Celtic were on the end of a 4-1 first leg defeat to VfB Stuttgart yesterday in the Europa League, and a lot of blame has fallen on one man. It's hard to argue that it isn't for good reason.
Schmeichel was at serious fault for at least two of Stuttgart's goals, with the hosts wasting no time in punishing mistakes. They seemed to have Celtic completely worked out, and there was nothing we could do to stop them.
Most supporters won't have been surprised at the calamitous errors by the goalkeeper, as he has been under a lot of scrutiny this season. He has made so many mistakes that Hoops fans were questioning why Martin O'Neill insisted on starting him weeks ago. With two other goalkeepers at the club, surely there should be a better option than the Dane?
Apparently not, and O'Neill has made it clear that he still trusts his No.1.
In a post-match interview, the manager said:
"All I will say is, we played Feyenoord in a game that we probably had to win, and I think it was one each at the time. And he made an unbelievable save. A sore scoreline this evening. We wouldn’t be here playing tonight. So anyway, this is a team game, and we’ll all have to deal with it."
O'Neill was also questioned on whether he trusts Schmeichel to find his form again:
"You’re asking me a question here on Thursday night. So who knows what might happen at the end of it all? He’s played so many games, he’s had some dips in his time, and he’s come roaring back."
A lot of supporters feel that it's time for a change between the sticks, but we shouldn't get our hopes too high, with O'Neill indicating to the press that Viljami Sinisalo will not get his chance as a regular starter:
"Sinasalo’s played in my time here. He has played games.
Why [wouldn't Sinisalo be first choice]? Because Kasper Schmeichel has done exceptionally well for me in my time here."
Time should be up for Schmeichel
Schmeichel is past it. He is a legend of the game with incredible moments throughout his career, but at this point, O'Neill starting him is malpractice, because he is costing the team vital results.
Some of the goals he let in against Stuttgart should have been easy saves. Instead, it was like he didn't want to try. Whether it's because he's looking to avoid injury before the World Cup or if he just doesn't have it in his locker anymore is a question in and of itself, but something needs to be done before it's too late.
Domestically, he can pull off some fantastic saves because he doesn't have to make too many, but he's being faced with more action in Europe. And after the humbling defeat, his confidence certainly won't be high. Could that cost Celtic in the title race?
The boos for the Dane
There has been a lot of debate about a certain aspect of last night, when some supporters chose to boo Schmeichel.
On one side, people argue that you should never boo someone wearing a Celtic shirt, because that is wrong and they are representing your club. On the other hand, some say that it's right because he is costing the team.
I think that if you pay for your ticket, you have every right to express your concerns as you please. If that takes the form of booing, although some will disagree, you have every right to.
But we should all know that it won't change anything. It's not Schmeichel who picks the team. He finds himself wildly out of form, and yet he is still the first choice every matchday. That's on O'Neill and the rest of the backroom staff, not the player.