The Invincible run has ended. Time for normal service to resume

For a time, it seemed like the unbeaten run might just continue on indefinitely. Sixty-nine domestic games without defeat, during which Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side achieved a first domestic treble since Martin O’Neill’s inaugural season in 2001, as well the retention of the League Cup already during this campaign.

The Invincible run has been a remarkable feat and is a testament to the tremendous restorative work of Rodgers since taking over at the helm from Ronny Deila in June 2016. However, with the 4-0 humbling by Craig Levein’s Hearts side at Tynecastle on Sunday, this record-breaking run has been brought to a grinding halt in the most clinical and uncompromising fashion imaginable. All credit to Hearts, they turned up with a game plan which they rigidly adhered to and exploited many of the weaknesses that have become increasingly prevalent in this Celtic side. The bubble has burst and the unbeaten run spanning one-and-a-half domestic campaigns so quickly becomes part of the Celtic mythos. So where do we go from here?

In an ideal world, the Invincible run would have continued on, with Celtic steamrolling domestic opposition week in, week out. The reality, of course, is that the run would, in time, come to an end. Yes, the result was a shock; the opposition definitely sprung a surprise, but even the most eternally optimistic of Celtic supporters would have a tough time arguing that the cracks haven’t been showing for some time now. A lacklustre – at times, humiliating – European campaign has served as a grim reminder of the work that still desperately needs done to progress to the next level. Even domestically, at this juncture, Celtic have already dropped more points in the league than they did in the entirety of last season. After throwing away a two-goal lead to Hibs last weekend, Celtic were lucky to escape Easter Road with the point.

That was Celtic’s fifth draw of the campaign, with each of those performances being underpinned by the same lack of cohesion, confidence, drive and rhythm. In each game, there has been individual culprits, but in general it has been an entire mistake-prone squad that is just not operating on the same frequency as they were last season. The title of ‘Invincibles’ has become a heavy cross to bear, with the side seeming to struggle under the weight of it. Last season, with the mantle being something to work towards, it was a source of motivation and drive. This season, with the tag being something to try and maintain week after week, the detrimental effects are self-evident.

Certain elements of the fan base have criticised younger fans for not appreciating what they have; often referring back to the bad, old days of the ‘90s. Hopefully, though, with this defeat, we can now have a reasonable dialogue about the current state of affairs. Brendan Rodgers has done a superb job transforming, shaping and developing this Celtic squad and he possesses all the hallmarks of being an all-time great. However, he is not infallible. His judgement and decisions can be held to account. Celtic, this season, have been notable for their policy of weekly squad rotation in the domestic campaign.

Given the fixture congestion at times, this is understandable, but if this has instead been an effort to shelf domestic invulnerability to focus instead on preserving the best side for European nights, then this has been an unequivocal failure of an experiment. With one win in six European matches, Celtic appear to have regressed, if anything, which will surely come as a disappointment to the many who were expecting last year’s record-breaking success to act as a platform to ascend to the next level. This has certainly not been the case. The hope had been to build drive on the next level but instead, Celtic have stagnated at this level.

For some fans, there were mild concerns as far back as the Summer transfer window in which the fanfare surrounding the protracted Paddy Roberts’ saga sought to distract from what was an otherwise fairly disappointing foray into the transfer market. Yes, the addition of the Olivier Ntcham looks to be a decent and ambitious investment and the loan singing of Odsonne Eduoard has provided much needed cover for injury-prone Griffiths and Dembele, but in truth, the squad is largely unchanged from last season, and there-in lies one of the major issues. Last season’s squad, whilst putting in some notable performances, was not Champions League calibre then, and that same squad is arguably less so now. With Europa League football secured into 2018, the squad is crying out for some much needed investment.

The form of several individuals this season has been suspect. Craig Gordon has been an excellent servant to the club and must be commended on managing to return from a career-threatening injury to achieve success with Celtic. However, many now believe the ‘keeper to be something of a liability to the cause. Gordon’s variation between lackadaisical and erratic has earned the ire of many fans, and several goals can be directly attributed to his poor decision-making and distribution. First and foremost, a new stopper in the transfer window is essential if Celtic have any genuine intention of progressing beyond the next round of the Europa League. While a lack of confidence is endemic within this Celtic squad of late, Craig Gordon on the other hand has confidence in all the wrong ideas. His mistakes certainly do not aid a backline already in perpetual rotation, and on the European scene, he might serve only as the architect of future failings.

