It would be safe to say that Celtic players deserve their fair share of criticism for how weak the start to this season has been for the Scottish champions. They find themselves two points behind Hearts in the title race. And while history does suggest that at some point, the Edinburgh club's form will fade, like what happened to Aberdeen in the previous campaign, it is still not a position that the Hoops should find themselves in.
Yes, the board did not do enough to strengthen the squad in the summer. That being said, this side should still have enough quality to walk their way to the Premiership title in the absence of a challenge from the Rangers.
Celtic do not seem capable of doing that at the moment, and are yet to put in a convincing performance in the league this season. A lot of that is down to players who seem to be completely out of form at the moment.
One of Celtic's best players under the management of Ange Postecoglou, Hatate has not looked impressive for quite some time now, if we are being honest. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, Chris Sutton told the Daily Record:
"Reo Hatate, a player who, when he first came, I mean, his performances were incredible and he’s had his peaks and troughs.
“But he’s another player who looks miles off it. You think about that sort of Hatate run in that left-hand channel into the box. We don’t see that trademark run anymore."
Chris Sutton slams Celtic player Brendan Rodgers won't drop
One could argue that Rodgers' system has not suited a lot of the players who thrived under Postecoglou. It is not just Hatate who has struggled to showcase his best.
The same was the case with Kyogo Furuhashi before he left, and several others. So, the issues seem to be caused by a combination of problems.
Now, it is down to everybody to find a solution, as soon as possible. Because things cannot remain mediocre at Celtic for a long time.