Celtic just aren't good enough in midfield, and the second Falkirk goal was a perfect illustration.
The Bhoys lost 2-0 to Falkirk, and while it was only the second league defeat of the season, it was the sixth loss of the season overall. The alarm bells are once again ringing, and while there are bigger issues at play, namely a lack of ambition from the board and an inadequate summer recruitment process, the team continues to stumble over the same issues.
One area we know is not good enough is the midfield. Celtic did not replace their best player in Arne Engels, and they have paid the price over and over this season.
The Hoops have one natural pivot in Callum McGregor, and he cannot keep up with any real pace, and we have seen the issues surface again and again in Europe, in particular.
McGregor isn't solely to blame, and after all, he should have been given a competent partner to take the pressure off during the summer, but Celtic are where they are, and they must recognise the issue.
Falkirk's second illistrated part of the issue
If you wanted an illustration of one of the issues a lack of legs in midfield causes, it is the second Falkirk goal.
The ball goes wide, bringing in Colby Donovan to apply pressure, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also goes over to apply pressure.
Scott Tanser recognises that Oxlade-Chamberlain going to the ball and starts to progress. McGregor is standing alone with his eyes towards the ball and the area Tanser is drifting in and out of.
At that point, it seems obvious that McGregor has to track Tanser, who is now moving towards the defence and into a dangerous position. But he doesn't. He neither spots the issue in the first place or gives chase to correct the issue once it becomes a problem.
Tanser makes a darting run, and his speed and momentum was always going to see him past Cameron Carter-Vickers, who doesn't even get a shout, and from there, it's a nice through ball to Tanser and a neat finish.
At the very minimum, you want to see Oxlade-Chamberlain telling McGregor he is going to the ball and to keep an eye out and McGregor recognise that he can't get over to Tanser and to alert Carter-Vickers so that he can take a deeper position to prevent getting beaten for pace.
But no one recognises the issue unfolding, despite it being a basic run, and it doesn't look as though McGregor would even have the legs to give chase and keep up.
The veteran midfielder is not making those runs with players bursting through midfield, and he is not able to close down space quick enough when the ball breaks from defence to the edge of the box, as we have seen in Europe.
McGregor has given so much to Celtic, and he still has a role to play, but that cannot be the reason this glaring issue is ignored.
Add us as a preferred source on Google