It's a bit of a stretch to suggest Celtic are coming apart at the seams when they dropped points at the weekend for only the second time since Halloween.
But ex-Hoops man Mark Wilson does admit there’s a lack of zip from his old club right now.
Ange Postecoglou has been in Scotland long enough to know a draw is a calamity, a defeat is a disaster and a couple of low-key performances is viewed as a crisis in these part.
The Aussie will shrug it off and he can point to an incredible run of form since the tough old early days of his reign.
Celtic may have picked up just a point at Easter Road but it’s been nothing but wins since the autumn apart from the shock stalemate at St Mirren before Christmas.
Postecoglou’s men have won 19 out of 21 league games since the defeat by Livingston and draw with Dundee United left the Hoops playing catch up.
They caught Rangers with the stunning run and forged ahead – with the Ibrox side’s surprising second-half stumble against Motherwell on Sunday meaning no harm was done in the capital.
The manager will write it off as a minor blip in public. But that doesn’t mean he can ignore some of the slight strains setting in to his side in recent weeks as the blistering performances have been replaced by weekly slogs. The shock and awe of the Rangers game was a while ago now and recent displays have been more of a grind.
Postecoglou let rip in the Raith game but it took late drama against Dundee and then it didn’t happen at Hibs. The bruising Europa Conference League double header with Bodo/Glimt didn’t help much either.
Former title winner Wilson knows it can’t always be silky on the way to collecting the big prizes but he admitted the Hoops have lost their mojo of late and they’ll need to find it again with just 10 games to go.
He said: “It was a disappointing day for Postecoglou’s side. He picked a side full of his big hitters that he has relied upon so heavily this season.
“To be honest, there weren’t many real performances. It was pretty flat. That zip is gone at the minute from Celtic.
“They were pretty toothless in front of goal, so that will be a concern for Postecoglou.
“Especially in the wide areas. Jota and Abada have been so good this season, creating and chipping in with goals. They were so quiet on Sunday. Jota flitted in and out.”
Postecoglou hasn’t had it easy. Celtic have got by without Kyogo but absence is making the heart grow fonder for the frontman.
Gio Giakoumakis missing Sunday was also a factor. The Greek striker is a focal point for the side and the amount of hopeful crosses whipped over at the weekend weren’t exactly playing to Daizen Maeda’s strengths.
Jota and Abada had to dip at some point but others, such as James Forrest and the injured Mikey Johnston, haven’t been able to ease the burden.
Tom Rogic is another who may be feeling the pace after managing more games this season than he’s totalled in his previous four – and we’re not yet out of February.
Postecoglou battled with a brutal injury list for the first half of the season but now he’s got most of his men available, he needs more from the ones who can come in.
The Celtic boss swapped seven players from the Bodo beating last Thursday but the players in Norway didn’t exactly impress enough to tempt the gaffer to chuck them on in Leith.
Wilson said: “There was a lack of substitutions as well.
“When the game wasn’t working, for Postecoglou to only use one, is hardly a ringing endorsement for those on the bench when Celtic really needed something to change that game.”
Wilson can see a few warning signs but there’s also got to be the bigger picture. Celtic are top of the league going into the home stretch and they’ve hoovered up 25 points out of 27 since coming back from the winter break. Rivals Rangers have collected just 13 in 24 since they returned. One side is showing title form and it’s not the reigning champions.
That’s why Postecoglou can brush off Sunday and welcome St Mirren to Celtic Park tomorrow.
But it doesn’t mean there can’t be concerns the side is not quite firing after expectations were sent soaring.
Wilson said: “Postecoglou said earlier in the season they’d need to be practically perfect to catch and overtake Rangers.
“You have got to say they have been. It’s no disgrace going to Easter Road and dropping points.
“But because those players were rested in Bodo with Celtic fans thinking they’d come back and produce another stellar performance. But they fell short of that.”
