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Chris Sutton delivers brutal verdict on why Celtic have been struggling

The former Celtic man has given his thoughts on the problem at Parkhead.
Kilmarnock v Celtic - William Hill Premiership
Kilmarnock v Celtic - William Hill Premiership | Craig Foy - SNS Group/GettyImages

Supporters have been without Celtic since the Tannadice loss, but the Hoops are back in action on Sunday as they take on Dundee.

With three points dropped last time out, a victory is crucial this time around. There is no room for error if Martin O'Neill's side wants to remain in the title race.

Before the big match, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has spoken out about what he thinks is the problem at Parkhead.

Writing in RecordSport, he said: "When the team is on the field at Dens, there has to be some connectivity at the very least. For everything that has gone wrong over the campaign, one thing has screamed out to me in recent weeks watching Celtic, and that’s their lack of team cohesion.

"I’m not talking about having a chat on the bus or not being pals. I’m talking understanding of each other on the pitch because I watch them sometimes, and it’s as if they have no idea who is going to what and when.

"Two weeks ago, when I assessed Celtic’s imminent double-header in Dundee, I thought the contest against Steven Pressley’s team might be the tougher test.

"If that’s the case, those Celtic fans face another torrid 90 minutes because the performance at Tannadice was woeful. I looked at players that day and, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think they’d only just met. There’s such a lack of joined-up thinking.

"Strikers don’t know when balls are coming into the box, defenders don’t know whether it’s going into midfielders or going over their heads, the boys in the engine room have no idea if the guys ahead of them are going to spin in behind or come short for it. It’s a mish-mash.

"If Celtic don’t deliver at Dens [on Sunday], it won’t be a discovery. It’ll be a confirmation that it’s done."

Wise words from Sutton

Sutton is spot on. The problem at Celtic is clear to see, and something needs to be done in the summer.

A loss at Dens Park means the season is over. With the Hoops currently sitting in third place, two points behind Rangers and five points behind Hearts before games have been played, only three points will do.

With the split rapidly approaching, two victories in the last two games would be a brilliant way to end before it happens. After the split, we'll have incredibly difficult ties against the likes of Hearts and Rangers, our two title rivals, so winning would be a great way to prepare for that.

It's set to be a cracking game against Dundee, and hopefully, O'Neill and the players will come back up the road with a victory.

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