Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Celtic star Aiden McGeady has delivered a scathing verdict on his old club's damaging Old Firm defeat at Ibrox .
McGeady branded the display embarrassing, passive and slow, and believes the 3-0 scoreline flattered Celtic , warning that a repeat in the second derby would tip the club into a full-blown crisis.
The former winger has also assessed the criticism of Callum McGregor , the debuts of Colby Donovan and Olwethu Makhanya , the struggles of Sebastian Tounekti , the impact of Dan Neil at Rangers , and the Hibs vs Hearts cup semi-final.
The Ibrox Defeat
What Will the Celtic Response Be?
Rangers have been poor up until the last four games, but they've managed to find a way to win without really playing well. At the weekend, to be honest, it was an embarrassing performance from Celtic . It was passive and slow on the ball, just far too easy to play against. Rangers just looked hungrier. They had everybody fighting for every ball, winning most of the duels and second balls.
Going forward, the 3-0 scoreline probably flattered Celtic ; if I'm being honest, it could have been six. Having no away fans can sometimes play into Celtic 's hands because when Rangers aren't performing, the crowd can get on their back and make them play with fear. But on the weekend, the crowd was fully behind them because of how they started.
They started so well, and Celtic just couldn't find a way back. Celtic were really poor all over the pitch and offered very little going forward, creating hardly any chances. They just looked shell-shocked. Everyone going into this game thought Celtic would brush Rangers aside, but it was the complete opposite.
Celtic have a big game next week against them again to try to change the narrative. They need to change what everybody's been saying, because that was probably one of the poorest performances I've seen from Celtic against Rangers at Ibrox in the last five or six years.
Is the Backlash on Callum McGregor Unwarranted?
Callum McGregor is the focal point and the figurehead of the team, so it's understandable, and he's the most experienced. I don't think it will bother him too much, but I don't think anybody can come away from that game with any credit, to be honest. Callum is probably getting stick because of how Celtic set up; he plays as a six, but a lot of the time he drops back in between the centre-halves to start the play.
What I noticed was that the gaps between himself and the other two midfielders, Nygren and Baur , were too big, and when Rangers won the ball back, Callum McGregor was almost against two or three Rangers midfielders and getting overrun. That's been the theme at times this season when Celtic haven't performed well, especially in Europe , like the game against LASK.
I don't think anybody can complain about being criticised after that game. As a Celtic fan, that performance and result were unacceptable, to be honest with you. I don't think anyone would disagree with that.
The Individuals
Has Colby Donovan Proven Himself?
Colby Donovan is an academy player who came through the system, and it's always good to see young players getting a chance. He was probably one of the few who came away with some praise for sticking to his task, but it was tough for him. He was up against Kasama , who was very direct and quick.
At times, Kasama got the better of him, but it's encouraging to see academy graduates out there. That said, it highlights a wider issue: we simply don't have enough young players coming through and playing in the first team.
To be honest, Donovan is likely playing by default because Alistair Johnston has been injured. In an ideal setup, you'd want four or five academy graduates in that Celtic squad. Increasing domestic game time is something the SFA is actively looking into, as the national team suffers when Scotland ranks among the lowest in minutes given to homegrown players. So, from that perspective, seeing him feature is certainly positive.
What Did You Make of Sebastian Tounekti?
The life of a wide player is very difficult because the onus is on you to be creative. But with Tounekti , I don't know; he's been given a lot of chances since he signed. You can see that there's ability there, but I think that ability only comes out when he feels he's up against a full-back he knows he can beat, like against St Johnstone or Falkirk . But in the bigger, more difficult games, I think he's been found wanting, to be honest.
I don't want to be too critical because I know what it's like as a player when ex-players criticise you in the press, but he has to show more. For me, he looks short of confidence, and at the weekend probably wasn't the right game to play him in either.
He was coming off the back of the St Johnstone game where he took a lot of criticism, and then he started at Ibrox against Rangers in a really tough environment. You need your big players to stand up, and on more than one occasion since coming to Celtic , he hasn't performed in the big games.
How Well Did Olwethu Makhanya Play on His Old Firm Debut?
Olwethu Makhanya is one of the ones I've been impressed with, to be honest with you. Even though Rangers have had a difficult start to the season, his performances have been fairly consistent, and he deserves credit.
He looks like a good player: strong, quick, athletic, and usually good on the ball as well. Rangers might have uncovered a bit of a gem there, and if he continues playing the way he is, you could see some offers coming in for him in the future.
How Much Have Rangers Missed Someone Like Dan Neil?
It's funny how football changes in the space of a few weeks because Dan Neil was getting criticised left, right, and centre for the last four or five weeks. It was only after the Motherwell game last week that people started saying that was probably his best game.
I'd been saying this about Dan Neil because I played with him at Sunderland . I actually texted him when I heard he was linked with Rangers and said, nah, you can't do that. You can't go there, mate. And he was like, I don't know what's going to happen.
But he signed, and to be honest with you, I think he's one Celtic could have done with. He's a player who can transition from playing deeper to getting forward as well. He passes forward, he's really progressive, and he makes really good use of the ball. Not that I wanted it to happen for Dan Neil at Rangers , obviously not against Celtic , but he showed what I've been saying about him for a long time, and now people are seeing it.
He played very, very well on the weekend, had fantastic finishes getting forward, and controlled the game, to be honest with you.
Cup and Derby
Who Wins the Hibs vs Hearts Cup Semi-Final?
I'd say Hearts are probably fancied more than Hibs currently. Although Hibs , of course, are going to say they fancy their chances and want to win a cup. It's a great opportunity with Celtic being out, and getting to a final gives you a brilliant chance to win a trophy, which is obviously very difficult for teams outside of Celtic and Rangers .
I'd probably say Hearts are favourites at the moment given the way they're playing, despite a good result for Hibs at the weekend, albeit in a game they should be winning anyway.
Hibs have been on the receiving end of a lot of stick and criticism recently. David Gray has come under fire, with a lot of fans unhappy with the style of play and how the team has been performing this season.
That's made even harder when you look across the city and see Hearts playing so well, especially off the back of last season where they came really close to winning the league. Ultimately, it's a massive opportunity for either Hearts or Hibs to reach the final and compete for silverware.
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