CHRIS SUTTON agrees with Brendan Rodgers that some Celtic players appear to be coasting through a comfort zone on their way to an inevitable fourth successive title.
The safety net of a 13-point advantage with only six games to play means it’s just a question of when – and not if – the club’s thirteenth flag in 14 years is unfurled at Parkhead.
The champions could even lift their 55th crown at the weekend if they beat Kilmarnock in the east end of Glasgow tomorrow afternoon and their nearest challengers from Ibrox lose to Aberdeen at Pittodrie 24 hours later.
It would have been a lot more satisfying if the Hoops had taken care of business in Perth on Sunday to set up a title party against the Ayrshire outfit in Paradise.
MUST DO BETTER…Arne Engels and Nicolas Kuhn have got questions to answer.
Instead, though, they faltered and flopped 1-0 to rock-bottom St Johnstone in one of the team’s worst performances of the campaign. And that loss added to defeats against Rangers (twice) and Hibs since the turn of the year to add to the fans’ frustration.
The losses and lacklustre displays have led to questions about the players’ desire and commitment.
Former goal hero Sutton said: “You’re waiting for Celtic to go back up through the gears, but they can’t just assume it will happen.
“That’s what seems to be going on with Nicolas Kuhn. You don’t want to single out players, but there has been a huge drop off with the German.
“It smacks to me as an attitude thing. He looks like a player who thought he’d cracked it and everything would just fall into place for him.
STROLL ON…American international central defender Auston Trusty on the ball.
“But you need to put in the work and we haven’t seen enough of it lately. Back in December, there was talk about Newcastle United considering a bid and it was by no means a stretch of the imagination.
“He’d be lucky if Sunderland came in for him on recent form. You can bet teams like Newcastle would have been watching him back then. The thing is, though, they will continue to watch and they won’t have been too impressed with his application of late.
“There are others who seem to think they can stroll, too.”
The one-time England international forward, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “I look at Auston Trusty and he gives the impression he thinks he’s a player.
“That’s fine if you back it up, but you can’t waltz around and get too casual. You need to be on it – every week.
“Jeffrey Schlupp was sloppy against Saints and while I’m not going to join in with the bashing of Arne Engels, there is more needed from the midfielder, along with Reo Hatate.
HAMPDEN HOORAYS…Daizen Maeda celebrates the Premier Sports League Cup Final triumph with Kasper Schmeichel in mid-December.
“Jota has shown flashes, but he needs time and Celtic can’t just rely on Daizen Maeda every week. The burden on him is massive and that goes back to the careless January transfer window.”
Sutton added: “Listen, I get that it’s been a tough season. There is an argument Celtic – and others – are suffering the effects of the extra games in Europe and the lack of a winter break.
“But that’s still no excuse. The squad is big enough to rotate at times and you need others to step up.
“This is a time of the campaign when you need to be getting stronger again. There’s every chance Celtic will be able to muddle their way through to the end of term and end up with all three trophies, which would be a huge achievement, yet it would feel a bit underwhelming to some.
“Brendan Rodgers wants to avoid that scenario in the remaining weeks and beyond.”
