GREG TAYLOR has revealed there will be crunch talks today as Celtic management and players scutinise the alarming dip in form that has seen them topple from the Premiership pinnacle.
The champions now trail Philippe Clement’s Ibrox side by two points after a weekend of Premiership leapfrog.
The Hoops squandered two points in the dismal 1-1 stalemate with Kilmarnock at Parkhead while, 24 hours later, the Govan club, assisted by two VAR interventions and two penalty-kicks, overcame St Johnstone 3-0 at McDiarmid Park.
There is no escaping the disappointment being felt in the east end of Glasgow at the moment after the team, bidding for a twelfth crown in 13 years, allowed a seven-point advantage to deteriorate to this stage when they find themselves looking up at the new pacesetters.
ON THE RUN…Greg Taylor in action for Celtic.
There was an impromptu inquest in the home dressing room after the Hoops’ abject failure to build on Kyogo Furuhashi’s opening goal in the 32nd minute.
Chances came and went and the ultimate punishment arrived two minutes into stoppage-time when David Watson had the freedom of the city to head in a close-range effort beyond the stranded Joe Hart.
Taylor, making his comeback after four games out through injury, had been forced off around the hour mark to be replaced by Alexandro Bernabei who failed to pick up his Killie opponent at the back post for the crucial equaliser.
The frustration of the fans was evident amid the din of derision that greeted the final whistle and the inability to win at home for the fourth time this campaign led to a frank post-match inquest.
Taylor refused to go into the specifics of the discussions, but said: “It’s probably better just to leave it in the changing room.
PARADISE POSTPONED…Brendan Rodgers watches Celtic’s win slip away at Parkhead on Saturday.
”It’s important to realise there are still 12 league games to go, but we obviously need to improve in terms of performance.
“We want to hit the levels we know we can hit, so we need to do that. We’re a team, coaches, manager, players, we’re all united as one and want to put on a better showing for the fans, that’s clear.”
The Scotland international left-back, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “Dropping points is disappointing and I feel for the supporters as they expect so much more from us – and rightly so.
“But you have got to have perspective, it’s only February, there is still a long way to go, so we do need to find a level of performance.
”We’ll do a debrief on Monday, we need to see where we went wrong in this game and where we can improve.
“And then we’ve got to take that into the final part of the season.”
HEADING FOR TROUBLE…unmarked David Watson nods in Kilmarnock’s late equaliser to leave Joe Hart helpless – and Celtic fuming.
Taylor, who was signed from Kilmarnock by Neil Lennon on summer deadline day 2019, acknowledged the influx of new faces since last season’s world record eighth domestic silverware clean sweep and added: “When you have leaders like Callum McGregor, Joe Hart and even myself, they [arrivals] have to get it.
“It’s not a case of just boys coming in and a case of boys who have been here, it’s everyone as a collective having to understand that this club demands success, it demands a way of playing.
“And, when you don’t hit those levels, then the supporters are rightly disappointed.
“At this club, even a draw like that feels like a defeat, definitely. Any time you drop points, that is the way that it does feel.”
A thorough clear-the-air analysis today could help put the champions back on track as they prepare for the match against Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