On the back of last season, the central defensive partnership of a reinvigorated Dedryk Boyata and a finally fit Jozo Simunovic gave great hope to the Celtic faithful that, with time, we would have a formidable pair shoring up a defence which has long been the source of grief to this team. Whether it be a combination of the fact that both have been dealing with recurring injuries again this season, or the fact that the regular squad rotation doesn’t allow them to settle properly together, they have failed to live up to the promise of last season thus far.

Both players are talented defenders blighted by a penchant for carelessness which has gifted goals to the opposition. With the now ever-elusive Erik Sviatchenko getting nowhere near the match squad, and Nir Bitton serving as the stand-in centre-half, one must hope that immediate and effective investment in the upcoming transfer window will be directed right at the defensive department. Even Mikael Lustig, a favourite amongst fans, has been largely inconsistent this season. Only Kieran Tierney could rightly claim to be playing anywhere near the expected level of this Celtic team in that defence.

Despite being the club’s leading goal-scorer, last season’s POTY, Scott Sinclair, has had a somewhat lukewarm campaign. It is somewhat understandable after the heights of last season but disappointing all the same to see. There is an apparent extra second of hesitation in his movement; a killer instinct that is somewhat muted. A return to form from the Englishman would serve to buoy the whole team who so often lately look bereft of self-belief and confidence.

A definite point of contention has also been the uninspired form of Stuart Armstrong. Another example of Rodgers’ restorative touch, Armstrong came back in the squad last season and into the form of his life; adding flair, creativity and an ever-threatening goal-scoring touch to the team. This season’s Stuart Armstrong has been a shadow of that player. The drawn-out contract saga over the Summer seems to have turned his head with many feeling that the one-year contract extension was indicative of his desire to head down South. Certainly, he has been largely underwhelming since the contract renewal and his creative influence from last season has been sorely missed. With the likes of Callum McGregor and Ntcham throwing down the gauntlet for starting positions, you would be forgiven for wondering whether Armstrong may be out the door come January.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as they say. Celtic remain top of the league, having already retained one trophy and have European football after Christmas guaranteed. The development and game time of Kristoffer Ajer has been a particular highlight as the young defender looks to be a star for the future; and the same can be said of Anthony Ralston.

The form, also, of both Callum McGregor and James Forrest has been something to shout about with the two academy products playing some of the best football of their lives against an otherwise unremarkable backdrop. The drubbings of Anderlecht away in Europe and both Aberdeen and Rangers domestically have shown flashes of what this team is capable of as a cohesive, confident and fully fit unit, and if Rodgers is able to harvest that going forward, then another trophy-laden season awaits us.

There is no getting away from the fact that the Hearts result was inexcusable. Was the unbeaten run going to last forever? Certainly not. Did it have to come to end in such a humiliating manner? Certainly not. A defeat, on the basis of many recent performances, is probably long overdue; but 4-0 at the hands of the mind behind the 4-6-0 formation is a difficult one to swallow.

The run is over, the record is set in stone. In hindsight, that is more than likely going to be a positive thing. This Celtic squad have not been the free-flowing side playing the attractive football that we had become accustomed to under Rodgers. They have seemed haggard, lacking in self-belief and prone to errors. Playing under a record that can potentially be rewritten with every win is a heavy burden. It has been a strain and the pressure on the squad has been evident. Now, Rodgers has a tabula rasa; a clean slate. With tough ties before Christmas and New Year against Scotland’s second and third best sides respectively, there is time to reassess without the added weight of the Invincible run. Celtic can play without fearing that the worst might happen and the record run is brought to an end because that is now the reality.

Defeat is never easy, and after going sixty-nine domestic games domestically without doing so, it is something that the Celtic support had grown unaccustomed to. However, the fact of the matter is that Celtic remain in an enviable situation. There are two thirds of last year’s treble still up for grabs, and another crack at Europe waiting in the form of Zenit St Petersburg. Brendan Rodgers has achieved remarkable things with this Celtic side, and likely will achieve more in the years to come. Now that the added weight of the Invincible run has been lifted, we can hope for a grounded return to reality and set about recapturing the form that made that run possible in the first place.

Hopefully, come January, the squad will be injected with some much-needed investment and results such as this can be seen as the learning-curves they are. They will talk about the achievements of this side for years to come, but thankfully for now at least, we can return to focusing on the challenges in front of us, rather than the achievements hanging over us.