Some lessons for Ange

Everything is rubbish again.  Five points to Livingston………, why not Juranovic on penalties?  All valid points.  Momentum that has been on our side for weeks, came to a crashing end, which I have no doubt affected the result at Fir Park yesterday.  It could be next year before we get another opportunity to go top of the table.

On paper, resting Kyogo worked.  There may be a time in the future it works, but it backfired on Saturday.  My thoughts went back to Martin O’Neill, who only rested Henrik Larsson against Motherwell in March 2004, between games against Barcelona.  Celtic dropped points for the second time that season but needed Henrik to come off the bench to score.  Martin learned, win the game first, then you can rest the precious few.

If Giorgos Giakoumakis is first choice penalty taker he is a curious one as he is on the field less than half of our playing time.  We would be in the curious position of seeing his presumed deputy, Josip Juranovic, take most of our awards.  Giorgos watched Josip score without flaw on two occasions, then was required to pull rank on Saturday.  It is great the manager has faith in two to take penalties, but for now, the rest of us need a reason to believe.

In any other season, dropping points so carelessly would mean our title challenge was in mortal danger.  It is a relief than Newco have performed only marginally better.  Whoever gets their act together first* will have an enjoyable May 2022.

*that’s going to be Celtic, obviously.