We’re now just under two weeks removed from Celtic’s defeat to Rangers.
But given the unexpected nature of the Hoops’ 3-2 Glasgow derby loss, it is little wonder that the game is still being pored over by pundits and ex-players.
Celtic missed Callum McGregor vs Gers and the influence their captain has and manager Brendan Rodgers admitted as such at full-time. Without the 31-year-old the hosts struggled to stamp their authority on the action.
It was an uncharacteristic performance from the Scottish Premiership runaway leaders and former Ibrox player Derek Ferguson believes Celtic were missing their usual bite.
Derek Ferguson says Celtic were ‘not at full tilt’ vs Rangers
It seemed to the Open Goal pundit that Celtic’s players did not put themselves about in the same way Gers’ stars did and that was a key difference in the game.
And the apathetic performance closely resembled Rangers from this season, as Ferguson explained.
“When you watch that Celtic side, I didn’t see anybody getting after anybody,” Ferguson said when discussing the 90 minutes.
I’ve accused Rangers players this season of being like that and I looked for the leaders and didn’t see anything.
“To put it simply, Rangers were at full tilt and Celtic weren’t. If you’re not at full tilt or giving it everything, you’re gonna come up second best.”
It was a really poor afternoon from a green and white perspective and Ferguson is spot on with his assessment.
Celtic resembled Rangers from earlier this season on Glasgow derby day
It’s a bit of a scary thing to admit for any Celtic supporter that Rangers were the better team, even if Celts were in the ascendency after pulling the game back to 2-2.
It just means Rodgers now has decisions to make and changes to tinker with for the rest of the campaign with a Treble still on the wishlist.
His side will have to improve as Celtic were “all over the place” against their rivals.
More than one of their star men were not at the races with Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston underperforming in particular.
