Celtic's performance at the weekend was poor. Their loss to bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone was unexpected, yet perhaps not totally surprising. The Hoops' league form has taken a nose dive in recent weeks, and this result made that even worse. Perhaps even hurting the challenge for Europe that Brendan Rodgers has been building.
Sunday saw their fourth league defeat in 2025. All have come from lacklustre performances. They've all been in games where they've made a slow start and gone behind to early goals. So much for Rodgers’ talk of his side making fast starts, applying pressure, and imposing themselves on the game.
Rodgers admitted to being angry after Sunday’s defeat. We can only imagine what he said to the players in the dressing room and again when they met up for the analysis. In his post-match comments, he raised questions about his players being complacent and needing more motivation.
From the fans' perspective, some players are looking like they are done for the season. The league is all but won and while they will perhaps turn up the efforts at Hampden Park for the Scottish Cup semi-final, and the final, if they get there, that seems like their maximum effort at this point.
Backward step for Celtic's European plans
Nicholas Kuhn is one of the players fans are pointing to. Has his remarkable form from earlier this season dipped as he has a summer move lined up? Has Arne Engles become overtired with the extra games he is now playing? Is Reo Hatate also ready to move on? Alistair Johnston has struggled of late too, for reasons that remain unclear.
Those are just a few names that fans are talking about. Other players are getting plenty of criticism too. Demands for Jeffrey Schlupp to be signed permanently are tailing off after he was substituted at halftime on Sunday.
Along the back four, more questions are being asked about Auston Trusty and a poor run of form from Cameron Carter-Vickers. Callum McGregor is too easily and too often being marked tightly to restrict his impact.
From Rodgers’ comments, it seems that big changes to the squad could be likely this summer. Topping up the quality level with a signing or two may have been the original plan, but that could very well be ripped up and rewritten. More players may move out, meaning a bigger number of signings than anticipated previously.
That may mean a return to signing a few at up to £3 million to £4 million rather than one or perhaps two players at £10 million plus. If so, then it would be a backward step in terms of the platform we thought was being built for a European challenge. It also raises significant concern about facing a Champions League qualifying round this season with a less settled squad. Rodgers and the recruitment team may need to be busier than ever over the coming months.