Worried Kris Commons has called for Celtic to bolster their defensive ranks for a charge on the Champions League after the lacklustre showing against Rangers.
The Scottish Premiership champions struggled to get to grips with Michael Beale's side at Ibrox as the Light Blues dominated derby day to secure the Londoner's first win since stepping into the hot seat in Govan. The result has put Celtic hero Commons on red alert for next season - as he admits he has growing concerns over the European goals of the Hoops when they go into the group stage.
Carl Starfelt, Alexandro Bernabei and Yuki Kobayashi sparked fears after they failed to keep tabs on the likes of Fashion Sakala, Todd Cantwell and John Souttar at key points against Rangers - and Commons reckons Celtic will need better summer recruits to compete with Europe's elite. Commons pinpointed problems with Starfelt's display without Cameron Carter-Vickers in defence - and admitted that another first-choice centre-back.
Writing for the Daily Mail, he said: "If Celtic want to progress in Europe, I still think there's a slight weakness in one of the centre-backs that could be improved and upgraded. But let's not pretend Starfelt was alone in that regard on Saturday. There were several players in the Celtic team who did themselves no favours at all.
"Alexandro Bernabei has been a disappointing signing thus far. He was supposed to be the new first-choice left-back ahead of Greg Taylor. Celtic paid £3.75million to sign him from Argentina last summer, but it's Taylor who has ended up having an outstanding season and has rightly kept Bernabei out the team.
"Yuki Kobayashi is neat and tidy on the ball. However, the pace and physicality of the game looked too much for him at times on Saturday. He certainly didn't offer the same level of authority and assurance as Carter-Vickers does when he plays.
"I reckon Carter-Vickers is actually the most dominant defender we've seen in Scottish football since Van Dijk. So it's no surprise Celtic should look so vulnerable when he doesn't play. He's a massive loss.
"That doesn't excuse the display overall. Having set such high standards for themselves all season, they were off the pace at Ibrox. Postecoglou must have been really disappointed. His mantra is all about how Celtic never stop.
"Some people were saying this was a dead rubber and a meaningless game. Trust me, as someone who has played in my fair share of these games, there is never a meaningless Old Firm game.
"Celtic had the chance to eclipse the points tally set by Brendan Rodgers' Invincibles a few years ago. That chance has now gone thanks to one poor performance, so I don't believe that this game didn't matter.
"When you come so far in a season and you have a chance to break a record like that, it will hurt when you don't go on and actually do it. In all fairness, Celtic have been pretty much flawless for months. They've played some incredible football and wrapped up the title.
"They had a day off on Saturday and, unfortunately, you just can't get away with that when you're playing your biggest rivals. The sense of disappointment will pass in a few days. Celtic are still only one game away from a fifth domestic Treble in seven years.
"As for Rangers, this was a much-needed victory for Michael Beale. It gives their fans some light at the end of a trophyless season. It was also important for Beale on a personal level after coming off second best so many times against Postecoglou.
"I don't think it changes a great deal for next season. Rangers still face a massive summer rebuild. Celtic will still start next season as red-hot favourites to win a third league title on the bounce. Rangers have at least shown that they can lay a glove on their rivals and at least make it a proper title fight next time round.
"My old team won't face anywhere near the same level of transfer activity as Rangers in the summer. For Postecoglou, it should be more a case of evolution than revolution as he looks to tweak one or two areas in his squad.
"Carter-Vickers and Starfelt have formed a good partnership over these past couple of seasons. But this was an afternoon when too many of Celtic's fringe and squad players failed to grasp the opportunity given to them."
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