Since clinching the Premiership title with a win away at Tynecastle Park against Hearts, Celtic have not looked like the same team. Most fans feel that a number of the players have taken their foot off the gas. Others believe that their recent bad run is a result of missing key players. The fact of the matter is that they have won just one of their last five league games.
That is not the kind of run that you expect from Ange Postecoglou’s side, who follow the ‘We Never Stop’ mantra. They have quite certainly stumbled in recent weeks though.
Their form is not ideal. Even though the league might be won, they still have the Scottish Cup final to play. Celtic will take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle next month. And these results will not do their confidence any good.
Their biggest problem has been their defence. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston have both been out since the Scottish Cup semi-final against the Rangers. And the backline has been extremely shaky since then.
Celtic handed major problem before Scottish Cup final
Celtic conceded thrice against the Rangers at Ibrox, twice against St Mirren at home and now, four times against Hibernian. That simply is not anywhere near the standards that this team have set for themselves.
It is hard to have confidence in the backline right now. While Johnston has returned to training, Carter-Vickers won’t be back this season. And the combination of Carl Starfelt and Yuki Kobayashi in the heart of defence simply has not worked.
In the grand scheme of things, these games don’t mean much. Even then, performances like these are unacceptable for Celtic. And their recent run of results will give Inverness CT confidence that they can cause an upset in the Scottish Cup final. Winning is a habit, and so is losing.