Firstly there is no question that Hearts deserved that today. We contributed to our downfall but their intensity never allowed our midfield or defence to settle into a rhythm.
This has been on the cards for a good while now, I didn't see us beat Motherwell 5-1 but as far as I am concerned the last good performance I'd seen fro us was the 3-0 at Pittodrie.
Our defending has become more and more haphazard as the weeks have gone on. Simunovic today surpassed Du Wei at Clyde in 2006 as the worst domestic performance by a centre back I've ever seen. Not just selling goals but also his passing was an utter abomination. That is not to mention the likes of Boyata, Kieran Tierney who looks like he's struggling at the moment and Lustig- who we need to look long term to replace. Gordons distribution still frightens me especially when you consider the way our defenders are playing at the moment- who would have thought a team that was unbeaten domestically could look so much in crisis at the back.
The utter shambles that was our defence should not deflect away from the midfield and attack either. Hearts had a 16 year old midfielder giving us the run around. We did not impose ourselves in midfield and looked more than a yard short in every department. Forrest was our best player on the day but the rest were absolutely shocking. There is just no intensity to our play at all at the moment. It may be cliched but you have to be prepared to go and win the battle at Tynecastle and to be frank we just didn't turn up.
The 3 up front at the end actually stunted our go forward we had 3 strikers on the park but no creativity to make the chances.
Anyway beyond the recriminations of this game we have now lost this "Invincibles" tag. To be honest we've been wobbling for weeks and it was becoming inevitable that this would happen. To lose so spectacularly though casts this into focus, the substandard showings that have been swept under the carpet a bit because we were still unbeaten.
To me the greatest thing about last year wasn't actually the fact we didn't get beat. It was the way we chained together those wins and the style with which we did it. It wasn't always plain sailing but we ground it out when we needed to and performed with style when we could.
The second season is always more tricky, teams in your league begin to suss out how you play, adapt and it is incumbent on you as the top team to find a way to respond to that.
This is the first time that this team and Brendan have gone through a dodgy patch of form, culminating in today. Hibs last week we threw the game away in a mad last 20 minutes, Ross County was just an awful game of football that we scraped by on.
One school of thought is that the "Invincibles" tag was an albatross round the neck of the team. Mediocre showings were dismissed because at least we were still unbeaten. There are a few guys who looked a bit like they were dialling in their performances, showing up and expecting to win. That must end now. This is a critical juncture of the season and we need to be aiming for maximum points from the next few games including Aberdeen and Rangers, get a bit of confidence back in the team and get to the winter break in a strong position to kick on, coming out the other side of a brutal fixture list.
Alternatively we lose all confidence and capitulate- but that is not something that I wish to consider at this point. These are the moments where Brendan needs to earn the big bucks. There are key decisions that need making.
Thoughts on losing the unbeaten run
posted on 18/12/17
Ah P72 is good at something
Ignoring the facts and hurling abuse
Trumpesque some would say
posted on 18/12/17
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 43 seconds ago
Ah P72 is good at something
Ignoring the facts and hurling abuse
Trumpesque some would say
----------------------------------------------------------------------
'Hurling abuse' 😂
Have you been away at the school of Trump?
What a fool 😂
posted on 18/12/17
Heed - if I could be ersed, I would point you in the numerous articles by you about Rangers.
Sad act.
posted on 18/12/17
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 12 minutes ago
Heed - if I could be ersed, I would point you in the numerous articles by you about Rangers.
Sad act.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh yes like my ‘Well done bears’ post after you beat Aberdeen. Like my well done Hearts and Celtic deserved to get beat comments.
When Celtic get beaten in Scotland most Celtic fans on here post their criticisms and congratulate the winning team.
When Rangers get beaten most bears do not post.
This is not P72 Fake News 👍
posted on 18/12/17
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 47 minutes ago
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 12 minutes ago
Heed - if I could be ersed, I would point you in the numerous articles by you about Rangers.
Sad act.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh yes like my ‘Well done bears’ post after you beat Aberdeen. Like my well done Hearts and Celtic deserved to get beat comments.
When Celtic get beaten in Scotland most Celtic fans on here post their criticisms and congratulate the winning team.
When Rangers get beaten most bears do not post.
This is not P72 Fake News 👍
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hurling abuse"
posted on 18/12/17
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 47 minutes ago
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 12 minutes ago
Heed - if I could be ersed, I would point you in the numerous articles by you about Rangers.
Sad act.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh yes like my ‘Well done bears’ post after you beat Aberdeen. Like my well done Hearts and Celtic deserved to get beat comments.
When Celtic get beaten in Scotland most Celtic fans on here post their criticisms and congratulate the winning team.
When Rangers get beaten most bears do not post.
This is not P72 Fake News 👍
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hurling abuse"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ignoring the facts 👍
posted on 18/12/17
Look, I am not going to sit on the fence - you're a boring c@nt. Nigh on every article is a wee pop at Rangers - it's turgid sheidt.
posted on 18/12/17
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 2 minutes ago
Look, I am not going to sit on the fence - you're a boring c@nt. Nigh on every article is a wee pop at Rangers - it's turgid sheidt.
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Your opinion matters not a joy to me and the other Celtic posters on here. You have self identified
posted on 18/12/17
*jot
posted on 18/12/17
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by P72 (U21554)
posted 2 minutes ago
Look, I am not going to sit on the fence - you're a boring c@nt. Nigh on every article is a wee pop at Rangers - it's turgid sheidt.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Your opinion matters not a joy to me and the other Celtic posters on here. You have self identified
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound - so long as your realise you are one boring bloke then all cool.