Brendan Rodgers looked close to being a broken man after watching Celtic lose 2-0 at home to Hearts.
A fortnight ago away to St Johnstone he gave his angriest ever half-time team talk, prompting a three goal response to take full points from the match.
Last Sunday at Kilmarnock his side was unrecognisable after the break as they wilted under pressure, losing for the second time this season at Rugby Park.
The midweek win over Feyenoord ended a 10 year wait for a home win in the Champions League but there was no bounce from that landmark going into the first of five SPFL matches before the winter break.
From the early stages of today’s game Celtic were passive and predictable. Their corners carried little threat, when Hearts had set-pieces there was panic in the home defence with slack marking and Joe Hart punching at balls that looked as easy to catch.
Trailing 2-0 at the interval there never seemed much prospect of turning the match around, Hearts, on the back of successive defeats were comfortable as they played the match out with little threat to Zander Clark in goal.
It was an afternoon of misery for the fans who found their voice towards the end, making their feelings known about the Board of Directors with Chairman Peter Lawwell the main target.
After the match Rodgers looked lost as he scattered criticism in all directions at the players he is reliant on to turn things around.
🗣️’I’m not surprised if I’m honest… We’ve not shown the necessary determination’
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says his side’s defeat to Hearts doesn’t surprise him ⤵️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/8H9h2t0Nem
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) December 16, 2023
Firstly, it’s an apology to the support base. I don’t think I’ve ever had to do that in all my time here, the first time or this time.
Certainly, the performance today was nowhere near the level of what is expected as a Celtic player and a Celtic team.
We lacked any desire in our defending, we lacked that drive when we had the ball and that intensity. And like I said, it felt like we could have played all night and not scored.
if I’m honest because it is about consistency and mentality and I’ve seen it within the team from time to time.
I’m surprised at home we produced that level of performance but not so when I saw the first half at St Johnstone and Kilmarnock away and today.
It disappoints me greatly because we haven’t shown the necessary determination and the passive nature was a concern.
All of the issues highlighted by the manager are on his watch, he has had six months with the squad to work on every area, today was the second succesive defeat in the SPFL, the first at home since January 2021 during lockdown.
Those comments don’t seem like the words of a manager that has control of his squad, when things reach this stage it is almost always the case that the players outlast their boss.
