Lack of edge in title race to blame for recent blip, says Rodgers | OneFootball

Lack of edge in title race to blame for recent blip, says Brendan Rodgers…

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Dazed and confused

There has been a distinct lack of a challenge this year when it comes to the race for the Scottish Premiership. For Celtic, they’ve barely been put under any real threat from elsewhere and at times, have been just far too good and clinical for the rest of the league.  That’s why when our recent blip happened it left everyone dazed and confused.

Lack of a real and material threat

However, that lack of a real and material threat to our hegemony and Premiership crown could have led to the side becoming too comfortable in their situation and allowed the slightest bit of complacency to kick in too.

Luke McCowan. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

A double-digit gap

A double-digit gap between us and our nearest rivals in second place, has meant that for the most part we have been able to coast in domestic football for long periods of time, which is always cause for concern for a manager.

At the weekend Brendan Rodgers confirmed that this lack of edge in the title race could have been affecting his players, which he says no manager really wants deep down – despite the pleasure of a major gap between Celtic and the rest. After the Scottish Cup Semi-final at the national stadium, he said to Premier Sports: “Last year (the league) was tight until February/March and then we accelerated through that period and finished well.

Brendan Rodgers. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

‘Sometimes you want it’

“Sometimes you want it (a comfort zone) but you don’t really want it as you’re missing the edge. That takes the edge off of a couple of performances like when we played Southampton a couple of weeks ago. St Johnstone, sorry. Then last week against Hearts…I’m getting my teams mixed up, I mean Kilmarnock, sorry.”

Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

That dearth of real competition in Scottish football for the Bhoys can become an issue at times, with the gulf between domestic and European football also making it a difficult puzzle for the manager and his players to solve sometimes.

Hopefully Rodgers and his men can kick on

Having said all that, in spite of the recent hiccups, for the most part Celtic have been on it for the vast majority of the season and have raised the level in Europe again too. Hopefully Rodgers and his men can kick on and with a few key additions, make even more progress next campaign.

Loved the way that Neil Lennon reminded Brendan that he’d be taking on Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final.  Jimmy Thelin’s team were the only side to give Celtic a battle for top spot early in the season before Celtic burst their bubble at Hampden in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final.

Paul Gillespie

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