwards must occupy dangerous positions, wingers must challenge full-backs. And here’s another wee concern, it’s not just tactical. It’s mental. Celtic need freedom to express themselves. Rodgers has long demanded pace, intelligence, and verticality, but something’s gone. Is it the structure? Or are the players hesitant, afraid of making mistakes? Whatever it is, movement is stifled, attacks are predictable, and the team lacks verve. The solution is perhaps fairly obvious, give players more autonomy, let them make decisions, encourage risk and reward clever movement. Tactical tinkering alone won’t fix this if fear governs the team. Freedom, responsibility, confidence, all of it has to return, and fast. Time to change is short now. Europa League, Hearts, theRangers, games all coming thick and fast. Rodgers’ challenge isn’t just formation or rotation, it’s to reintroduce urgency, creativity and unpredictability. Until that happens, predictability rules, and Celtic remain somewhat exposed. The next moves, both on and off the ball, will tell us whether Brendan Rodgers, who we are paying £3m per season, can awaken a team capable of playing freely again, or whether this fairly dull, certainly readable, Celtic will continue to define this season. Something has to change. And it has to change quickly. 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