Celtic Sink Hole: DEFCON 1

Yesterday's return to Tynecastle for the first time since 'the incident' was always going have some sort of post-mortem. Unfortunately for Neil Lennon he didn't get a result he could savour, leaving fans feeling disgruntled and the Celtic carcass on the slab.

Tynecastle usually provides a bit of a spectacle when Celtic arrive, much of that down to the appalling fans that the stadium houses week-in week-out. As with most Scottish clubs though they like to raise their game when we come visiting, its just a shame you can't see that when they play all the other teams in the SPL.

Still, on the same date this time last year having only played 7 league games, Celtic had 21 points on the board - that's 2 games less and 3 points more than this season. In the weeks that followed that we racked up 3 more wins including a 9-0 mauling of Aberdeen, but like this season we lost to the orcs and the orcs without the bus fare.

As far as last season goes that isn't much of an improvement and that point us underlined in our performances in Europe as well. Last season Braga and Utrecht dispatched Celtic from both European competitions and the upshot from that was Lennon would have 100% focus on domestic success.

Having looked at last season overall many thought we could win the SPL this season but as our recent form is beginning to show, Neil Lennon isn't making much headway right now. There are still many question marks over tactics, squad selection and of course players.

The Celtic defence continues to look like a sink hole where the opposition can just kick the ball and somehow it'll find the net. If I was a head coach, that kind of issue would have me moving to DEFCON 1.

This is by no means a panic button this is a key issue and it isn't just about having the correct partnership at the heart of the defence, it is about the tactics you deploy for those players. Neil has made some changes recently and as last Thursday demonstrated, it did offer some protection and movement though we still flatter to deceive in attack.

We have yet to see if that will become a permanent choice of tactics for Lennon or whether he will make further changes in the weeks to come. It is times like this that any coach may be let down by inexperience and when you consider the weight Lennon already has on his shoulders both as the manager of Celtic Football Club and public hate figure for Scotland's scum, its a test of character.

Neil's response from this point on will be crucial to how we play out the rest of the season. Already we are seeing the club fall behind Rangers in the league significantly and despite this being the early stages of the season some feel we have already thrown the title away if this is what we can expect to see for the rest of the campaign.

Tynecastle can throw up some nasty feelings and yesterday was no different. Today Lennon will be analysing that and looking to the next game because Celtic require a run of wins to a) lift the team b) lift the fans and c) put pressure on the gates of Mordor.

Across the city, Sally is enjoying wearing Walter's suit and chewing his gum whilst playing with his team. If Neil can settle this team down, string together some results and goals it'll put the wind up the opposition, but he has to do it now.

Next up for Celtic is an away trip to Kilmarnock in the SPL, after the international break. A trip to Ayrshire can be a tricky one for Celtic and this occasion will be no less than that so Lennon must take this opportunity to relax and rethink ahead of the next SPL match.

There have been injuries, suspensions and other disciplinary issues to handle this season but we must apply ourselves now. A season is typically about fighting it out until the end so Neil Lennon must demonstrate that it will go all the way by pulling it together now.

Hail! Hail!

BF, MTH